Yesterday’s return (to the RCUK bike shed) of the RadioShack Trek Madone meant riding something else home. That something was the Roberts All-Roadster, which since the start of the summer dry spell has been occupying a berth at the back of said shed.

Its last ride prior to the lay up was not an auspicious one; with fine weather and the prospect of riding a fast road bike uppermost in my mind, the Aardvark’s virtues failed to outweigh its drawbacks and it was consigned to the dark without a trace of remorse.

Last night’s inundation reminded me of those virtues. It’s a machine for solid, reliable, imperturbable progress regardless of road conditions. Fat, grippy tyres, a long wheelbase and stable handling allowed serene negotiation of the Elephant and Castle roundabouts’ Teflon Tarmac and floated over puddle-hidden potholes while disc brakes supplied precise retardation on cue.

The downside – weight, essentially, and windblock tyres – was of no real account when what was wanted was to get home, not necessarily as quickly as possible but certainly quickly and with minimal drama. Job done.