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

[ChrisEyles]

Mileage-wise, pretty abysmal, mainly due to having taken a job with a hellish commute (the job is great, the not-being-able-to-cycle-'cause-stuck-in-traffic is not).

On the plus side I got properly into MTBing this year and learnt how to bunnyhop, wheelie (a bit) and have been giving it some proper beans on the trails... though a nasty off and injury a couple of months ago has left me thinking that I can't afford another crash like that and that I should probably switch over to bridelways and tamer riding, as trail centres are just too much of an invitation to misbehave!

So a mixed bunch really. Looking forward to hopefully moving a bit close to work in 2017 and getting a few more miles in, both on and off the road.

Most importantly, I've really *enjoyed* all the miles I managed to get in during 2016

 

[gbb]

Quietly pleased with this year but can't help thinking I should have done better.

It's going to be 1000 to 1500 miles this year.
Bear in mind prior to 2013 I usually did circa 6k miles a year and was averaging 17mph. 2012/13 saw me contract tuberculosis, 2013 and 2014 were a complete write off, I suspect I didn't manage 200 miles each year, lungs damaged, fitness gone.

2015 I started to get back into it but really struggled for mojo so really didn't do that much either. This year I've done ok even though I'm nowhere near where I was...and probably never will again.

But, I'm averaging 14 at the moment albeit over only 20/25 mile rides. 15 mph average in the summer....I hate winter so I really need to try to keep getting out there.

 

[gbb]

And for 2017...hopefully about April my work location will change to 12 miles away instead of the current 21 miles. That'll mean cycle commuting is back on in fair/good weather ever other day perhaps. Commuting was my key to fitness, fingers crossed.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Currently on just over 17,000 miles for the year, aiming to finish on 18,000.

Attended two organised CycleChat rides and one impromptu one.

Completed the imperial century a month challenge for the third year running. Before I joined the challenge I'd done one imperial. Now onto 55.

Got my Eddington number up to 94, target is to get it to 100 in 2017.

 

[derrick]

Had a good year riding although i have not managed to reach the 7000 miles this year, But that was due to moving house, and my wife getting knocked of her bike. Have enjoyed the year did a couple of big sportive's, Did loads of club rides and plenty of long rides to the pubs with mates, My only goal for 2017 is to ride some mountains, We will be going to Col du Tourmalet in the summer, Will do the normal sportives including another tandem ride to Cambridge with my grandaughter, and just enjoy my rides, And try and keep the wife upright on her bike.

 

[Dayvo]

Some excellent figures, distances and stats there @ianrauk.

And everyone else who's achieved their goals, or even only managed to get out on their bike for a ride when it suits.

 

[dim]

I've done ok for this year. I commute approx 40km/day, plus do my longer rides on the weekends.

I've only recently got a Garmin Satnav, so I'm now exploring areas South of Cambridge, seeking the parts with some hills. I have designed a route using Strava Heatmaps and have a route that is 40km long and that has 318 meters of climbing. I'm hoping to do this route every morning from Spring next year, before heading off to work (obviously weather/wind permitting)

As far as fitness is concerned, I'm pretty confident that I could do an audax ride of 200-300km well within the time limits (I'm old now,(nearing 60) and Audax rides are looking very interesting, and I am looking at joining the local Cambridge Audax club). I'm also ok with sprinting, and have several KOM's on Strava for my age group

I'd love to do Lejog next year aswell as LEL and am hoping to cycle at least 200km every weekend from spring with a weekly target of 450-500km

As far a bikes are concerned, I've had many this year (10), but have only 3 now (I used to buy a bike for cheap, ride it for a few weeks, then sell it for a big profit and get a better bike) ...

