So how has your 2021 cycling year been?

[ianrauk]

Like last year it's been a funny one what with the ongoing pandemic. I've still been cycle commuting to work every day. One thing I have noticed is that a lot of my regular cycling commuting buddies who I've got to know over the years are no longer cycle commuting or are doing their run at different times. On the other hand I have seen a good few new cycling commuters on a regular basis.

On the leisure cycle front. I still managed to finish another year of the Imperial Century a Month Challenge. Gaining my 11th gold star in the process. My 12 year of the challenge is just around the corner.

I have however cut back on my cycling mileage, now not going out every weekend as I used to do. weaning myself off that treadmill. I still managed over 8000+ miles for the year ( with 10 days still to go, I may sneak in another century to round the year off)

There's been no French or Spanish tour this year again. Hopefully that will be rectified next year with a tour of South Eastern Spain currently being planned.

I bought a new bike. A rather lovely Pashley Parabike so myself and my partner can pootle to the shops for coffee etc.
Talking of my partner. We originally met on a Cycle Chat forum ride. She was a very avid, strong cyclist. But got hit by Long Covid quite hard. So there's been no longer distance riding for her (us together), finding her now lack of fitness and long covid problems very demotivating. But we are hoping to try change that next year when the weather is better, get her enjoying her cycling again.

So how has your 2021 cycling year been?

 

[Oldhippy]

Fabulous but plan more adventurous trips next year.

 

[tyred]

It was very good really despite a slow start thanks to the ludicrous 5km travel limit we had here.

I had a great summer, a few nice camping trips and many long day rides and explored a lot of new routes relatively locally. I had a nice tour in September in the midland in September. I was probably at my fittest ever.

Sadly my cycling year came to an abrupt end in October courtesy of a driver who didn't see the need to stop at a junction.

 

[Rocky]

I’m still having problems with a herniated disc so my mileage has been severely curtailed. Luckily I can ride my Brompton, so managed quite a few 26 milers round the lanes here. I’ve also been doing a lot of walking including a nice trip along the Ridgeway back in August.

I, too, met my other half cycling….we were doing triathlons and met at Nice in 1986. We did the European Ironman in 1987. No 2 son, Gravel, has just done his first Ironman in Western Australia. He smashed my time by nearly 40 mins. I’m a very proud dad.

 

[yello]

I think I managed a couple of local 30km rides earlier in the year, and then felt awful for days afterwards. Fair to say that my state of health has, at least temporarily, put an end to my cycling.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Not as much as in the past. Working from home put an end to commuting, poor weather a stop to the lunch time ride to the bird reservation. Got about in Holland quite a lot on long weekends throughout the year and the country. Cycled to Venice in September via Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland.

 

[Ian H]

It been a weird few years in cycling terms. I broke an ankle in 2019 prior to Paris-Brest-Paris. I started the event but failed to finish. 2020 was a wash-out with Covid restrictions and cycling events cancelled. I eventually managed to get a rather epic 400 in with friend Richard (rain, floods to wade through, a tumble in flood-water), but no 600 for the first time in many years. 2021 started with me feeling nervous about my fitness (old age creeping up), but after a few rides that felt harder than they should I managed a leisurely 400 with friends. Then, in October, I thought I might as well have a go at the Ex-Buzzard 600, and dragged myself around that in not far off maximum time.
Last year and the one before we (a friend & I) managed our usual autumn tour, adjusted to restrictions. But that hasn't happened this year, which is a shame.
I owe a lot to several good, kind friends who have helped me through things.

 

[Alex321]

A really good year for me - though I only ride about half as much as the OP.

Last year (2020), I did a total of 1,560 miles, starting in April from having hardly cycled at all for 20 years, and with most of June/July doing very little due to house move.

So I looked at that at the start of the year, and wondered if 3,000 miles might just be possible this year. I'm actually going to reach 4,000 in the next couple of days (currently on 3,975) 🎉 .

The first part of the year was on a Boardman hybrid, then early August I managed to persuade my wife to let me get a new bike - a Cube Attain road bike, and have been riding that since then. That has made a big difference, both to the enjoyment and to the distance I can ride in the time I have available.

