How old are you? Or really how long can I keep MTBing as long as I'm fit?

Was having a debate with a mate who went to the dark side (road cycling) a few days ago. He reckons he’ll still be riding his bike when he’s 60 odd. I said I think I could be MTBing then albeit a bit slower. How old are you and what kind of stuff are you still riding? Red or blue runs etc?

41 and had a blast down Golspie at the weekend. Brilliant and not thinking of hanging up the baggies anytime.

48 and possibly at my best ever… hoping to keep improving for a few years yet.

I think the electric assist bikes will mean i’ll be on the trails for some time to come.

I also dabble with the Dark Side and will be doing that a while too.

Just love riding bikes.

Well, turned 72 last November—still at it at least a couple days a week. Rides shorter, risk-taking reduced, but I am not going to grow old(er) too gracefully!!!! Rather participate than observe.

My old road club had a (reasonably) active member who was in his 80s. I’m very sceptical I’ll still be riding anything serious off-road if I get to that age.

🙂

I’m 52 and I have had to slow down a bit in the last couple of years, as I definitely don’t recover as fast or mend as easily after injury. So, I’ve stopped racing and doing the really gnarly trails, but expect to continue riding at least untill I’m 60. The guy I do a weekly 45km rail trail ride with is 69 and it’s as much as I can do to keep up with him.

I know a guy who did the Trans Provence aged 60 with a very respectable performance. He’s still riding all the usual stuff a few years later (Alps, Lakes, Etc)

38, been riding for 20 years and I know I’m not quite as fast uphill as I was in my early 20s but I’m at my fastest down/through the techy stuff.
I’m happy reading the posts above that I should have years left in me!

Just bought my 1st DH bike at 45, loving it! Once I get too decrepit then it will be an ebike for mtb.
If I ever find myself considering road cycling at any age, then I will book myself a one way ticket to Switzerland.

55 and slowed a lot I do more road riding now my wrists and elbows cant take the hammering any more and I fear a serious injury that would most likely never properly heal at this age.

I broke my back on an mtb at 43 so I know shit happens.

Well I’ve already been outclassed in the wrinkle waving 😆

I’m 56, been riding bikes on and off for 45 years or so but it’s only been my main activity/sport in the last three years, climbing and running were my main sports before that. The group I ride with vary in age from mid 30s to their late 60s, the older ones don’t hold back either, they are more than happy (and competent) on reds and blacks as well as technical stuff in the Lakes and elsewhere.

As you get older you:

Don’t bounce so well
Take longer to recover from injury
Have to move ever faster to stay still.
Don’t feel like you have to prove anything.

Sure I’m not as fast as 18yr old kids down the descents but I get Strava top tens on climbs (and flats) on and off road so that’s one to the crinklies 😀

It’s only society telling you that sport is for young people – you don’t have to listen.

A number of my riding mates see in their 50s still racing and sometimes winning. One is 57 and came 3rd at last round of ukge, but would have finished very high in seniors!

Our mate Paul is 59. If Im anywhere near his riding when Im 59 I’ll be more than happy.

34 feel like a spring chicken compared you owd bastards

Roy Hunt is 58/59 now and is regularly top 10 in NW cyclocross vet races (40+).

There’s no reason to let age stop you riding an mtb.

What will stop you is stupid injuries from failed heroics. Consequences get more severe and longer term for simple tumbles as you age.

24 hour events get really tough. 🙂

I’m 40 and I did a DH race, albeit slowly, at the weekend. I’ll stop riding when I can’t ride any more.

im 62
ride singletrack with gap jumps and drop offs twice a week in the evening and get home at 10:30 and shower, up for work a 3:45 am
ride at least 3 hours at weekends
im going to bike park wales on the 16th July, 2 days before i do the 3 countries tour from Chamonix which is a weeks riding.
Because our mid week rides are pretty tough, i find i cant ride 2 nights on the trot unless the in between one is a relaxed ride, and it does take longer to heal, and im ALWAYS knackered and aching, but i wouldnt change it.
bikes are mega am 26 and mega tr 650b

I have come back to riding this year ,after a5 year break.

I’m 60 now, can’t ride enough, as others have said, takes longer to recover etc.

Enjoyment is still at maximum though.

Had a guy pop into my mate’s shop & ordered a 120mm full-sus merida. He’s 75 years young……..

There was I guy I used to see around the local TT circuits a few years back. Dunno how old he was but he looked about 100. He used to hobble about the carpark on a walking stick. Looked like somebody’s granddad come to give some support. Then he got his low-pro off the back of the car and give us young ‘uns a run for our money.

The thing about cycling is that, as long as you don’t fall off, its a very low impact activity.

I’m 46 and have effectively hung up my wheels! Doesn’t excite me anymore.