Current bikes are a Specialized S-Works Transition with drop bars/full Campagnolo Chorus groupset (my summer commuting bike), A Giant TCR composite (my fast bike), and my Surly Long Haul Trucker (my winter bike)

I'm very happy with the Specialized and will keep this one for a very long time. As far as the Giant, it's not faster than the Specialized on the flats, but it is a bit quicker on the hills as the geometry is different for standing and pedalling. I'm seriously thinking about selling the Giant next year and replacing it with a Scott Foil with Di2

My Surly was bought with the intention of doing Audax rides and long rides such as LEJOG .... it's too slow, but heck, it's a definate keeper as it's very comfortable ... A perfect winter bike aswell

Currently, I have cycled 13,276.7 km this year and have climbed 20,276 m .... I'm hoping to do a lot more next year, especially climbing hills, i.e. health permitting. Since May, I have managed to complete the Monthly Strava Distance challenge and the monthly Gran Fondo challenge every month. I will be trying to get the monthly climbing challenge aswell. (I managed to climb 6,429 meters last month .... the most that I have ever climbed in 1 month, and I have only had my Garmin for 1 month, so I am well pleased)

I will also start running soon (I'd love to loose another 5kg in weight), and I need to learn about nutrition especially when I do the long rides (1 cycled 100km yesterday, and stopped halfway and forced myself to eat 1/2 a chesse and egg sandwich) ..... I still have lots to learn

 

[NorthernDave]

Good - joined the Half Century challenge, starting with my first 50 mile ride on 1st January. Completed the challenge last weekend, although I think there is room to squeeze another couple of qualifying rides in.
Did my first Sportive (Wiggle Vale Velo - 50 miles), with a couple of work mates, raising £800 in sponsorship for our local special needs school at the same time.
Also did the Wiggle Yorkshire Tour (80 miles)
EDIT: to add, watched the TdY on roads that I regularly cycle, passing within a mile of my house - it was as well that I went out to see it as ITV4 managed not to show most of the days cycling...
Bought bike number 3 - the Boardman Road Pro Carbon, which is all the (road) bike I'll ever need.
Completed the cycling highlight of my year, @nickyboy 's Tour de Scarborough - 82 miles that simply flew by with a great group of people in absolutely perfect cycling weather. Never have fish n chips tasted so fine!
Not quite sure what my total mileage is for the year so far, but since buying the Garmin (March?) I've completed 2,753 miles against a target of 2,000 so that's not too shabby.

Next year - take on the Half Century challenge again.
I'd like to do the Metric Century challenge, but I struggle with having enough time. Clearly I need to cycle faster!
Already entered the York-Leeds-York sportive (short) as a warm up for the 2017 Wiggle Vale Velo, this time signing up for the 100 mile course which will be my furthest ride (fingers crossed the weather will be better as it rained most of the way round this year) and hopefully will top £1,000 in sponsorship this time.
Apart from that, try to get out more - November was a very poor month cycling wise due to a combination of weather and illness (under 100 miles for the whole month) and it made me wish I'd done more earlier in the year. Trying to get out mid-week would be a good start.

And there is talk of a bike ride to Paris, if we can sort the logistics / expenses out...but that might be 2018.

 

[Reynard]

Took up cycling again in mid-August after a 16-year hiatus, inspired by the TDF and the Olympics. The objective was to get fit and lose some stubborn wobbly bits, as on someone my height, they don't look good - I am rather under tall, you see. I used to fence, but as the nearest club is out the other side of Cambridge, taking up cycling again was a much better option. One of the things that had made me fall out of love with cycling originally was my ancient, clapped out, didn't-fit-me-very-well early 90's MTB. But I dusted it off, fettled it up and simply got riding again, with the promise that if I could keep it up, I'd buy something that a) fit me and b) that I'd enjoy riding.

Three and a half months down the line, I've lost half a stone, do a 10-mile round trip commute twice weekly plus utility and pleasure rides of similar distance. And I've simply been enjoying the countryside. I am now also the proud owner of a Wiggins Rouen 650 road bike. (A big thank you to the guys and gals on here for the advice with that.)

Next year I want to keep cycling, keep *enjoying* cycling and up the distance I do on pleasure rides. Oh, and losing a few more of the wobbly bits would be nice.

