Cycling hopes and dreams for 2022

[Ming the Merciless]

May 8th - Fred Whitton if I get in
May 29th - Ride London already entered

Both the above in doubt as my football team are threatening to get promoted to the PL.

Otherwise I badly want to return to my 2020 form, get out on some gravel tours and a road tour with three buddies who have been mentioning it for three years.

I rode the Fred Whitton event in 2012 with a work colleague. Greatly enjoyed it and my pie and peas at the finish. The cowbells being rung by spectators on Whinlatter was particularly memorable.

 

[Twilkes]

We get an extra five days annual leave from our company next year, so I'll be using three of them for six half-day training rides, and two of them for a 24 hour ride which, wind depending, will either be into the hills in the north of Scotland, or seeing how far I can make it through the relative flats of England.

And somewhere in the middle, to complete a 300km loop through Dumfries & Galloway which has defeated me twice due to weather and illness.

And generally getting my short distance fitness back to where it was in 2020 before I ruined it with the previous 24 hour ride.

 

[Ridgeway]

Main target is to get into the habit of commuting by bike 2 days a week on average. Then the Tour des Stations in early August as well as some other fondos.

however I still have a date with a unicycle

 

[ColinJ]

I retire next month so I will have plenty of time and a couple of thousand pounds a year to spend on cycling. I aim to do that! (Spending on rail fares, accommodation, and any bike spares that I need.)

I want to find out how much my current relative lack of fitness can be sorted out by losing 6 or 7 kg and riding my bike more. I can definitely improve, but I very strongly suspect that the damage done to my cardiovascular and pulmonary systems by blood clots 8 or 9 years ago will prevent me ever being really fit again. We'll see...

If I could get fit enough to do the shallow 8+ km Cragg Vale climb in 20 minutes I would be very happy - that has been my goal for years. If I could do it in 23.5 minutes, that would match my best ever time and I would be content with that if that turned out to be as good as I could get. I have been taking more like 30 minutes recently.

I should be having 3 or 4 cycling holidays next year based at my sister's new home in Devon. I want to explore Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset.

That lot should keep me busy for next year.

Maybe in post-pandemic times I will renew my passport and start cycling abroad again, but I don't expect that to happen in 2022.

 

[PaulSB]

I rode the Fred Whitton event in 2012 with a work colleague. Greatly enjoyed it and my pie and peas at the finish. The cowbells being rung by spectators on Whinlatter was particularly memorable.

I rode it this year and found it to be a stunning cycle ride, one of the best routes and best days out I know. Yes Honister and Hardknott hurt me badly but the rest is very manageable and just a GREAT bike ride. That's why I want to go back next year.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes Honister and Hardknott hurt me badly...

And for that reason... I'M OUT!

(If riding over them did that to you, then it would probably kill me, or at least throw my heart rhythm out of whack for several days.)

 

[PaulSB]

And for that reason... I'M OUT!

(If riding over them did that to you, then it would probably kill me, or at least throw my heart rhythm out of whack for several days.)

When I say "hurt me" I only mean while I was trying to get up, no lasting damage. Honister is just savage, so so hard and Hardknott after +/- 94 miles is just, well you have to be damn good and I'm not. Excruciating is the word. Without the 94 it's a great achievement with the 94 it's just astonishing anyone can ride it.

 

[JtB]

I retire next month so I will have plenty of time and a couple of thousand pounds a year to spend on cycling. I aim to do that!

Congratulations Colin 🥳
I have just retired but not much cycling due to a prolapse disc. Hopefully next year retirement will bring the freedom of cycling whenever I want.

 

[ColinJ]

When I say "hurt me" I only mean while I was trying to get up, no lasting damage. Honister is just savage, so so hard and Hardknott after +/- 94 miles is just, well you have to be damn good and I'm not. Excruciating is the word. Without the 94 it's a great achievement with the 94 it's just astonishing anyone can ride it.

Oh, in that case...


... I stand by my previous remarks!

Seriously - I used to be able to really 'hurt' myself on the bike. I could go to maximum effort but be fine a few minutes later. Those days are gone! I can still use a low gear and wind my way up a 15% slope, or a very low gear and grovel up a 20% one very slowly. Once it gets to 25% for more than a few pedal strokes though my heart goes crazy. I don't mean just beating fast - the heart's rhythm gets badly disrupted, skipped beats, double beats and so on.

Congratulations Colin 🥳
I have just retired but not much cycling due to a prolapse disc. Hopefully next year retirement will bring the freedom of cycling whenever I want.

Thanks!

I hope you can get the back problem fixed, or at least reduced in severity. Enjoy your cycling too!

 

[ianrauk]

That we can plan and embark on a cycle tour of South Eastern Spain.

And @Ming the Merciless , hopefully I'll get to sign you in for LEL as I will be helping at the start control.

 

[TheDoctor]

Belgium coast and Kusttram. Vennbahn. Dieppe, Treport, Forges les Eaux and Avenue Verte. At this rate, I'll be delighted if I get to the Llangollen canal...

 

[Jody]

It's not going to take much to top this dismal year.

Hopefully a bit more mileage and some trips out to Wales with my mate.

I'd love to go touring round Holland or off to the Alps but that isn't going to happen next year.

 

[alex_cycles]

Main goal will be the same as this year...

"To enjoy my cycling as much as possible"

...but I will no doubt set some interim targets during the year to keep things fun and interesting.

 

[cougie uk]

I'd like to be able to go into cafes for a change and maybe even a trip to Mallorca at the end of the season. Surely Covid should be under control by then.

 

[Salad Dodger]

My current ebike is about 12 years old, and I would like to replace it with one with a longer range, and a more comfortable ride.