Road biking post 55 years of age

Alain Quay
Alain Quay Posts: 534
edited April 2015 in Road general
Who's still road biking and have you got better/worse in recent years?

Comments

  • crannman
    crannman Posts: 99
    just turned 55 got back into the road scene 2 years ago got regular rides 20mile heading for 30 this year :D
  • waltdinghy
    waltdinghy Posts: 38
    :D km I wish I was in the 55year age group again .have been biking on and off since a teenager - I even remember the days of youth hosteling on a bike with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer gear . Now in my 80 th year I decided it was time to go full carbon fibre . Chainreactions soon delivered a brilliant Vitus Venon VRS with ultegra components so cycling has become a bit more interesting . Living in rural France and clocking up about 4 rides of around 45 to 50 Kim's per week .Must be the red wine and sometimes a bit of sun.
  • arthur_scrimshaw
    arthur_scrimshaw Posts: 2,596
    I'm 56 and only recently returned to cycling (about 8 years ago) I'm a bit obsessed and ride every day to work (about 20mile round trip) all year and weekends so average about 150 miles a week sometimes nearer 200. I'd say I've slowed down a bit but not dramatically (which isn't saying much) I did an unsupported JOGLE last year and am probably in better shape now than I was in my 30's?
  • AllezAllezAllez
    AllezAllezAllez Posts: 207
    2 or 3 of our club riders are 65+ and mix it up with the "young guns" (40's).....
  • florerider
    florerider Posts: 1,112
    Was 55 before I did my first imperial 100.

    Had I had a younger mind I would have got the navigation right :D
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,369
    So your saying that old age makes you do longer rides florerider? Maybe you should carry a tracking device.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    I'm 56.

    Started cycling in Nov2011 (pre wiggins phenomenon) after an absence of about 35 years.

    I think I'm getting quicker, but it's hard to get back into after the winter break. I sometimes wonder if I'm working hard now just to break even. I've obviously missed my peak fitness, the plane I'm running to catch has not only left the airport but is already selling the duty free. :roll:


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,369
    Why have a winter break? Although a few years away from this exclusive age bracket, I don't have a 'winter break'.

    (Colds and bugs do that by default)
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • blueturtle
    blueturtle Posts: 33
    69 next week but still averaging 160-200 miles per week @ at16+ mph in spite of a shoulder broken in 4 places and held together with 14 pins and 2 plates and suffering from the dreaded avn. for good measure also have a broken hip which is pinned but needs replacing. All done when i came off on black ice 2 years ago.Off on a training session tomorrow with the youngsters in my club. Age is just a number!!
  • kayakerchris
    kayakerchris Posts: 361
    56 now, in february my FTP was the highest it has ever been at just over 260. Couple of months of illness and family bereavement means I am way down again, so will have to start up again. Still regularly doing solo 300 and 400km rides in under 24 hours.

    However, no kids at home and more money means I can buy nicer toys.
    www.hand-surgery.co.uk
    www.dupuytrens.co.uk
  • popularname
    popularname Posts: 173
    55 now, always ridden (more touring in my younger days and then commuting) and bought my first carbon bike as a fiftieth birthday present to myself. Aim to get out three times a week doing 70-100 during summer and would do more but still have a demanding job. Wasn't so good at getting out last winter, I must confess, so my fitness isn't what it should be...

    Hoping to do a solo tour in Britanny this summer.
    __________________________________________
    >> Domane Four Series > Ridgeback Voyage
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Waltdinghy wrote:
    :D km I wish I was in the 55year age group again .have been biking on and off since a teenager - I even remember the days of youth hosteling on a bike with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer gear . Now in my 80 th year I decided it was time to go full carbon fibre . Chainreactions soon delivered a brilliant Vitus Venon VRS with ultegra components so cycling has become a bit more interesting . Living in rural France and clocking up about 4 rides of around 45 to 50 Kim's per week .Must be the red wine and sometimes a bit of sun.

    Chapeau sir! 80 and still riding...love it! :)
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Alain Quay wrote:
    Who's still road biking and have you got better/worse in recent years?

    Took a huge break from teen years to early fifties.
    Picked up the cycling keenly enough to work on fitness so that I could do the vet racing without too much shame.
    Now past 60, doing things on the cheap as much as modern cycling allows... training with a power meter, race proven frame , worrying about threshold, tapering, recovery, not crashing..etc
    (Got more scars from last 6 years than ever did as a kid.)
    When I start to get dropped by the bunch, I'll do more timetrialling.
    Still a very positive influence only sometimes saddened by the attitude of other road users to cyclists.
    However, as I have applied to be a part time parking warden, I'll have 'em :twisted:
  • popularname
    popularname Posts: 173
    However, as I have applied to be a part time parking warden, I'll have 'em :twisted:
    :lol:
    __________________________________________
    >> Domane Four Series > Ridgeback Voyage
  • JayKosta
    JayKosta Posts: 635
    Alain Quay wrote:
    Who's still road biking and have you got better/worse in recent years?
    I resumed cycling in 2008 (at age 60) after a long layoff.
    Performance improved quickly for the first several years, due to getting back to a frequent exercise routine.
    Now, performance gains are difficult to achieve, even with more dedicated training.
    At some point the goal becomes 'maintaining fitness' and not improvements.
    First ride this year was 36 miles, 2nd was 48 - quite fatigued after each.

