I've just turned 60 and ride like the biggest nancy of all time but don't care (much). Had a few big offs in last few years, mainly bad luck.... but we all get lucky/have near misses as well, so occasionally it's gonna go wrong.
I've come to terms with enjoying 'my riding' which is tamer than all my riding mates, but I still get a buzz and I'm pretty fit for an old un 😀
I still want to enjoy 'my' riding for a few years yet, so if in doubt I get off and walk - and take the stick that comes my way.
I won't see 50 again and for me it's more important to be able to ride regularly at any level. Keith Bontrager summed it up for me:
[i]"From the saddle, my view is that not much has really changed as I've grown older. I know I'm going slower, but not much slower. I still get off on cleaning the technical sections or doing big climbs, or riding flowing sections of trail fast. The thing I think about often is avoiding 'game-enders', big crashes that break me irreparably, a head injury to push my already scrambled-from-multiple-concussions brain over the edge, or smashing anything that would be so slow to heal it would effectively be the end. It doesn't keep me from riding technical sections, but sometimes I'll pass now too. Being sensible. Living to ride another day and all. That's critical. As I get older I find that it's far easier to stay fit than to get fit. Coming back from long periods off the bike is tough so it’s best not to have to."[/i]
The possibility of a game-ending crash is what really scares me.
rocketman - Member
I won't see 50 again and for me it's more important to be able to ride regularly at any level. Keith Bontrager summed it up for me:"From the saddle, my view is that not much has really changed as I've grown older. I know I'm going slower, but not much slower. I still get off on cleaning the technical sections or doing big climbs, or riding flowing sections of trail fast. The thing I think about often is avoiding 'game-enders', big crashes that break me irreparably, a head injury to push my already scrambled-from-multiple-concussions brain over the edge, or smashing anything that would be so slow to heal it would effectively be the end. It doesn't keep me from riding technical sections, but sometimes I'll pass now too. Being sensible. Living to ride another day and all. That's critical. As I get older I find that it's far easier to stay fit than to get fit. Coming back from long periods off the bike is tough so it’s best not to have to."
The possibility of a game-ending crash is what really scares me.
Pretty much the same here, except I won't see 60 again. Sometimes I forget I'm an old fart though and do stuff that I probably shouldn't. They say there's no fool like an old fool........
They say there's no fool like an old fool........
when I came home and told my wife I had fallen badly riding in the woods there was no sympathy - just "How old are you?" 🙂
As I get older I find that it's far easier to stay fit than to get fit
This is key for me. I really hate losing the fitness that I've worked so hard to gain. In fact, I'm coming to the conclusion that I just don't enjoy high speed descents enough to make them worth the risk any more. I still enjoy a challenging technical descent, but I'd rather learn the skills to be able to get down slower and in more control, which is often more tricky than just letting go of the brakes and trusting to luck.
I concussed myself on Saturday, first thing the OH said when I phoned her from A&E was "is the bike ok?" 🙂
3 days off the bike (so far) is driving me round the bend but as I can't bend to tie my laces without pain yet I'd better be sensible
Yep, the losing fitness is a pain.
I've been off bike 4 weeks now. Prior to that was as fit as I'd been for ages as the good weather meant I'd been out most evenings for a good couple months.Reckon It'll be another month or so before back on bike ....and then the nights'll drawing in 🙁
53 and the fittest and fastest I've ever been. Had more than my share of injuries in the past, but it's just xc stuff on a more or less race hardtail now, get the speed buzz on singltrack and trails but nothing realy steep and technical and the wheels stay mostly on the ground.
Already well documented on here but here's a brief update . 2 crushed vertebrae in my spine in 2008 aged 53 , diagnosed with osteoporosis and told by a specialist to stop riding off road too much jarring on my back and take up jogging on hard surfaces instead ! 🙄 Thought well I may as well dig a hole and jump in it . My GP said keep riding but be SENSIBLE ! So in 2010 I did a season in Whistler full 5 months ! Since then I've been riding in Colorado and in September am off to Sedona and Moab .Mind if you see how I mince along on a bike . On a serious note my wife has had a broken wrist and tibia in the last few years the latter resulting in a new knee ! Having seen how that affected her physically and mentally and she hasn't even got Osteoporosis is very sobering . 2 years after diagnosis my bone density has improved massively despite medical advice .
