Some purchases in life fall to the mundane. Regardless of how soft my toilet roll is or how easily the diesel flows from the pump, my heart beats at the same rate.

But some shopping can be a much more emotive affair: the pride of a dad’s first pram; unpacking a new Mac; the smell of new running shoes; freshly laid carpet at home; the sound of a new golf putter. All can hit you with a lot more gusto than buying postcode credits for your website.

It’s not news to you that some brands, not just product categories, can make that difference as well. MP3 players are pretty simple machines in today’s superconducting world but few would argue it’s easier to be impassioned about a new iPod, than a £9 Sweex.

And I’m feeling much the same about this bike. I could’ve bought six other brands, all with very comparable machines but I’m drawn to Specialized. They’re arguably the BMW of the bike world but they’re not the obvious choice for the layman. Chavs haven’t heard of them and the masses won’t be interested even if they do stumble into a store that carries them. High prices should be enough of a barrier for that.

If Stephen Fry were buying a commuting bike, I could easily see him on this:  technical enough for Steve Jobs (our Fry is an all-out Apple geek) but understated with a hint of performance about it.

I might be thinking (or is that feeling?) totally different about it if Beckham’s seen riding one and sales go intergalactic. But for now my heart feels secure knowing my bum gets to work a couple of times a week on my Apple-esque bike.

Unlike the frost, I hope my high isn’t short lived.