 

[Saluki]

It's been rubbish. Started off well and went right downbank from March onwards. Getting a new (very energetic) job hasn't helped, I was getting home tired and by the time I'd walked the dogs, bike riding was a distant dream away.
Next year will be better.

 

[flatflr]

An interesting year for me, set myself the targets of 2500 miles cycling and 500 miles running, then stupidly added running a half marathon a month and a marathon (just a single).

All was going well until May when I quite badly came off my bike, this knocked my confidence on the bike, so have been taking it much easier managing 1650 miles. Ended up focusing on the running so far I've managed 640 miles, a marathon and 12 halves to date, will do another half in December (just for fun).

 

[mattobrien]

A positive year for me. Currently at 6,100 for the year and I'd like to hit 6,600.

I have managed to improve my average speed over 20miles, albeit increasing from 22 to 22.1, but on a different and hillier course - we moved house necessitating a new 20 mile test loop.

I've bought a new turbo trainer with a power meter, which is proving a revelation, I should have got one years ago.

I have decided to get fit for next year, I have a new toy (Cipollini NK1K) on its way, as soon as the components are launched and can be built into an actual bike, so I want to be able to do it justice and up my pace a little.

The other noteable achievement of the year was the double Dun Run, starting in Dunwich at 11am, cycling to London, meeting up with a few mor folk and then cycling back. 224 miles in total and through the night. One way will be enough next year.

 

[HLaB]

My major goal for the year was the Mallorca 312 and ticked that of my bucket list and a 200 miles ride and I've enjoyed a few other sportives and TT's but I was convinced to drop my mileage a bit to achieve them and I don't think I've even don 9,000. As for next year I've already entered a few sportives but my real aim is to get better on TT's and not disgrace myself in the ToC Chrono.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I was pleased with 2016; At the start of the year I was a 14 stone occasional rider of a hybrid whose highlight the year before was a 25 mile charity ride. From Jan to June I lost just under two stone, then I bought my first road bike in about 16 years, and I started to train towards a 100km charity ride in September which in the end I completed with no major dramas. Since then I've surprised myself by not putting the bike away on September the 30th, and instead I aquired winter kit and managed to cycle on into the cold weather, which I've not done before and which wasn't really in the plan at the start. A pretty good year.
My objective for 2017 is to join my first FNRttC.

 

[Dave 123]

2016 goals- I had the ok from work to take September off unpaid. I was going to ride around France by myself for a month. Other than that, no goals.

At the end of March I went to Mallorca with my son, two brothers, 2 nephew in laws, my brothers brother in law and an Essex boy. It was great. A ride right across the island, Sa Colabra, hot sun, biblical rain and 40mph winds. Too much beer, excellent food and all round good fun.

The following week Jo and I rode from the Hook of Holland and visited Keukenhof. It had been on Jo's to do list. We were so lucky with the weather, shorts and short sleeves, great beer, the scent of hyacinths. This was done on our second hand tandem, that was a bit too big for me.....

Not long after we were out on the tandem back at home. Jo said 'you know we're saving this money for a holiday in 2017 for our 25th anniversary... why don't we just get a new tandem? It'll last us 25 more years'

A few weeks later on the way back from the in laws in Devon we called into St John Street Cycles, just to get measured up..... we only pulled the trigger didn't we! Oh sh1t! Now we'd have to do some accelerated saving before July!
I got back in the car in St John Street... 'I'm not going to France'
I didn't think a month unpaid leave was compatible! I can wait.

In June we had a great week in Burgundy, a little bit of tandem, a bit of road bike. Nice wildflowers.

The following weekend we picked up the new tandem and gave the lower gears a good work out in Devon!

August saw Jo and I ride the Devon coast to coast over 3 days. Again we were so lucky with the weather. It was excellent.

Last Saturday we took the tandem up Box Hill.

2017- the only concrete plan is a 2 week tour in Brittany on the tandem, with my brother and SiL on their tandem.

I think my road bike might be a bit disgruntled.