For me it's been the best ever. Done a shed load of miles and finally got a couple of bikes that fit like a glove. Happy days.
Excellent year.
- Best results in racing
- Best big rides
- Best bike set up
- Best friends to ride with
All round win. I love biking.
Yes thanks.
it has been awesome 🙂
yup, started commuting on the bike again in March this year and covered 3,400 commuting miles since then. Fittest I've been in years 😆
Yep. I've done a quality long weekends riding in Wales with good mates, finished 3 enduro races with results i was happy with, switched over to 29ers which I'm alot more comfortable with, met some really nice people on the STW Swinley ride in Oct/Nov and generally had a great laugh with people who i enjoy the company of.
If 2010 is as good then i will be a happy bunny 😛
Yes got back into biking after a 3 year break ,new bike and having a great time.
Too much phd, not enough riding. First year in...10 I think.. that I've not got out to the alps to ride 🙁
Lost a lot of fitness, PhDs are unhealthy!
broke both wrists, 21 stitches meant 3 months off the bike. Still the best year yet. Looking forward to 2010.
excellent year. getting more and more into mountain bikes the older I get. At 43 I'm just getting into jumping and more aggressive single track. Got plans for a new bike in the new year to replace my aging Rocky. Next years gonna be awsome.
shyte...........as normal.... 😉
Been alright, I now have enough money for nice bike gear yet seem to be getting sucked in by marketing rather than just riding.
What bikes do you ride goan?
a better time when on the bike than off it, and I ain't been out enough!
tails - Bianchi 928 carbon, and a tig team sl rock lobster.
yep. getting on top of a long term injury and no longer riding like a tard.
Yes.....
Built my dream bike
Rode lots
Lost just under 3st
No:
Dropped out of a few races that I thought I could do well in
Never felt like I got properly fit
Got a bit fed up at times
It never seemed to stop raining
Yes:
Did OK in a few races/events
Did big long rides, short fast rides, rode with mates, got a bit lost with mates, rode solo, got a bit lost solo
Got shiny new kit to use
Didn't get injured, so got to ride right the way through the year
Overall:
Shows promise, could do better, bring on 2010 🙂
tails - Bianchi 928 carbon, and a tig team sl rock lobster.
Are rock lobsters custom, there website says yes but I thought they were merlins in-house brand?
Merlin produce them under licence. You can get them custom, from Rock Lobster though - I didn't.
Not exactly. But as I haven't had any trips to the ER its got to be better than last year...
Looking forward to 2010 though. Need to practice skills and heading back to the states I hope.
Nope.
50/50
Six months mostly out with an injured back and then a torn intercostal.
Follwed by some great riding then a return to racing.
Gonna be more careful in 2010.
Awesome year!! moved up to the peak in the spring, I thought i rode a lot in surrey, but no where near as much as i do up here, road and mountain. Had a great time racing this year - especialy Trans Wales. Met some great riding buddies up here and my mate i used to ride with in Surrey's easily persuaded for rides up here too!
Best ever. Two trips to The Lakes,a few long rides in the Peaks and riding every week with a good bunch of lads and lasses.
Happy with my fitness,happy with my bikes,especially the Yeti. Roll on 2010.
Fab year!
Completed first 100km mtb marathon, learned to manual. Learned how not to flip backwards when doing a manual 🙂 No major spills. Got some decent winter gear and learned to love riding in snow and ice. Learned some new trails. Met new people.
Of course they are downsides, but I wont focus on them.
Could have been better - next year will be!
I've had a fantastic year on the bike... My first one for a decade, I'm a born-again 😉 So many great days. And looking forward to another one I hope, perhaps with less broken bones.
Not been out on the bike nearly as much as other years due to lack of time and no big all day epic rides, but the arrival of our little one has more than made up for it in other ways. Just can't wait until he's old enough to take out in a bike seat!
Great start to the year, got some results I was very pleased with, trip to Wales and peaks which were both ace, good result at Mayhem then had pilonidal sinus operation in July and haven't been able to touch my bike since...
Great start, really $hit ending
No- it was shyte.. I'm unfit, and didn't enjoy riding at all. Even on my new Heckler..
