# Starting MTB at 40...what was I thinking ?



## Symtex (May 18, 2015)

I don't know what happen. I went from training for a 5k run to buying a FS Mountain bike. My co-workers, who are MTB fanatics, convince me to get into the hobby to improved my fitness. I was in for a rude awakening. I am more out of shape than I thought. I went for a ride this weekend. the first 5km were all uphill and by the time I got to the top. I was already dehydrated and out of energy. That was just the journey to get to the ride. I had to stop for 20 min and re-hydrate before I could continue. 

I thought it was more doing downhill than uphill but they are the kinda guy that don't shuttle. So I better shape up.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

Better than at age 50. You'll be an old hand by then.


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## EABiker (Jun 24, 2004)

What goes down must come back up! 



Stick with it though, you will get better with every ride; I've been getting better for almost 30 years now!


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## kickhorse (Aug 3, 2013)

You'll get there. It helps to do some interval training once or twice a week, either running or if you have a gym membership, jump on the elliptical or treadmill when not out riding. Keep at it until you can start keeping up with your buddies. It takes time and commitment to get decent at climbing.


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## Symtex (May 18, 2015)

kickhorse said:


> You'll get there. It helps to do some interval training once or twice a week, either running or if you have a gym membership, jump on the elliptical or treadmill when not out riding. Keep at it until you can start keeping up with your buddies. It takes time and commitment to get decent at climbing.


No way, I will do my workout inside a gym. I have a road bike to train with during the week. I've been sticking to mostly flat road but I will have to up my game by doing more climbing.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

keep it up and you'll notice a few things, mainly increases in:
* handsomeness
* penis length
* attractiveness to the opposite sex (or same sex, whichever is required)
* tuffness
* awesomeness
* and just plain being a "top bloke"


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## Reelchef67 (Aug 21, 2011)

I started riding at age 43 now 4 yrs later, Ive dropped 40lbs ,my heart rate dropped 20beats per minute on the same big climb I do every ride to get in to the mountains by my house.
It takes time just eat well and keep riding. Also a hear rate computer really helps for training..


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## Zomby Woof (MCM700) (May 23, 2004)

I was 45 when I took it up. I'm 60 now. It's fun. It gets me outdoors. I hate gyms. I get exercise. Its a skill too. I haven't lost any weight because I never had any to lose. But it keeps me healthier too.

Also I now have a coworker to ride with A college intern in the next cubicle. He must be 1/3 my age. We went on a group ride of about six of us yesterday with a local Meetup mountain bike group I joined last year. Anyway when I was showing him a software, he saw my mountain bike wallpaper and he said "You ride too!, Now I can have someone to ride with." Which goes to show that our ages don't matter either. I think he was the youngest and I was the oldest of the group.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I ride with folks that have a pretty wide age range, too. A lot of the guys I ride with and drink beer with are my parents' age or older, for that matter. Most of the time I'm one of the youngest, though. At 34, I find that kinda sad. It's only occasional that I ride with folks who are younger.


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## 70sSanO (Nov 20, 2013)

I started at 61 and I am 63 now. Just got back from Arizona where I got to do some riding with our son.

John


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## Surveyor 777 (May 12, 2015)

I'm 43 and just started. Yes it's tough sometimes but every time I ride it gets a little easier. Plus it never stops being fun.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

It never gets easier, you just get faster

someone has that as their sig, l like it

btw lm 44, started mtb at 38, but lm now having an enforced 3 month break , damaged my knee on Saturday riding a skateboard


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

One of my friends started at like 48 or 49, now 3 years later, he's faster than half of us.


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## cwakefld (May 13, 2014)

I started last year when I was 38, I am 39 now, 40 in a few weeks. I am in better shape than I have ever been in. I am also one of the younger guys, many of them are in their 50's and 60's. It makes me feel good to know that I can continue this activity, which I have come to love, for many years to come.


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## Bent Wheel (Oct 6, 2007)

I started at 28, I'm now 55 and still suck at climbing, but I love being out there riding in the dirt. Keep it up, it'll become a way of life before to long.


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## sleepyguy1001 (May 26, 2014)

I started last year at 49. Still fat, old and slow and having a blast. I'll shamelessly pull off to the side and suck for wind till I gather myself, and then move on down the trail to do it again. Oddly enough, I'm having a blast! I can do things now that I couldn't do last year and am moving on to slightly bigger climbs now. It'll come to you, just enjoy yourself, it's supposed to be fun.


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

When I first started, I would stop 10 times on a 2 mile climb. Thought I was going to croak. It is still hard, but it definitely gets easier. You can go fast enough to make it very tough though.

There are a lot of people that rode bikes as kids, then gave up cycling for cars, girls, and 'life' in general, only to return to it later on as a means of getting exercise and having fun. If you want to increase your fitness quickly, knock out more 40-60 mile rides on that road bike. Many MTB racers at all levels use the road bike for fitness.


