Chuckles1

Just taking a minute to appreciate cycling, as another season comes to a close. Still hoping to get in another ride or two on the gravel bike (about 700 miles so far this year), but below 50 degrees F and I resort to walking. The road bike is cleaned and stored for Winter after a 400 mile season. The e-bike is likewise clean and hibernating. First year with that, a Bafang 500W rear geared hub drive on a Motobecane hybrid/adventure 3x7. It exceeded all my expectations; my first ebike. About 900 miles trouble-free on that.

Riding to school as a child, riding a beater in college and getting my first quality bike when I couldn't afford a car yet at my first job after college; riding that Raleigh for 26 years until getting into modern bikes with indexed shifting. Cycling has been like a good friend in many seasons of my life, and will be as long as I can ride. And the forum has greatly enhanced my bike mechanic and general cycling knowhow.

So here's to cycling and to all the good folks on the forum. Cheers!

Mtl01

Had a great year as well. First full season since I retired and got in over 3200 km (around 2000 miles).

Managed to get a new road bike at the end of the season. Feel lucky to get one given the shortages and supply chain problems.

Down to a handful of rides at this point as November is pretty much the end of the bicycling season for me.

Getting back into cycling is the best decision I made in a long time, lol.

ofajen

Nice thread! It has been a pretty good year so far for me also.

I will keep riding through the winter as much as possible, though last year I only rode at or above freezing and I don’t ride much right after we get snow or ice. I may ride a bit below freezing this year, but we shall see how that goes.

I’ve stuck with riding only single speed all year since the summer of 2020. I have contemplated maybe setting a few gears up on one of the bikes, but I’m in no hurry. We’ll see how that goes, too! 😊

Otto

OldRailfan

Good year here as well.
I wasn't aiming for it, but it happened: I passed that 3120 km mark from 2020.
If the weather smartens up there is a target: .... 3333! And that will be it for the season.

gthomson

Cheers to you as well but the cycling season is not over yet, even if we're north of the 49th! I'm at 3, 860 km for the year so far and I've already beat last years number which was 3,855km. Will keep riding outside when I can but then turn to Zwifting and hope to log a bunch of km's on the trainer between now and January.
Hockey has started so that will distract me a bit from riding but I should be able to get in at least 3 Zwift rides/week if not more.

Live to ride, ride to live!

andrewclaus

Same here, great year. I don't track mileage very well, but went through two chains, something I haven't done since pre-COVID days. Last year I doubled my cycling since there was literally nothing else to do, and I'm keeping up that pace.

When I was younger and living in Chicago I had a car, but the Arab Oil Embargo opened my eyes to the true cost of gasoline. So I got the bike out again and became serious about cycling as an adult. I met my wife of 40+ years because of cycling, and it's kept us in excellent condition for doing almost anything we want to do in retirement. And the cycling lifestyle allowed us to retire early, so we are committed to it.

Last week we moved from our summer home in Golden, CO to our brand new winter home in Tucson. We actually ride more in the winters lately, since we started migrating to AZ about ten years ago. So the mileage is going to ramp up and I have a couple of spare chains in stock.

a77impala

I’m 77, I retired in October of 2002, got cash incentive to get me to SS age. Got back on a bike after riding to work several years in 2005. Started
with a mountain bike because of a spinal condition in my neck, didn’t think road bike would be comfortable. I saw a road bike in the dumpster at a bike shop and owner said I could take it. I fixed it up and road it with little discomfort. I started volunteering at a bike place that fixed bikes to give to kids that couldn’t afford to buy one. Doing that led to getting a couple more road bikes for me.
in September 2006 I bought a new Lemond road bike and started riding seriously.
I have ridden ever since with a few interruptions due to accidents. I have suffered a fractured cheek, right shoulder and left hip but always got back riding as soon as possible.
Since 2006 I have averages 6,000 plus miles every year up to last year when I dropped to 4,800 miles. I’m at 4350 so far this year and my goal is to hit 100,000 miles by my 80th birthday. I’m at 93,350 right now.
Sometimes my wife says I need to slow down and I’ve tried but can’t stay off my bikes.
My only regret is I was not able to get my grandchildren interested in cycling.

