[Closed] Your Cycling Year

Con:

Hardly seen the MNPR bunch

Pros:

Rediscovering road riding after a 10-year absence and enjoying the traffic-free lockdown roads in the May and June sunshine
Dry dusty trails at the same time

Stats:

Haven't a clue as I stopped using Strava

Not done as much riding

Discovered some cool new roads and places

Cons

No Alps trips
No mnprs
Lost mojo in lockdown as everyone was out and about and it was rammed.

Pros
No injuries
Most mileage ever though I'm sure daz, baz and others will trounce it

143days active
2219 miles wanted 3k but no commuting ment more mtb
216k feet climbed

Cons:

Hardly seen anyone

Pros:

My legs still work, well enough I stopped riding an ebike in January.
I've ridden more elevation than I've previously ever ridden in a calendar year.
I know the local area rather well.

Stats:

155 rides
273 hours
79220m elevation (I'll be upset if I don't nudge that over 80!)
2769km

2021:

More than 2 rides that aren't from my door.

Cons:
Hardly any commute rides
Crashed early in lockdown being a moron. Much shoulder pain for months and months
Lost fitness due to both the above
Worse driving standards than ever experienced when road riding

Pros:
Weekly lockdown rides with my son
Those dry trails
Morning and lunchtime rides
Less wear & tear on Tripster, I suppose
DrP's Rogate STW ride where my boy got to ride with some proper riders 😛

Stats:
Don't do stats

Cons: Almost everything

Pros: Didn’t catch Covid or die. Less wear on bike components.

PROs
Got to ride almost every day at the start of the first lockdown and started to get fit again.
Saved a shit load of money not buying new bike stuff.
CONs.
Missed riding holidays in Spain and France.
Got injured at the start of July and haven't been able to ride since.
Bone still hasn't healed and I'm still in pain from the associated injurys.

Did 1760 off road miles in the first six months and nothing since.

Lets hope I make a recovery early next year and get back on it.

Cons: Missed January and February with sciatica. Missed June after writing off my road bike when a pedestrian ran out in front of me. Missed quite a lot of skin down my right hand side as well after that one. No club rides (being Covid cautious even when they restarted)

Pros: enjoyed quiet lockdown roads, explored local tracks and trails on the gravel bike, saw lots of people start using bikes again, saw lots of kids riding bikes again. Still managed to get an imperial century ride in. Managed to get socially distanced night rides in with a mate when kids activities were on hold, even if we had to take our own beer and stay two metres apart.

Stats: 3,300 miles.

2021: only 60 of those miles were on the Soul, so that needs more regular use. New audax bike on order, getting back up to 200k events this year when allowed. And back to club social rides when I decide it's safe to do so. Finally crack 5000 miles in a year

Pros: Rode more with my wife than I normally do, rode more for fun than eyeballs out, commuting was easier for a large part of the year.

Cons:as above

Stats: Strava says -

Distance 5,992.1 km
Time 227h 20m
Elev Gain 50,945 m
Rides 156

2021: stay fit or even get a bit better, hope to ride with mates more, hope to ride Dirty Reiver

Pros: my son had empty roads to gain confidence on, did loadsvof riding with him.

Cons: no events to aim for, local shop rides stopped and never restarted.

Stats: over 7000 km.

2021: Hopefully do a few races with my boy and do the Cairngorm 300 Loop with my mate.

Cons

- Started off the year getting hit by a car on my commute home

- WFH meant FAR less riding overall than previous years

- Barely any enduro racing to focus on

- Had to cancel my first ever riding trip abroad

- Riding has been a pretty lonely affair overall

Pro

- Most 'recreational' miles ever

- Saved a LOT of money from not racing

- Got a turbo trainer and Zwift set up so a 'clean ride' option against the winter slopfest

- For a few weeks, I did road riding for fun and it was alright when the roads were empty!

Stats

1,644 miles

147 days active

136,812m up and down

Cons
My workload dropped off a cliff. Can't think of anything else other than the trails were filled with way more walkists than usual.

