It was a dream Christmas trip to Soneva Fushi in the Maldives
that did it. I hadn't really ridden a bike since my BMX days as a
nipper, but cruising around palm-lined, sandy paths and I fell in
love with the childish freedom of being on two-wheels.
Back in Blighty and it's a different story; tarmac, traffic,
fumes and a lot of swearing. But undeterred, I've been circling
bicycle shops and made several attempts at leaping on a Boris. (The
very notion!)
There's a colourful bike that keeps tantalizing me. It's by a
new brand called Pitango, (named after a zingy South American
fruit) founded by two Israelis and a Brit; Oriya - a sous-chef,
Ilan - a mountain guide and Simon - a teacher.
While visiting Simon in London, Ilan bought a bicycle and spent
his time beaning around on it. On his return to Israel he realized
there were no great bikes available at good prices. "So I went to
China and Taiwan to source the bike components," explains Ilan, "as
ethically as it's possible to do there." The bike parts were then
shipped back to be fitted together in the UK and Israel. The first
Pitango Bike went on sale in 2011. "And after just two shipments,
we were the number one single speed bike in Israel," says Ilan.
To an amateur cyclist, the best thing about these bikes is that
they're light and they look pretty. Pitango launches different
colours each season and you can build up the colours (different
frame, handlebars, wheels) according to your whims. And the brand
are committed to supporting local bike shops rather than purely
selling online, because, as Ilan says, "There aren't many people
who know how to mend a puncture. So after buying a bike, the next
most important thing is finding a friendly local shop who'll fix
it."
www.pitangobikes.com
Pitango Bikes offered all Vanity Fair A-List members the
chance to win a Pitango Bike (from £375). Don't miss out on future
offers, sign up to the
A-List.