How's your cycling year been...

[ColinJ]

I did some great forum rides in early 2012 but not much else so I was only on 1,117 miles by July 22nd. It all went pear-shaped when I became seriously ill and I have not ridden a bike since.

So, some good cycling memories from the first half of the year, some awful non-cycling ones from the second half, and looking forward to a much better year on the bike in 2013!

 

[lulubel]

It started out OK. I was having a lot of fun doing long road rides on my Trek, and was looking to increase my single ride length to over 100km. Last winter was very dry, and I don't think I had a single ride "rained off".

Then, an idiot in a little van pulled out in front of me in February, wrote off my Trek, and left me with legs that are scarred and still painful sometimes 10 months later.

I spent the next few months riding round on a cheap mountain bike.

In April, my cat got ill, and was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which meant long rides were out for me because I can't leave him for long. The longest I can be out for now is 3 hours, and that's pushing the limits of what he can handle.

I finally got my replacement road bike, a Surly Cross Check, built at the end of June, and spent the next month riding it as hard and fast as I could.

Then I watched the Olympics and decided to try off-road riding on my cheap mountain bike, which was already a bit worse for wear by this time, having covered 2,500km on road. I loved mountain biking, and when my compensation for the accident came through in September, I bought myself a nice, new Cube MTB.

Since then, I've been splitting my rides about 50/50 between the Surly and the Cube. I enjoy riding both, but I'm still tweaking the Surly to get it exactly how I want it.

My mileage goal for the year was 5,000 miles, which I didn't think I would manage at one point, but it turns out I've achieved it easily.

My beloved cat is still with us, so my rides are still restricted to no more than 3 hours. And I will very gladly spend the whole of 2013 with the same restriction on my rides, if he just stays with me for a little while longer.

 

[Jefferson Meriwether]

This year has been my best cycling year so far.

THE DOWN SIDES
-For about 7 months over the summer I was working at a holiday park 3 miles away from home. A 6 mile round trip commute just wasn't long enough for me.
-A motorist pulled out in front of me at the end of July; the result of which was my lovely Kona Dew was written off.

THE UP SIDES
-In April I bought a Shogun XC Notachie mountain bike and have had some enjoyable rides on it; the best one so far being the Kennet & Avon canal ride from Reading to Devices on my 33rd brithday on 5th November.
-In July I bought a Forme Longcliffe 4 roadbike which I am enjoying very much.
-At the end of November a friend of my parents gave me a Raleigh Courier for free. As soon as I have got it all sorted out & fixed up I'll use it as my commuting bike.
-I've done a lot of leisure cycling including 3 imperial centuries.
-I helped out with the Exmouth Exodus cycle ride.


I have a few plans for next year cycling wise. I'd like to buy a Kona Dew as I have a soft spot for them. I'd also like to improve on 100 miles in a day; I have a 130 mile bike ride planned for when the weather is a bit better. I am thinking of taking part in some kind of organised bike ride and also thinking of joinging a cycling club. A part of me would quite like to have a cycling mate for informal bike rides.

 

[Darren Jeffrey]

Just started cycling towards the end of the year. Bug has defiantly bitten. Looking forward to catching some goals next year

 

[Accy cyclist]

It's been good but with a few mishaps thrown in. The wet summer was a pain but looking back i've done the miles i set myself, i bought a new bike, and i'm still here so.....

 

[Keith Oates]

It's been a mixed year for me. The good part was that I joined a local MTB group and had some great rides around the Mekon Delta area of HCMC. However an 'off' in early July, resulting in a broken collar bone, was not so good and so was not riding for a few weeks. Since then I've been back in action and passed my year target so all in all I'm contented with the overall result!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BrumJim]

Just done a bit of quick stats checking on my commutes:
Slow route:
Year: 2010 2011 2012
Averages: 15.3 15.4 15.9
Quicker route:
Year: 2010 2011 2012
Averages: 16.0 16.1 16.9

(Rolling averages only)
Yes, been a good year. Can give you standard deviations and average maximum speed too if you are interested?