Pros
Had the time and found the impetus to get out and ride again. I hadn't ridden a bike in 3+ years. Been working-from-home since mid-2017 and I've hardly left the house. However, no work on and good weather made me think it might be worth blowing the dust off a bike. March/April I started venturing out locally on short rides. I knew I wouldn't enjoy it to start with, but I also knew the more you do the easier it gets. There's nothing gnarly near me so I'd string a load of local bridleways together and get out on my old Cross bike or my even older rigid SS. Or I'd do laps of the best local bridleways. By early October I was doing 20 or 30 mile off-road loops 3 or 4 times a week and really enjoying myself. Got much fitter and shed loads of weight.

Then I got manflu, the weather changed, and I suddenly had a load of work on again.

Last time I rode a bike was 9th October.

Stats
Don't care about stats.

2021
Hopefully I can rekindle that enthusiasm in the Spring. I'd like to be able to partake in an event again. It'll be my first one in over 10 years.

I hardy ride at all. As in, I did fewer kilometres in 2020 than in any years since 2014.

I am now fat.

Cons
- No commute to work by bike
- Idiots racing around the streets during lockdown
- No outdoor events (was looking forward to my first organized gravel rides this year)

Pros
- Finally got my gravel bike built up and discovered a few new routes
- Built a pump track bike in the autumn and got down to the local track regularly after that
- WFH meant that I could enjoy a bit more of the TdF and Giro this year. Having road racing back was a joy. Strangely while I enjoyed watching cycling, I've not been at all interested in watching rugby - it just isn't the same without my pals.
- Watched my first downhill races on TV and loved it.
- Getting a turbo on black Friday with a years subscription to Sufferfest

2021
Using Sufferfest to build my fitness. Maybe joining Zwift for a race or too. I'm hoping to be able to do at least one event this year, but I'm not hopeful for the Etapes Loch Ness and Caledonia. Planning on riding the King Alfred Way in late summer. But mostly just looking forward to riding a bike more often.

Cons: not a very social year in the bike. Not much commuting.

Pros; not much commuting. Probably ridden the MTB more than any year before. Rode local,  discovered new (to me) trails. Rode different <can't think of the word...  styles?> of mountain biking - enduro, bike packing,  good old hill rides,  trail centre classics. Daughter started school,  I maintained a 4 day week and rode almost every Monday since August. September challenge to climb 7500m. Stuck to regular weekly evening rides in the dark. 100 day challenge worked as motivation on all fronts. In short,  great year on the (mountain) bike, have hardly ridden the road bike.

152 days active (probably about 130 on bike).

1419 miles (most rides <20-25 miles)

145,000 ft climbed.

2021: try and maintain fitness / enthusiasm.  Challenges work for me.

Cons: not ridden a bike since 2014. My Orange 5 needed some work

Pros: got back on the bike in April with very very slow progress, but now feeling great and ready to tackle longer rides and plan for next year. Started The Rossendale Male Voice Choir (I’m a second tenor) Bimblers Club, this is six of the choir getting out on a Thursday evening which started in June with some gentle rides, right into the beginning of night riding. Two of the lads have got new bikes and we are gearing up for next year (sharing skills and knowledge as I benefited from in the past)

Lastly I have my mojo back and that counts for everything

2021: 4 days on the Camino de Santiago (c word permitting) and a few bothy trips on the still to arrive Sonder Camino

Pros: Some of the best weather, and driest trails I've ever seen in Central Scotland while I was furloughed during lock down. Haven't felt as bike fit and healthy for years.

Cons: Missed out on so much riding and good times with my friends, missed out on a lot of planned 50th birthday celebrations for myself and my wife. Diagnosed with cancer in Sept. Had radiotherapy on the run up to Christmas and starting chemotherapy next Friday. Don't know when I'll be able to get back on my bike again.

On balance, it's been a bit of a crap year for me. 2021 had better get its act together!

Fingers crossed beagleboy as that's shit news.

