One of may favourite local Pennine rides, getting ready for my second Audax. Reflecting a little on the ageing process and wondering out loud if I’m the only one!
What’s your take on getting older and keeping on cycling? Drop me a comment and let me know.
Iv just got back ,in to cycling about a month ago.i haven't ridden since 2015 at the age of 45 . As you can imagine my cardio is non existent so I'm puffing an blowing like a good un.only done some short rides but noticed my legs fatiqueing very quickly just on small inclines so iv yet to conquer 20 miles yet without thinking yep that was enough.i am enjoying it though and that's what it's about.im riding a Vitus zenium which wasn't expensive and probably on the heavy side compared to other bikes.im sticking with it and gradually up the distance a bit at a time . Id like to think iv got my best rides are yet to come. Wild eyebrows are definitely an aging thing 😅.
70 next birthday and still doing those climbs you did. There is another road I use out of Bacup to Tod. it is parallel to the road you climbed. Its single track with no traffic, becomes a bit rough at the top. Todmorden old Road. It does get harder as we age, I'm much slower than I used to be and use very low gears. I need to look at my nutrition and do some strength training.
I've managed somehow to reach 80. What do I think of ageing? For me I feel lucky to be still alive but hate the daily reminders that I'm not young anymore. The idea of riding 100 miles is just not possible for me. I cycle every day, if I can, but short distances. Yesterday I managed 40 miles, the first ride that length since June. I felt OK but was pleased when I saw my house. I've accepted I can't do what I used to but am not ready to give up yet. Keep riding, you're still relatively young .😄 Thanks for the video
I gave up riding outside in 2016. 5 year hiatus and now I ride EVERY day indoors (Zwift). Never been fitter but I have no goals, am not competitive and just embrace cycling for what it is. Daily exercise.
Don't get me wrong I miss the outdoors and true gradients. I don't miss bonking 20 miles from home and limping back.
Good stuff – interesting questions. When we're considering our 'best cycling days' it's important to make the distinction between absolute sporting performance and our ability to do the rides and projects which excite us. Personally I can't compete with any of the metrics from my racing days – no amount of smart training can bridge that gap – but 18 months after restarting I can do all the routes and rides from 20-25 years ago, albeit 10-12 % slower on average. Last week's dales hundred took 6:40 on a freezing day whereas it would've been sub-6 in 2003… but I enjoy the rides and locations every bit as much as in the fast days. Probably more so because I'm not worried about the numbers. If we're lucky in terms of general health then we can retain the ability-to-ride well into our 70s. My dad was riding the circuit in the video until he was 79 – he gained a second lease of climbing life when compact chainsets became readily available – but he'd avoid the Pennines at winter because of the windchill and bronchial implications
Good vid and interesting thoughts. Been cycling 20 plus yrs and just hit 60. For me the desire 2 push myself hard has gone probably completely. I used 2 attack every climb now I don't want or feel need 3 hurt myself. Enjoy not endure..
Having only started seriously cycling in middle age I agree the best cycling is ahead. What frustrates me is that when we get an injury (and we do) it takes so much longer to recover, reducing fitness and motivation. Nice ride again, I did part of that one last week, climbing up out of Bacup, but was on the gravel bike so went over the moors to Todmorden. https://youtube.com/shorts/pHfWpxoDOCM
Keep up the good work, you are but a child and you continue to provide inspiration to me and I’m in my early 60s. Life is a challenge for us all, we all age, know you limitations but continue to push yourself and look ahead and keep moving forwards. It’s all about what you’re getting out of it and what it does for you👍
Old man eyebrows make us look wise like owls. Bit more pruning required on the face as we age for sure. Have members of my club cycling at 80. Some warmth and sunshine would lift your spirits.
