# Things keep trying to tell me that I am too old for this %[email protected]&



## Outrider66 (Jan 30, 2018)

About 7 years ago, I received a compression fracture in my spine while trying to ride a wheelie in my front yard. I was about 46 then. I had just installed a new fork as well as flats with studs, and I was trying them out. While coming back too far, I was unable to release my feet from the pedals to catch myself. Later, I asked the nurse in the ER if I should start acting my age. She smirked and said "yeah".

Yesterday evening, I went over my handlebars, and the first thing to hit the ground was my face. A fair amount of blood ensued, the taste of dirt was in my mouth, and my entire body hurt like hell. But the one and only cool part of that incident was that my bike landed perfectly upright but inverted, resting on the seat and handlebars, wheels still spinning. My leg was on the ground between them, though. It was a stupid crash. I wasn't doing anything epic, and I don't know exactly what happened or what caused it.

I was going to ride again this morning, but I am in too much pain. Plus, I need to check my bike over and look for damage. I'm not feeling motivated enough to do that yet, though.

I gave up offroad motorcycles about 8 years ago, because a crash very nearly killed me (1.5 months in the hospital and $300k in medical costs). I took up MTB's more seriously after that, instead, because it is "safer", but even that keeps hurting me fairly frequently.

Crashes really, really suck for us old geezers. We don't bounce back like we used to.

I refuse to give up and give in completely, though. Once I can't do stuff like this anymore, then I don't want be alive anymore. Bingo, shuffleboard and tv is not "living" to me, and don't cut it.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

At 53 you are still too young to say what you won't do when you really are old and I still don't know what really old is but I keep saying old age starts at death and its too late to worry then.

Just chalk your adventures up to "sh!t happens." You'd be surprised at how fast we still can bounce back when we want. Its amazing what a breakfast of coffee and aspirin can get you though.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

Only you can tell when you're done. Until then, assess your situations and do what you can to reduce the risk of debilitating injury. 

At 57, I find myself consciously deciding to stay within my limits, but some days the limits feel different than others. Some days are great, others are just very good. I'll go with that for now.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

When it takes a long time to recover from getting injured playing bingo or shuffleboard, then you know you're getting old.


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

I think that for older folks who still feel the need to compete in sporting type events, badminton is great. 
The Chinese get wild over it, and they really don't get hurt very much, either......


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

I'm 50 ... I have arthritis basically everywhere...

my discussion with my dr... "can I still mountain bike?" answer from doctor: "sure just don't crash"


great.... 

so I ride.. "occasionally" I get all YOLO F*ck it .. mostly I ride cautiously and tell any buddies of mine who want me to do stuff I can't really pull off .. NOPE... 

I don't know... nobody is getting out of this alive.. so I want to ride and do fun stuff as long as I can.


What does bum me out.... I really want to skate .. my wife REEEEEAAALLY doesn't want me to skate (I'm pretty certain my Dr. would agree w/ the wife) anymore.. I did until I was ~35 and then occasionally till about 40.. but I just don't think I could take the falls at this point.

any of you old b*stards hit the half pipes /pools ... etc??


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

I still ski trees and bumps at 70. Does that count? 

I'm too old to have gotten involved with the second wave of skating and my skate board was wood with metal roller skate wheels. Hardly made for tricks.


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## tubbnation (Jul 6, 2015)

atarione said:


> ... What does bum me out.... I really want to skate .. my wife REEEEEAAALLY doesn't want me to skate (I'm pretty certain my Dr. would agree w/ the wife) anymore.. I did until I was ~35 and then occasionally till about 40.. but I just don't think I could take the falls at this point.
> 
> any of you old b*stards hit the half pipes /pools ... etc??


Get yourself a longboard.

I'm 52, and used to skate half pipes and pools back in the late 70's/early 80's. I don't get vert anymore but I did pick up a sweet longboard about 3yrs ago. So much fun carving turns!


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I just got back from Moab 2 days ago, rode the whole Enchilada + Jimmy Keen for 33.5 miles of pretty solid downhilling - for a 67 year old, anyway - with my 28 year old son. Set a personal record of 4:13 on it. I'm not saying that's fast, only that at my age it's the fastest that I have done it. So, I'm not getting slower. It'll catch up to me, unquestionably! But it won't be because I'm going to stand still and let it! And the incentive to hang with my son is worth a rib here and there. I get hurt all the time. It's the price we pay.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Listen to your body, as it were. Know when to hammer and when to throttle back. 

I'm working on it myself and have learned to enjoy a few days off the bike knowing that I'll feel fantastic when I get back on that sheeit.


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## Gravityaholic (Aug 15, 2014)

55, and been at it for 5 years. My times and skills improve everytime I ride. I just think more before trying something risky and choose my combats !


