With the onset of winter ...

[Bearbonesnorm]

That's it, summer time is officially over which might be a surprise to anyone who's still awaiting its arrival ... so, has it been a good summer, a productive summer, has it produced good memories?

Mine's been a little bit steady in all honesty, not as many trips, miles or rides as usual but still enjoyable with the highlight probably a week riding round the IoM with Chew. However, all is not lost as I generally get out more between Nov and March than at any other time.

[GregMay]

I had an odd summer.

Came into it after a great winter/spring of training for races - had a great time at the CLoop - rode really well at Bristol12 - until I pulled my Achilles - few weeks tender training and fixing - missed YD300 among other planned things - 24/12 came round and I pulled out from 4th place after 13hours - drank a lot, lamented my woes, gave up a little - then just went out and ran a bit, rode a bit, got myself back together and enjoyed being a cyclist again.

Now, still a bit tender down there, but much better place mentally. Injuries can be good.

[ctznsmith]

It's been a good summer.

Approx. 4500 miles and 13 different countries.

[slarge]

Been a good one for me - ht550 (450 miles of it anyway), a summer CX series, the BB200, a 24 hour race next weekend, and quite a lot of commuting miles.

I would have liked to do more social rides, fun MTB trail centre and hilly off road rides but there's always next year for that.

[Joshvegas]

I bought a flat in peebles just before summer and spent all summer riding... my road bike.

Mountainbiking has started back up now and I've only fallen off twice so far!

[Ray Young]

I didn't think I'd been out much this summer but looking back I have had about the same amount of trips as previous summers. I think the reason for this was concentrating on getting the borders route 1) finished and 2) trying to ride it in one go. I have learned a lot about spending long hours in the saddle though so that's a bonus.

[Scattamah]

Started summer well by making it to Banff, which in short order went to sh1t. Then 5 weeks layed up recovering, with really only August to make amends. Got some good bivvies in though...so I can't complain.

Looking forward to the colder months, but not so much the numb digits.

Greetz

S.

[FLV]

Well below average riding wise.

Never mind though. I think I'll winterize my krampus (going to return to rigid and fit as many mud giards as possible) and make an effort to get out and enjoy quieter trails.

[Justchris]

So little after may. Just started getting out regularly in the last two weeks. No bike commute this year. But just secured a contract which will from January onwards. Work, both mine and hers has very much interfered with my peddling This year.

[jay91]

Nowhere near as much riding as I wanted with moving etc but it's not happening now so back to normal riding from door step etc

[Joshvegas]

Well below average riding wise.

Never mind though. I think I'll winterize my krampus (going to return to rigid and fit as many mud giards as possible) and make an effort to get out and enjoy quieter trails.

I was mudguarded up today. I think i'll just leave them on I always forget what a difference they make!

[gairym]

A real mixed year for me (though with sufficient adventure that I can't really complain).

Once the Fatbiking slowed down after the snow buggered off I hit the road bike and managed 16 weeks in a row of consecutive century rides which was cool.

A great April/May with some Majorca riding and then the Tuscany Trail.

Then things went south with a fail in the Navad1000, a spectacular failure during the Etape and then next to no riding throughout August and info September.

Redeemed things with a 2 part TMB (each two nights, one road and one MTB).

Then I got my revenge on the BB200 by being stubborn enough to finish despite much 'discomfort'.

Now just awaiting a new fatbike and the return on the white stuff.

Highs, lows and as usual many, many lessons learned.

[Ben98]

My summers been pretty good, though I seem to have dropped out of as many itt's as I've completed. My list or events so far is
Off road full and half marathon's
Yd200
Capital Trail
Bb200 (incomplete)
Yd300 (incomplete)
Charity mtb marathon
55 mile sportive
A plethora of small fell races and a 20km trail race

Overall not bad I think :D (not that ive been able to do anything between races though)

[ton]

i have had a fantastic year riding wise, mainly focusing on getting my strength back after open heart surgery last august.
started the year with 5 weekend mini tours to yoho's me and the wife have never visited. then followed a 2 week tour of the outer hebrides, taking in Barra, North and South Uist, Harris, Skye, Ardnamurchen and Mull. stunning riding scenery.
in august a year to the date of my surgery, i rode a 117 mile route to celebrate..........it was vaguely exciting.
september saw me and 2 pals riding the Trans Cambrian route, followed by 3 days riding North from Mach. probably the best weeks natural trail riding i have ever done, simply fantastic.

but now the winter is coming, the time of year i love, a winter of pennine and lakeland mountainbiking is planned...........bring it forth

[Pirahna]

Probably the worst year I've had for a long time, motivation has been at an all time low and I don't know why. I've got people to ride with, places to go, some nice bikes and the time to ride, I just haven't been that bothered. I haven't exactly been idle, I've ridden a few of the Scott enduro series, had 2 weeks in Provence on the road bike and a few weekends away with wifey (who is as keen as mustard).

