Over 50 Riding Advice pls......
zak3737
Posts: 370
Hi all,
Just curious and wondered what other peeps opinions are on general cycling for all of us over 50's......
I'm a reasonably fit and generally healthy 53yr old, and decided to turn to the darkside of Road cycling in Aug 2014, after being a MTB'er for some years, until a break of perhaps 5yrs.
I do lots of Dog walking and Golf too, so certainly not inactive.
However, I'm curious as to just how 'hard' other mature cyclists push themselves ?
Personally, I'm perfectly willing and able to go out for a long ride (70mls+) at say an average of 14/15mph, and frequently feel better in the last 2 hrs than the first 2, so guess I'm more of an Endurance man.
The thought of a quick hours 'blast' just doesnt interest me, unless an hour is all I can find, in which case I'll just do my normal pace.
In all honesty, its the health dangers that concern me for someone of my age, and I know of at least 2 cyclists locally who just simply 'died' whilst out cycling, perhaps 'pushing themselves', perhaps not, I wasnt there. Both were 40/50ish, and both had Heart Attacks.
I have some issues with my ticker with AF, (Atrial Fibrillation), mainly when I consume Alcohol, so I'm always careful with that, not to mention considering Tee-Totalness, and this of course always plays on my mind when I start over exerting, and why I'm a complete girl on the ups, happy to spin it out rather than thrashing my way to the top.
I have the power when I want, just naturally lazy too I guess :-)
But ultimately, at 53, should I be happy to simply get out & ride, and ignore friends of the same age that want to push push push all the time ?!
Just curious and wondered what other peeps opinions are on general cycling for all of us over 50's......
I'm a reasonably fit and generally healthy 53yr old, and decided to turn to the darkside of Road cycling in Aug 2014, after being a MTB'er for some years, until a break of perhaps 5yrs.
I do lots of Dog walking and Golf too, so certainly not inactive.
However, I'm curious as to just how 'hard' other mature cyclists push themselves ?
Personally, I'm perfectly willing and able to go out for a long ride (70mls+) at say an average of 14/15mph, and frequently feel better in the last 2 hrs than the first 2, so guess I'm more of an Endurance man.
The thought of a quick hours 'blast' just doesnt interest me, unless an hour is all I can find, in which case I'll just do my normal pace.
In all honesty, its the health dangers that concern me for someone of my age, and I know of at least 2 cyclists locally who just simply 'died' whilst out cycling, perhaps 'pushing themselves', perhaps not, I wasnt there. Both were 40/50ish, and both had Heart Attacks.
I have some issues with my ticker with AF, (Atrial Fibrillation), mainly when I consume Alcohol, so I'm always careful with that, not to mention considering Tee-Totalness, and this of course always plays on my mind when I start over exerting, and why I'm a complete girl on the ups, happy to spin it out rather than thrashing my way to the top.
I have the power when I want, just naturally lazy too I guess :-)
But ultimately, at 53, should I be happy to simply get out & ride, and ignore friends of the same age that want to push push push all the time ?!
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Comments
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53 is nowhere near the kind of age where stuff like this should even be a consideration. Unless you have any underlying or pre-existing conditions, and are otherwise fit and healthy, just get on with it.0
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Well I'm 58 now and still push myself pretty hard sometimes. I don't seem to go as fast as I used to, but I still get a good workout, which is part of the reason I cycle. I don't have any preexisting medical conditions though...
Other times I just pootle along all day at a touring pace, stop to take photos, eat lunch, just take a breather etc.
Depends how much time / energy I have. Feel free to ride your bike however you like0 -
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Can add to this as a 54+ year old.
Took up road riding a couple of years ago and have not looked back;despite not being particularly fit and having dodgy knees I have now got to the point where I can complete 100 mile+ rides at about a 28kmh average without over-reaching myself and can usually keep up on a good club ride.
In fact I'd say joining a club would be the best thing you can do as there will more than likely be a few members at your/our age;there's a few on ours who regularly compete in regional TT events.
To give an idea here's the Strava link to the ride I did yesterday(before that I had a very easy ride with the other half and then a short-ish warm down ride after so about 100kms in total);
https://www.strava.com/activities/410831218
However I wouldn't neceserally ride like that all the time,it is nice to just pootle about sometimes.Ridley Helium SL (Dura-Ace/Wheelsmith Aero-dimpled 45 wheels)
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At only 53, I would suggest that you are far too young for golf. Keep on cycling and if you start to feel too old for it, take up golf again.Cannondale Synapse Carbon Ultegra
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53 is nowhere near the kind of age where stuff like this should even be a consideration. Unless you have any underlying or pre-existing conditions, and are otherwise fit and healthy, just get on with it.
