I bought Ol’ Paint in 2009. She’s a steel-framed Marin, and she’d been sitting in the shop’s inventory for more than a year when I walked up and offered cash.

Ol’ Paint is designed for city riding, and I bought her with the idea that 90% of my riding would be daily commuting. (I’d have bought something with drop bars otherwise.) That hasn’t proved true. But she’s a very nimble bike, and I like that. Her main shortcoming for Tokyo riding is the width of the handlebars. There are just too many situations where she’s a bull in a china shop, and I’ve only made it worse by adding special grips.

My other big addition has been the clipless pedals, which came a couple of years ago. I’ve already grown completely used to them and feel uncomfortable when I ride without my cleats.

She’s had a new set of tyres over the years, a couple of inner tube changes, some general cable adjustment and cleaning, and a bottom bracket replacement. Right, and one broken spoke.

There have been a few parking lot bumps ‘n’ bangs and a couple of head-over-heels accidents as well.

I may yet spring for a new paint job …