How was 2016's Cycling for you, and what plans are afoot for 2017?

[StuAff]

2017 will be all about discs and riding on 28's. Might try to break 200 mile, record stands at 178.

If you've done that mileage, 200 will not be a problem, at least in the right conditions. Good luck!

 

[Aravis]

Right at the end of 2016 I had a few sessions on my daughter's cross trainer, which I hadn't been on for about a year. Immediately I found I could produce about vastly more output than I'd ever been able to before - something like 30%. That was quite a surprise, and needless to say, extremely encouraging. Gradual improvement isn't always so apparent on the road.

On the bike, the best moment of the year was finding that I could enjoy biggish climbs once again. This took a while - I don't think I was really there until the end of October.

Some years ago I was driving my family down from the Tumble towards Abergavenny. You can imagine how the conversation went - it was hard enough for me to believe I used to cycle up it. Doing so now feels within reach again, and including the Tumble in a century ride out of Gloucester has to be a key target for 2017.

Realistically, I'm hoping to do 40 centuries in 2017, thereby surpassing my previous best of 38 in 1989. There ought to be at least one 200 in there - that was the major missed target in 2016. Being able to contemplate such things once again is amazing in itself.

I'd also like to do something with my cycling which is not largely or completely self-centred. Pretty vague, I know. I have some ideas, and turning these into a credible plan is probably my most important objective for the coming year.

 

[slowmotion]

[QUOTE 4621176, member: 21629"]Cycling 2016. Hmmm .... average I say. Have done "UK - LT by lazy cyclist" (it looks like I'm getting addicted to that route). A few rides around Kent.

Hopefully 2017 will be better than 2016 in many ways. Also in cycling. Still want to see the mountains (at least Scottish ones, Alps and Pyrenees may be too expensive for 2017). But not neccessarily in 2017.

The rest of it ... as usual. see a ride too late, beg to join it, get a permission to join, go for a ride, meet few people I've already met and many others that I see for the first time, chat with riders, take photos, go home and forget almost all names of riders except @slowmotion and @User (is slowmotion's name Martin?), post photos on CChat and complain that they're crap ones and look like they've been taken with potato etc etc.

That will be if Brexit won't tell me "you useless immigrant leave our lovely country and learn a new language to speak in another country". [/QUOTE]
You take wonderfully good photographs Ausra, I'm always at the back, and yes, I am called Martin.

A very very Happy New Year to you both.

 

[MarquisMatsugae]

I don't measure trail mileage,but a lot more than 2015.
I planned to do all the 7stanes venues last year but barely scratched the surface.
Glentress/Innerliethen(twice) and Drumlanrig the only ones done,so I will do them all this year(for definite).
I ventured up the Kilpatricks and onwards to Loch Humphrie.The day started in fine sunshine but quickly turned to cold rain,thunder and lightning and bloody hailstones.It was a tough day with endless trails and various trail conditions too.But I really did enjoy it and actually pleased to find it.
Word of warning though.
Don't do it yourself if you plan to go deeper and deeper in,as it's not a great place to get lost in inclement weather
I did Mugdock Country Park as well but nothing much to report there,as I ended up just pissing about in any old woodlands on the West Highland Way.
Plenty of Local Windfarm trails done which burned off 6lbs.2017 will see a lot more of Scotland(and England possibly)

 

[greekonabike]

The last two months of 2016 have been a real eye opener. I've realised how unfit I am, like really unfit. 2017 is gonna be an interesting year.

GOAB

 

[TheDoctor]

2016 was, in all sorts of ways, a terrible year for me. Work problems, personal problems, a longish illness, a death, it was all in there. I didn't make a single CTC ride all year.
But.
I did do a 100 mile weekend tour in Norfolk in September. I'm planning a tour this summer, maybe northern France and up the coast to the Hook, maybe Provence, maybe Germany.
I've got a CC ride for mid January, and I'm going to do the CTC Wednesday Night Rides to the Pub again.
Put me back on the bloody bike.