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

[QUOTE any of you old b*stards hit the half pipes /pools ... etc??[/QUOTE]

I'm 50 and I was told three years ago I need a hip replacement, which I am putting off until I am done with snowboarding (which I don't ever see happening). I can't skate like I used to but still hop on the longboard on occasion. I broke my clavicle downhilling a few years back, and that was my official "I'm getting too old for this ****" moment. So I mostly cruise on the longboard, mostly stay on the groomers unless its a kick ass powder day, and try not to do anything too dumb on the bike while still working on my skills and getting air where the risk doesn't exceed the reward.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

When I show up in the office with significant scabs/bruises/limps/what have you, I get the "you know, you're not the young anymore". This from people that are obese and stare at a computer screen all day. They seem to be genuinely indignant that I keep myself fit and am still excited for life.


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## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

The older I get, the less I care what other people think about what I wear on the bike, and every time I read about someone falling on their face, I inch a little closer to putting the (removable) chin guard on my Bell Super DH for everyday use. I already use the Super DH without the chin guard on all of my rides, and I love it, I have yet to use the chin guard on XC type rides, but why not? Dental work and facial reconstruction surgery suck, I'm sure.

Yesterday I rode a bunch of awesome trails at Rabbit Valley, CO that are shared with motorcycles, and every single motorcycle rider had a full face helmet. I was going as fast or faster down some of the gnarly sections. Why not use a lightweight full face for that? I have no answer.


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

Face it, you're not normal...just like the rest of us. I'll be 60 in 3 weeks and still ride 3X/week. 10 years ago my 'posse' was 6-8 guys who were hardcore but now I do lots of solo rides because all but 2 of them have hung it up.

The key really is DON'T FALL OFF! At our age sh*t hurts enough just from a good hard ride. I still push myself hard and love challenging terrain but an occasional 'go around' on sections with bigger consequences is not a bad idea.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

*It's never too late to start exercising, new study shows*

In summary: The study shows that it doesn't matter if you haven't been a regular exerciser throughout your life, you can still derive benefit from exercise whenever you start. A long term commitment to good health and exercise is the best approach to achieve whole-body health, but even starting later on in life will help delay age-related frailty and muscle weakness.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01084/full

I first learned to mtb at 48. At 50 I starting to dh. I started doing crossfit at 55 to stay strong on the bike. I participate annually in the crossfit open. My cardio began to improve when I first started to run at 57. This summer I competed in my first marathon and for shitz and giggles I took surfing lessons while on vacation on the Pacific Coast. My point is it's never too late to learn a new activity or build muscle or improve cardio. Avoiding pain and injury are smart; avoiding risk is less smart. The big advantage of getting older is that you should have the wisdom and experience to know what's right for you.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Cyclelicious sums it up nicely. Its fun to have goals (bucket list?) and try new things. Regular visits to the gym have vastly improved my riding and just plain riding has greatly improved my riding. Like she said, we "should have the wisdom and experience to know what's right" for us and most of us do by now.

We may be a bit closer to death then someone 30 years younger but we're not there yet if we are taking part in this discussion. Tomorrow I'm taking a guy I got into riding this year on single track for the first time. He's 65, I believe, but isn't afraid to try new stuff. I've prepared him all summer and he loves our rides on tame rail trails but looks forward to having to walk parts of the ride but, in the end, still ride most of what I'm taking him on.

I say, "when I stop moving, I'll stop moving."


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## ravewoofer (Dec 24, 2008)

57 years old here, and knock wood, nothing is telling me to stop riding. I am banging out rides as best I can, and get off the bike on sketchy drops or anything above my skill set.

When will I stop? The moment an E bike seems appealing. 

So, count me in for another decade or two! 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

I know people younger than me that have debilitating injuries they live with. Very much limits their ability to live the life they would prefer.

I want to live the life I want to live for as long as possible, and if that means I dial it back just a little bit in terms of speed in order to gain a fairly large reduction in risk, I'll take that trade every day on every ride.

But we all get to make our own choices. 

I like to be out in the woods and see my riding friends and enjoy the singletrack. I have never been an adrenaline junky - that's not a high for me. 

I will say the broken humerus way up high near the shoulder a couple years ago with the soft tissue damage that I am still living with changed my attitude a little bit.

I still have nothing but fun on my bike, though.

Ride on!


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

^Yep... the longer I live the less I care about what others think or do. 

You are the one who will suffer, not me.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Okay, so everyone gets old or dies trying.

What I don't get is why it's important to advertise your age and what you "won't do".

I'm constantly amazed at what people are still doing when they're old, but at 53 years of age, old you are not.

So yeah, these public statements about limit setting are pretty silly and completely hedonistic, though I am at loss as to see how someone can find pleasure in admitting their weakness in a public forum.

Just go ride and stop talking about it.


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

atarione said:


> I'm 50 ... I have arthritis basically everywhere...
> 
> my discussion with my dr... "can I still mountain bike?" answer from doctor: "sure just don't crash"
> 
> ...