Like Whitestone, MTB has been my main activity for only about 6 years, following years of windsurfing and surfing and a bit of rowing and canoeing.
Still hill walk and snowboard now and then.
I’ve always had an MTB ( well since 87 anyway), but tended to ride short local loops or odd epics when there was no wind or surf.
Absolutely love it now though, had a new bike in 2008 and just replaced it a month ago, with a 160/140 trail bike.
55 now, ridden 30 miles off-road since Saturday and have the rest of the week off, so should hit 120 or so by Sunday.
55 now and hurt much more these days when I crash .

George Bernard Shaw — ‘We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.’

Great quote jwt.
BTW I’m 41, 42 in Oct. Injuries are my fear, just dont want to be off the bike!

60 in October: ride 3/4 times per week;15-40 miles;just back from 3 days hardcore in the Lakes; compete(ish) in local Enduros;off to Whistler on Friday…….only sayin

I must say this is all very encouraging.

I’m 54, always ride the blacks at trail centres and take the gnarly route in the natural stuff. Oh, and I came 20th in the Tour de Ben Nevis last year out of about 400.

Mid 30’s here and as fit as I’ve ever been, I don’t see me stopping any time soon.

My dad is 64 with a double knee replacement and still rides 3 or 4 times a week, he’s a bit slower than he was but he can keep a steady pace seemingly forever. As mentioned above, it’s low impact you see, pootling along towpaths and the roads can be done as long as you so desire.

One of the guys that comes out on our Sunday leisure rides is eighty-something. There’s no reason to stop unless you want to stop.

Old cyclists do have a habit of keeling over and dying whilst out on their bikes though, it’s happened to a couple of my parents’ friends. That’s either good, or bad, depending on how you look at it.

i’m 47 at the end of the year and feel like i’m still 15 🙂
i think i qualify as lesters carer 😉

you only get old if you stop

My dad is 77 and still rides offroad. Maybe not Radcore gnar but still offroad.

66, bought my first mtb in 1986 and still ride at least twice a week. I was always a crap rider so although I am sure I have got slower, it doesn’t show as much as if I had been good! A guy I ride with is two years younger but can still embarrass people a lot younger. I do wonder sometimes how many of the people I see on the trail will be still riding when they get older but I suspect if you are daft enough to be on this forum you will be daft enough to be out there as long as you can!
Ps thank the Trail Fairy for electric bikes, should keep me going til at least 80.

George Bernard Shaw — ‘We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.’

I’ve got friends who believed they were too old for cycling any more in their 20’s.

I’ve got friends who are in their 70’s and wouldn’t dream of giving it up!

Guess who has more fun!

FWIW got a few road clubs local to me with many active members well into their 80’s. As long as you’re having fun and not hurting yourself too badly, I see no reason to give up at any age!

I’m 39 and feel a lot older at the moment!!

Young kids have pretty much stopped me from doing any decent (MTB) riding at the moment. I’m sure it’ll kick in again at some point. Still commute regularly and that keeps a certain level of fitness up. But my body feels like it’s breaking down at the moment, i really do need to step it up a gear!!

My son (15) called me up the other day after a ride he had done at Cannock with the guys he rides with up there.

‘Guess what Dad, I meet someone really inspirational today. He was a man that got cancer in his 70’s and beat it, now he is in his 80’s and has taken up mtbing and rides 3 times a week… and he wasn’t slow Dad!!’

Great for the guy and good for my lad to have met him, he tells pretty much everyone that he talks to if they are coming up with reasons they don’t do any exercise or don’t have a hobby.

Funny he never mentions my amazing exploits… kids.

40, and they’ll have pry my rigid singlespeed out of my cold, dead,prematurely arthritic hands.

i’ll keep turning cranks until my body completely fails (about another week and a half at this rate! )

40 and improving all the time. What I want to know is when will I stop being able to get better? I’m doing bigger gaps, higher drops than ever and am constantly trying to go bigger. How long have I got before I’m maxxed out and have to start winding it in?!

I think once one gets super old – providing one is taking things steady- it’s safer to be riding trails than roads .. Maybe I’m biased though as I hate road riding ..

59 1/2 here and still feel pretty good on the bike. late nights after the pub ride are a killer now & injuries take a bit longer to heal. much more aware of the potential dangers of a serious stack now so tend to be a bit more cautious in places like the Lakes or The Peaks. lost the love a bit the last couple of years because of neck/headache problems but physio has improved it so enjoying it again. Ride a Superlight % Genesis I0 plus a road bike for commuting.I do have a problem at times keeping up with the young whippets or even the middle aged vets in our group but most ride 29’ers so I’m bound to struggle aren’t I 😉

I genuinely think it is related to how old you feel in your mind.

I have slowed down and nowhere near as quick or have the strenght and endurance that I had 20 years ago.

But I’m still riding and enjoying, I can’t think of anything better to be honest.

Haven’t ridden for two weeks now due to food poisioning, but can’t wait to get back out once I have gained a little strenght and weight.

Lost 6kgs , surprisingly, my electronic bathroom scales tell me that I have lost fat as opposed to muscle content. So perhaps it was worth it after all 😮
Regards

Denis