Something just didn't sit right.. 😕
Vicious circle.. - didn't enjoy riding due to being unfit, so never got fit... 😳
However, I'm just starting in the last couple of months to be out more, and more on my CX.. Delamere seems spot on for it..
So who knows what 2010 will bring?
I've signed up for HTN, so need to get going really...
I've had a really nice riding year. Rode "enough", enjoyed all my riding, "progressed" (I think that phrase is copyright Ed-O though).
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/32211118@N00/3979369197/ ]Up until October anyway...[/url] I should just about be back on a bike for 2010. Now that'll be a good year 😉
Yes, for lots of reasons. One of the most important (to me anyway), is nailing a route I determined to do a few years ago, but never seemed to have the strength/stamina. And now I've done it, with an extra few miles thrown too.
Have loads of stuff planned for next year, including some races. Plus I seem to be learning more about training methods, etc.
All in all, proper chuffed. And I'll be out over the N Downs for a few hours tomorrow - bring it on:)
Yep!
Got much fitter and faster! (very low starting point!)
Picked up 3 new injuries.
got 2 new bikes (so far!)
All in all a result as far as in concerned.
Bit of both. Had a minor op early in the year which put me off the bike for best part of 6 weeks. Got back after that to a reasonable level of fitness culminating in doing the SDW in 2 days in May. Then the co I work for bought another firm in Bradford in June and since then (coming up 6 months!!) I've been up and down the M1 most weeks, living in hotels, missing out on regular night rides and eating cooked breakfasts and curries. Have lost a lot of fitness and gained a lot of weight instead. Will just enjoy riding this winter and then a concerted push in the New Year to get back to where I was a year ago.
Still enjoyed (and enjoying) the riding I do but also frustrated by struggling on some rides that earlier this year I was just cruising.
Yup, best ever:
Several new bikes,
Fittest and fastest I've ever been,
A short holiday to the Pyrenees,
New PBs in time-trials,
Good results in CX racing,
8,500 road miles (so far) this year,
42 paid-for cycling events,
Resurrected my interest in singlespeeding,
And made the decision to ease-off and do more 'fun' stuff next year.
I'm lovin' it. 2009 was pretty good 😀
yes - went to full sus, did a two week 900+ km ride, ride to work everyday more or less, could get 3 MTB rides a week in when desired, ridden with friends I would be hard pressed to spend time with otherwise, made some new ones, rideen cool new trails, got fitter, skills improved, did a few dig days, lobbied for some new trails which have now been given the green light.
But 2010 (hopefully) sees; more riding, more digging, more trails to lobbied for and hopefully made accessible, a 160km road ride to start the year off, Nationals to be in Adelaide to watch, World 24hrs in Canberra to hopefully go and watch, getting even fitter, skills improving more again, more new trails to be ridden...
But most importantly, our first child - a daughter - is due end of March. And that trumps any and all riding.
aye, not bad. I got back into proper road riding and really enjoyed looking for crazy big climbs and charging up them. I also got myself into track riding in a big way and am really enjoying that now.
My only regret is not as much offroad as i'd have liked but next year will be different with a job that doesn't take over my weekends. Very much looking forward to it.
Started good-Plenty of winter rides in.
Got better-Memorable 4 days riding in the Cairngorms at Easter.Plus happy with my performance at Mayhem in June.
Beter still-Fantastic summer biking hols in Morzine & Whistler.
But recently......its been downhill.
(And thats not in the body-armoured 8" travel sense) 🙁
got off to a good start - rode round nz had a good base , came back hit intensity and promptly got injured -
been fighting it all season since.
dropped out of a fair few events that should have gone well for me BUT did well in others - depended on how my injured leg felt. (achillies tendonitus and a bursitus where it went onto the heel - and ITB syndrome on the opposing knee)
audaxing is great fun ! - 2 x 200 and a 300k done. Lots of fun rides had when achillies allows !
2010 howing promise after my little non racing holiday that i just had and some good physio advice from someone on here 😉
Pretty shite really
Being self employed and in the building trade I have been taking all the work I can get but its never dropped off (ok for bank balance no good for riding) so no avalable time. 😕
Not done anything until early december but been bitten by the bug again and looking forward to a couple of weeks off at xmas with lots of riding involved 😆
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 ****ed 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.