I still skate on occasion mainly pools and stick to mainly lip tricks as it does hurt more these days when I fall.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

And the latest installment of the “too old for this” department:

I managed to impale my calf muscle with my brake lever in a freak accident last night. Didn’t feel it go in but it was buried to the handlebar and took considerable pressure to pull out. At the ER til 1:00 this morning, missing work today (well I wouldn’t say I’m missing it) in a walking boot for a couple weeks, and off the bike for maybe a month. Still, beats a break or concussion!


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## Outrider66 (Jan 30, 2018)

What really sucks is that I either separated or broke a rib or two or three. And upper ribs, at that. I've broken at least 10 middle or lower ribs before. Not sure if upper ribs are more or less painful, but it is different. Sleeping is very difficult (as with lower ribs), and laughing, coughing sneezing and even breathing hard at all is very painful. It isn't getting a little better each day yet - holding steady and even increasing at times. I imagine I will have to forego riding for the next 2 or 3 weeks. It normally takes about a month for the pain from broken ribs to subside.

If only I had been wearing my full face helmet, then at least I wouldn't have screwed up my nose. The big scab at the bottom looks like a huge booger coming out of my nose.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Outrider66 said:


> What really sucks is that I either separated or broke a rib or two or three. And upper ribs, at that. I've broken at least 10 middle or lower ribs before. Not sure if upper ribs are more or less painful, but it is different. Sleeping is very difficult (as with lower ribs), and laughing, coughing sneezing and even breathing hard at all is very painful. It isn't getting a little better each day yet - holding steady and even increasing at times. I imagine I will have to forego riding for the next 2 or 3 weeks. It normally takes about a month for the pain from broken ribs to subside.
> 
> If only I had been wearing my full face helmet, then at least I wouldn't have screwed up my nose. The big scab at the bottom looks like a huge booger coming out of my nose.


Healing vibes Outrider. I broke some ribs and a few other bones following a big crash in 2015. Yup it sucks. The treatment for broken ribs is basically: don't do anything cool for a long time and have fun getting in and out of bed.


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

I broke 2 upper ribs about ten years ago. DON'T laugh or sneeze for about 6-8 weeks. Then broke two lower ribs a couple of years ago. Pretty tame in comparison. if you're going break ribs, break the lower ones for sure.


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## Outrider66 (Jan 30, 2018)

Definitely broken rib(s). It still hurts like hell when I sneeze, cough or get in/out of bed. I can feel it just below my collarbone, as well as straight back, behind that, in my back.

I should probably wait several more weeks before I ride again. What sucks is that the absurdly hot weather in Georgia finally broke, and the temperature is now reasonable, and getting better by the day. I hate being reduced to only hiking, when I could be riding too.


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

Its amazing how broken ribs can hurt in so many places. I had forgotten about getting out of bed. Thanks for reminding me.


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## Outrider66 (Jan 30, 2018)

I couldn't take the waiting any longer. I went against my best judgement (something I often do), and rode today. For those familiar with Allatoona Creek Park in metro Atlanta, I stuck to the easiest trail - Rusty Bucket. Very little elevation change and no rocks, but very tight & twisty, with lots of trees. If you can ride it fast, then your cornering and bike handling skills are real good. I've never gone down on that trail, but my shoulder has bruised lots of trees there. It's short, so I rode 3 laps, getting faster each time. I didn't want to push my luck and ride Driftwood there (where I crashed), and will wait a few more weeks before tackling any trails like that.

But it was good to get back in the saddle again. Fortunately, I felt no pain while riding today.

Despite not being too serious of an injury, broken ribs are one of the most irritating things to me. Because the only thing that can fix them is time. This makes at least 11 ribs I have broken.


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## Dirtrider127 (Sep 17, 2010)

Being 62 and having a couple major things happen to me lately, I've come to realize that "Life happens after you've made other plans".
Ride today while you can since there's no guarantees that you'll be able tomorrow. Enjoy your life today, do the things you wanted to do.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I rarely stop riding after an injury, even after a broken rib last summer. Sure it hurts, but I just take it easy and let the discomfort be my guide.

Wrapping an injury can help the discomfort by applying pressure to control movement and minimize swelling.

Broken fingers are the easiest, just tape them to a non broken finger for added stability.

Winter is coming, time to get out the layers!

Just remember, snow softens the fall 😊


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

*Outrider66*, your thread made me think about what crosses my mind from time to time, although admittedly not very often. _When should I stop riding like I do?_ I don't spend a lot of time pondering that, and my answer is always _never_.

I'm 58 and have been riding dirt carelessly since the 1970's. They way I see it, my crashes and injuries are no more or less worse now than in the past. The difference, though, I tend to the wounds better as I got older and wiser. Bandages have replaced duct tape, and a little PT replaced just dealing with pain. The cool thing is, recovery at my older age is actually faster than it was when I was younger.

