Growing Old Not So Gracefully!

Borzag

Hi everyone,

Ive been scanning round a bit so thought id post up. This year im the grand age of 25, but i feel a hell of a lot older. Since going to uni, i drink to much, eat to many take aways and dont exercise anywhere near as much as i should do. Around 12 months ago, a friend of mine shown me around a few local trails. Nothing to much, most of them had to be linked together by road riding and i thoroughly enjoyed it and began losing weight. However i wrapped my bike up, hitting a tree and falling into a load of nettles (my body burned for days) and never went out again. The inevitable happened and the weight was put back on. And now im fed up. Ive decided im to get back out riding and having some fun. This has been helped by the fact my parents own a caravan in Towyn which i plan to exploit and use to experience some nice trails around North Wales,

My current bike is a £100 lump of junk, which ive repaired and plan to use for the time being for some gentle riding to get me back in the swing of things. The plan is to hit wales for a week, the first week of September which is my Birthday and rather than spend it down the local pub and finish off with a kebab, i plan to spend it racing through the dirt paths of Wales, ive been reading round and there seems a lot of real nice rides around Wales hopefully ill fit a lot into my week of riding i have planned which ive booked off work. I obviously cant do this in my lump of junk (ill post a pic up soon to show you all how wonderful it is :? ) and have been eyeing up a new bike. I really like the look of the Specialized Hardrock Pro as it comfortably fits into my budget and allows me to purchase the extras i need (helmet etc). Im hopefully going to keep a blog here, as general motivation to keep me on the road to perfect health as i dont want to carry on as i am.

Anyways enough rambling from me.

Cheers

Borzag

Rich Hcp

That's not old!!!

Just get out there and ride!

coynie

Thats not old wait till your in your 40s and get back into it
then thats not gracefull

NikB

I'm in my 30's and have recently got back into it. Riding has helped me feel a bit younger again. Like you I wanted to get fitter and lose weight and though my weight hasn't gone down yet I am thinner than I was and have put muscle mass on. I also started out on a cheap bike and it will make a huge difference to you if you get something a bit better. A lighter stronger bike really encourages you to get riding.

CraigXXL

coynie wrote:

Thats not old wait till your in your 40s and get back into it
then thats not gracefull

I can't remember allowing you to use my photo!

Borzag

I think what i should have put is 'Feels Like' im growing old. As i say, i became very lazy at uni, found a lot of other things to do rather than exercise. Ive always enjoyed riding, hence why i believe its the best way for me to get fit. Im to big to run, as my knees ache plus i dont enjoy just punding the streets, i much prefer racing about on my bike.

Old Git On A Bike

25, is that all, you lucky git, I hit 42 tomorrow , just get out on the bike and ride it as much as you can, doesn't matter if it's a £100 heap of junk, as long as the wheels roll it will benefit you.

I know what you mean about becoming lazy, I did that when I found the internet for the first time in 2001, I have been sititng in front of this screen ever since, but I'm now doing something about it, I have lost nearly 2 stone in the last few months, which is purely down to going on a diet, eating more healthily and putting in miles on the bike.

It might be my birthday tomorrow, but I wont even allow myself a drink, I have not had a lager since Christmas day, if I have one, I will want another, and another, then I might get back in to the habit of having a few lagers a couple of times a week, which will start the weight going back on, because when I have lagers, I have to have that kebab or a curry with it, downward spiral, get on your bike and ride, all the best with your new health regime, let us know how you get on with it.

Borzag

Wow, OGonB, your website is great, ive just had a browse round it and its fantastic, i hope to keep a log something along the lines of what youve done.

Looks like i'll be getting a new bike sooner than i would have liked. Has my shed broken into last night and my bike along with my brothers stolen. Little thieving gits also stole 20 footballs i have, im not a collector or anything, im a junior football coach.

supersonic

As Arnie Rimmer said: you hit 25, and suddenly you are a fat barstard... ;-)

But 25 is young! Do you shave yet?!

