Not my best year, shoulder injury from last year didn't help, finally had op in July, off the bike until mid-sept, 3 weeks after given the ok to ride had a big off, 6 fractured ribs and torn intercostals and a lung full of fluid, been out 3 times since and am uber mince-lite at the mo, looking forward to next year and getting some skills training to help with my general riding and improve confidence.

About neutral I’d say; riding focus shifted from road to trail = more satisfaction, but a hugely busy 1st 9 months of the year meant less riding & decrease in stamina.
Got my FS in March & loved / love it; various domestic trail centres + xc routes when possible – overbiked? Why worry.. 8)
Took 10 mins longer than last year to finish the Bealach Beag challenge in May.
Reckon I saw reasonable development across the year (thank you Dirtschool DVD!), but also adopting of bad habits, perhaps due to FS bludgeon vs. HT blade. Many more (minor) injuries this year than any other though.
Hoping for more riding time next year – road & trail, & stopping smoking to at least maintain current ‘fitness’. Also dreaming of a steel HT build, probably a soul or blue pig… 🙂

Pretty good considering 3 months written off by ankle injuries and chest infections. A good run of 10s, some really challenging sportives, a phenomenal trip to Provence and many many great night rides. Culminating in an on-bike stag do last Saturday. 7 hours of sunshine, great riding, and Timmy Taylor's.

Probably best year yet. Did a brilliant "epic" ride in Scotland with the mrs, then followed that up with a week on Skye. The Bucks 121 was superb, got away a fair bit to places like the Peaks, Wales etc. Finally got a Soul too.

Would have preferred to have got more biking in during the weeks, but work is too intrusive. Also, the year confirmed again that the Chilterns is the wettest place in the UK, it never, never stops raining.

A dry 2010 (with some spare time mysteriously appearing!) would be perfect.

Yes, it has been excellent.

After loosing my mojo about 2 years ago, it suddenly came back in about march time. From being a nervous wreck on the bike it all suddenly came back to me and my riding really got back to what it was.

Highlights have been

Meeting some genuinly brilliant people from this forum on the STW Northern rides, all of which have become friends. Looking forward to many more rides with them next year.

Topping 50mph off road.

Getting out pretty regularly twice a week and watching my general level of fitness increase.

Loosing 1.5 stone this year alone and dropping 2" of my waste, all due to regular riding.

The only real downer was my best mate busting himself up in Grizedale during our lads weekend and him not riding with me since due to confidence loss.

Been good and bad for me…

Starting to feel more confident on the bike (Thanks to some UKBikeskills coaching) and generally riding more technical stuff.

But seem to be plagued by illness on the most part and lost a lot of fitness which has knocked my enthusiasm slightly.

Also really want to buy some new bits for my bike but haven't been able to afford anything other than a £30 pair of cranks this year 🙁

Feeling 2010 will bring it all back though.

Bought a house to renovate last October, then the GF fell pregnant in March & it's due on Monday, so too busy to ride this year & probably most of next year too.
Still, better to spend 2 yrs on the house then the rest of my life riding instead of trying to juggle 2 things & doing them both badly & the house take forever.
I've had a new 29er sitting in my workshop for 5 months un-ridden!

Middling I'd say:

+'s
Fantastic Caringorms tour in July (no midges!)
Retained a reasonable level of fitness through commuting (approx 5000 miles this year I think)
Some stand out rides, a day on Dartmoor and an afternoon sessioning jumps in particular
Going for the first bike rides with my eldest – 4 miles on a balance bike 🙂

-'s
Big crash on the road in Feb stopped me riding for a couple of weeks and severely knocked my confidence
Didn't race at all when i was in pretty fast shape
Really didn't ride off road as much as I'd like (hardly at all since October!)
Offroad skills have fallen off from last years high point post Verbier

has been pretty good for me. Been getting out reguarly in the week but not as much as I would have liked at weekends. Managed a couple of tripts to the lakes and other places across the UK.

Seem to have lost some fitness the last couple of weeks due to some underlying lurgy but tonight will prob be the last night ride of the year followed by a curry with my mates. Then the bike will prob be put away until after xmas as travelling across the country on various family visits so wont have the time from this weekend. Mind you a bit of recovery time might do me good!

bad. first 5 races with average results (at best) then shattered my kneecap and had six months off bike. just getting back on turbo now 🙁

Not ridden nearly enough as I'd have liked and mostly trail centres at that. 2010 will hopefully see more riding and more variety.

Not too bad. Got on top of a few health issues that kept me off the bike the year before. Not fit enough to really enjoy it as much as i'd like (2 stone to lose).

Good lads and lasses to ride with down here gets me out more (but ups the cream tea intake).

Done a load of stw rides and sort of organised one, so made some new friends.

Got to hang out and ride with an OLD friend from years ago which was a big bonus (cheers MM).

New bike new motivation (and new baby) next year so it should be a good year if i can get out enough.

Not great, struggled for any sort of form and consistency- annoying illnesses/injury/personal stuff/work meant I never seemed to get more than 2 or 3 good weeks in without something stuffing it up. Seemed to rain a lot too when I did get out!

I'm a bit over-cautious on the MTB so if I'm not getting out much my riding goes downhill (geddit!) fairly quickly.

That said I did do a couple of good events.

Nah, good winter's training followed by mediocre results for the first half of the season, a number of DNFs, a change in focus to solo races, 3rd place at a 12hr solo, which I found torturously boring, 3rd place in a 12 hour pairs race, and a couple of triathlons for good measure.

Bit of a waste really, but I enjoyed the riding.

2nd season (mountain) biking. Regular twice a week, fitness continues to improve (quicker than skills!).

A couple of great STW Northern Chapter rides. Brilliant day out doing full length High Street solo.

Need to get a few regular riding mates as main partner in crime completely FCUKed an elbow last January 🙁

Looking forward!!

Seasons Greetings to all STWers.
Paul

Pretty good year.
Only did one race, but it was a decent 2 day event.
Haven't changed the bikes much in 2 years. Changed the Iron Horse to a double & bashing & gave the DMR a respray. Going to do it again soon.
Fitness is about the same, though the middle is getting bigger. Speed has never been great but stamina is good, but I did smash the boys in an uphill sprint tonight.
As for next year, I wouldn't mind a CX bike, funds & wife permitting.