Pros: not a lot, lost my mojo for a while as all events were cancelled. I did get out with the kids more in the gorgeous sunny period. Have found my mojo with the vaccine coming on stream. Oh, 20mins off my commute with the reduction in traffic. Quote motivated to get rid of two stone in the new year as looking in a mirror is pissing me off.

Cons: had my winter coat in September.

Stats: 110 rides (Wayhay!), 3300km and 42,000m climbing.

2021: increase my FTP to about 250 and lose 10-15% weight. Get 180km at 24/12, ride more with my mates&clubs. Learn to not brick it if a drop is more than about 8"

Pros: Always good to be out. In lieu of the pub riding became a lot of my social contact. Some good weather. Managed a few rides in the lakes.

Cons: No proper hols. No trips. No events, so no training just riding for fun, less fitness = turning up for a ride, looking round to see who's slowest and thinking ah shite it's me.

Stats: 267hrs, 2,900km.77,000 m climbed, 155 active days, pretty much 100% mtb.

2021: be nice to get away more - lakes, scotland, do a bit of bikepacking (nothing stopping me this year, just didn't happen), And a few hols would be good.

Cons

* no long/multi day rides this year - missed out for the first time since 2015.

* spent shedloads on new bike bits

Pros

* nice shiny bike bits

* most mileage ever despite no commuting

* gave thanks that I live in east lancashire and brilliant riding (of all types) is on my doorstep

Cons

- 40th birthday in lockdown
- Not enough away trips to the mountains etc
- Trained hard over last winter for events which got cancelled
- Didn't get to do Ride London with my Dad and friends
- Missed club rides in a decent size group

Pros

- Biggest yearly mileage yet
- Cheeky lunchtime rides when WFH
- STW Zwift races
- Fitter/faster than last year
- Couple of new bikes

Stats

- 5500 miles
- 430000ft climbing

2021

- Fred Whitton, Ronde Van Calderdale and a few other hilly sportives
- Ride from home to JoG
- Ride across Wales N to S
- Maybe an Alps trip
- Maybe some hill climb events...

Cons

Missed a lot of nice weather
Rescheduled cycling holiday twice

Pros

Mrs got into gravel, and we even went bike packing twice
Youngest llama started cycling a bit too, even came bike packing one of those times
Some how I am relatively fit at the start of the year (relatively)

Stats

Just over 4k

2021

Doing the king Alfred way with Mrs
Might buy a new MTB

Cons
Hardly saw my mates for rides
Events cancelled
Holidays cancelled

Pros
Much more time to ride due to WFH
Mental health has been better than ever
Amazing weather this year.

Stats
2422 miles
246 hours
182,000 ft

Pro
- worked from home so more frequent (if shorter) rides and could pick and choose the best weather.
- got to discover more local lanes and trails.

Cons
- gave up on fitness as racing calendar was cancelled.
- missed out on going to NZ for a month of riding.
- missed out on some Euro bikepacks.
- missed out on annual California trip.

Perhaps, all things considered, the pros just about cancelled out the cons. The year definitely brought home how fortunate I am and how fleeting life is. Several friends were very sick with Covid and one friend's mum died from it. So I intend to enjoy life now rather than later. Just in case.

Cons: No events/weekends away (well, snuck the lakes in before lockdown 1) Limited Group rides

Pros: Much more time to ride in lockdown 1, nice weather quite roads ect) New bike

Stats; 1300 miles, 153k ft climbing, 188 hours

Cons:

Limited trips away to ride with friends. Managed 4 or 5 trips to riding spots with friends but planned trips to the Peak district, Snowdonia and Scotland cancelled.
Lost job so no more cycle commuting which has hit my fitness.
Planned SDW attempt cancelled.
Being told that the proprietary shock on one of my bikes is worn and that there's no spares for it any more.
Brexit causing my planned order for a new bike from one of the German shops to be put on hold.

Pros:

Explored my local area a lot more.
A new found appreciation for the amazing riding spots I can normally access within a 2hr drive of home. Had ridden them so much before that I took them for granted.
Took the plunge on Zwift and have found a new way to improve my fitness.
Seeing all the new riders out and about.