I am now 62 and my take on fitness as we age is that it is all about maintaining what we have and paying close attention to minimize the possibility of injury. I completed LEJOG last year, road from San Diego to San Fransico on the Pacific Coastal Highway, and road to Malaysia from my house in the north of Thailand. This year I did my first 100-mile ride in over 40 years and I am getting ready to do a 200km ride next week. The point is that if you stay fit there are still plenty of adventures to be had and although I see my fittest days as behind me I am still fit enough to genuinely see my best adventures in front of me. Take care. Jay
Keep riding. How you ride will change, but it’s all about the long run. I’m 44 and was laughing at hearing you talk. The same back stuff has happened to me as well. Thanks for the video.
you dont look old at all. As years go, it's just that maybe you don't feel the need to compete or to be the best anymore. Cadence is also very important as you age. Even more for people with heart conditions. Even on the easiest gears, a low cadence means more strength coming from your legs, so your heart rests, so eating carbs and so on is necessary to feed your legs which use glucose as fuel. On the contrary, high cadence means that your heart rate increases while your legs rest a lot more, like when using very easy gears and certain terrains. For those with a medical condition low cadence is better even on easy gears.
What I find annoying of most road or gravel bikes nowadays is that the gears seem to be made for 20 years olds which produce 500W for hours. Got a road bike street fighter style (with flat bars featuring bar ends for comfort, as I prefer it to drop bars) and a MTB, and I initialy wanted a gravel bike to have something between the two but I recently found out about trekking bikes for long distance travelling, something along the lines of the Riverside 920 or the gorgeous Canyon Roadlie 6, and some of those are light and usually have 1X drivetrains (my fav) and have gear ratios like MTBs, something along the lines of 11-46T or 11-51T., which is much better for any terrain that the gear ratios of road bikes and most gravel bikes. Cheers!
There’s always going to be people who are doing better than or worse than you in terms of health/wellbeing. From the impression I get from watching you, you’re doing great. Don’t dwell and just enjoy what you can achieve.
Loved seeing the British countryside in your ride. In 1990 I was stationed in England for the second time–US Air Force. I was stationed at RAF Upwood and was big into running at that point in my life. I was part of the AC Hunts Running Club in St Ives. Would run around 60-80 miles a week. In 92 me and three others in the club decided to do LEJOG–not sure it was known by the acronym back then 🙂 We would do our training runs all week and then do a 100 miles bike ride once a week on Sunday. I had an old steel frame 10 speed road bike that was way too big for me. Anyway, I was 32 years old and in the best shape of my life. Was running 10k road races in 35 min, did the London Marathon in 2:44 min, and we did the LEJOG that year in 10 days. Didn't feel like it really taxed me at all. Anyway, my point is, my entire life up through my mid 40s I was a good athlete and very competitive. It took me a while to adjust my mindset from wanting to be fast, wanting to win, to wanting to be fit and to still do challenging things, but understand I'm not 30 any longer. A few years ago, at 58 I did the TransAm bike ride across the US. Two years ago I did the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Next year at 64 I'll be doing the TransAm again, 4,300 miles. I'm 63 now, feel good, try to keep in shape and have accepted that I am not as fast as I once was and I have aches and pains that I never had before 40. But, my goals now are to challenge myself. I want to be able to get on my bike at 70 and do the TransAm again, if I decide that's what I want to do. So, my advice is to accept that you will be slower, you will get injured more easily, you will have a tougher time getting down on the floor and then springing back up again, but don't stop. Keep challenging yourself. You can age, but don't let yourself get old….keep moving.
That looks like a great loop. Never done it all in one ride but going to have a blast round it. Getting old isn't good but my method is refuse to listen and try getting better each day. Im currently loosing weight and feel if everything goes to plan I'll be at a great fitness level. We need to meet top for a ride buddy when you're free
51, no more winter riding. I hit the gym until the end of March, weights, running machine, cyxle, then rollers at home maybe twice a week. I cannot stand riding in that!
A lot of what you said resonates with me. I turned 40 and literally a week later my back went putting my wallet in my bag. Sadly, not a reflection on how heavy my wallet was.
That was over five years ago. In my head I feel young and I’m sure I can keep up with those skinny 20-somethings still! I still try to get out on the bike, but with a full time job and two Primary School age girls that is difficult. Saturday club rides out – combination of commuter bike and Zwift keep my base fitness in check but hard to get motivated sometimes. I have made a point of booking a few sportives for next year so I have something to work towards. I would definitely benefit from a consistent strength and conditioning regime, but again it’s finding the time. Going back to bed with a cup of tea always seems very appealing 😂
I always recall seeing "The old guys" cycling up and down the valley as a school kid and then into my mid twenties the same guys were still at it. I think that I am now one of them old guys, if you know what I mean. It just becomes a way of life !
