New Year's Resolution #2 - Build A Venge Project

My three bikes from 3 years of cycling are all of the Specialized brand. Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., more commonly known simply as Specialized, was founded in 1974 and is based in Morgan Hill, California. When I started on my Tour de Fitness, I went looking for the last brand of bike I had, I'm very brand loyal. This was, however, before the return of Raleigh to the mainstream market and racing circuit. In the absence of anything I remembered from the 1970s, I scanned the local shop's brochure and was attracted by the specification, look and price of the Specialized Crosstrail. A new allegiance was struck.

When I was looking to complete my first 100 mile ride, I revisited my bike shop to acquire a road bike and came away with the Specialized Roubaix. The bike that Specialized created for the one day classic, the Paris Roubaix. Built to cope with the Belgium cobbles and climbing, perfect for our Devon roads!  A year later and with another winter on the horizon, I decided that I needed a quality summer bike and returning to my bike shop found the ideal candidate, the Specialized Tarmac. An all out racer ridden by a number of the pro teams: Astana, Tinkoff-Saxo and Omega Pharma - Quickstep. My trusty Roubaix, with it's cushioned ride became my winter bike, well suited to handing the hidden potholes beneath puddles and obscured by darkness.

During 2015, the Tarmac acquitted itself well over a number of 100 mile rides and the epic Etape Loch Ness. I also became more hands on working as a mechanic on my bikes and I got to thinking it would be great to build a bike from the frame up. Before Christmas, a good cycling friend showed me a beautiful carbon Cervelo frame that he was preparing to do likewise, build the perfect bike. I started looking for a frame which would compliment my Specialized collection. A model I did not have and one which would be a very different animal was the Venge. A thoroughbred aero road racing machine and a model favoured by my sprint cycling hero, Mark Cavendish! The die was cast, my new years resolution #2 - build a Venge project - was put in motion.

Through the three months to February, all the frame sales I scanned through had asking prices of more than I'd even want to pay for a complete bike. I was starting to think that I was in for a long search until early in February, I was emailed details of a bright orange Venge .. a whole one .. for sale in Cornwall. The colour did not at first grab me, the price however did. It was never my plan to buy a complete unit, but seeing an immaculate Venge, so well looked after and at a price I was prepared to pay for my project materials and parts, how could I refuse; I guess I could always take it apart and put it back together if I wanted to build it myself!

So, perhaps the quickest new year's resolution to come to fruition with the least amount of effort! I'm feeling a bit of a fraud really, although over the moon with the new addition to my Specialized collection. I'm going to have to find a race to give it a proper run out now .. if I do, it will be my first. Is it Ok to add a late addition to my list of new year's resolutions?