How has your 2020 cycling year been?

[cyclintom]

Living in California under a Democrat Governor who holds the mistaken idea that masks have any effect whatsoever due to a Center for Disease Control infectious disease head who cannot even read the research of his own government agency showing the exact opposite, we have had our economy ruined. Most of my normal rides have been ruined since the coffee shops etc. which were normally turn-arounds were closed and perhaps for good by lock-down orders that have no effect on spread of a disease that are spread at any publicly open areas that are unavoidable such as supermarkets.

This has forced me at 76 into shorter out and backs in the San Francisco bay area. But I still managed to turn in 3,600 miles and 120,000 ft of climbing (5,800 km and 38,000 meters) I only include climbing that is over 5% over most of the climb but most of them contain up to 12% or more. It would be easier if I wasn't getting old.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Living in California under a Democrat Governor who holds the mistaken idea that masks have any effect whatsoever due to a Center for Disease Control infectious disease head who cannot even read the research of his own government agency showing the exact opposite, we have had our economy ruined. Most of my normal rides have been ruined since the coffee shops etc. which were normally turn-arounds were closed and perhaps for good by lock-down orders that have no effect on spread of a disease that are spread at any publicly open areas that are unavoidable such as supermarkets.

This has forced me at 76 into shorter out and backs in the San Francisco bay area. But I still managed to turn in 3,600 miles and 120,000 ft of climbing (5,800 km and 38,000 meters) I only include climbing that is over 5% over most of the climb but most of them contain up to 12% or more. It would be easier if I wasn't getting old.

I'm very sorry the lack of a coffee stop has spoiled your rides.

Life is a bitch.

On the plus side you won't pee so much, which at our age can be awkward.

 

[TheDoctor]

Year started off OK with regular rides in January and February, plus commuting.
Then Virus that Will Not Go Away came along, so early March was a bit of a washout.
April - August I was stuck in NZ with a borrowed Trek Pilot to use, so I managed a 15+ mile ride most days, on empty roads for the most part.
Then we came back to the UK, and it's been awful since.

I have hopes of getting away to Belgium or Germany next year, but our esteemed Government will probably scupper that...

 

[derrick]

Got our Calpe ride in just before lockdown, cancelled three trips to Europe, but loved riding with no cars on the road, Mileage is slightly down, but did manage a 200 miler and a 185 mile ride, Not been a bad year for me, i am retired so did not have the work worries others have had,

 

[steveindenmark]

2020 has not been that good, but I am optimistic for 2021.
Because of my accident in September it meant the rest of the year has been a write off. Its the first year in 5 that I have not finished the 50km a month challenge.
But I still got in 7000km and 5 times up Everest. Thats not bad for Denmark. I am back on the bike for short rides and the days are going to start getting lighter. Its all going in the right direction. 😁👍🇩🇰

 

[tyred]

It's not been a bad year all things considered. I had a pretty decent start to the year in January and February. Then the virus happened and for most of March and April I had a 2KM travel limit so didn't bother to cycle at all but did a lot of walking. I then did clock up decent mileage over the summer with quite a few overnight camping trips to the coastal areas, something I had always meant to do but had never got around to it before so I enjoyed doing that. In September I spent a week in Mayo and had some lovely all day rides. Then we had yet another lockdown at the end of November with a 5KM travel limit which obviously restricted cycling yet again. That has been lifted (but I expect it won't be long until it's re-introduced again) but I have done more hiking in December than cycling but still get a few miles in every week. I can't put a definite figure on what i've done this year as I was done on a variety of bikes, some with no cycle computer fitted and i'm not obsessive about keeping records nowadays but I'd estimate 4,000 miles this year.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I was going well (for me) I was well in front of the target I had set myself, that was until 24th June, I fell badly whilst dismounting on a very steep slope, my back is still not right & I think in the new year I need to get it looked at but the NHS has enough on it's plate. But that sort of stuffed me up for 12 weeks, with only a couple of short rides, but since then I just can't get back into it. Before I would ride first then do the other stuff, now I do the other stuff & there's no time for riding, I know I'm doing this subconsciously so just need to get out of it. I'll miss my target this year by 4-5% not by much but it will be a miss, I have to get 20 in to beat last year on which I over achieved by 15%

 

[confusedcyclist]

My fitness initially dropped precipitously since I have no reason to commute 4 days a week (WFH, not redundant, thankfully). However, I was able to get my hands on a smart trainer and have done a couple of long HIIT sessions every week for the last couple of months and my fitness is coming back, the weight that I piled on hasn't been so easily shifted though.

 

[Alien8]

Mileage-wise 2020 has only been a little bit down on normal:

• 12,161 miles
• 47 centuries
• Imperial Eddington up from 101 to 106.

Normally I'd have a weekly commute of ~170miles plus a long weekend ride.

Although I've been working from home since mid-March, I've still managed to get out most weekdays for a couple of hours.

The main difference is the bulk of my rides have been on my geared road bike rather than my fixed commuter.

It could be my imagination, but I think the luxury of gears has slowed me down or made my lazy, my averages certainly seem lower this year.

Or it could be the half-stone I seem to have acquired.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

End of the line for me on pedal powered two wheelers. I last rode in April and decided to hang up my cleats for good after 50+ years as a cyclist.

It's been a blast, but now I prefer opening a throttle to turning the pedals. I still follow the racing and drool over classic bikes though and I'd love a Colnago or an Alan to hang on the wall.

 

[mattobrien]

It’s been an up and down year, only seven open time trials, one early March and then August onwards. Managed two 2nds, in 3rd, two 4ths and two 5ths. With no other racing all the kids (read good) did time trials instead of road racing.

No outside riding from late June to late July as a van driver took out Mrs O when she was on a recovery ride. She got a trip in a helicopter and a week’s holiday in intensive care, I got to look after the kids and a month of no cycling outside.

FTP up marginally this year, last test late Nov and working towards next season, if there is much of one.

To be honest 2020 can do one, little good happened and a return to normality will be gratefully received.

 

[Gunk]

but now I prefer opening a throttle to turning the pedals

I’ve found that for me it is the opposite, I had three motorcycles back in January, just kept my favourite (1993 Fireblade) and bought more bikes, I’ve really fell back in love with bikes and cycling this year, I’m just about to embark on build number 10 this year and next year (I’ll be 56) I really want to build up my fitness levels to do a century ride, I sorting out my new Titanium Van Nic to help me do the job.

 

[bagpuss]

Plenty of time and distance spent a wheel .Enjoyed every mile ,no idea how much or how far .The pleasure of riding is reward enough .
The next ride beckons .

 

[WesternBikingGirl]

2020 has been my best year ever. Lot's of miles on a road bike I got going after it collected dust for years while the mountain bike was my vehicle. Love riding on super hot days when it cools off in the evening. I can just keep going and going.

 

[Donger]

Over 3,400 miles done, which is my most ever, and about 400 miles above my average for the last 5 years. 720 miles in May ..... due to lockdown (Mrs D and I couldn't go anywhere, so I got to ride my bike almost every day of that month). More rides (127) than ever, but at an average of only 27 miles per ride instead of my usual 35. I was going to start a long-term plan to ride the whole South coast of England this year. That idea went south.

During lockdown I took the difficult decision to back out of the Metric Century-a-Month Challenge after 63 consecutive months with at least one 100km ride. That hurt, but it seemed like the right call at the time, given the national lockdown. I'm going to go again in January.