Get It While You Can!!..Age The Great Leveller!

A guy in our cafe run is in his 70s. Yes, he is getting slower and it is frustrating, but they are cafe runs. His palmares will always be better than most and I hope that I am doing what he is when I reach that age.
Do what you can while you can. This is not a rehersal.

Ok. How do we all stack up?
I've turned 70 this year. Go out maybe 4 times a week on 40 mile rides non stop, and once a week I'll do 65/70 miles including a quick coffee and flap Jack in the caff.
I average 16.5 mph. No idea about watts. Nearly always on my own, setting my own pace.

How do I compare to the rest of you? Good, bad or just abysmal.

I'm a lot younger at 56 yrs but only started riding road bike at the beginning of 2017 so I've little to compare with drop off in fitness with age.
I generally ride 3 times a week 2 of those being 55-65 milers with a group of retired/older riders and average speed is 14 mph but we do have at least 2 cafe stops. Some of the guys are in their 70's and can hold a decent pace 17 mph but simply don't have the climbing ability from when they were younger, its normally a See you at the top comment from them and we wait at the top to regroup. Works well but I also have to do solo rides as I put more effort into those rides.
Went for my first proper group/drafting ride just the other week with 2 others and covered 69 miles at 4000 ft elevation in just over 4 hours moving time, really enjoyed the ride style.
Last July I covered a 112 miler at 4000 ft elevation in 6 hours 28 mins moving time average over 17 mph.
Now if I can still do that in 10 or 20 years time I will be a happy man.
I wouldn't say I'm not improving still at my age but I'm definitely finding it hard work to achieve a small gain in fitness, that or I've plateaued. That and the fact my overall health is getting worse with age related issues, joints, High BP, Crohn's etc.
I'm still going to give it some beans while I can and see what happens as that's all I/you can do..
Regards.
T.

64 last month. 101.38 miles on Monday 4,242 ft of climbing at 17.08 mph on my jack jones.
Do I get a medal or will I eventually fail to make the top twenty

I forgot to mention coming doing the stairs on Tuesday morning was a painful experience. I guess a bungalow is the answer if I want to keep cycling.

As we're willy waving....I did the Staveley Sportif on my 70th. 55 miles and 5,500 ft in less than 4 hours. And I was second over 70, by about 45 minutes.

Today, I overtook a very old guy on a steel bike with no deep section wheels. His pace was pretty impressive considering his old steel bike and old age (he was doing around 20 mph on average I guess?). So don't underestimate what old people can do. I gave him a thumbs up when I passed him :P

However, a lot of the top guys on Strava set those times in group rides. That makes a huge difference. So don't try to compete against those times. Just keep riding and have fun

A lot depends on how much riding you did vs how much you do now. I usually average around 16-17mph or a bit less with a more hilly ride but regularly get Strava PBs at the age of 57. On my 15 mile commute (when I do it) I usually average 17-17.5mph but that's pan flat albeit usually quite windy!

I only started cycling around 8 years ago and I'm probably as fit now as I've been during that time. Had a PB going up Cheddar gorge today! Not fast I hasten to add, just a PB for me!

So what I'm saying is, if you were a good cyclist doing a lot of miles when you were younger then there will be more of a drop off than an older starter gradually putting more hours in each week.

Its all in the mind. Last month I did 100 miles at an average speed of 18.6 mph With the fast lads in my club.Saturday training rides 60+miles average 18.5 to 20 mph. I am 73 and have no intention of slowing down. I reiterate its all in the mind . Do not give in to old age . I am no one special . Just believe in yourself.

Does it really matter whether you're faster or slower now than you used to be, or what average speed you do? Surely the main criteria is - are you enjoying your riding. Lack of speed is presumably only relevant if you're competing. One doesn't need to go fast to enjoy oneself.

Kangarouge wrote:

Does it really matter whether you're faster or slower now than you used to be, or what average speed you do? Surely the main criteria is - are you enjoying your riding. Lack of speed is presumably only relevant if you're competing. One doesn't need to go fast to enjoy oneself.

Depends whether you want to do well at LVRC events or not, no one is slowing down for age in those.

Zest28 wrote:

However, a lot of the top guys on Strava set those times in group rides. That makes a huge difference. So don't try to compete against those times. Just keep riding and have fun

Took me a while to work this out :-) My awful brother in law was bragging about averaging 18mph on his rides and how I am too slow. Turns out that is on club group rides and doing that on his jack isn't quite so easy!

I do all my training on my own pretty much. Average between 16 and 17mph over a 30 mile, 2000ft run. I'm 46 and been riding 4 years.

Yes the decline is slow but real. You can still be fast at 60 but not as fast as you could have been at 30. Some people just do age quicker too. I started in my early-mid 30s and thought maybe I had 10 years of fast group riding because at the time that was about as old as people on local fast group rides were. Now in my early 50s I know people in their early 60s still going out on those rides - though to be fair those guys were very very good amateurs back in the day and are top riders in their age nationally.