 

[dim]

My Strava year's progress for 2016:

https://2016.strava.com/en-gb/share/12571658

 

[roadrash]

2016 along with most of 2015 have been shite for cycling for me, following my spinal op in may 2015, I was told not to try cycling for 6 months, I did as advised, unfortunately the op was less than successful, couple that with me being a stubborn so and so and trying to get back on the bike , probably doing myself more harm than good I have finally come to accept that I will probably never be back to what I once was ( and that wasn't brilliant).

I have now been discharged by my spinal consultant, nerve damage will never repair itself .

I have come to the conclusion that I will get back to cycling this year all be it with the the help of electricity , I hope to buy myself an Ebike pretty soon , I have not lost the will to cycle just some of the ability , which is incredibly frustrating ,
I WILL be cycling in 2017

 

[tallliman]

Good luck @roadrash

 

[postman]

2016 was a mess.Prostate and all that.So anything anything at all will be a bonus this year.But i am going to do things slowly at first.By June i want to be doing 50's.My main aim is to go to Langstrothdale and Boroughbridge.I have a date with a very nice pork pie according to a very dear friend.

 

[Sandra6]

I started the year on a low after a nasty bout of bronchitis, that coupled with a house move which extended my commute saw me on the bus more than I'd have liked.
I only managed a few "fun" rides through the summer and only got the kids on their bikes twice :-(
Apart from the commuting I didn't really ride much at all last year, and I definitely need to do something about that this year.

 

[mark st1]

2016 was quite a goodun as I got back into cycling and getting fitter towards the end of 2015 I was nearly 21 stone so shifting a fair bit of that helped and I certainly found cycling easier for it. I got a nice e mail from Strava logging my 2016 activities which ended with 2474 miles on the bike and 171 miles of walking/jogging/running. Not a patch on a fair few in this thread but more than I thought especially as I've only done 1 ride since September that being my longest to date of 109 miles owe a pint to @ianrauk in dragging me back most of the way as I believe we were both suffering with the cold air and torrential rain. A few fnrttc completed and the brekkie at Shoreham is highly recommended . I set myself a few personal goals of trying to climb hills without stopping ! I managed Ditchling Beacon twice and Swains Lane twice and Box Hill all of which were on my to do list so I'm quite happy with that. Looking forward to another good year some Sun would be nice please and a few more tail winds .

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Following on from my previous post in this thread: I've just booked a place in a cycling tour, followed by 3 days and nights at a cycling lodge, and the climbing itinerary is a climbing cyclist's dream.

The itinerary each day, showing the overnight stops, then the rides, is:

1. Bormio (Italy): 30km practice ride to test the hire (or your own) bikes.
2. Bormio: Passo dello Stelvio (both sides).
3. Bormio: Mortirolo, then Passo Gavia.
4. (coach transfer to) St Jean de Maurienne (France): Montvernier hairpins, then Col du Chaussy.
5. St Jean de Maurienne: Col du Telegraphe, then Col du Galibier.
6. La Grave: Alpe d'Huez, then Col de Sarenne.
7. (coach transfer to) Bedoin: short ride around Gorges de la Nesque.
8. Bedoin: Mont Ventoux from Bedoin, Malaucene and then Sault (i.e. the triple ascent).
9. (coach transfer to) Lourdes: short ride local to Lourdes.
10. Lourdes: Col du Tourmalet, then Col d'Aspin.
11. Lourdes: Col d'Aubisque, then Col du Soulor.
12. (short transfer to) Argeles Gazost: Hautacam.
13. Argeles Gazost: Col du Tourmalet, then Pic du Midi.
14. Argeles Gazost: Luz Ardiden, then Col de Couraduque.

The last 3 are when I stay at a cycling lodge and use my own itinerary, so the supported tour finishes in Lourdes (item 11 above).
The tour I just did in September was 7 days (of which I cycled on 6), so this one is raising the bar a bit.