Sooo... When should I stop riding like I do? Knowing me, it'll be when I just can't do it physically, or when injury prevents it. In other words, it won't be voluntary.

Do I back off now and spend the next 25 years wishing I was doing otherwise, or do I just keep going for another 15+ doing what I like? The way I see it, I'll be doing what I like for more years than if I voluntarily stop now. I know, crazy logic, but that's what you get when you look into my head.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

fredcook said:


> I'm 58 and have been riding dirt carelessly since the 1970's. They way I see it, my crashes and injuries are no more or less worse now than in the past.


For me the crashes are the same but the outcome isn't, bones break easier and don't knit together as fast. Downtime and recovery consume a larger percentage of my remaining time on earth. I still like pushing the limits but don't ride with quite the reckless abandon that I did in my younger days. I hate crashing.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Main thing I've noticed getting older is it takes me longer to get up and ascertain if "I'm OK". 

If somebody asks if I'm OK, I tell them to give a few minutes and I'll let them know.


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

"Just remember, snow softens the fall 😊"

But ice does the opposite! And it happens SO FAST.


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## OzarkFathom (Jul 2, 2019)

After 50 both wheels on the ground at all times.....


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

OzarkFathom said:


> After 50 both wheels on the ground at all times.....


That's kind of boring, sorta like using a walker to get around 

I just got back from Moab, rode with a buddy who's about to turn sixty, he's not in poor health, but he is now "officially" retired and I kinda wonder if that explains his recent change in motivation.

We were riding Mag 7 with plans to ride out to Portal, it's a big day, the trails leading into Portal are not easy, so as the day progressed he walked more lines, struggled more with the act of riding, started getting frustrated, so by the end he was really mad (at himself and/or me).

I kinda decided that riding with him is not gonna be something I do when I want a big ride on hard trails, he's my trail buddy for the mellow stuff from here on out, kinda sad, but he has apparently decided to back off.

Most of my riding buddies are younger than me by a decade or two, those guys are still ready to rock and roll, so I can count on them to go with me on tech rides, but even then the majority of my hard rides are done solo cuz it's hard to coordinate rides with folks who have kids and family stuff going on.

I bought one of those SPOT things, I keep it in my pack.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

OzarkFathom said:


> After 50 both wheels on the ground at all times.....





Nurse Ben said:


> That's kind of boring, sorta like using a walker to get around


Yeah I sort of agree, mountain biking has to be fun and for me part of the fun is enjoying those brief moments of silence when the wheels leave the ground. To each his own of course, I'd never judge another rider by the chances they do or don't take.


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

"A stupid man will die a stupid death"- I-Ching. 
I've already amassed a number of stupid-related near death experiences in my life, going into my late 60's, than I need for an entire lifetime. Stupid, because I always knew better, but went ahead anyway. 
These days I'm trying to avoid those stupid kinds of acts. While I have loved the mtb and trail riding for the last 30 years or so, I'm still enjoying the trails, just not the ones with the huge boulder drops and other obvious dangers. I see the bike and the trails as a means to an end including both mental /spiritual enrichment, and strength/cardio fitness.

So, I see myself as living a more intelligent life now. I don't go into buildings where I know trouble is waiting. I try to avoid violent conflict, even though I'm extremely good at it. If you can find a way to sense trouble coming up around the corner, cross the street. 
"Where there is no fight, there is no blame"- another I-Ching quote. That's what I try to do, just like my teacher, who is well over 90, and still improving his skills, even as his body fails him. 
I consider myself very fortunate to have such a role model in my life at this stage. 
Overall, I've had a very fortunate life, and I try to remain grateful for that as much as possible. And help others, rather than judge them. Plenty of challenges there.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

OzarkFathom said:


> After 50 both wheels on the ground at all times.....


You can realistically push that up to at least 60. Between 65 and 70 is when possible reward vs. possible cost starts to matter more, not only because the odds perceptibly start to change, but also the brilliance of the possible rewards fades. Other things seem more brilliant as our awareness expands.


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## OzarkFathom (Jul 2, 2019)

“That's kind of boring, sorta like using a walker to get around”

Still beats a bed or a wheelchair......


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Nope, no judgement, it's your life, it just sounds kinda boring. I really enjoy jumping off stuff, always have, bikes, skis, even my feet. The feeling of weightlessness combined with forward momentum, keeping the two balanced and landing with finesse. Like it!



J.B. Weld said:


> Yeah I sort of agree, mountain biking has to be fun and for me part of the fun is enjoying those brief moments of silence when the wheels leave the ground. To each his own of course, I'd never judge another rider by the chances they do or don't take.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

OzarkFathom said:


> After 50 both wheels on the ground at all times.....


I'm 67. This summer I cleaned sections of Mag7 and Ahab that I'd never cleaned before and a lot of it was by taking the direct route through the air. In reality, I probably wouldn't have but I was trying to keep up with my 28 year old son......unsuccessfully, but not for lack of trying!
Keeping both wheels on the ground is fine, but I really don't think it's an absolute requirement.