[Kumquat]

Motivation a bit off.
Hampered by a couple of injuries.
Strange year.
New bike though.
Onwards and up em.
Also, I have bought some lobster gloves from a German supermarket.

[ianfitz]

I've had a pretty good year/summer. Starting with changing from a job I'd ended up hating to a new one I love with a lot of cycle commuting options on and off road.

Rode the peak 225 at May Day bank holiday. Then a DNF at the YD300 but a 200km+ ride after a little crash.

Some lovely cols in the Alps. Including galibier from our campsite which was 1200m of nonstop climbing! And some really enjoyable woodland mountain biking in the vercours

Had a good two and a half hard days riding of Rays borders 350 route. Which is measured in imperial (515 in metric !) retired at wooler 365km in after riding at the front (which is a first, and probably last for me) for a day and a half.

A solo trip round the YD200 too.

Managed some fairly solid distance in between to make this the most miles in a year mostly off-road. Some good learning about long days riding and kit. Also regained confidence in being able to tolerate larger amounts of hard riding without being negatively affected. This is the biggest positive for me and has proved that I've finally recovered from the chronic fatigue syndrome I was diagnosed with s few years ago now. It's been a long way to get back!

Have also really enjoyed meeting some of the lovely people involved in our sport. It's not that I'm anti social but tend to ride on my own.

[whitestone]

Finally pulled my finger out and did some bikepacking

Short list of the highlights:

Northern part of the West Highland Way (in a hoolie)
YD300
The Sandstone Way

With luck I'll get 10,000Km done this year again though this time there's much, much more mountain biking in the mix.

As for next year I've got some plans, even better, having told the significant other I haven't been told I cant

@ton Good on you! It always feels great to come back from adversity. Keep it up!

[Trail-rat]

Its been a good year , if a little slack on the biking.

Got married in july and i was building the wedding car so serious lack of biking

Went on honeymoon to california . Did some riding but not so much , felt unfit. - maybe 150km in total over 3 weeks.

Came back from a job offshore end of august - got weighed for a chopper , weighed in at nearly 14 stone. Had a medical - high cholestoral and high blood pressure as well as weight increased.

Booked a week off , loaded my bike up and got a train to kyle of lochalsh and cycled home relaxed .... - and lost 9lbs in one week , recoverd for a couple of weeks or so commuting then went for the inner cairngorm loop over night with a mate with an overnighter at feshie bothy and just done geldie/feshie/ryvoan gap/glen builg with the mrs.

Down from 13st 12 to 12 st 8 currently and feeling the strongest i have done for a while

[Fat tyre kicker]

"Building the wedding car".......very intriguing
Had a crap year ride wise,tore my bicep earlier in the year
And it's still playing up/weak,finally got a ride in last week,a
Gentle potter around a few woods in Cheshire,
Onwards and upwards,as they say

[Trail-rat]

Before and after.

3 weeks before wedding it was mot'd and back on road for first time in 4 years

[JohnClimber]

None of the ITT's listed above
Changed jobs
Tour De Northumberland solo bivi ride on the Fat Bike riding Hadrains Wall to the coast, riding up every beach and back to the start using the Sand Stone train over 3 nights & days was great.
Several over nighters.
WRT for the first time in a few years
Ford Fiesta.

My new job although great it's holidays aren't as good, so I need to focus.

[Fat tyre kicker]

An ideal wedding car choice.......covers all bases weather wise

[Richard G]

After injuring my knee quite badly at the start of the year, and nearly putting it out of commission for good doing the WRT I think I've come back pretty strong. Needed about a month of physio, a month off the bike and then had to work back into it really slowly, but I'd say at this point that I'm fitter than ever and have about four 100+ mile (mostly) off road rides done in the last month or so.

I still need to be extremely careful with the knee / leg (I spend loads of time foam rolling and stretching), but I'm definitely heading in the right direction. Hell, next year I might even be able to keep up with some of the faster riders on the BB200!

[ScotRoutes]

Bugger all