Who started cycling again this year then?

[leosayer]

Hi,

my work went part-time in June, so took the opportunity to get fit and with my knackered knees cycling seemed to be the best method.

5 months later, I'm hooked. Ride nearly everyday. Love the outdoors, the nature, the fun. Ride to work now. Knees are even stronger.

Used car about 10 times in 5 months.

Thinking of upgrading bike.

Lost 1.5 stone too.

Wish I did this years ago

 

[l4dva]

Me too!!

Started again in Jan/Feb this year. Got a newbike on C2W, already done about 1300 miles, and already want to buy another bike.

I just can't get enough of it!

 

[l4dva]

PC Arcade - A huge well done to you mate!!! Thats some major weight loss! Good work man keep it up!

 

[Coco]

Ditto.

Can we call ourselves Class of '09?

 

[scots_lass]

I hadn't cycled since I was a kid and started in June this year, cycling 3 times a week on a heavy mountain bike. The first week I thought I was dying - and so proud that I had managed 5 miles each time! Now I do 20 miles without even thinking about it and ordered a lighter hybrid bike for Christmas! Roll on the spring!

 

[BSA]

I started in October 08 but I consider this year as my first real year cycling.

I am much fitter and loving the ride to work. I bought a new ribble winter trainer in September this year.

We decided to sell 1 of the 2 family cars in June this year as a result of me cycling to work.

Completely hooked!

 

[Perfect Virgo]

Me too. After a couple of years running on the roads for fitness and half marathon training I needed an activity easier on my 52 year-old joints. My ankles and knees didn't have time to recover between runs and I seemed in a permanent state of mild soreness.

I joined CC late in 2008 as an ex-pat, having not cycled seriously since my youth. I began lapping up the advice (and banter!) and learned a lot of valuable information about the current cycle scene. I researched used road bikes and acquired a late 1980's Raleigh from eBay. I had it delivered to my UK address and following a visit home last Christmas I brought it back to Canada with me.

When the snow cleared I cycled Prince Edward Island from north to south and east to west and have really enjoyed the short, hot summer. I built up to a longest ride of 106 miles and on my regular 25 mile loops improved my average to over 17mph. Frigid arctic air has now started to blow in and soon snow and ice will grip the roads - and the sea! - so it's back to running for me until spring.

 

[PastyPower]

.... and me! Bought my bike in July having not ridden seriously since I was 16, 20 years ago! I've ridden in the mcr 100, club hill climb and clocked over 2000 miles As soon as my wind jacket arrives i'll be back out again...

 

[TonbridgeSteve]

Me as well,

I had a bike sitting in the shed that I had got a couple of years ago with the intention of cycling to get fitter but had hardly used

But with the cost of running two cars and wanting to be able to keep up with my 2 year old son, I decided that rather than find time to cycle before/after work that it would make sense to commute to work and get the benefit of exercise and saving some money.

I started in June doing 2 days a week and had to walk up one hill on the way into work, I'm now normally doing 4 days a week and feel so much fitter than I did.

Things are going so well that we are probably going to get rid of 1 of the 2 cars, I'm not sure that we have actually saved any money yet though as I have had to keep buying stuff for the bike . Still that should hopefully happen in the future with one less car.

 

[Mycroft]

think i posted this elsewhere.

this year was to be MY year, 2nd Jan i had shingles though so that slowed things down

I started in march on a mis sized MTB i bought in 2000, but that hadn't seen use since 2001. wasn't fun to ride, but it got me started i guess.

long standing medical probs (chemo for leukaemia) ment water retention(likely not helped with the heart damage from too much chemo), joint pain, fatigue and weight gain had started to depress me, GP seemed no help, so i said feck it, and got on my bike, did a few short miles and gradually (well not THAT gradually) worked my way up to 7 miles and i thought i would die!

but kept at it 4 days a week and in late april decided i'd buy a new bike, a city/tourer that happened to have slicks, this has been the biggest revelation speed at last

extra gears helped as well, i don't grind the pedals any more.

built myself up to weekends cycletouring and camping, and then managed my first 50 miler and promptly got swine flu

that set things back again, but i've since managed a 40 miler over some local mountains in merinos an shorts (cold!)

kinda just commuting ATM bringing the shopping back on up to 4 panniers, and recently acquired a bike trailer, so managed to get rid of some clutter.

never had a car, so the freedom the bike has brought, the fitness increase, the odd feeling of NOT having all the fluid on my legs arms neck and face are brilliant. and just the general independence has been brilliant.

finding waterproof gear has also helped.

some days i get pains in my chest, and am really fatigued, but i've lernt to just slow down and keep rolling, i get there in the end

after repeated combat with cancer, my confidence was in tatters, but getting back on a bike and focusing on some personal challenges and achieving goals, and then bigger goals i've gotten my confidence back.

next year, now that WILL be my year

 

[jethro10]

Ok, me also.

I'm 48, a bloke and had a schoolfriend, I knew her from 12-16 and we got on ever so well. We left school, she moved away to Leeds and that was that for 32 years.
We met on Facebook again early this year. She's a biking freak and I got my first one in April.
My wife said I was mad. But then started to see nice pictures I was taking. Then the wife got a bike.
She came visited me and my wife this weekend and we've been out, even in this weather !!!!
My Wife and I went to visit her and her family near leeds a few weeks ago and we did some canals for the first time ever - even my wife loves it now.
I'm (we are!) so much more healthier.

So there, even a nice story
Jeff

 

[Dilbert]

Me also. Had an MTB in the shed for 10 years but only got it out again early this year when we made serious efforts to teach the kids to ride. After a few months off road I ventured back onto the roads and am now building up miles ready to start commuting.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I like that! done....

 

[SavageHoutkop]

let's try again

 

[Willo]

I've always enjoyed cycling but other than doing the odd spin and taking my very old and cheap mountain bike on holiday to do some shortish rides with the children, I hadn't really done anything for years. I really enjoy running but I injured my achilles back in Feb during a 10k race and my running has been a struggle since then as I try and shift the injury with endless physio etc. I can do other exercise, but got bored of just going to the gym so decided to dust down the old bike and get out as compensation for the lack of running. I generally just do a 30 min circuit to the station in the mornings and started to really enjoy it and thought about doing some more at weekends.

I've always enjoyed watching and reading about road racing, so decided to inspire myself to get out more by getting a new road bike through the C2W scheme. Whilst a pretty basic spec by today's standards, I christened my new Specialized Allez triple yesterday with a lovely spin through the country roads and was instantly hooked - relative to my old bike it's a dream to ride (and so much faster that I now realise I probably didn't need the triple, but will reserve judgement until I hit the steeper hillls!!) Despite the rotten weather, it was pure pleasure to be out in the fresh air.

Whilst the dark, cold mornings are not that inviting I plan to carry on doing a couple of short rides in the week to the station through the winter and then the odd ride at the weekends, time permitting. Whilst I want to carry on running, the injury problems have made realise that I need to balance it with something else. Previously, I hadn't found anything else to inspire me, but think I've solved that now