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## Xylx (Mar 18, 2005)

I went over the bars a month ago and broke my clavicle badly. I'm 64 and have come to the conclusion I'm going to have to give it up. THE DRINKING! Not the mountain biking. Although I now prefer the slow sure-footedness of a fat bike.


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## eggimann (Feb 11, 2011)

I just turned 54 and after 25 years away from the sport, I am purchasing a new bike next week and am excited to get back into it. 

I think I'm in the best cardio shape of my life, but you guys considering giving up biking are bumming me out.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I know for a fact that I cannot drink like I did when I was in my 30's....


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Crankout said:


> I know for a fact that I cannot drink like I did when I was in my 30's....


Me neither... I'm a lot better at it now, and beer money is not a problem.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

...


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

Radium said:


> I think that for older folks who still feel the need to compete in sporting type events, badminton is great.
> The Chinese get wild over it, and they really don't get hurt very much, either......


I just saw this. A guy I work with, maybe 40 years old, tore his Achilles tendon playing badminton. It's been painful watching him slowly recover.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

Yesterday I rode a trail I'd never ridden before. I very sensibly walked the initial steep, rutted drop, then rode the rest. There was one section that snuck up on me, a v-shaped profile to the trail, steep, with a rut running down the middle of the V, and a bunch of loose rocks filling the rut. I was not smooth enough to hold the line on one side of the rut, so I ended up in the rocks wedged in the rut, and they grabbed at the front wheel. I almost had the bars yanked out of my hands but managed to hold on and ride it out. A thrill, sure, but not worth it. My one time on that trail. I take some risks, but it's more important to get home in one piece than have a momentary thrill. My entire lifestyle and outlook on the world are dependent on me being mobile and fit. Walking a stupid rutted section of trail is a small price to pay for maintaining my health.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

eggimann said:


> I just turned 54 and after 25 years away from the sport, I am purchasing a new bike next week and am excited to get back into it.
> 
> I think I'm in the best cardio shape of my life, but you guys considering giving up biking are bumming me out.


Do not listen to those evil demons.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

I don’t bounce as well as I used to and generally approach gnar with less gusto than when I was <50.

Still enjoy getting out for commutes and MTB rides every week and hope that continues... motivation seems to be waning a bit at times lately (mostly due to excessive job BS and lousy sleep quality more than anything else).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Mikhs (May 18, 2006)

If there was a time that something was trying to tell me enough is enough, it would have been this summer. 

Three otb's, non of them doing anything crazy, defined my summer. Two of them left no lingering issues but the last one has me sitting here almost three months post surgery still unable to ride. If that is a sign that I should be hanging up the bike just short of the 60 mark I guess I am a slow learner because that isn't going to happen.

I have resigned myself to the fact that this season is over for me but I use my first spring ride as my motivation to work hard on rehab to make it happen. 

We will see once I get back on the bike if my riding style changes but I don't think it will.
I do like techy stuff and get air where I can, but seeing as two of the otb's were literally just riding along not paying enough attention to the trail and the third was just poor line choice, I can't see changing anything. Except pay more attention.

In any case it will be a long winter but I think I am a long, long way from stepping away from riding my mountain bike. 

My favourite t-shirt says, "I don't ride to add days to my life. I ride to add life to my days."


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

eggimann said:


> I just turned 54 and after 25 years away from the sport, I am purchasing a new bike next week and am excited to get back into it.
> 
> I think I'm in the best cardio shape of my life, but you guys considering giving up biking are bumming me out.


Here, here, screw the debbie downers of the world, embrace your inner child and go have fun!

I read that stuff and it just makes me wanna roll my eyes.

I figure if someone wants to give up, back off, or change their approach to living, well then just do it, but spare the rest of us from the angst that led to your decisions, we don't really care.

In other words: Get a therapist.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Xylx said:


> I went over the bars a month ago and broke my clavicle badly. I'm 64 and have come to the conclusion I'm going to have to give it up. THE DRINKING! Not the mountain biking. Although I now prefer the slow sure-footedness of a fat bike.


Well yeah, drinking and riding is not a great idea no matter what the age, maybe just do them separately


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## Oldmantrails (Oct 16, 2019)

Turning 50 in Feb and in no way shape or form do I have plans to slow down! Yeah when I get hurt it takes longer to heal but that dont mean💩 I get my kicks on the trails! At least some of um'🤣


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## trmn8er (Jun 9, 2011)

*Things keep trying to tell me that I am too old for this %[email protected]&*

Yeah we're not too old. I started MTB around 50 after years of being a roadie in my younger years. I ride quite a bit and at 58 I just finished off 2019 with around 2100 miles of dirt and a lot of climbing. I occasionally race XC and push myself pretty hard.