So definitely a different year but on the whole pretty even on the +/- equation.

Cons
Massive high speed off first time I was out in ages.
YT taking ages to deliver my bike

Pros
Finding people to Zwift with and enjoying racing and just riding.

Cons -

not done much MTBing for a variety of reasons partly due to my riding buddies turning into covidiots

pros -

spent the summer doing a longer commute so got another ebike.
Quiet roads at the beginning of all this was nice
managed a two week tour in Kintyre which was great
found some new twisties in some nearby woods

Stats - no idea. couple of thousand miles maybe?
2021 - a year of change for me. Not likely to feature much biking tho.

For someone who normally works away during the week I’ve clocked 183 mtb rides this year according to Strava. That’s just over every other day of the year!! I’m absolutely thrilled with that. Mostly local, mostly quite short, there hasn’t been many days out or weekends away and the overall mileage isn’t very impressive - but no commutes, no zwift, no tarmac; just 183 proper little shreds in the woods! Well happy

Cons

didn't do anything above a blue - took even that quite easy - last place i want to be is in hospital

Pros

the roads in April - well would you just look at that - there's nothing on them - i'm all alone on here - what bliss is this?

Stats

well i don't know nothing 'bout that, but do you remember the roads in April?

nothing on them at all, hot damn

Cons

No commuting
Not much MTBing due to local trails being busy with walkers
Not as many rides as last year
Mileage a bit down on last year

Pros
LOTS of road miles on the tandem with Mrs NBT
Managed a couple of weeks away in the caravan during the brief relaxation of lockdown where we did some lovely socially distant riding in other areas
MASSIVE increase in elevation gain, feeling much stronger for it (though still not fast)

Stats

NUMBER OF RIDES: 246 rides (-106 on 2019)
DISTANCE COVERED: 4,911 km (that's 3051 miles, -260 km on 2019)
TIME SPENT RIDING: 321h, 10m (-6h, 52m on 2019)
ELEVATION GAINED: 102,403m (that's 335,967 feet, +12,652 m on 2019)

We've had our (road) tandem since Feb 2019. We'd done about 1,500km on it when lockdown started. We've added 3,500 since then...

Cons
- Not much commuting (really noticeable what a difference it makes to fitness)
- 50th birthday in lockdown (and getting a hot water bottle!!)
- Persistent shoulder injury (rotator cuff)

Pros
- Started best job I've ever done - 10 months of virtually running a business. Never thought it would work but it has.
- Explored local area from Twickenham on gravel bike and done some great rides. Gritty 130 being the best (in Wales)
- House renovations that almost killed me in 18/19 came into their own in '20 and made WFH way more enjoyable

Stats
- 8000km
- 65k metres ascent

Its been a much bigger year than i played /targeted for In Jan 2020 i set myself 2000 miles and to bag a few more Wainwrights with the bike. I think i managed to surpass my expectations.

Fingers crossed 2021 will be more of the same (in some respects )

Distance 3,141.6 mi
Time 353h 2m
Elev Gain 326,864 ft
Rides 201

I was hoping that it would snow enough to be worth dragging the MTB out for a quick spin over the hills but it's just a slushy icy mess out there so I'm calling it a day. Finished the Festive 500 yesterday.

[b]Cons[/b]
No events - I normally work on a few big road races each year inc Tour de Yorkshire, Women's Tour etc so without that I've seen far fewer people.
No holidays - 18/19 I was lucky - working on a guiding holiday in Italy & Switzerland, and also riding in Gran Canaria, Spain and the Azores. This year, not even been to an airport!
I'm sick of my local roads and trails. Tried to mix things up a bit, did a few new rides and routes but the severe restrictions on getting about much have made it tricky.

[b]Pros[/b]
The excellent weather of spring in particular really helped.
The peace and quiet on the roads for the first half of lockdown was incredible.
Full WFH has meant loads more time to get out on the bike.

