Tech Eye: Chariots of fire

Rarely is the sickly grin wider on our faces than when we unveil the latest envy-inducing gadget to cross our greasy mitts to the slack-jawed yokels that hang around our hovel and we loosely label friends. The warm fuzzy feeling we get from those looks of sheer hatred, jealously and border-line homicide are enough to keep us floating around for a day or two, and we may even leave the catnip alone for a whole six-hour stretch.

Christmas was always a good time for rubbing salt in the wounds of our shabbier brethren. As a child, TechEye was well versed in the arts of wangling presents out of parents. We knew all the tricks, and more importantly we knew where Father TechEye kept his respective homegrown and homebrewed stashes. One call to the local fuzz, or even a loose word to dear, violent Mother, would have been enough to curtail Father's nocturnal activities for a decent stretch. So, no sooner did we hint that our silence could only be bought with bribery, than Father was offering us first dibs on what he was going to borrow indefinitely for us from the rich neighbors' yard across the river.

Bikes were always top of the list. First they were handy for the ride-by rock throwing that became de rigueur in the great gang fights that gripped the village in our youth. Secondly, parading around like the Lord Mayor on your new shiny mode of transportation on Christmas morning was a bigger treat than a Saturday night session of spying at the local Girls' Reform School. But, as time has moved on, it has become necessary to tech things up a tad in order to keep those envious looks a'leering.

We can think of few better examples than this, the Sting-Ray from Schwinn. This chopper is actually an electrobike, ferreting away a removable battery that will do 40 miles on one charge. Expect to shell out around zł.1,200 to continue earning the ire of your friends.