20 Comments
Iv just got back ,in to cycling about a month ago.i haven't ridden since 2015 at the age of 45 .
As you can imagine my cardio is non existent so I'm puffing an blowing like a good un.only done some short rides but noticed my legs fatiqueing very quickly just on small inclines so iv yet to conquer 20 miles yet without thinking yep that was enough.i am enjoying it though and that's what it's about.im riding a Vitus zenium which wasn't expensive and probably on the heavy side compared to other bikes.im sticking with it and gradually up the distance a bit at a time .
Id like to think iv got my best rides are yet to come.
Wild eyebrows are definitely an aging thing 😅.
70 next birthday and still doing those climbs you did. There is another road I use out of Bacup to Tod. it is parallel to the road you climbed. Its single track with no traffic, becomes a bit rough at the top. Todmorden old Road. It does get harder as we age, I'm much slower than I used to be and use very low gears. I need to look at my nutrition and do some strength training.
I've managed somehow to reach 80. What do I think of ageing? For me I feel lucky to be still alive but hate the daily reminders that I'm not young anymore.
The idea of riding 100 miles is just not possible for me. I cycle every day, if I can, but short distances. Yesterday I managed 40 miles, the first ride that length since June. I felt OK but was pleased when I saw my house.
I've accepted I can't do what I used to but am not ready to give up yet.
Keep riding, you're still relatively young .😄
Thanks for the video
I gave up riding outside in 2016. 5 year hiatus and now I ride EVERY day indoors (Zwift).
Never been fitter but I have no goals, am not competitive and just embrace cycling for what it is. Daily exercise.
Don't get me wrong I miss the outdoors and true gradients. I don't miss bonking 20 miles from home and limping back.
Good stuff – interesting questions.
When we're considering our 'best cycling days' it's important to make the distinction between absolute sporting performance and our ability to do the rides and projects which excite us.
Personally I can't compete with any of the metrics from my racing days – no amount of smart training can bridge that gap – but 18 months after restarting I can do all the routes and rides from 20-25 years ago, albeit 10-12 % slower on average. Last week's dales hundred took 6:40 on a freezing day whereas it would've been sub-6 in 2003… but I enjoy the rides and locations every bit as much as in the fast days. Probably more so because I'm not worried about the numbers.
If we're lucky in terms of general health then we can retain the ability-to-ride well into our 70s.
My dad was riding the circuit in the video until he was 79 – he gained a second lease of climbing life when compact chainsets became readily available – but he'd avoid the Pennines at winter because of the windchill and bronchial implications
Good vid and interesting thoughts. Been cycling 20 plus yrs and just hit 60. For me the desire 2 push myself hard has gone probably completely. I used 2 attack every climb now I don't want or feel need 3 hurt myself.
Enjoy not endure..
Getting old.. is better than the alternative! Happy cycling to you.
Having only started seriously cycling in middle age I agree the best cycling is ahead. What frustrates me is that when we get an injury (and we do) it takes so much longer to recover, reducing fitness and motivation.
Nice ride again, I did part of that one last week, climbing up out of Bacup, but was on the gravel bike so went over the moors to Todmorden. https://youtube.com/shorts/pHfWpxoDOCM
Keep up the good work, you are but a child and you continue to provide inspiration to me and I’m in my early 60s. Life is a challenge for us all, we all age, know you limitations but continue to push yourself and look ahead and keep moving forwards. It’s all about what you’re getting out of it and what it does for you👍
Old man eyebrows make us look wise like owls. Bit more pruning required on the face as we age for sure. Have members of my club cycling at 80. Some warmth and sunshine would lift your spirits.
I am now 62 and my take on fitness as we age is that it is all about maintaining what we have and paying close attention to minimize the possibility of injury. I completed LEJOG last year, road from San Diego to San Fransico on the Pacific Coastal Highway, and road to Malaysia from my house in the north of Thailand. This year I did my first 100-mile ride in over 40 years and I am getting ready to do a 200km ride next week. The point is that if you stay fit there are still plenty of adventures to be had and although I see my fittest days as behind me I am still fit enough to genuinely see my best adventures in front of me. Take care. Jay
Keep riding. How you ride will change, but it’s all about the long run. I’m 44 and was laughing at hearing you talk. The same back stuff has happened to me as well. Thanks for the video.
you dont look old at all. As years go, it's just that maybe you don't feel the need to compete or to be the best anymore. Cadence is also very important as you age. Even more for people with heart conditions. Even on the easiest gears, a low cadence means more strength coming from your legs, so your heart rests, so eating carbs and so on is necessary to feed your legs which use glucose as fuel. On the contrary, high cadence means that your heart rate increases while your legs rest a lot more, like when using very easy gears and certain terrains. For those with a medical condition low cadence is better even on easy gears.
