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So I’m 53. I had one specific year about 5 years ago where I broke my shoulder skiing and my elbow mountain biking in the same 12 month period. Just afterwards, I was laid off twice. I’m now in a great job, but we are a small start up company, and me having major time off work would be incredibly difficult for the business. At the time of my second broken bone, I took a deliberate decision to stop “going bigger”. Before that, I was always wondering if I could do a slightly bigger drop-off, or a slightly steeper trail, or a slightly faster lap.
So now where I am is incredibly frustrating. I used to be one of the more technically capable riders in my group of friends. Not the best, but one of the most capable and more adventurous. But now I’m starting to balk at obstacle I’ve cleaned in the past. My gnarr aspirations are not getting bigger and bigger. But reducing a little.
Looking at the future logically, I guess folks can’t normally keep on doing bigger and bigger features. But I find this very very frustrating.
How do other people cope with getting older? And having to be a little more down-to-earth about their gnarr-shredding expectations?
Look for techie uphills rather than downs.
Ha. It’s odd you say that. I’m now the tech climbs specialist in our group!
Sounds a bit like me, but I’m a bit older.
Was recently at BPW and some stuff I couldn’t ride, or rather wouldn’t ride - my head just told me “No!” whereas I knew the technique was the same as other bits I could ride easily!
In the end, I decided I was satisfied with having a great time and no crashes.
Have had trips there before, where everything has gone great only to be ruined by a crash, followed by months of recovering. This time, safety first and I’m happy with that.
Finding out i had crushed vertebrae and Osteoporosis over 10 years ago concentrates the mind 🙄 66 November just happy to still be riding, never was a send it type anyway its just my Book Of Excuses feels genuine to me. 😎
I can empathise with this. I'm not that old (42) but older than a few of the people I ride with regularly and I'm definitely not as fast as they are. But I am into the techier aspects of riding; I can't necessarily ride it quickly, but I'm not too bad (and continue to work on) my technique on steeper, more difficult terrain. I feel like I'm less likely to really hurt myself if the speeds are lower, and if I work on my skills then I'm better equipped to deal with the more technical sections when I ride normally. I've come to accept that I'll never be a good racer, but still want to develop and learn new skills.
60 here - I was never much of a gnarly rider but I am even less so now. I does not bother me in the slightest. You just do not bounce as well once you get older. Just relax and enjoy your poottling!
Same here too. I used to love throwing myself at all sorts of crazy stuff and raced DH for a few years but following a bad stack at BPW just before my 50th birthday (and not being able to ride a bike for 9 months after) I decided it wasn't worth taking the big risks any more.
Most of the riding I was doing before the crash was social as much as challenging so I decided to wind it back a bit and still have fun with my mates whilst not trying to scare myself so much.
I find that as long as you don't set your boundaries too low it's still easy to have a great time on the bike, just remember you don't bounce quite as easy as you used to, do it's still worth having a go at stuff but don't feel afraid of occasionally saying 'no, not today, maybe next time'
The challenge will still be there if you feel more like trying later.
I'm 57 and my gnarr aspirations have been steadily reducing over the last 5 or 6 years. With me it's not the fear of actually crashing, nor of an injury. It's more to do with the time it now takes to heal. Even a simple cut now takes a week or more whereas it used to be just a few days. I hate to think how long a serious fracture would take and what lasting effects it may cause.
I guess you also have the worry of what effect an accident/injury could have on your company so it's not surprising that you are cutting back on the gnarr, @johnhe.
I find longer, xc-type rides now far more fulfilling than hitting the gnarr and really enjoy all day & multi-day rides.
Also, don't listen to thegeneralist: I fell off on a climb at Cwmcarn on Sunday, rolled/tumbled down the side of the hill through a load of brambles and now have more cuts, grazes and bruises on my legs and arms than I have had for years! 🙂
I'm 3 years behind you and my aspirations are greater than my ability to send it. But I'm still forcing myself to try things I'd have not always done before. It's hard though as the crashes hurt and take longer to recover.
I'm with weeksy on this; 52 this year and hitting bigger stuff than ever before.
OP, I read your post in two ways.
Firstly there's the very sensible view that you are no longer seeking out more dangerous riding, either size of specific features or timing / measuring your speed to be ever faster. Fair enough - many people with you on that!
Secondly though, you seem to have a bit of uncertainty and you are noticing you are no longer doing things that you know you can do / have easily done before. And that sounds different to your choice above. Sounds like a bit of a mental block, combined with being a bit uncertain of what is now in your skill level or not. For that, I'd reckon the good ol' recommendation of a skills course, probably somewhere with easily repeatable features like a bike park, might help. Just to help you draw that line of "yep" or "nope" when you are judging what you want to ride. Take control of it, basically.
Look for techie uphills rather than downs.
What kind of sick shit is that.
You can still ride just go slower and walk bits.