Anyway, the bike: Hardrocks are better this year than kast, but I still think there are better about for the money with better forks. Try a few out if you can.

Rich Hcp

Borzag wrote:

Looks like i'll be getting a new bike sooner than i would have liked. Has my shed broken into last night and my bike along with my brothers stolen. Little thieving gits also stole 20 footballs i have, im not a collector or anything, im a junior football coach.

B'stards :evil:

That makes me angry, hope the insurance pays out quickly

Borzag

Hopefully they will. Im taking a trip to Harry Halls tomorrow to take a look round their bikes. On the site primarily its Specialized and Trek's. I reckon ill have around £500 for my budget which includes me getting everything i need. Hoping to pick something up that is nice to ride on roads for commuting but that i can take off road too. Being new to all this im not sure what components are good/bad and what too look for in entry level bikes. However some of the threads around offer great advice.

Heres hoping next weekend ill have something to tear about on.

supersonic

Make sure you get something with a decent fork - ask if it has hydraulic damping. Most above 400 do in some form, however some don't.

Trek 4500 is a lovely bike for 400 quid. No discs, but decent fork and parts. Leaves 100 for the bits you need.

RobDickinson

Coming up to my 37th bithday and just got my first bike in 20+ years as a present.


Soemthing to do when theres no waves to surf..:D

KonaMike

25 is not old !! Im 33 and I am really enjoying my return to mountain biking !

Chaka Ping

Hardrocks are decent bikes, but Treks are better at entry level - in my opinion.

You've got the right idea buying from a local shop you trust - as you might need help with the unfamiliar bits on the bike in your early days.

Borzag

Well theres also Bicycle Doctor. They offer interest free options for 3-9 months which would be very handy and have the Trek 4500. Would allow me to spread payments plus pick up helmet, lights, speedo etc etc. Whatever i plan to be out on something this weekend.

Would the Trek be an ideal bike to upgrade eventually? For example putting discs on if i feel like i needed them?

deswahriff

......(just found out I'm registered here...must be a carry forward from the old "Cycling +" forum?)

...anyway, been browsing here for a while and this thread finally got me to post.....

....old at 25??? come on!

I'm 50 ( and a half), fit enough from years of running, but had to stop through injury. Been cycling last few years to keep fit and make short commute (3.5 miles each way) to station.,,

anyway..( lots of anyways!), my young whippersnapper snowboarding pals in their 40's took me down Bedbegury single track the other week, and it was an absolute blast!!!...loved it!!...I used to be dismissive of mountain biking as not being proper cycling, total respect now! Its the closest thing I've found to cross country running, which I loved...
...next stop, a decent bike from the LBS ( got my eye on the Giant Terrago), and a lot more practice on the tricky stuff...

...so, any more 50 plussers ou there???

Des (official Old Git)

Borzag

Quick question, would you buy 2nd hand....for example off ebay? I noticed one guy picked up a nice bike (others are saying its nice) and am wondering how mnay others would buy 2nd hand? The problem i forsee is i dont know what im buying, people on here have been great with their recommendations. Plus i dont know what size bike i want. Im going to Harry Halls tomorrow dinner hopefully and will probably buy something (a Trek 4500 then) but would like to hear people's thoughts on 2nd hand bikes.

Also, how many of you have speedo's on your bike? Just wondering if its worthwhile picking one up and haveing it fitted properly by the bike shop?

Cheers

Borzag

dennisn

25??? Old??? Who are you kidding??? Hell, I'm so old that when I took history in
school the book only had 7 pages. Get out there and get on with it. Why, if I wasn't so
old and feeble I'd personally come over there and whip your butt for being lazy.

Dennis Noward

clarkson

i loved the hardrock i rode last year. a hire bike, not well looked after, but was brilliant in the lakes. light enough to climb but also fun on the downs. if not the hardrock, try a GT avalnache/aggressor.