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## phlegm (Jul 13, 2006)

cmg71 said:


> keep it up and you'll notice a few things, mainly increases in:
> * handsomeness
> * penis length
> * attractiveness to the opposite sex (or same sex, whichever is required)
> ...


I'm still waiting for #2 to happen.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

My wife started at 58 and our trails BEGIN at 6500 feet.


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## camp10 (Mar 2, 2015)

I'm 52. I started mountain biking this year and try to get out a couple times a week.

I'm surprised how much progress I've made (and I wasn't in shape when I started). You'll be surprised how much you'll progress.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

Started at 52, now 56 and I feel like I'm 30..

OP, the old saying Is true,, "No Pain No Gain"

Man Up and get after it because Death Stalks us all ! 
He's gonna get us In the end but for now I Know I can out pedal the B'tard....


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## CHIEF500 (Aug 30, 2012)

Hang in there, I started for better fitness 5 years ago. It gets easier.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

The great thing about getting older doing this is that, as you start to need technology upgrades (to offset the passing years), you get less interested in leaving any money for the kids!


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## KevinGT (Dec 25, 2012)

I just turned 50 and am in far better shape now than I was at 40 thanks to mountain biking. And it's not just legs and lungs. Arms, shoulders, core...everything is in better shape.

Plus my kids think I'm rad.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

It gets easier. My advice is to stay consistent. Even if you can only ride an hour or 30 minutes a day, get out there! As you ride more or do longer rides the fitness increases will come. Since climbing is your weakness, choose some routes that have climbing on the road or mtb.


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## pb123hou (May 26, 2015)

Props to all you guys that started late. I didn't realize there were that many. Better late than never!


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## BradMM (May 30, 2015)

Will turn 61 in 8 days and just started seriously this week (see my post as well). I already love the challenge!


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

MSU Alum said:


> The great thing about getting older doing this is that, as you start to need technology upgrades (to offset the passing years), you get less interested in leaving any money for the kids!


Hahahaha I got ya beat on that one, I got NO KIDS !

I'm gonna die broke and make the state buy me a pine box or torch me,,whuteva


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

With age comes wisdom,, Us Old Farts In training gotta ride smarter that's all..


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Check out Mountain Bike Geezer - Singletrack, gravity, bicycling issues & more. Griff started at age 60 and his riding's bad ass. It was a pleasure meeting him last year and I look forward to seeing him in Marquette in a few weeks.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

42 now... started at 40 ^^ wish I'd started at 30! Lost 15 kg's in last 24 months... Haven't been this light since my 20's... resting HR in mid 50's...

-------------------------------------
Opinions are like A-holes... everybody 
has one & they're usually full of...??


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## goodmojo (Sep 12, 2011)

I started at 42 now 45. It is my old age sport. Started spraining my ankles too much doing field sports. Mtb is much easier on my body except for crashes


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## germano (May 3, 2015)

How 'bout 71. 'Getting back on two wheels after exactly sixty years. A bit shakey at present but I'll be able to join y'all by mid-summer, I hope. Wish me luck. [ss, rigid]


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

goodmojo said:


> I started at 42 now 45. It is my old age sport. Started spraining my ankles too much doing field sports. Mtb is much easier on my body except for crashes


"old age sport" wtf?
Mate you're 45, we're in our prime


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## Gravityaholic (Aug 15, 2014)

I started last summer at 50...it's something i've been thinking about for decades. It's the perfect summer sport fort a skier. I've never practiced a sport so cardio intensive and I love it...even when i start seeing white spots at the top of a tough climb !

50 is as young as you make it !


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

germano said:


> How 'bout 71. 'Getting back on two wheels after exactly sixty years. A bit shakey at present but I'll be able to join y'all by mid-summer, I hope. Wish me luck. [ss, rigid]


Nice.

My dad is 71 also; he got into it in his early 60s and is a die-hard rider and trailbuilder now.


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## yzedf (Apr 22, 2014)

Started last year at 39. Now I'm 40 with a 2 month old baby at home. Can't wait until I have to buy us a couple old bmx bikes so we can cruise together!


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## LaXCarp (Jul 19, 2008)

My mom started when she was 59, she is 62 now, retired, and obsessed with mountain biking. It's awesome.

I gave her my old hardtail when I upgraded to a FS. Now she is on a nice FS


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

As I always tell my self :it doesn't matter how old your body is, as long as your brain is still 23!

Now, sometimes your body will aggressively remind your brain of what is really going on....

As long as you are noticing progress, and it is meeting YOUR criteria, NOT someone else's, you will be fine. I think at our age (I am 45...gonna be 46 next week), the eating correctly thing is the biggest factor in success and recovery.