I will say that after a serious crash New Years Day this week I got fairly jacked up. I have come to realize I need at least light knee and elbow protection. It's not going to stop me from riding. I plan to spin on my trainer as soon as I heal a bit more. I have some nasty pictures to remind me how dangerous this passion can be. Ride on guys!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Oldmantrails said:


> Turning 50 in Feb and in no way shape or form do I have plans to slow down! ...


I certainly didn't have plans to slow down. It eventually happens anyway.


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## Oldmantrails (Oct 16, 2019)

Lone Rager said:


> I certainly didn't have plans to slow down. It eventually happens anyway.


Yeah , I understand that ,but man I certainly hope I can continue for as long as possible. Even if on an ebike.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

I've never been a speed, jumps, or drop Demon so there ain't a lot of backing off or slowing down I'd need to rein in for the mtn bike venue or risk management.

I've gotten in over my head on bikes, motorcycles and skis but that's a span of 50 years skiing, 30 mtn biking and 45 years of trail/moto/road m/cycling. There _were_ jumps drops and speed.
Thinking of 'it' in those terms, and for all the exposure and Bad Day opportunities 4 or 5 decades deal out, I think we are ALL doing pretty good.

My rides are fun adventures and just exactly what I want or make of them. I leave to all others; Make the rides "Yours" to enjoy just the way you wish, maybe pushing the limits of your workout routine or riding the edge of that envelope we all know is waiting to be tested and talked about. 



Crankout said:


> Listen to your body, as it were. Know when to hammer and when to throttle back.


I think this works for me pretty well. The fun and thrills are always there ready to deliver. I pick the angle, speed, timing etc...That skill, talent or reach that I'm willing to test is tempered by an inner voice hunting a rush near but not over the line (hopefully) for mitigating poor outcomes.



WHALENARD said:


> When I show up in the office with significant scabs/bruises/limps/what have you, I get the "you know, you're not the young anymore". This from people that are obese and stare at a computer screen all day. They seem to be genuinely indignant that I keep myself fit and am still excited for life.


Know that feeling - There just is no way of summarizing how mountain biking tends to beget success upon success in a way that keeps a want for challenge and yet the same trails are rarely the same trails in the dynamic of weather and our always changing conditions. The easy-going route one day is a disastrous trap on another. - Probably the day the arm is all bandaged up or in a sling.

People look at us as if we WANT to hurt our condition or were asking for it. :madman: 
I'm going to estimate that count for me to be 3 or 4 in the past 20 plus years though. I'm probably too tame to be much fun. 
Ironic thing is, I spend 20 days a month in a hospital.


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## Oldmantrails (Oct 16, 2019)

Rev Bubba said:


> At 53 you are still too young to say what you won't do when you really are old and I still don't know what really old is but I keep saying old age starts at death and its too late to worry then.
> 
> Just chalk your adventures up to "sh!t happens." You'd be surprised at how fast we still can bounce back when we want. Its amazing what a breakfast of coffee and aspirin can get you though.


Too young..too old , I guess it differs greatly from individual to individual! Genes, luck, lifestyle, all play a part in that . One thing is certain , staying active to the best of our abilities is 100% effective. If you're healthy ,pushing boundaries keeps us young. Seeking those kicks we always enjoy, brings zest to our lives. I realize as we age , it's more difficult to do things with ease but i prefer to keep pushing. I fell in love with mtb'ing and will find it extremely difficult when I have to hang up my bike/bikes. I really hope (pray) like some lucky few.. i can ride well into my 80s with good health.. if GOD or destiny allow me that length of live.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

So am I the only one who feels the same about getting hurt now as they did when they were younger?

I'm not saying I go as big and as fast as I did when I was younger cuz quite honestly, I'm not as strong, fast, or flexible as I once was, but crashing and getting hurt feels the same to me now as it did was when I was younger, ie I fall down, I get hurt, I get up, I heal, I ride on.

I don't like getting hurt, but the trade offs really haven't changed all that much to me.

That said, I did give up stoopid sports, like steep creeking and skiing/boarding. 

The steep creeking just got too hairy and I was worried about drowning, so that went away when I started having kids.

The skiing and boarding thing, well, it was my primary sport for most of my youth and adult life, but the idea of being strapped into something just seems like a good way to destroy my knees; tore my MCL five years ago and gave up serious snow sports.

Mountain biking is my primary adrenaline sport


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

I am nowhere near the MTB rider that I am a skier and therefore couldn't conceive of giving up skiing. I have literally skied my whole life. It isn't just something I do. It is something which defines me. It is a way of living. I tore my ACL last year, had total reconstruction, did major rehab, and am back skiing like normal--like it didn't even happen.

About to put a 1/2 down payment on a new bike. Seems ridiculous to spend $7K on a bike. But the last bike cost almost this much too.

