i know, but to me, it wasn't just a bike - it was the realisation of a dream and more importantly it was also a present to cheer myself up after suffering some really, really heavy s**t in my life.
the insurance may cover the price of a new bike, but it's a year's premium down the drain (£871 - due to a minor accident last year), the excess (£400) will be deducted from the settlement, i'll have to buy new locks and covers etc and also pay a new (increased) insurance premium. none of which i can really afford.
have you seen the amount of accessories that came with the bike? it was more or less exactly as i would have specced the bike if i'd started from scratch - once i'd got hold of a single seat unit, it would have been absolutely perfect. i think i'll be very lucky to find another bike of the same spec, in the same condition, with a full service history for the same price (£4k).
anyway, it's not just the money, as even if i can somehow afford to get another 748, i'm thinking that i shouldn't bother, because the same thieving scum will probably come back and nick that one as well. i've more or less been told by a number of people, and i've also had the same thoughts myself, "you can't own a bike like that and expect to hold on to it in london unless you have a garage". in other words, i should just buy a crappy runaround like my previous bike. i don't like having my choice of bike and therefore, my choice of pleasurable activity made for me by a bunch of thieving, parasitic, scumbag ratboys. would you?
also, not to mention the 6 - 8 weeks stuck in a car or on the bus whilst being overtaken by bikes...
[Edited on 15-4-2005 by zhed44]