Sometimes give myself a hard time about chickening out of harder stuff and because I came home from Whistler uninjured wondered if I should have pushed myself more ! 🙄 Still in the book of excuses not riding stuff mine is better than wrong tyres bike etc !
I'm coming up to 70 and have had a couple of painful off's in the past couple of years.
Decided to stop trying to keep up with my son and his mates and slow down.
Seems to be working.
Trouble is its difficult to find riding partners of a similar age and ability.
Trouble is its difficult to find riding partners of a similar age and ability.
@ gordy2 - Looking at those posting above if you organised an 'Oldfart' ride there may be plenty of takers - I'd come along if it was within reasonable distance.
this is a good thread.
I crashed in March and am just now back on bike- be it very sedately. bad head injuries have made me realise how any riding is enjoyable, so am much carefuller now.
My Grandad was 93 when we took his bike off him. He slipped on a doorstep delivering a xmas card and had brain bleed. so head injuries can get us at any age, I am 39.
Come on gent, yes it is hard to get back from sometimes not so sever injuries once past 40. We have to keep trying though after all whats the alternative? Crown Green bowling (oldmens marbles). Take all the advice you can on recovery, don't rush things, pay as much as you can afford for physio etc, remember its about just doing it not what you could do.
I should point out that I'm not riding for the next few weeks because I have finally had the gamma nail taken out of my femur. I shattered it on the 14th March 12. Its been a fun period (not at times) but I learned that what the surgeon said (it is unlikely you will ride a bike again) was bollocks, if you work hard keep it sensible, listen to those that can really help (choose em yourself) and rely on your real friends things can go your way. Just sat on the turbo, can feel the wounds stretching so did not peddle but its only days away. Am now celebrating this small victory with a pint of Pure North cider.
I love being out in the hills on my bike and I don't really care if I'm slow, its about being there for me. Sorry to be boring.
PS get an MTB tandem, your wife can be really helpful with your getting out there recovery and can be a suprisingly strong pedaler and also very encouraging with the technical stuff when they can't see whats coming up.
54 and 14 day young.
Same here - hate the being off the bike because of illness or incidents because recovery time takes longer with age.
I however am somehow fitter than I was in my late thirties and even early forties but am quite cautious on the really technical stuff. So my answer to your question op is to take things a tiny bit easier to ensure longer times on the bike doing what you love best.
The horrid bit is trying to regain fitness that used to take weeks but now takes months.
Tandems are brilliant and such good fun when fitness is low or you're feeling your age 🙂
I'm coming up to 63 and have just started to ride those bermy things, and those big lumps of dirt they put in the middle of trails that make you take off!
I have two things to add...
1. I had a couple of problems in my late 40s that lead to me seeing a chiropractor. I expressed a worry to him that my obsession with cycling might be bad for my health. He told me not to worry, as the problems I might get from regular exercise were preferable to those I might get from no exercise.
2. I broke my collar bone in three bits when I was 55. I was back riding in 6 weeks with no surgical intervention.
Bottom line....it's a lottery!!!
Loving the young riders with the earlier D.O.B's.
I stopped to talk to a walker powering up the hill towards me recently. During the conversation he said he was 81. Wow. Simply wow. Im 39 and I reckon I have 15yrs left in me off road compared.
This touches a nerve... Broken hand (front wheel washout) torn hamstring (kitesurfing) torn Achilles' tendon (cricket...) and broken ankle (err... Late at night) all in the last 2 years. At 43 I started worrying, then I slipped into a rut on my Meta last weekend at speed and went flying and.... Few grazes, otherwise nothing, woohoo! Now entered for my first multi-day stage race and gonna need some serious training but can't wait. Then I read that some of you are proving that we've got decades of mtb-ing left in us. Made my day.
The problem with risky active sports is you don't see the attrition rate of the "retired". Those folk who pushed the boundaries and are no longer able to do it. Those who got it wrong aren't visible.