My season pass costs $695. I get a really excellent deal (proform) on ski equipment, so it is a little bit of an inaccurate comparison, but my skis (with 16 or 18 DIN bindings) cost about $650 new for each setup. My boots are about $500 for 140 Lange plug boots with custom footbeds. So with even with 3 or 4 pairs of skis and boots, all my clothing (which I don't get a good deal on), skiing now seems inexpensive to riding good bikes. When did this happen?! Haha!

And no matter how hard the snow is, it is always softer than dirt! At 55 years old, I don't want to loose another 1/2 to 3/4 a year in rehab, so I am more likely to back off on the dirt than I am on the snow when it gets really rowdy.

But we all different. We all have our comfort zones and assess our personal acceptance for risk. Mine changes almost daily regardless of what I am doing and the conditions I am doing it in.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

beastmaster said:


> I am nowhere near the MTB rider that I am a skier and therefore couldn't conceive of giving up skiing. I have literally skied my whole life. It isn't just something I do. It is something which defines me. It is a way of living. I tore my ACL last year, had total reconstruction, did major rehab, and am back skiing like normal--like it didn't even happen.
> 
> About to put a 1/2 down payment on a new bike. Seems ridiculous to spend $7K on a bike. But the last bike cost almost this much too.
> 
> My season pass costs $695. I get a really excellent deal (proform) on ski equipment, so it is a little bit of an inaccurate comparison, but my skis (with 16 or 18 DIN bindings) cost about $650 new for each setup. My boots are about $500 for 140 Lange plug boots with custom footbeds. So with even with 3 or 4 pairs of skis and boots, all my clothing (which I don't get a good deal on), skiing now seems inexpensive to riding good bikes. When did this happen?! Haha!


That's sort of a lopsided comparison, not every skier gets deals on their equipment and not every mountain biker rides a 7K bike. You can get equipped on a pretty good bike for a few grand and maybe a few hundred a year in maintenance expenses. Also everyone I know who skis travels and pays for lodging to play whereas mountain bikers don't. I've no personal experience with it but it seems like it would be difficult to hold down a regular job and ski everyday.

Not saying that mountain biking is cheap, it isn't, but on average I'm guessing it's cheaper than skiing.


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

J.B. Weld said:


> That's sort of a lopsided comparison, not every skier gets deals on their equipment and not every mountain biker rides a 7K bike. You can get equipped on a pretty good bike for a few grand and maybe a few hundred a year in maintenance expenses. Also everyone I know who skis travels and pays for lodging to play whereas mountain bikers don't. I've no personal experience with it but it seems like it would be difficult to hold down a regular job and ski everyday.
> 
> Not saying that mountain biking is cheap, it isn't, but on average I'm guessing it's cheaper than skiing.


As I mentioned, it is a bit of an inaccurate comparison.

But the thrust of what I meant was that we all have risk assessment involved within our choice of sports and abilities in these sports. Riding bikes and skiing can be risky, but they aren't necessarily inherently risky depending on multiple factors. We make choices about risk all the time based on our comfort with the consequences.

You know what I mean, right?


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

beastmaster said:


> As I mentioned, it is a bit of an inaccurate comparison.
> 
> But the thrust of what I meant was that we all have risk assessment involved within our choice of sports and abilities in these sports. Riding bikes and skiing can be risky, but they aren't necessarily inherently risky depending on multiple factors. We make choices about risk all the time based on our comfort with the consequences.
> 
> You know what I mean, right?


It's hard to gauge risk because there's a lot of different ways to "risk" yourself. Most folks will probably agree that dying is the "big risk", which is why I gave up white water kayaking and it's why I don't jump from planes or hang glide.

Next up is life threatening injuries like spinal cord and TBI, which can happen in any sport. FYI, saying that one surface is softer than another is all in the eyes of the beholder. Both of my head injuries were from falls while skiing and trees are trees whether you are skiing or biking.

The risk we're all probably most focused on is injuries that limit physical functioning, such as broken bones, contusions, joint injuries, etc...

All of my serious injuries have come while skiing and boarding: Broken thumb, shattered wrist, broken back, broken ankle, torn MCL. Granted, this was an accumulated list from hundreds of days on snow.

Biking has been a relatively safer sport for me, to date my injuries include: broken rib, broken fingers, various lacerations, tibia fracture, smashed knee, broken foot.

My brother just ruined his knee skiing, fell backwards, binding didn't release, so his momentum pushed his femur forward across the tibia breaking the plateau and tearing pretty much everything. He had surgery last week, he's looking at eight weeks non load bearing, then six months rehab. Yeah, I'll skip that, thank you very much 

But yeah, I get what you mean.

The OP and a fair amount of discussion in this thread is more along the lines of: I'm getting older and I no longer want to get hurt.

This ^ is also totally reasonable and probably a natural response, just so long as it doesn't take away so much of life that life becomes boring.

