About time I updated with my opinions on my Despatch.........
I've been out on it a few times now, but only ridden it singlespeed and not fixed yet! I think I'll give that a go next week as I think I'm ready for the transition! I am very pleasantly surprised at how well I've taken to not having gears, and have to admit that I was fearing the worst on hills, but I seem to be able to get up hills a bit faster than I can on a geared bike. Maybe it's because I have to make the extra effort and also that my pedalling tecnique has improved, or because the bike is that much lighter. All in all, the hills have not been a struggle at all and I'm now looking forward to the challenge of them.
On the flat I find it difficult at the moment to get up a very fast cadence to increase the speed, which is not to say that it is slow or sluggish, far from it, but it's just me adapting and using different leg muscles I think. At first I was automatically going for gears to get a bit faster but now the legs do the work!
As for the handling, it has carbon forks and it goes where you point it and it feels quite forgiving on the rough surfaces that are everywhere now. The saddle isn't too bad but I'll soon swap that over for my Selle SMP hybrid. Otherwise it's as comfortable as my other Felt. It's quiet too, not having the gears whirring all the time.
All in all, I'm very pleased with it and glad I bought it as I think it's definitely improved my pedalling technique, made me put more effort into a ride without over-exertion and I'm no longer in fear of hills.
The next task is to ride it fixed, so I'll take it out on Sunday for a spin!