Forum menu
not sure whats been said in the rest of the thread but just so as you know my most regular non crying off hardcore reliable riding mate is 54 and in the last ten years he has shown no signs of slowing down. best of luck with it.
He claimed his 'secret' was none other than looking after himself. "I’ve never abused anything. I don’t smoke, I never drank much.
That's me ****ed then,never been a smoker but I does like a drink or two.....
What a load of bollocks! I'm 65 next month and am planning on a mountain bike holiday in Spain and one in France this year.This is apart from the weekends away riding all the trails I've 'missed out on'. AND I'm not retiring from my job. AND I've had two heart attacks. AND I've recently bought a Canyon full suss. Dont be a wuss and stop this rubbish talk about stopping riding, stop when you have to not when you think you should.
**** me backwards.
I'm just 52.
Have a full road race season planned.
Racing the FNSS, trying to get a top five in the Grand Vets.
Racing a full season of cross in the Central League.
Going to Flanders for the 259km event
London-Paris-London four day.
And a shit load of stuff in between. Might even do a 24 solo.
Current racing plans take me past 65.
66. Been doing stuff like the StrathPuffer 24 hour solo. This year was my PB - on a bike that weighs 42lbs.
So I think it's safe to say I don't subscribe to the getting too old thing. It simply gets a bit harder, thus you get an odd bargain with life - challenges crop up more often. 😆
When I start using gears and suspension, you'll know I'm getting old and frail. 🙂
51 here did the Marmotte last year and will be doing it again this year. Other plans are The Ridgeway in a day and the Torq Rough Ride
Use it and you won't lose it
[img] 
[/img]
I know someone who is north of 70 and still rides regular. If I get that far I will be happy. At least I know that it can be done :-).
43 last year and probably fitter than I've ever been. Definitely still improving as a rider too. Plus, I'm earning more and get more time off than I did 10 years ago, so get to ride more and in more interesting places too.
And, just think of all that accumulated knowledge of fettling techniques and UK trails that you have that will only increase.
Plus, I'm too old to be interested in tyre choice or some of the archaic niceties of our rights of way legislation, I'm getting too old to be told off....
In his september09 newsletter, Michael Colgan gives protocols for neurogenesis, i.e. regrowing brain cells. Here's an extract showing what's involved:
First, it has to be voluntary exercise. In rodents, forced exercise yields little neurogenesis, and impedes new memory formation.
Second,the exercise has to be demanding, requiring focused attention.
Third, the exercise has to provoke high adrenalin output.
Fourth, it has to have immediate signaling of success and failure.
Fifth it has to provide immediate reward for success and immediate punishment for failure.3,6
Sixth, the exercise has to incorporate steady progression of difficulty kept marginally beyond capacity, with a reward to failure ratio of about 8:1.
Doesn't that sound like mountain biking ?
Keep at it, we're gonna live forever !
When I did the 'cross national champs this year there were several over 70s racing. I'm 52, what have I got to be concerned about?!
It's all probably as simple as not smoking.
Windsurfed and surfed for years, along with hillwalking and occasional mtb. Taught myself to snowboard at 40. Smashed up knee and ankle windsurfing in late 30s.( Plaster and mucho physio.) Decided 15 months back to ride more and get out for between 30 and 50 miles a week offroad. Did MM last year. Now almost 52. The crowd I ride with regularly are all younger. The closest to me is 43 and the rest are in their 20s or early 30s. I ain't ready for my rockin' chair yet .