Too old for Mountain Biking?

mac_man

clodhoppa74 wrote:

wheezee wrote:

I Strength and fitness diminish over time, no matter what you do.

i disagree, to an extent. keep using your body well and it will last a fair old time in fitness. lost count of the amount of 60+ old blokes in the dales that still do 30+ miles a day on their bikes.

REminds of a group going round Gisburn last year. One of our group knew one of the guys in the group.

" See that guy" he says pointing a silver haired chap, well into his 60s. "He does the Mary Towneley Loop in well under 6 hours".

To anyone not familia,r the Mary Towneley Loop is a 45m killer of a loop around East Lancs and West Yorks with about 4000 ft of ascent.

So there's plenty of life in us old dogs yet... so long as we keep at it

on-oneplus26

I'm 38 this year and have just bought a trials bike for my midish life crisis!

the trails forums are where the young ones are - they think its cool that a 25 year old is taking up trials 'at their age' I havn't posted there yet!

Anonymous

Never seen an old codger on a singlespeed. See plenty of them on road bikes, and proper mountainbikes though.

cee

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Never seen an old codger on a singlespeed. See plenty of them on road bikes, and proper mountainbikes though.

yeehaa in a 'rides in a different place to someone who lives in scotland when he lives in wales' shocker!

wordnumb

It makes me happy when I meet an older rider on the trails. It's reassuring that if you look after yourself you can still be doing this into 60s and beyond.

Anonymous

cee wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Never seen an old codger on a singlespeed. See plenty of them on road bikes, and proper mountainbikes though.

yeehaa in a 'rides in a different place to someone who lives in scotland when he lives in wales' shocker!

I'm just sayin'.

cee

yeehaamcgee wrote:

cee wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Never seen an old codger on a singlespeed. See plenty of them on road bikes, and proper mountainbikes though.

yeehaa in a 'rides in a different place to someone who lives in scotland when he lives in wales' shocker!

I'm just sayin'.

as was I

paulbox

Ransaka wrote:

Looking at the current poll results kinda suggests we're all enjoying our mid-life crisis

I'm 41 and think I'm through mine and out the other side... 8)

I gave up golf and went back to mtb'ing 2 years ago, and my Boxster is going in July so that I can get something better for transporting my bike. And no, I'm not getting a Volvo estate...

NormalD

In my forties now and only just getting the hang of it, cant see me reaching my peak for a few years yet.

timpop

wheezee wrote:

What is aspirational, is timpop's steely determination to refuse to contemplate the possibility of age-related ill-health.

Thanks!

Going out for a hammer in about an hour as it happens. Eat my dust kids!

miss notax

PaulBox wrote:

I gave up golf and went back to mtb'ing 2 years ago, and my Boxster is going in July so that I can get something better for transporting my bike. And no, I'm not getting a Volvo estate...

Keep the Boxster AND get an old Volvo estate - it's the best combination 8)

(and I can definitely confirm that's not possible to fit a mountain bike in a Boxster - I know, i've tried )

tomtomthepipersson

I'm 37 - been riding mountain bikes for 20+ years and it's still just as much fun as it was back then.

andyrm

I'm 34 this year - probably not as fit as I was when I was 18/19, but through a combination of better bikes, less beer and improved handling skills, definitely faster.

As for when to stop - my grandfather was still playing Sunday league football at 70, my mum has just completed the 3 Peaks at 61 and my old man has done the TT every year for the last 10 years, so I have no fears about getting "too old" for a mere bit of MTB action!!

richvass

45 this year, really enjoy my mtb. Love the peace and tranquility of the countryside. Still fit for my age and enjoy the challenge of pushing myself to get to the top of the hill. I want to keep doing this until my body is clapped out!

5xcr

Hi`

i`m 49(50 in november), and I spend most of my spare cash on my mountain bike fetish.

I recently bought an osprey raptor 14 hydration pack,slx shifters, slx shadow rear mech,kmc 9sl gold chain,xt cassette,madison trail jersey,giro hex,baabaa baselayer and the list goes on thanks to a work bonus.

so you could say i`m obsessed with mtb, and will ride til i die or am incapable .

ride , ride, ride.

5xcr

whosthedaddy

55 going on 56
Took up MTB last year and loving it
Completed Isle of Man End2End and have done Cannock, llandegla, Coed y Brenin, Peak district etc
Going to Gisburn this week
Weight 14st
Majority of riding buddies in their early 40's and I keep up with them
I'm not keen on some of the rock gardens that look dangerous and If i'm uneasy about it then i dont do.
Its great fun and will carry on until my body tells me otherwise
Just need to stop buying bikes...............