I was always a wheels on the ground kind of rider but two crashes in 2019 and 2020 - neither involving any sort of feature - now I just don't want to lose any more months of any sort of riding, and it's very jeycore lite these days.
Ride today,so that you can ride tomorrow.
i used to love a big day in the lakes, getting as high as possible with the bike.
which meant doing some pretty rough descents.
i now love a big day in the lakes riding around those high points on low level tracks and lanes.
a good day on the bike is a good day.
Learn trials! Can't get slower and safer than a track stand 😉
I was into BMX big style in my early teens to mid 20's - lots of street/dirt jumps bit of racing, lots of big sends, did some MX in my mid 20's till early 30's, lots of big terrain off piste snowboarding in Les Arc and Cham for 15-20years, mountain biked from my early 20's onwards (1991 GT Timberline) and lots of DH as it evolved.
Now 49 and I 'gave up' a year or so ago. The two stand out moments were at Farmer Johns and Morzine - I was losing the mental battle with speed/big sends Vs the consequences. I did a slow last lap of Morzine knowing that it was a farewell to the sport.
I now trundle about on a fixed speed coaster cruiser bike (Transition Klunker).
Despite being unable to ride for nine months due to a bad break last year it's not put me off in the slightest.
However what it has done is make me take a slower approach to doing tech features.
I'm 53 now and just moved to one of the best areas in the UK for riding so now have the opportunity to progress again just by the fact there are so many brilliant trails in the area.
I am however taking things slowly instead of the **** it attitude I had when I was younger.
If I'm not feeling it on a particular day it doesn't bother me any more. The trail will still be there for me to ride tomorrow or next week.
I also don't really care how fast I am compared to other riders. I'd much rather ride something clean and with a bit of style than fast.
At 50+ and recently getting badly smashed this is worrying me. I can't ride stuff I was happy to 5 years ago for sure.
As long as I don't get the urge to buy a road or gravel bike I'll be happy.
I’m 52 and have always been able to do
more challenging/techie stuff than most of my riding mates. Now tho’, I’m focussing on doing the same level stuff, but smoother, more stylishly and above all safer!
Injuries and healing time are the main reasons for this, as I want to be riding/snowboarding until I’m 80 at least.
I now spend 5hrs a week doing Pilates/yoga... as this helps me to stay fit and in-injured.
Hitting big stuff is great, but not as great as hitting average stuff stylishly/consistently/safely.
For those who say you don't bounce after 50... You're just not landing from enough height!
The most peril is when you're only 80% committed.
We went to Antur Stiniog last month. I insisted that we only did each trail twice as I knew that on the 3rd run I'd get overconfident and would come a cropper. I finished earlier than the other guys as I'd lost condition and couldn't hold everything solidly any more. But I am 68.
I'm off to Tarifa (Europe's windiest beach) for a spot of windsurfing and mountain biking in a couple of weeks and went down to the local lake to get a bit more practice in today with my 11 year old grandson. No wind so we did fla****er supping. Jeez, that's a way to turn a dull day into a really dull day.
a good day on the bike is a good day.
this
~even a bad day on a bike is good. a good day is fabulous!
I find longer, xc-type rides now far more fulfilling than hitting the gnarr and really enjoy all day & multi-day rides.
This is me at 45.
I tend to bounce quite well (never broken a bone apart from maybe a rib playing team sports) but I’ve never been that good or that keen on the gnar, I’d rather hit a blue run hard than a red run slowly.
I went to Bedgebury last weekend (surely the UK’s flattest trail centre) and had a great time. At no point did I think “if I get this wrong it’s going to hurt”.
To the OP, maybe you just need a different challenge.
I am now getting worried! I seem to be older than all you lot whining about your ages.l do know what you're on about though. I recently stripped my FS to build up a new HT as I felt I wasn't likely to be doing anything too radical. The main thing is to get out on your bike whatever gnarr or not .
Being self employed focussed my mind long ago. You crash - You starve!
At least, that's my excuse...
I'm younger than most on this thread, but can totally empathise. Maybe my self-preservation had kicked in a decade earlier than some, but I've just no interest in gnarr steep techy stuff any more, I much prefer fast flowy single track. I really like most of the off-piste stuff at Dalby, but there's definitely a couple of bits that are beyond my skill/confidence level (I've still got a dodgy wrist from a OTB into a tree 8 months ago which probably doesn't help...).
To the OP - do you go night riding? I find that adds a totally different dynamic to trails, even if you know them really well from daytime riding.
I changed my riding focus after a big scapula breaking crash about 5 years ago (mid forties) I decided to work on riding 'better' rather than 'faster' – putting the wheels where I want them, thinking about the braking, tyre grip, getting body weight and pedal position right and so on. The interesting thing was after a while I actually started to get faster, riding things I never thought I would without feeling like I'm pushing things.