Well I dont think there is any Medically Q person in the country that would perhaps agree with that !
Whilst age isnt a barrier to doing things, its certainly a factor that needs consideration, and as I've said, with AF of sorts, and a history of Heart issues with my father, I'm inclined to be 'careful'.
That doesnt mean I cant ride at pace occasionally, just that getting my heart rate up at stupid levels frequently isnt neccessarily gonna be a good idea.........0 -
At only 53, I would suggest that you are far too young for golf. Keep on cycling and if you start to feel too old for it, take up golf again.
I've played Golf for 25yrs, at a fairly good level, even these days, and the assumption by many that its a sport for only 'old men' is quite a joke.......
Even at 53, I dont hit the ball as far as I used to, but manage to keep my single figure handicap by guile rather than brute force !0 -
Your situation sounds excellent. I'm in my early-to-mid 50s and still feel fine.
You are no longer Armstrong (or Fignon or le Blaireau), but you can still have a go.
The main issue for me is recovery from a tumble or a broken bone. I've done a couple of ribs (different crashes) since my late forties and have landed hard on shoulders that still feel stiff and hurty a year or three later. This didn't happen when I was younger....
Everything else feels about the same. My teenage (and older) children now show me the way home on almost any ride when they agree to ride with Aged Pa, but that is as it should be. There's no disgrace in that.
The joy of riding at these ages is (in part) that you feel free of any pressure to buy the latest fad or weight-saving rip-off. Go steel, go easy and when some teenage smartarse gets to a hilltop before you, point to the 8-speed cassette and the steel frame....0 -
I know of at least 2 cyclists locally who just simply 'died' whilst out cycling, perhaps 'pushing themselves', perhaps not, I wasnt there. Both were 40/50ish, and both had Heart Attacks.
Crikey. Age 40/50 really is nothing... I watched a 78yr old whippet fly up the Monsal Hill Climb a couple of weeks ago (inspirational). Do you know what kind of shape these two were in - underlying health issues?tick - tick - tick0 -
53 is nowhere near the kind of age where stuff like this should even be a consideration. Unless you have any underlying or pre-existing conditions, and are otherwise fit and healthy, just get on with it.
Well I dont think there is any Medically Q person in the country that would perhaps agree with that !
That's fine. Confine yourself to a bath chair if you wish. Meanwhile, there was a good turnout for the 50+ category at the local CX yesterday, including a couple in the top 20 overall.
Obviously if you have a family history, then that's completely different. Doesn't mean you'll go the same way though.0 -
Confine yourself to a bath chair if you wish.
Clearly, with Dog walks 3 times per day, and Golf, and 2 rides per week, I arent bed bound.
I'm merely asking what other 50+ cyclists do, or indeed, expect of themselves.
I suspect you are a lot younger, and perhaps fitter, as I used to be, and maybe when you get to 53, you might start thinking the same.0 -
if excessive exertion is playing on your mind why don't you use a heart rate monitor?
If you set your zones correctly and build a base fitness the benefits will be enormous. Recovery increases, potential weight loss or control and your power will build and you will be better equipped to up the speed if that's what you want or just enjoy riding the bike knowing your mitigating the risks with an informed application.
You're already aware of some of the issues but adapt your behaviours in an informed way rather than limit or diminish your enjoyment of your past time.
Life's too short, especially at the vintage of some of the contributors to this thread
“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”
Desmond Tutu0 -
Confine yourself to a bath chair if you wish.
Clearly, with Dog walks 3 times per day, and Golf, and 2 rides per week, I arent bed bound.
I'm merely asking what other 50+ cyclists do, or indeed, expect of themselves.
I suspect you are a lot younger, and perhaps fitter, as I used to be, and maybe when you get to 53, you might start thinking the same.
I'll be your age next year. I stopped racing a couple of years ago, but I'm thinking of jumping back in again next year. People a lot older than us are still racing every weekend. Google LVRC when you get a minute...0 -
Confine yourself to a bath chair if you wish.
Clearly, with Dog walks 3 times per day, and Golf, and 2 rides per week, I arent bed bound.
I'm merely asking what other 50+ cyclists do, or indeed, expect of themselves.