I first noticed this in my 40s on offroad motorbikes - so many of my friends had acquired injuries that either prevented them physically or mentally enjoying the sport that it was hard to put a group together for a ride.
It's all about probabilities and consequences.
Your reactions get slower, and the consequences get greater, which make the probability of an injury greater, and your recovery time is longer. A millisecond hero moment isn't worth risking a month off the bike.
These days I'd rate caution above skills.
41 and having surgery on broken hand/wrist tomorrow. Scaphoid snapped and displaced, cracked tibia/ulna plus minor fractures in hand.
I think I might give up on low travel hardtails now and get something a bit plusher.
Following on from uphilla's comments what's the feeling about an oldfarts ride?
I live near Otley and would organise one in the area.
diagnosed with osteoporosis and told by a specialist to stop riding off road too much jarring on my back and take up jogging on hard surfaces instead !
Jarring on the tibia initiates the greatest increases in overall body bone density, hence the running on hard surfaces advice. Cycling typically reduces bone density via a few mechanisms but heavy offroad riding will still generate enough tibial load to positively effect density.
Epicyclo same with Rugby players. Old characters/brash amateur player/drinkers become overweight/cant get about much shells of themselves.
On the bone thing- I've broken my left wrist three times in my youth. Its now very thick/powerful and I've fallen on it loads mire and not even sprained it!
When I was young free and employed I hooned about like a loon.
With age & wisdom, wife & kids, own business & a need to be uninjured to earn, I just changed my style of riding.
I enjoy the getting there more than the arrival (oooh Matron!).
Great to see young gready weirdys flying past, all spinning legs and eager anticipation to get to the next bit, I just pootle along and arrive in my own time and usually the bike and I get there in one piece. 😀
Lots of good posts and advice.
Also worth bearing in mind that better bike set up will help. Suspension, suspension tuning, better rubber, riding set up etc. I raced motorcycles on track and offroad and I know how important good bike setup is. Get it sorted for your riding weight and style.
Just had my RP23 serviced and PUSH'd for this very reason. Swapped out my MK II for Rubber Queens and went tubeless.
Better bike and set up can be more forgiving.
Skills courses to back this up are a great idea too.
Now fast singletrack riding and jumps/drops training sound like a good idea for me.
I feel I've 'got away' with one today...
Did a loop of Llandegla with a couple of friends and (due in part to all the riding I've been doing recently, and maybe due to showing off a little...) found I was hitting things pretty fast.
Next think I know there's a large tree stump occupying my landing area following a jump and I'm chewing gravel. Two swollen knees and a few cuts and bruises, but otherwise ok. Got back on and finished the ride.
Haven't crashed for a while, but this shook me up as I was moving fairly quickly and it could have been a lot worse.
Knee and elbow pads would have spared me completely, but I can't get along with them.
Problem is now that I want to go back tomorrow to get that section right...
This also strikes a chord with me. About to turn 44 and finding injuries are now worse than I would expect and take much much longer than expected to recover.
3 separate incidents of broken ribs in an embarrassingly short 8 months with 2 of those incidents resulting in shoulder injuries - one rotator cuff and one AC joint on different shoulders - thankfully no broken bones other than the ribs, though. None of these were from pushing too hard on 'technical' bits....
I've started to consider [u]why[/u] I ride and have come to the conclusion that pushing myself aerobically to improve fitness is as significant as pushing myself technically. Thus, I've recognised that as I get fitter (especially with a lighter and more capable hard-tail coming into the mix), I push harder in terms of speed which I think is why I'm coming off more on the non-technical bits. I'm simply carrying too much speed for my level of skill.
So, at the risk of a flaming, I've just ordered a road bike to do the aerobic side of my habit so that I don't need to do it quite so much on the MTB - in the hopes that I can slow the MTB riding down a bit and enjoy it more without feeling I need to push it all the time to build fitness quite so much. In other words, enjoy the technical aspect of MTB riding without feeling I need to be pushing to the max in-between the fun technical bits.
No idea if it will work but figured it was worth a try. Still not comfortable with the whole lycra thing, though - still resisting.... 🙄
Stu