While I'm still improving it's fair to say I started from a fairly low standard, I never had natural awesomeness, but for me practice is key and you've got to want to do it which I is hard if you've stopped enjoying it. If you always had the skillz and now find you are struggling I can see how that might mess with you.
The bouncy fat's in the wrong places. If you could land on your belly or butt, there'd be no problem.
A thread about the Gnars and red and blue trails get a mention.
🤔😉
A thread about the Gnars and red and blue trails get a mention.
Different people have different levels. A470 at BPW is a red and proper out of my comfort zone with the landings they've built. Some people may even find a blue like Merthyr Rocks properly tricky...Nothing wrong with it, it's just how it is.
While what you say about people having different perceptions is correct you can't really call a blue or red trail center trail the Gnars.
Late 50's here and riding harder/faster every day (according to Strava) 🙂
But, what I also do is mix it up - so time split equally across XC, Enduro & Gravel - with a specific bike for each. Plus night riding (first light use last week).
No one I ride with is older than me, and some are seriously good (plus a couple fitter too) - and having a grown up family etc I've more time than most, so usually out all day whichever bike I ride.
Tomorrow we're off sessioning at the Golfie. I wish TBH I'd done more sessioning when I was younger, it really is a good way of learning.
you can’t really call a blue or red trail center trail the Gnars.
You can't... i can 🙂
It means different things to different people. Some would say something like the Beast in the Peak would be Gnar, i quite enjoy stuff like that and doesn't intimidate me, but soemthing like 15' high kicker tabletops quite frankly freak me out. It's simply a case of definition of a phrase.
Tomorrow we’re off sessioning at the Golfie. I
I should be over there tomorrow avo.
I'll keep an eye out for you.
It means different things to different people. Some would say something like the Beast in the Peak would be Gnar, i quite enjoy stuff like that and doesn’t intimidate me, but soemthing like 15′ high kicker tabletops quite frankly freak me out. It’s simply a case of definition of a phrase.
weeksy, you are obviously not a cycling god mate, unlike some.......... ;o)
Never been into big air, but I love steep and tech, slower and less far to fall too, doesn't seem to be abating with age, no doubt its just a matter of time and the rate my bollocks shrink
Me too. 52 and gradually realising that I'm not up to riding like I once did. Head just isnt in it anymore, but it doesn't stop me. I just walk more sections now that attempt to ride them.
How do other people cope with getting older?
Ride less capable bikes. A rigid 29er will make tamer trails just as much of a challenge without so a huge potential for serious injury if it goes wrong.
I'm 54 soon and really only got into techy downhill over the last few years.
I have been pushing my limits and my luck for all of that and really enjoying it. MAnaged to conquer Crest lower at a decent speed this summer.
But it can be painfull and I'm mindful that I decided to go for it cause my arthritic hips will need replaced and I might never get to ride like that again.
I'm at the end of another summer now and I'm thinking I should really be happy with what I've managed and stop pushing my luck as much this winter.
It's just that damn Orange 5 factory !! it just keeps making me think I'm great hahaha.
Ride less capable bikes. A rigid 29er will make tamer trails just as much of a challenge without so a huge potential for serious injury if it goes wrong.
Yeah, I was thinking this. One of the things that's changed with mountain biking is the capability of the bikes. When stuff like the SC Nomad and the Giant Reign first appeared they seemed quite radical as long travel trail bikes, now we have a whole world of 160mm travel, full sus bikes that are ridiculously capable. Which is all great until suddenly something goes wrong when you're travelling much faster on bigger, uglier terrain and you crash bloody hard.
I'm still mostly ridinng hardtails and as I get older, I'm stil just as slow as I always was.
While what you say about people having different perceptions is correct you can’t really call a blue or red trail center trail the Gnars.
At risk of sounding like a DBA, the gnar ( especially on something jumpy but rollable) isn't just dependent on the trail, its dependent on the speed that it's ridden.
I only ride hardtails so by default, I am always looking for the smoother lines
As ssStu and lardman said.
Hitting big stuff is great, but not as great as hitting average stuff stylishly/consistently/safely.
and
I’d much rather ride something clean and with a bit of style than fast.
^^Very much this
“ While what you say about people having different perceptions is correct you can’t really call a blue or red trail center trail the Gnars.”
I’m far from a great tech rider, with the easier blacks at BPW being my comfortable upper limit, but I’ve ridden with plenty of people with less ability! If you’re happiest riding long XC rides then a blue or red could feel gnarly to you, especially if you get more risk averse as you get older.
In my 50's I've slowed a lot, my climbing speed is nothing spectacular, and that sort of bothers me a bit, I used to be pretty fast...Mleh. technique wise, I'm Ok, I'll session stuff that I'm not familiar with, and still have a lump on my shin from a tumble in June. But the techie stuff is what mountain biking is for me, I don't mind drop offs and jumps, but I just won't do stuff blind and I'm happy to just walk away from stuff that I'm uncomfy with nowadays