Granted, i have been riding since I was 5 or 6. But I have not ridden crazy for about 10 years. I have been regularly commuting, and doing single-tracky and bike-packing type distance stuff more recently. Where I get stupid is on my BMX...I try to do things now that I could 25 years ago, and there is a LOT of "reality" there...painful reality


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## slapheadmofo (Jun 9, 2006)

I hear ya on the BMX. I bought my first 'real' 20" bike a few years ago at about 45 and have been trying to get the hang of park riding, as that's my son's passion. My wrists feel like they're full of gravel after a day of riding concrete and my back...uh...my back! 

Still, some of the best times I've had on a bike in years. Looking to make a decent turn over the coping by 50; I'm almost there!


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## cjsb (Mar 4, 2009)

OP, I was riding MTB for a while in the flat Midwest and then moved to SoCal when I was close to 40. My first ride in SoCal was very similar to your experience. I still remember doubled over on the side of a fire road that was the steepest thing I had ever seen and it went on for well over a mile. And then I saw guys just riding by like it was nothing.

Keep at it, it won't take long to improve your stamina. I met a guy who was 60 when I was 40 in SoCal and his abilities and stamina were amazing. It was inspiring, he showed me trails all over, seemingly always waiting for me at the top of the hardest climbs.

If you keep at it, you will be amazed at how much you improve. As others have suggested, good training like intervals can help with that process.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

I started at 46+ like anything else the more you do it the better you get! Good Luck and keep at it!


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## loneviking (Mar 30, 2015)

I'm 54, just started this year. I sometimes think I won't ever get in shape to keep up with other riders. Where I live there's lots of steep hills and I suck air for everything I'm worth, then ride another 100 ft and repeat! 

I've decided that road biking and hill repeats on the road bike are probably a good way to train.
I guess someday it will get easier, if I don't die first!


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## goodmojo (Sep 12, 2011)

loneviking said:


> I'm 54, just started this year. I sometimes think I won't ever get in shape to keep up with other riders. Where I live there's lots of steep hills and I suck air for everything I'm worth, then ride another 100 ft and repeat!
> 
> I've decided that road biking and hill repeats on the road bike are probably a good way to train.
> I guess someday it will get easier, if I don't die first!


As they say, it never gets easier, you just get faster


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## ZHaunDK (Oct 9, 2014)

doesnt matter what age you start at. unlike running and road bikes, mtb techniques have alot more impact on performance. Learning to carry momentum and use it instead of brute force pedaling makes the biggest difference and takes about a while to get used to it. Came from triathlon where the bike is my strong area, and had to see very out of shape guys with beer bellys leave me in the dust on the MTB for a while before i finally started figuring out why. 

Ride and preferrably ride with more experienced riders and you'll start to get better.

Training for endurance sports is usually just a question of getting your body ready and used to endure pain, it doesnt actually reduce the pain. the better condition your in, the faster you go, but you suffer all the same.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

goodmojo said:


> As they say, it never gets easier, you just get faster


Yeah that sorta sux, doesn't it!!

They need to print that on the seat tube on your first MTB.

NB, this sport will never get easier. You'll just get faster and end up biking further.

Sent from my Kin[G]_Pad ™


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## tualmbr (Jul 18, 2015)

My right foot and right knee are so bad I can't walk more than 200 feet usually. I have been so inactive for the last 3-4 years that I can barely manage to mow the lawn without needing a nap afterwards.

I decided biking would get my legs, knees, heart rate, bmi, etc slowly back to how it "should be"


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## Shakester (Jun 26, 2012)

I restarted at 40 and it felt as if I never lost the beat. I was a hard core BMXer in my teens, doing mainly freestyle and dirt jumps. I messed up plenty of Tuff wheels doing bar endos. I progressed to mountain biking at 19 and it became pretty intense in my 20s. I quit when I was around 32. Just didn't have much time for it with family and some time consuming thing called work. I still wrenched my friends' bikes and rode maybe 3 times a year so I was never totally out of it. At 40, I went all in again. Bikes have been a part of my life for so long that it just didn't right without it. Like something was missing.


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## phlegm (Jul 13, 2006)

Shakester said:


> At 40, I went all in again.


That's the perfect age. Right at the low end of "Masters" category. You can beat the crap out of those super-old guys.


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## Xilikon (May 7, 2013)

Also 40 and starting back seriously into MTB. I used to do a lot in my twenties but life stuff and a bad cycling accident put a stop for a few years. Reading what others experienced is inspiring.


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## halsencrew (Oct 30, 2008)

I just started mountain biking this year and im 36, and its been a blast, i am not that good yet but i do my best, will get better as years go bye. but ride on bro.


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## typo (Jul 30, 2015)

started riding two weeks ago at age 33 after after a 17 year hiatus from bmx. i can no longer imagine my life without a mtb.


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