I suspect you are a lot younger, and perhaps fitter, as I used to be, and maybe when you get to 53, you might start thinking the same.
I'll be your age next year. I stopped racing a couple of years ago, but I'm thinking of jumping back in again next year. People a lot older than us are still racing every weekend. Google LVRC when you get a minute...
LVRC has become a hell of a lot tougher over the years.. I still work full time but I'm against guys who are basically almost back to being 'pro' again with their training and racing,... thus in the summer I am more or less taken to the cleaners every time I pin a race number on.
To be brutally frank, if I didnt have the race fitness as I currently do and sweat blood maintaining, I probably wouldnt bother racing as the standard has gone skywards...
nice to have the fitness though, so I shouldnt moan.0 -
I'm just not in the least interested in Racing, of any sort, Period.
I ride to enjoy, watch the world go by, take in the views, stop for coffee, and smell the roses.
Sometimes I feel well up for it, sometimes not, but one thing I dont like doing at all is gasping for breath and pushing the pace so much that my chest is heaving, and am quite happy to arrive at the top of a climb being able to chat on the way, than being first up.
So no, I wont be pinning a number on, at all.0 -
I'm just not in the least interested in Racing, of any sort, Period.
I ride to enjoy, watch the world go by, take in the views, stop for coffee, and smell the roses.
Sometimes I feel well up for it, sometimes not, but one thing I dont like doing at all is gasping for breath and pushing the pace so much that my chest is heaving, and am quite happy to arrive at the top of a climb being able to chat on the way, than being first up.
So no, I wont be pinning a number on, at all.
So I think we've established that the problem is your fitness - not your age.0 -
Why ?? If I can go out and ride for 3/4hrs and cover 60/70miles, clearly my fitness isnt in question generally.
And if I want to push hard, I can, and 'can' be first to the top IF I want, but what I am saying is that I dont feel that at my age, its particularly wise, or safe, to do that confidently.
As I've said, I hate that 'balls all out' kind of riding, I'm just not that @rsed at racing about.0 -
Way too young for your typical audaxZak3737 wrote:Hi all,
...a reasonably fit and generally healthy 53yr old... 0 -
And if I want to push hard, I can, and 'can' be first to the top IF I want, but what I am saying is that I dont feel that at my age, its particularly wise, or safe, to do that confidently.
Well, you're wrong. By all means ride how you want. But don't impose some fake 'age limit' on what you feel you are able to do.0 -
Always hard to give advise with these sorts of questions and I guess I can only add my own personal experience.
I started road cycling about 5 years ago after only previously cycled as a youngster and then family sort of casual stuff. Admittedly I have a background of serious kayak racing back in my teens and into early twenties.
I'm now 68 and ride regularly with rides varying between shorties (perhaps 20 or so miles) up to the occasional 100 miler. Pretty much every ride I try and push myself and depending on terrain an distance I average between around 16 to 19 mph. I ride a lot in France and deliberately seek out climbs. I'm not fast up them but I survive just fine.
I've done a couple of sportives in France and only just finished in the top half of my age group (65 - 70).
So the "53" question is pretty much irrelevant. It depends on you and your personal health and then how hard you want to push yourself.“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
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My three score and ten years are up next birthday so I am a good bit further down the road. I did road racing as a teenager and nothing more energetic than play golf for the next 47 years. 6 years ago at a younger cousins funeral I decided it was a good idea to be fitter so I bought a bike. I now bike 2/3 times a week, play golf 2/3 times a week and have a swim and run day ( I do the odd sprint tri ).
I bike around 2/3 hours and it is hilly north of Bury. I try to keep pushing and at the top of short steep climbs, where I know the Strava God in the sky has been watching, my heart is banging,my chest is heaving and my legs are turning to jelly but that might have taken a second off my PB. My answer to your question, Zak 3737, is in short doses I push myself as hard as I can.
I have not taken any medical advice. I keep away from Doctors surgeries, they are full of people that are ill. You never know what you might catch there.0 -
The thing is, medical advice on a cycling forum is pointless.
If you're concerned, go and see a cardiologist for a proper investigation. Get an exercise ECG done (and preferably wear a 24 hour ECG monitor making sure you go out for a hardish bike ride for an hour or two of that), and also an Echogram.
