2014 Biking Highlights?

[summittoppler]

OK chaps and chap'esis in keeping with MBNW tradition I'm gonna ask this one.

Its that time of year to look back at what we've achieved biking wise and pick out those 'magic' moments.

So whether its a first ride, the getting your mojo back moment or a magical bike tour, lets hear your highlights from 2014

[rallybiker]

My highlights were completing my first 200Km event, the 'Sych it and Sea' audax from Bangor via Sychnant, Rowen,Betws, Crimea, Rhyd, Criccieth, Aberdaron,Llanaelhaearn, Foryd, Caernarfon, as well as riding to the start and back home about 230Km in total. The second highlight being Birds Inners Glentress trip a couple of months ago!

[Dan B]

It's been a pretty steady year for me, oddly I have ridden the most miles yet in a year at nearly 4200, which considering I have been busy with non biking related stuff is quite surprising.

Standout rides for me was a solo 131 miles 10,500 ft of climbing, which was the Etape Cymru route but with a loop out to Coedy for beans, the weather was perfect and was a "Today i'm mostly riding my bike" kind of day.

The Wild Wales again was a great route, although I had a slight mechanical nightmare early on, managed to sort it out and crack on. It was the first time I nailed the Bwlch in one sitting, although it was mainly thanks to the gearing on my winter bike, was still pretty chuffed as its owned me a number of times before... I'm not really built to climb!

[summittoppler]

For me it obviously has to be completing the bivvy a month challenge for the year.
But if were to single a ride out then it would have to be the November bivvy ride at Newborough were we have glorious weather.


However the best start to a ride has to be the double decker bus from Manchester city centre to the outskirts of the city.



I might be a bit more social in 2015

[oldbird]

Oldbirds Highlights,

Malaga D/H with 10 gnarly chicks and dry dusty trails,

Ireland's Ring of Kerry, Irish 100 miles< 112 really,

Conwy Mountain Forum ride, sunshine/smiley faces and Clare who never took her coat off once and best view from Moel Llus,

Trans Wales Ride with Chester road Club, shite weather for 3 days but a good route,

Half Hog bike sportive in the peaks,dire weather,

Usual trails NYA, Penmachno 1&2,

And of course last one Elins revenge,

And big thanks to everyone who has made the effort to put a ride together or just turned up for the ride,

Also a big thanks to Tarbo and others who miss out on some of the fun just to take all the photos,

Total tally for me,
5,473 road miles,
836 mtb,

[roger]

My highlights would be the Penmarin in April on my own which I really got into.
Two rides down Snowdon, especially the Rhyd Ddu route with the 4am start, doing more of that next summer.
Dyfi winter warm up - weather I wouldn't go out in normally but enjoyed it in a horrible way!
Dyfi Enduro, atmosphere was superb, never been around so many bikes.
Shedfest in the Afan had one of the best routes I've ridden, closely followed by the Coed y Brenin Enduro.
Finally working out what I didn't like about my Giant Trance & a week later reading Giant have modified for 2015

[lesz42]

the Tour De mon on my Hybrid, and doing the flying mile at RAF valley!

[freakychurchill]

Has been a amazing year for me and getting it to one highlight is a tough call... But like Summittoppler the November ride was great..


But year as a whole...

So hopefully more MTB next year and hopefully it will top this year

[Tarbo]

There were a number of memorial things for me this year.

1) A week in Majorca with Sandi riding road bikes with some fantastic friends, great routes, courteous drivers and super smooth roads. I would go back every year if I could

2) Completing my first long distance triathlon. When I started triathlon a couple of years ago I was happy to finish my first Standard Distance event, and remember thinking on the return leg of the 10Km run "How the hell do people run a full marathon after biking 112 miles?" Enjoyed it so much that I've entered for next year too !

3) However, the best thing that I've done this year is to ignore Strava Yes I log all of my rides, runs and swimming on there and refer to how I'm progressing. But I have no interest in the challenges, or getting a certain amount of miles or climbing done in a month. I now go out and enjoy the rides I do, get out when i want (don't go out when I don't want )

And in true MBNW fashion, plenty of great weekends away with some of the best people you would want to go away with

Here's to plenty more of the same next year

[motoxman]

1 Dyfi Enduro after a night of beers and curry

2 Tour of Pen Llyn. Something different and most memorable point was descending the A499 to the A487 and seeing the look on the face of a roadie climbing the hill when a fat b@st@rd in a jacket shirt and tie was coming the other way at over 40 mph on 16 inch wheels on a Saturday morning. Something I'm definitely interested in doing more of next year but hopefully with better company weather.

3 Andorra although after only 3 days of uplifts it was difficult to get head around pedalling again which was quite strange

4 Tony and Smithy in the pub in Abergorlech - still chuckle now

[lou]

All touring for me... Sunshine in Aberdaron, solo tour going from Bala over to Lake Vyrnwy and two weeks in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam was pretty special too :-)