Up until October, was entirely working from home, apart from a couple of trips to the office, and my cycling was all after work during the week, with a few longer rides at weekend (have done some metric half centuries, but nothing over 36 miles). Since October, I've been in the office two days a week, mainly commuting by bike - just over 15 miles each way.

 

[Saluki]

3268 this year, so far. It’s harder, riding alone nearly all the time.
This year has been a bit odd, really. I haven’t been feeling the love so much. There have been more gym workouts, job swapping about and stuff. Riding has been a bit on the back burner. I am a bit lonely, I guess. On rides that is. The bike buddy is a PITA and just buggers off into the great blue yonder anyway, so I may as well be alone. If he comes to me, he whinges about the rides, routes etc. He then disappears down some side road and gets lost (fine by me, but he then texts incessantly until I go and rescue him).
I haven’t been out with KLBUG this year, which is a shame, as they are the best. Perhaps I should move to KL.

 

[oldwheels]

I don't bother with mileage totals but it is certainly down on previous years. We were hit with the touroid deluge all summer which made the roads here unpleasant tho' not necessarily more dangerous so that curtailed my mileage quite a bit.
In addition it was impossible to get ferry bookings at reasonable notice due to the aforementioned tourists booking months in advance so I was not able to get off island for my usual trips. Whinge, whinge.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Its been a crap year, I've done very little cycling. My Good lady has had health problems and I'm now caring for her which has curtailed what cycling I can do, I've also had a serious reduction in my cycling mojo which hasn't helped. I'm only just over a 1000 miles for the year, where as for years I was riding 4 - 5000 miles a year, and it doesn't look any better for next year.

 

[Sterlo]

Awful. Broken elbow back in early March put paid to my cycling, still in pain with it at the moment. Had only done 56 miles and nothing since. See what hospital says in Jan and take it from there 😢

 

[annedonnelly]

Really enjoyed my long day trip back in the summer (there's a report with pics somewhere) and a couple of other 50 milers.
Most of the rest was general pottering about.

But the year's been spoilt by being knocked off and left with my leg in a brace and a broken bike. Counting the days to my next hospital visit in January when they might let me put my foot on the ground and start walking again!

 

[Donger]

My mileage really tailed off at the end of the year (only 2,664 of my usual 3,000 miles this year) while my brother was terminally ill, and I've lost my mojo while I wait for the funeral to finally be over and done with. I did generally have a good cycling year, though, and managed the MCAM again ... for the sixth time. I found the challenge quite tough this year, as my last 3 qualifying rides were 3 of my last 6 rides of the year. I don't think it works very well doing no cycling for weeks on end except for metric centuries. I plan to put that right next year. I also plan to concentrate mostly on quality of rides rather than distance targets next year. Though it was great to get another 23 club rides in, I think my favourite ride this year was when I drove out to the Welsh border and spent half a day exploring the "Three Castles" (Skenfrith, White Castle and Grosmont) on my own. I plan to do a bit more exploring next year.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Been a strange year for me, no commuting for most of it which was my main cycling activity. Threw myself into turbo training and quite enjoyed it. Did 3 local mtb races and found I was indeed slower than before and age was catching up with me. Then a few months ago suddenly got totally peed off with the turbo and could not face it. My cycling mojo went out the window, I joined the CX league as per usual then did not enter one race. Then did not ride a bike for over 2 months. threw weight on double fast then realised I best get back to it.

So now I commute to my new office, its a really stupid commute in that it costs me money as I have to catch a train to West ham and have to catch a train before 06:30 as full sized bikes not allowed on after that. Then takes a long time as 20 miles each way most of it rough canal path. I only do it 2 to 3 times per week as I cant cope with 5 days. Cheaper and easier to drive, however I cant face the turbo again for some strange reason and my weekends are taken up with "family" stuff.
I have found my fitness has fallen off a cliff, I dont know which has affected it the most whether its my age or lack of cycling. Also I am doing it in the face of my missus insisting I am a silly old codger and its time to stop thinking I am training to become the next Ineos signing and insisting I am probably about to give myself a heart attack. ( she had one a year ago) . She thinks its better that I concentrate on our mutual hobby of Latin Ballroom dancing.
I have proved to myself over the years that I have to do fairly hard sport of some type running/cycling to keep my weight down so will try to persist.