I'm just coming up to 53, and I was lucky enough to get all that for free a year or so back (since I was taking part in a study and they wanted over-50s with no history of heart disease). They found a tiny amount of aortic reflux, which apparently wasn't even detectable until relatively recently, and apparently isn't a contra-indication for any particular activity. Other than that I was fine, and it was great to have the reassurance.
But even if it costs you a few hundred quid, it would be worth it, to either put your mind at rest, or worst case, enable you to make a more informed decision about what you should do.
Best of luck.Is the gorilla tired yet?0 -
You seem to have answered your own question in that you are happy to simply get out and ride, so yes - ignore friends that want you to push hard all the time if you don't want to. Some people in their 50s are happy to push hard all the time, some are happy to just get out and ride. Either choice is perfectly acceptable.Why ?? If I can go out and ride for 3/4hrs and cover 60/70miles, clearly my fitness isnt in question generally.
And if I want to push hard, I can, and 'can' be first to the top IF I want, but what I am saying is that I dont feel that at my age, its particularly wise, or safe, to do that confidently.
As I've said, I hate that 'balls all out' kind of riding, I'm just not that @rsed at racing about.0 -
I ride better now (48) that in my younger days, and intend to be faster at 50 than I was at 30 simply because I can commit more and have the time to train better than when I was younger and busier.Trek,,,, too cool for school ,, apparently0
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Is Friday night crits a euphemism for pub?Where I live if you rode with the Saturday morning bunch ride you would be one of the younger riders there. And this Saturday bunch ride is the recovery ride from the Friday night Crits.
Would be in my case.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
In all honesty, its the health dangers that concern me for someone of my age, and I know of at least 2 cyclists locally who just simply 'died' whilst out cycling, perhaps 'pushing themselves', perhaps not, I wasnt there. Both were 40/50ish, and both had Heart Attacks.
But ultimately, at 53, should I be happy to simply get out & ride, and ignore friends of the same age that want to push push push all the time ?!
I think all you need to do is get some medical advice on how AF may affect whether or not you should push yourself hard or not, then decide whether or not you actually want to push. Sounds like maybe you don't, and that's fine. It's just great that you're cycling, and that goes for all cyclists.
I'm reading in your thread that even if you wanted to push yourself, you believe there is some need to self-impose a limit to cycling effort when you reach a certain number.
I'm approaching 52 and been back into road cycling for 4 years after 25 years away (doing other sports). This year I started doing TTs with my local club and holding my own with younger riders I might add. I take my heart rate to its limit regularly, not just in TTs but when going for it up local hills.
You hear of folks dying in Marathons, Sportives, doing the shopping. People of all ages, most probably with a pre-existing heart condition. My wife's a medic and she has no issues with my regularly pushing myself to my limit, in fact the net result is that I'm fitter than I've been in a while. A fit and healthy person does not have a heart attack just because they're riding a bike hard.
PS I will never ever, EVER, use the expression "Someone of my age", I made that decision at least three decades ago!!!
PPS Whatever you do, enjoy it, remember we all might drop down dead tomorrow, haha!0 -
Hi all,
Just curious and wondered what other peeps opinions are on general cycling for all of us over 50's......
I'm a reasonably fit and generally healthy 53yr old, and decided to turn to the darkside of Road cycling in Aug 2014, after being a MTB'er for some years, until a break of perhaps 5yrs.
I do lots of Dog walking and Golf too, so certainly not inactive.
However, I'm curious as to just how 'hard' other mature cyclists push themselves ?
Personally, I'm perfectly willing and able to go out for a long ride (70mls+) at say an average of 14/15mph, and frequently feel better in the last 2 hrs than the first 2, so guess I'm more of an Endurance man.
The thought of a quick hours 'blast' just doesnt interest me, unless an hour is all I can find, in which case I'll just do my normal pace.
In all honesty, its the health dangers that concern me for someone of my age, and I know of at least 2 cyclists locally who just simply 'died' whilst out cycling, perhaps 'pushing themselves', perhaps not, I wasnt there. Both were 40/50ish, and both had Heart Attacks.
I have some issues with my ticker with AF, (Atrial Fibrillation), mainly when I consume Alcohol, so I'm always careful with that, not to mention considering Tee-Totalness, and this of course always plays on my mind when I start over exerting, and why I'm a complete girl on the ups, happy to spin it out rather than thrashing my way to the top.
I have the power when I want, just naturally lazy too I guess :-)
But ultimately, at 53, should I be happy to simply get out & ride, and ignore friends of the same age that want to push push push all the time ?!