[b]Stats[/b]
7239 miles
525,178ft climbing (160,074m or 18 Everests)!
498hrs riding

Cons
- less commuting to work by bike - lower mileage
- No fred whitton or dirty reiver - for the right reasons
- no bike packing trip

Pros
- done more running off road
- used MTB more
- weather in April and May was fabulous even in West Yorks.
- WFH 2/3 days per week

Stats
4439 miles

2021
- holiday maybe
- the fred whitton seems a safe bet in May - Dirty Reiver in april ???

Cons
- Due to recovering from my broken shoulder blade at the back end of last year I was off the bike outside until mid February.
- Covid wreaking havoc on a lot the TT’s I had in mind.
- Not being able to ride with my club due to the social distancing rules.
Pros
- Although I have worked throughout the year I’ve done no overtime because of Covid so it’s meant I’ve had a lot more time to ride and train on my bike. Smashed all my previous yearly achievements by quite a margin.
- Of the few TT’s I did I did ok. PBing in the 100mile and 12hr.The 12hr I entered was the National 12hr championship in which I came 5th. The VTTA(Veteran Time Trial Association)national championship was also run alongside it. Over the moon to come first in this so being called a National Champion is certainly a very proud moment for me.

Stats
12503miles
646284ft climbing
604 activities
629hrs
283 days riding
31 100 plus mile rides
19.9mph av. for year

Cons
- Not done much road riding
- Had to cancel a few trips away, obvs
- Not seen as much of some pals as I'd have liked
- Lost strength with gym closed

Pros
- Did get some awesome trips away when it was permitted
- Found a new level of speed on the MTB for me
- More riding now I'm WFH
- Feel I've nailed the set-up on my MTBs and made some great upgrades this year

Stats
- Distance 3,473.6 km
- Time 320h 31m
- Elev Gain 104,713 m
- Rides 137

Stats:

5342km

36.8km of ascent

212 rides.

I could have posted yesterday as MIL died this morning and only a grade A fool leaves a grieving wife to ride bikes.

RIP Maud.

CONS:
Not been on a bike in over 18 months.
Marriage ended in Jan 2020.
Sold all bikes to help pay debts.
Mileage=0
2020 in general.

PROS:
Daughter is happy.
Get on with Ex better now than in past 5 years.
Debt a wee bit less than it was.
Been thinking recently that I quite fancy going out for a ride.

Cons:

- Didn't ride anywhere near as much this year as I wanted.
- Lost a lot of MTB technical confidence from not riding it much
- Didn't get away on a couple of trips
- Miss riding with friends and groups
- No racing

Pros:

- Got a few great weeks on my road bike during a short furlough period in April/May
- Enjoyed some very dry trails in the summer
- Got to Scotland for a short trip with a couple of friends from home
- Maybe just maintained my riding fitness

Stats:

- Just under 2000 miles, mostly road bike

New Pro!

Despite the generally horrific year, it ended well with our first family of five bike ride. Big girl and son on their regulation Islabikes, wife on my Levo (dropper post most of the way down and power off) and me and small girl on my slacked out Zero AM. Who’d have thought a super-slack 150mm hardtail with a 185mm dropper post would so suit having a WeeRide bike seat on it - so much better than my old XC bike! Not sure what my generally non-cycling wife was thinking riding the Levo with no assistance, I guess no-one told her that it’s impossible to pedal an ebike with the motor off?

Only did a few miles as Little Miss CGG started screaming, either due to having her jabs yesterday or from the sub-zero temperature but it was most fun! More of that next year.

CONS
Too many long days working in the 5-6 months of the year when we were truly light on restrictions so missed my riding with friends evening rides.

PROS
Made a lot more effort to ride locally off road. It's both better and worse than I thought it might be.

I rode for an hour most days in lockdown 1 but over a tiny area but was getting time with my kids, which I might have missed in the old normal.

STATS
Embarrassingly light on miles and elevation but I'm alive and well so who gives a dam.