Where are my stabilisers?

it seems to me this is probably a young bloke's game

Hey! Don't forget the girls

... We can be slightly age challenged mtb'ers too

5xcr

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

it seems to me this is probably a young bloke's game

Hey! Don't forget the girls

... We can be slightly age challenged mtb'ers too

yeh, but how would we know when you all lie about your age :oops:

nicklouse

5xcr wrote:

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

it seems to me this is probably a young bloke's game

Hey! Don't forget the girls

... We can be slightly age challenged mtb'ers too

yeh, but how would we know when you all lie about your age :oops:

and that's not all they lie about.

Where are my stabilisers?

They're not lies, they're BPDs... breakdown prevention denials!

5xcr

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

They're not lies, they're BPDs... breakdown prevention denials!

really? so how old are you then? you can pm me your real age

bartimaeus

Ransaka wrote:

Looking at the current poll results kinda suggests we're all enjoying our mid-life crisis

As I hope to reach 100, I'm planning on having my mid-life crisis at 50...

... on a positive note, that means in 18 months time I can justify a Mojo HD140

wheezee

Where are my stabilisers? wrote:

it seems to me this is probably a young bloke's game

Hey! Don't forget the girls

... We can be slightly age challenged mtb'ers too

My sincerest apologies. That was pretty thoughtless. I was thinking about myself as young bloke, rather than a young bloke. If you know what I mean.

Am I in trouble when we get home?

ireland57

I turn 54 in a couple of months and started road riding to gain fitness for my mountain biking. I also stopped drinking, cleaned up what was a decent diet and ride more than I thought I would.

I enjoyed road riding so much I started racing road as well. I'm not that good at either but will be a lot better in a couple of years time. Strengthening buggered joints takes a long time at this age. I have two mountain biker friends whom are 61 and 63 yrs old. They smash most riders of 20 - 50 yrs. They are very strong riders and have good skills as well.

I am enjoying a better and happier life because I got off my arrrr's and ride hard.

paulbox

miss notax wrote:

PaulBox wrote:

I gave up golf and went back to mtb'ing 2 years ago, and my Boxster is going in July so that I can get something better for transporting my bike. And no, I'm not getting a Volvo estate...

Keep the Boxster AND get an old Volvo estate - it's the best combination 8)

(and I can definitely confirm that's not possible to fit a mountain bike in a Boxster - I know, i've tried )

Have thought about that and my other half wants me to keep it... :roll: But currently eyeing up an RS3, pretty quick and very practical.

However, you can fit a mtb in a Boxster. Wheels & seat/post in front boot, bike on a blanket on the front passenger seat. All your other gear in the rear boot. Have done it a few times, including when I bought my Anthem. Not ideal if you've been riding on a wet muddy day though... :oops:

Mytchett Mike

52 in a couple of months and do weekly rides as the "oldest" regular. Ride to and from the meet point so regularly 30+ miles on a ride.

I'm not so fast (especially up hills) but keep up ok. I also manage our annual 60 mile off-road night ride better than some of the young 'uns.

Oh - and I didn't ride a bike for 25 years and rode my first bit of singletrack at 47.

Doing Afan on Saturday, 3 days of 7Stanes next month and Morzine in July (again).

I also single speed thro' the winter :roll:

Keeping on rollling

beverick

As I drfit into my 6th decade as a cyclist, I feel that although the torque's still in my legs even if the BHP's beginning to decline (ie I can still climb like a goat but sprinting's becoming decidedly leisurly!).

One of my ex-teachers is still my role model. She cycled until she was in her late 80's deterred only by death.

My aim is that my Brooks leather trimmed coffin will be propelled into the furnace by the prevailing equivalent of XX, XTR, Dura-Ace or super-record........

Bob

BigJimmyB

nicklouse wrote:

BigJimmyB wrote:

I'm 40 BTW and don't intend to stop until it's physically impossible to throw my leg over a bike.

that should not stop you.

Well, that's that sorted - they are awsome!

Northwind

One of the guys I ride with from time to time is 68, he's one of those older guys that looks like a bit of dried beef, but I can't keep up with him on the climbs. Maybe I'll be able to once I'm 68 and he's 104.

Shotsaway

I'm 39 this year. I rode BMX's until the mid/late 80's, when I discovered girls and cars. I didn't ride a bike for over a decade. In 1998 I bought my first MTB (Carrera Vulcan) purely as a way of keeping fit ,as I hate gyms. I haven't looked back since and my spare time is pretty much taken up by riding. I try to ride between 50 and 100 miles per week. My wife says I get grumpy if I haven't riden for a few days! I am fitter and lighter than I was when I was 30.

I keep thinking about buying a cheap road bike (for winter use) but this would only be in addition to my mountain bikes and not as a replacement.

Riding mountain bikes makes me feel good and you cant beat speeding down some hardpack singletrack, so why would I want to stop?