I'm a year older than you and do both sorts of riding you describe, but I much prefer the steady endurance stuff and don't mind hills.
I was overweight when I started riding in late 2010 and still managed my first imperial century ride in mid 2011. In 2014 I suffered a stroke following a cycle crash where I partially tore an artery in the neck and which has left me on blood thinners and statins ever since. I resumed my cycling as soon as I could but under guidance to avoid excessive red-lining due to high cholesterol levels and the risk of any clots from the artery repair breaking off again, and also avoid crashing because of the risk of bleeding on the brain if I crash and bang the head. It hasn't deterred me but it has given me a renewed enthusiasm for cycling. Going slower made me realise how much I was missing. A chance to notice things like scenery and wildlife, but more the camaraderie and being able to enjoy the company of others you're cycling with instead of panting and puffing all ride. Because I enjoy it more, I ride more and as a result my cholesterol is down to healthy 3.7 from a high of 6.5. That's largely in part thanks to the statins, but also exercise. With a family history of heart disease, in a way, a stroke maybe saved my life.
I use both power and HR to measure my output and keep me from red lining too often. I still occasionally see a HR of 173bpm, but then my HR always rises quickly from a low resting HR.I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.0 -
a year older than you and do both sorts of riding you describe, but I much prefer the steady endurance stuff and don't mind hills.
I was overweight when I started riding in late 2010 and still managed my first imperial century ride in mid 2011. In 2014 I suffered a stroke following a cycle crash where I partially tore an artery in the neck and which has left me on blood thinners and statins ever since. I resumed my cycling as soon as I could but under guidance to avoid excessive red-lining due to high cholesterol levels and the risk of any clots from the artery repair breaking off again, and also avoid crashing because of the risk of bleeding on the brain if I crash and bang the head. It hasn't deterred me but it has given me a renewed enthusiasm for cycling. Going slower made me realise how much I was missing. A chance to notice things like scenery and wildlife, but more the camaraderie and being able to enjoy the company of others you're cycling with instead of panting and puffing all ride. Because I enjoy it more, I ride more and as a result my cholesterol is down to healthy 3.7 from a high of 6.5. That's largely in part thanks to the statins, but also exercise. With a family history of heart disease, in a way, a stroke maybe saved my life.
I use both power and HR to measure my output and keep me from red lining too often. I still occasionally see a HR of 173bpm, but then my HR always rises quickly from a low resting HR.
Crikey, completely understandable why you'd take it at a more leisurely pace now, but interesting though that you realised how muchb more you enjoyed it, thats good.
Lots of interesting views on whether maxing HR at more mature years is good or not, and I can appreciate that there are many that constantly push themselves regardless of age, but personally I'm not sure its for me, on Health grounds or just normal 'enjoyment' grounds.
I hate that 'balls out' kind of riding anyway, chest heaving, sweating and cursing, I'm just not mentally tough enough to push myself like that anyway.
I think I will go & seek Med advice, start with Doc, perhaps get referred, and maybe also get a Cholesterol check too while I'm at it. My Father had 3 Heart Bypasses,(Yes 3 different surgeries), the first of which was mid fifties, and altho I arent a smoker as he'd been up to 40, an element of Heart issues are likely genetic.
Hence with my AF, I'm erring on the side of caution, - having discovered the joys of 4hr rides into Countryside I havent seen for years, and coffee stops I didnt know existed, I'd like to stay healthy to enjoy them for many years to come !
For those of you that do push yourselves, fair play to you, but it aint for me. I'm content with being ride fit rather than mega fit.0 -
I'm 53. Started cycling 8 years ago after 20 years of smoking 20/day.
Was quite tough at first but these days I race road and cyclo cross.
I actually enjoying getting my heart rate up ( my last cross race was at an average of 93 % of MHR (195 bpm)) and think you need to push things at least some of the time.
Average speed on the road is about 18 mph but through the summer will be doing group rides at 23-26 mph.
I know guys heading for 70 that still give it plenty.
Obviously with medical conditions you need to form your own view but the original question was what others did0 -
Plenty of people (well) over 50 go timetrialling. Then there's LVRC. Plenty of opportunity to fully push yourself to your limit (or find your limit) if that's what floats your boat.
The TT is my favoured discipline and will regularly go out to find my (new) limit. I'm not much good at it, but nobody has ever been anything other than encouraging with any of my efforts.There is no secret ingredient...0
