Keeping track of my cycling progress

I bought a Trek cycle computer in July (Incite 9im since you ask) and hit 2,000 kilometers on my way home from work tonight. Being a bit obsessive I’ve also kept track of each ride’s detail both online and in a spreadsheet. There are three good online sites, each serving a different purpose and all are free.

The best all rounder is My Cycling Log. I like it because you can keep notes against each ride and also use tags to categorise them. Its reporting function is excellent. You get a colour coded calendar showing your daily distance plus monthly charts for distance, average speed, ride count and total ride time.

Next, I also like bikejournal. The basic service is free but you get access to the advanced features for US$20 per year. It has 30 fields to choose from, allowing you to record every aspect of your ride

The most basic is the Victorian Government’s CycleSmart. Here you simply enter you odometer reading (in kilometers) at the end of each day and it keeps track of your progress. Its graphs show how you compare to all the other users plus it breaks down your hip pocket and environmental savings. In my case, 2003 kilometers translates as:

• Fuel required to travel this distance by car: 228L
• Estimated Co2 emissions saved: 524kg
• Cost of this fuel at $1.40/L: $319

So, if I had a car, I would have saved over five times my body weight in Co2 emissions and nearly paid for my bike in fuel savings, but, as it turns out, my travel card savings have been far more.