What I find annoying of most road or gravel bikes nowadays is that the gears seem to be made for 20 years olds which produce 500W for hours. Got a road bike street fighter style (with flat bars featuring bar ends for comfort, as I prefer it to drop bars) and a MTB, and I initialy wanted a gravel bike to have something between the two but I recently found out about trekking bikes for long distance travelling, something along the lines of the Riverside 920 or the gorgeous Canyon Roadlie 6, and some of those are light and usually have 1X drivetrains (my fav) and have gear ratios like MTBs, something along the lines of 11-46T or 11-51T., which is much better for any terrain that the gear ratios of road bikes and most gravel bikes. Cheers!
There’s always going to be people who are doing better than or worse than you in terms of health/wellbeing. From the impression I get from watching you, you’re doing great. Don’t dwell and just enjoy what you can achieve.
Loved seeing the British countryside in your ride. In 1990 I was stationed in England for the second time–US Air Force. I was stationed at RAF Upwood and was big into running at that point in my life. I was part of the AC Hunts Running Club in St Ives. Would run around 60-80 miles a week. In 92 me and three others in the club decided to do LEJOG–not sure it was known by the acronym back then 🙂 We would do our training runs all week and then do a 100 miles bike ride once a week on Sunday. I had an old steel frame 10 speed road bike that was way too big for me. Anyway, I was 32 years old and in the best shape of my life. Was running 10k road races in 35 min, did the London Marathon in 2:44 min, and we did the LEJOG that year in 10 days. Didn't feel like it really taxed me at all. Anyway, my point is, my entire life up through my mid 40s I was a good athlete and very competitive. It took me a while to adjust my mindset from wanting to be fast, wanting to win, to wanting to be fit and to still do challenging things, but understand I'm not 30 any longer. A few years ago, at 58 I did the TransAm bike ride across the US. Two years ago I did the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Next year at 64 I'll be doing the TransAm again, 4,300 miles. I'm 63 now, feel good, try to keep in shape and have accepted that I am not as fast as I once was and I have aches and pains that I never had before 40. But, my goals now are to challenge myself. I want to be able to get on my bike at 70 and do the TransAm again, if I decide that's what I want to do. So, my advice is to accept that you will be slower, you will get injured more easily, you will have a tougher time getting down on the floor and then springing back up again, but don't stop. Keep challenging yourself. You can age, but don't let yourself get old….keep moving.
That looks like a great loop. Never done it all in one ride but going to have a blast round it. Getting old isn't good but my method is refuse to listen and try getting better each day. Im currently loosing weight and feel if everything goes to plan I'll be at a great fitness level. We need to meet top for a ride buddy when you're free
51, no more winter riding. I hit the gym until the end of March, weights, running machine, cyxle, then rollers at home maybe twice a week. I cannot stand riding in that!
What is that flapping around at your back. It's like pulling a parachute behind you. Great video. I know the area.
A lot of what you said resonates with me. I turned 40 and literally a week later my back went putting my wallet in my bag. Sadly, not a reflection on how heavy my wallet was.
That was over five years ago. In my head I feel young and I’m sure I can keep up with those skinny 20-somethings still! I still try to get out on the bike, but with a full time job and two Primary School age girls that is difficult. Saturday club rides out – combination of commuter bike and Zwift keep my base fitness in check but hard to get motivated sometimes. I have made a point of booking a few sportives for next year so I have something to work towards. I would definitely benefit from a consistent strength and conditioning regime, but again it’s finding the time. Going back to bed with a cup of tea always seems very appealing 😂
I always recall seeing "The old guys" cycling up and down the valley as a school kid and then into my mid twenties the same guys were still at it. I think that I am now one of them old guys, if you know what I mean. It just becomes a way of life !