2021
No goals, no solid objectives, just ride when I can, where I can, enjoy my new gravel bike (which is a lot more appropriate bike locally) and try (as hard as it is) to take the restrictions and difficulties I expect we will encounter on the chin - while in reality failing miserably and grumbling a lot. Accepting we need to act a certain way is not the same as liking it is it. 🙂

Best wishes to all on here. A change in what's written on the calendar will in reality change nothing on the ground but fingers crossed things will get slowly better.

Cons:
No away days to Wales etc.
Not much riding compared to previous

Pros:
Discovered some nice little loops over the back fence (literally)
More rides with daughter
Got my MIAS and Cytech quals

Similar story to the above really:

More miles, but pretty much all from my backdoor. Managed one decent multidayer all year. Discovered some nice local riding I'd overlooked, but spent far less time in the Lakes and Peak and suffered technically for it. Very lucky to live in a beautiful area though.

One other pro for those of us on furlough, we were all effectively pro-cyclists every time we went out on two wheels. A personal life goal achieved. 🙂

Happy New Year.

CONS,
I am not designed to look after a 5 year old in lock down whilst the Mrs WFH.
suffering raynauds for the 3rd winter and it’s escalating.
Lacking motivation and pretending I’m not suffering depression.
I just don’t have the energy to ride as much due to 5 year old minimon.

PROS,
Minimon can now ride a bike.
I’ve been diagnosed with raynauds and now I understand it I’ve bought stuff to tackle it.
I know that lacking motivation and depression are not constant and I know I will have good days and bad.
I’ve saved enough money in lockdown to clear silly debts and taken on more (bike related) debts before brexit prices kick in.

STATS.
Gravel bike 1743m
Hard tail 658m

Elevation 109,989ft

RIDES 124

TIME 218hrs

Been using strava for less than 18mnths and it’s a good motivational tool for me, not arsed about KOMs.

Cons

picking up some sort of chest infection back in March, that sucked.

Pros

No commute, I suspect I’d feel different about that if the cycle options where short, but as it’s fairly lengthy you just stick to the quickest option and it got stale. Now I just use the time to ride whatever I feel like riding and that at least has been brilliant. I’ve also managed a little over 110 hours more activity time than any of the previous 3 years.

Weve also paid off a large chunk of the mortgage saving a considerable amount of interest, reducing the monthly payments and shortening the term. Should be clear in less than 5 years.

Stats (inc bike/run/rowing/swimming/Pilates)

417 activities (I’ve missed a bunch of Pilates from this but nevermind)

5877km*

100,200m ascent*

444hrs

*some if this is Zwift. From my perspective what counts is duration and effort and both are well up on any recent year. Distance is a bit rubbish when you’re including things as far apart as Zwift and Swimming.

I think I’m probably at my fittest since 2013

Cons
No weekends away riding.
Nothing particularly epic. Biggest elevation in a single ride 3,600ft.

Pros
2 out of 2 boys now pedalling, so first proper family bike rides this year.
Fourth year living in the Quantocks, love it even more than I did.
Enjoyed stringing together a really nice gravel route during first lockdown.
Amazing bivvy which will live long in the memory.

Stats
Hit my 200 hour riding target.

Rides: 141
Distance: 2197 (all mtb or gravel)
Time: 203 hours
Elevation: 215,000 feet

2021
Turn 40 in May so want to mark milestone with something suitable but obvs tricky to plan anything at the moment. Get up a mountain again with my bike somewhere is the main aim.
Hit 200 hours on the bike again.
Stick a few quid away every month to actually maintain my bikes properly!

Im late to this thread, but I like the idea

Cons
-Total lack of face to face social interaction for weeks on end
-No riding in mountains, or indeed anywhere more than 50-ish miles from home
-Breaking collarbone early December

Pros
-I've explored random lines spotted on OS map and discovered entire new routes
-WFH has given me more opportunity to ride in evenings, and even some quick lunchtime blasts
-That Mobile Pub van on the Ridgeway, on that particular day, in that weather
-Breaking collarbone in December rather than earlier in year!

Not overly fussed about Stats either, sometimes grab bike and go without using any GPS, and ultimately the years been an anomoly