How was it for you?

iain_j

2009 in cycling.

Last year despite a crash in the summer I very nearly got a PB for annual mileage. So, going into 2009 I thought, as long as there's no mishaps, I'll beat it easily. Based on what I'd been doing the last few months of 2008, I set myself a target of 100 miles per month (not including commuting).

January started well, but then came the snow and ice which meant that 100 miles per month target was out the window straight away (managed less than 100 across the two months!). No crashes or injuries or mechanical troubles all year, but a little thing called life kept getting in the way and I didn't get out on my bike anywhere near as much as I'd have liked. Much to my frustration I still haven't got round to a touring holiday. Not even a weekend away :roll: Had a week off earlier this month and thanks to good fortune with the weather I blitzed the roads - it ended up more than a quarter of my total mileage for the year was done in that week

I don't use my cycle computer when commuting but I reckon I've done approx 2700 miles this year (1001 of them were touring rides, target was 1200).

Still, there's always next year

antfly

Not bragging or nothing but I've done 5437 miles this year with my computer, seeing as you asked.

iain_j

You win

Aidy

pah, there's still another week of cycling to get in!

moonio

I've recently managed to progress from an e-bike to a (semi) road bike.
I still havent used it for commuting yet though and will probably need to work on my hill climbing skills

I've built muscle in my legs and arms and improved my fitness, so think i may well be on track for my aim of entering a road race in 2010...

iain_j

Aidy wrote:

pah, there's still another week of cycling to get in!

It's not looking likely - Christmas business all weekend, work next week, then New Year commitments the weekend after.

After THAT, it's carte blanche

cjcp

So far, it's been great.

Got a PB by over 1,000 miles, got to know some good people better, did a new Sportive (HOTA) and had a better ride than I thought I might at Flanders, and finally did a couple more cross races.

On the downside, I had to say goodbye to my faithful commuter frame ( ) to a massive bottom bracket crack, but, on the upside, I acquired a cross bike ( ).

Aidy

On a more serious note, I've had a really good cycling year.

Started cycle commuting in April. Since then, I've only buckled and caught the train once (although, I was too injured to make it in at all on another occasion!). Clocked up over 5000 miles just commuting.

I've spent nearly all of the summer weekends playing on one mountain bike or another, too.

Three new bikes, two of them road bikes. Oh, and I rode a road bike for the first time this year, too. And loved it.

All in, this has been one of the best years for cycling I've had.

Roll on 2010.

Wildboar

Unfortunately a poor cyling year this year was cycling on and off from feb 12 miles each way or thereabouts but didn't go beyond the end of June when I picked up a motorbike for the wife and started using it Next year perhaps assuming I get my £35 charity shop Raleigh tidied up....

linsen

Well my year started well and I was averaging 300 - 400 miles a month.

Back got steadily worse from March onwards and by July I was walking like an old woman (as opposed to the spritely young thing I really am). Found I had two degenerated discs and to be honest I haven't really found my va va voom since. Sure, I can pull off a 50-miler in the right company but I have lost that drive I had to just ride for the sake of it.

2010 will be better, I hope......

cyberknight

Went from 3 days a week to every day so i have been clocking up 100 miles a week .

Convinced wife i needed a roady so got a tdf o2 off ebay for £92 it sure beat a MTB wheeled hybrid :roll:

Only really took car last 2 days with the weather

Oddjob62

I'll let you know when it's finished.... off for a nice long group ride round the empty streets of London in a bit.

PedalPedant

I feel like a bit of a lightweight but this is the first year I've really tried to concentrate on using the bike to get to work.

I set a target of 100 miles a month at the beginning of the year not really expecting to mange it but with a couple of fairly hairy journeys in the ice this week I just scraped it

PP

ince

Well I set my self a year end target of 3k (started in April). Looked possible when I set it back in June or July but due to a bout of illness I have fallen short by 395 miles and with only two more commutes to work another 35 miles isn't going to fill the gap.

Target for next year will be 4k and to get down to 12 stone (13st9 atm)

I have also ridden a road bike for the first time since I was 16, and I was so caught up with the whole fixed idea I went and built myself one. The idea to use in the winter months, which has not happened as I like it too much and don't want to take it out in the bad weather. I will break out the old Subway if things get too bad for the road bike.

benno68

A good year overall - with the exception of September when I seemed to lose the plot and didn't cycle at all that month. I realised in October how much happier I felt when I got back on the bike, I've got no reasonable explanation for missing the month out but it certainly put me on a downer.

Managed 3000 miles overall. Got up Caerphilly Mountain the hard route (but not the hardest) and hit 50mph on the way down.

For 2010, I need to do one 60+ miler a week (Sunday the only option) and push myself harder on the shorter runs. Dragon Ride - maybe if I don't think too long about it.

Wallace1492

I was re-born as a cyclist in 2009, but only in the second half.
First part was commuting and leisure on MTB, some long runs (40 milers) and the Rob Roy Challenge.

Everything changed in August when I got me Tricross, commuted every day as opposed to 3 times a week, went on 2 cycle tours, lots of long, interesting ways home, joined a MTB group and did a number of great rides.

Then all went wrong with torn calf in November. Probably did 3,000 in total. Want to double this in 2010. More touring, more MTB rides, exploring hidden Scotland (and England) some big hills, lake district.

suzyb

I finally dug my bike out the shed instead of just thinking about it whilst watching the TdF but never actually doing it.

And then I went and got a new one and actually started riding it regularly. Only done a few hundred miles (and none since mid December when my Gran was taken into hospital) but I hope to change that in the new year.

And if I do then hopefully I'll be able to justify getting a roadie.

Cafewanda

Null, you don't need to justify getting a roadie. Just do it.........

iPete

Started messing around on a MTB a year or so ago, decided I liked cycling to work, bought a roadie at the end of the summer.

Got a temp job in London that required a long cycle, clocked up 1900 miles since the start of October, really into it now, want to maintain my 150+ mile weeks.

cambs

Been better than i expected. Went into the year with a vague notion of getting some more miles in, so booked myself onto the Exmoor Beast ride .. which led to needing a new bike..which led to upping the commuting to justify the cost. Now nearly 3.5k later i'm looking to get a few more sportives in next year and maybe hit 5k miles.

Really want to do Alpe D'Huez having visited it years ago but might need to bribe mrs cambs with a sojourn to the Amalfi coast first. Hmm, must get a lottery ticket this week.

R_T_A

Had a fantastic year commuting to work on the bike. I've managed to maintain the 5 days a week without too much of a struggle, ride just over 5k commuting miles, and found some great routes on the way home taking in lovely countryside.

3 weeks off sick/on holiday/overeating over Christmas means next week should remind me how difficult it was this time last year, but I'm looking forward to it.