    Jay Kosta
    Endwell NY USA
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Plenty of retired guys in my club. Most have been riding for decades. They know all the routes and the best cafés and they get far more ,miles in than I do !
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another 100+ at weekends and maybe 1000m swim 3 or 4 days a week was the norm. Now I have less energy/time/money. It's a combination of energy going into family time and work and ageing. Maintaining fitness is the aim. If you are retired or can 'work from home' you have more time. Really it's a question of time/money. There is never enough of each and one is v.finite. The days of riding around the M-Blanc area one weekend and the following w/end riding from Chamonix - Nice are gone (for the moment).
    M.Rushton
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,369
    mrushton wrote:
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another...

    You do realise that when he/she is ready to leave home, you'll be 69?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Smokin Joe
    Smokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    I'm 62 and quite happily still cycling, my first ever club run was in 1969. I just wish I had the carbon fibre bike I have now when I was young and racing, modern kit is just so much lighter and nicer to ride. I can never understand the steel fetishists, I'd be horrified at the thought of having to ride one now.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    pinarello001 wrote:
    mrushton wrote:
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another...

    You do realise that when he/she is ready to leave home, you'll be 69?

    Given the current state of things (house prices etc) she may never be able to leave home. Anyway, the days of dropping £500 on cycle-sh*t on a whim are no more (did get the wife a pressure mapping last week for some saddle issues tho' and bought a new saddle for her)
    M.Rushton
  • rollemynot
    rollemynot Posts: 436
    pinarello001 wrote:
    mrushton wrote:
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another...

    You do realise that when he/she is ready to leave home, you'll be 69?

    I knew there was a reason for having a vasectomy aged 31 :)
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,369
    mrushton wrote:
    pinarello001 wrote:
    mrushton wrote:
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another...

    You do realise that when he/she is ready to leave home, you'll be 69?

    Given the current state of things (house prices etc) she may never be able to leave home. Anyway, the days of dropping £500 on cycle-sh*t on a whim are no more (did get the wife a pressure mapping last week for some saddle issues tho' and bought a new saddle for her)

    Thankfully, my bikes are A1, far too good for me and I really don't need anything for them (until they wear out) 'cos a 4 year old and a 2 year old sucks up the cash whereas before, spending loads of money on shiny bits didn't deter as I was happy to go a few months skint. Those 'whim'moments are gone. There's always ebay :D
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Bordersroadie
    Bordersroadie Posts: 1,052
    mrushton wrote:
    I'm 55 and an old dad (a 4 year old). At one time I had energy/time/money to burn and 100+ miles in the week plus another 100+ at weekends and maybe 1000m swim 3 or 4 days a week was the norm. Now I have less energy/time/money. It's a combination of energy going into family time and work and ageing. Maintaining fitness is the aim. If you are retired or can 'work from home' you have more time. Really it's a question of time/money. There is never enough of each and one is v.finite. The days of riding around the M-Blanc area one weekend and the following w/end riding from Chamonix - Nice are gone (for the moment).

    Me too, mate, I'm, 51 with a 2YO and a 5YO. Never been happier, but never been more knackered!! The last three years have been pretty much devoid of a single good night sleep.

    Still I'm managing to cram in 300-400 miles a month and keeping a fairly good level of fitness. Key for me is just getting out when I can (mostly night rides after kids' bedtime, whatever the weather) and making the most of small windows of time with lots of high intensity short hilly rides of 20-30 miles. I'm doing TTs this season for the first time and expect when 55+ to be maintaining the same routine.

    Cycling is full of very fit old gits!
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    pinarello001 wrote:
    Why have a winter break? Although a few years away from this exclusive age bracket, I don't have a 'winter break'.

    (Colds and bugs do that by default)

    Well, that's what caused my winter break. :lol: I had what I now think was a chest infection, coughing for bloody weeks.

    But really i don't tend to go out much once the clocks change for the worse as I'm not that confident in the dark (ruddy potholes like open cast mines in places). If there's a nice weekend I'll go for a ride, but as for riding in the wet? let's just say that I've heard of the concept..

    I spend a lot of the winter months 'cycling' in the shed on my rollers. These being homemade are a bit on the chunky side to turn, a bit like going up hill all the time.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I returned to road cycling at the age of 50 after a break of more than 25 years. Now coming up to 58, I cycle all year round, usually 3 rides a week, maybe totalling 50-60 miles. I have a winter bike with proper guards, decent lights and quiet country roads, so the night rides are as good as the daytime ones. In the summer I'll occasionally have a leisurely day-long ride; most I've managed recently is 86 miles, but I have the ambition of doing a century this year. Since I started my average speed has been 14 mph in the summer and 13 mph in the winter, so another objective is simply to maintain these speeds if possible.

    One thing I'm noticing is the older I get, the more frequently minor ailments keep me off the bike. Recently I've had a string of:
    1) my already buggered left knee cartilage popped out when I was getting off a plane 3 weeks ago ; couldn't walk / drive or ride a bike for 5 days. thankfully it's resolved itself for now.
    2) tooth infection over the bank holiday weekend; couldn't breathe in through my mouth without excruciating pain. Antibiotics seem to have worked.
    3) testicular cyst; as you can imagine, cycling hasn't been an option for over a week. Antibiotics (different ones) seem to have worked and the swelling / pain has subsided with classic comic timing - the ultrasound scan is tomorrow!
    4) and now that lot's cleared up there's something gone wrong with my left wrist and I can't hold the bars / brake without pain.

    I must have eaten an industrial quantity of ibuprofen over the last 3 weeks.

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