Gonzo Bob

I second those cheers!

I've have a good year of riding, too. After a decade off (2010 to 2019), I returned to riding and rode 33 times for 33.6 hours in 2020. This year (so far) I have 60 rides for 125.6 hours. So not only have I ridden nearly twice as often, my rides have been over twice as long on average (I track moving time, not total ride time).

prj71

Never understood this.

Cycling season is never over. When it gets colder you just wear warmer gear. When it snows, you buy a fat bike.

No such thing as bad weather. Just bad gear.

OldRailfan

OTOH there are a number of winter sports which complement cycling quite nicely, probably the best of them is XC skiing. Wiping out is easier on the body, too.

Speaking of skiing .... the white stuff is piling up! As soon as the 20 cm (8 inches) depth is reached the grooming/packing will start. If it stays cold and the snow keeps coming we'll be skiing on Nov. 5th..




Looking good!

OldRailfan

Follow up to yesterday's picture.



Blue bird day!


Temp etc



Four days of sunshine in the forecast, perfect to get to the 3333 km target.

BCAC

Agreed, it’s been a great year for cycling. Here, the season never ends.

Baldy1953

Yes, this years cycling has been a good year. I currently have 4600 miles and can see the goal posts on that 5000 mile mark for the 2nd year. Almost all have been on my specialized roubaix. Plan on riding a bit more next year if the virus will go away a bit more.

I feel like any time on the bike is a good time. it is nice to be retired and not have to squeeze the time out for a bike ride. It has been a bit cool here in N. Fl the last couple of weeks and pretty windy. Need to suck it up and get on with the riding.

prj71

You don't need to wait for the virus to go away in order to ride more.

Inusuit

My first full year after coming back to cycling early in the pandemic. Just over 2300 miles total on four different bikes, hope to hit 2500 by year's end. Best memories of the past 12 months are my rides on remote gravel roads and pasture two tracks. I'm fortunate to have many routes starting

within a mile or so of my house.

indyfabz

Not a bad year considering I was rehabbing from a thumb injury and resultant surgery into the spring. Managed to get in 22 days of unsupported touring, including a two-week, 650 mile trip from northern Vermont home to Philly.

PeteHski

fify

gthomson

Great effort. Would you be able to show us more pictures of that bike?

Inusuit

prj71

Ha!!

All of my friends that ski quit doing it after buying a fat bike.

gthomson

Inusuit, very nice. I like the choice you made with the handlebars and shifters. Possible option I was thinking as well.

Bob Ross

Wait, wut? :::checks calendar:::
I still see two more whole months left in the year.

Inusuit

Thanks. A good friend bought the bike new in Fort Collins CO in 1989, rode it for years, then retired it to his shed. We worked a trade. The original white handlebar tape was in sad shape and the hoods were deteriorated and sticky. Couldn't find replacement hoods to fit. LBS had in old stock the set that's on there now. I opted for black tape. Had a cheap replacement seat which I replaced with a Stella Italia Turbo like the one that came with the bike originally. I spent a lot of time on cosmetics and cleanup. Recently put Schwalbe Land Cruisers on for more grip off the pavement. Seatpost is stuck but fit is good.

Pictures of your bike?

gthomson

So I picked up this bike about 11 months ago to replace my Trek 800 Antelope which I bought new back in 94 but ran it into the ground so sold it for the frame. This Peugeot was a good deal (and its a Peugeot! ) and in near mint condition but felt a little small for me. I added the rear rack, picked up some saddle bags and added the adjustable stem, and riser handlebar for a comfortable ride to pick up groceries. I really want a slick gravel conversion bike though and trying to figure out how I could turn this into one.

257 roberts

We don't really have much of a winter here in central Florida so I ride year round
so far I'm at 2,487 miles with a goal of 3000 miles and I plan on my birthday ride
next month 66 miles.