Retirement is not always good for you


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

Nurse Ben said:


> It's hard to gauge risk because there's a lot of different ways to "risk" yourself. Most folks will probably agree that dying is the "big risk", which is why I gave up white water kayaking and it's why I don't jump from planes or hang glide.
> 
> Next up is life threatening injuries like spinal cord and TBI, which can happen in any sport. FYI, saying that one surface is softer than another is all in the eyes of the beholder. Both of my head injuries were from falls while skiing and trees are trees whether you are skiing or biking.
> 
> ...


I don't agree that dying is the big one.

I would take dying over spinal cord injuries, or a stroke that leaves me incapacitated.

I don't want to be a burden.

Sent from my Armor_3 using Tapatalk


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

rod9301 said:


> I don't agree that dying is the big one.
> 
> I would take dying over spinal cord injuries, or a stroke that leaves me incapacitated.
> 
> ...


I used to work with disabled skiers, taught sit skiing to quadriplegics, blind skiers, single and double amputee, etc...

You won't know what you think about those injuries until they happen to you. Most people chose to live with a disability, it's human nature.

But yeah, being unable to care for yourself is a challenge.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

About a month and a half ago I fell pretty hard on some roots and dislocated some ribs. Then ten minutes later on the same ride, I hit my helmet on a limb and compressed my neck. When I finally got to the chiropractor, it had all been out of place for a couple of weeks so now it's a long road back to pain free. I'm 53. 
I still will do small jumps. No big stuff. No chairlift downhills. I plan on riding til I'm dead.


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## beastmaster (Sep 19, 2012)

Nurse Ben said:


> It's hard to gauge risk because there's a lot of different ways to "risk" yourself. Most folks will probably agree that dying is the "big risk", which is why I gave up white water kayaking and it's why I don't jump from planes or hang glide.
> 
> Next up is life threatening injuries like spinal cord and TBI, which can happen in any sport. FYI, saying that one surface is softer than another is all in the eyes of the beholder. Both of my head injuries were from falls while skiing and trees are trees whether you are skiing or biking.
> 
> ...


I used to race factory Ducatis in Pro Thunder in the AMA in the late '90's and early 2000's. I had some big get offs over the years. The worst was a bad lower leg/ankle break--a 7 inch long plate with 12 screws to hold the fibula together and 6 long screws in a radial arch holding the lower tibia together and the malleolus back on. Some ligament damage too. All that hardware was removed 18 months after the initial surgery. Amazingly, 21 years later I have no residual effect from that accident at all.

I have done other things too, but nothing like what happened to your brother. That is a bad one. Yikes! I wish him well.

This whole thread makes me nervous now! Haha!


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I used to hurt more, then I stopped running and a lot of back pain just vanished. I miss running, but I don’t miss the pain.

My fav thing about mountain biking is that I can do it when I’m sore, when my back hurts, even when I’m literally unable to walk, but I can still ride.

I love bike therapy 😊


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## JMac47 (Apr 23, 2004)

*My default....*

Or excuse anyway..


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

"My fav thing about mountain biking is that I can do it when I’m sore, when my back hurts, even when I’m literally unable to walk, but I can still ride."

Yep. I had to quit running and playing competitive volleyball when my knees gave out, but I can ride til my ass is rubbed raw.


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

cyclelicious said:


> Avoiding pain and injury are smart; avoiding risk is less smart.


Avoiding injury while not avoiding risk is purely a matter of luck, by definition.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

andytiedye said:


> Avoiding injury while not avoiding risk is purely a matter of luck, by definition.


Not necessarily, calculated risks can pay big dividends.


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

andytiedye said:


> Avoiding injury while not avoiding risk is purely a matter of luck, by definition.


No, the secret to avoiding risk is to minimize reliance on luck.

I used to crash quite a bit, it was normal back in the dark ages and I didn't really care if I got some cuts and scrapes, so I kept riding like a doofus.

Then I finally started breaking bones, that's when I pulled back and started working at expanding my skills by working within my capabilities instead of from the outside...which has made me a better rider at 51 than I ever was.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result...that applies to riding as well. If something goes wrong, don't do it again without figuring out why it went wrong, and remember it's probably your fault.


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## rmac (Oct 26, 2004)

I am trying and failing to minimize MTB injuries at 58. I have face planted (among other injuries) a couple of times in the last couple of years and wondered why I haven’t been able to get my forearms out in front of me. I have put it down to slower reaction times and have recently bought one of the Bell helmets with the removeable chin guard. I have a couple of rides on it and noticed my confidence increasing and worry decreasing (probably a bad thing!). I armor up on every ride.

I am OK not going full speed over tech terrain anymore and am enjoying working on technical skills – there are several sections of trail that I have cleaned for the first time in the last year by improving my track stand, endo turn and hop turns. Honestly this has been more satisfying than the high speed rush style of riding. There is still some risk in these, but I am expecting to have to do an emergency dismount when working on them and so am more prepared for it than my usually JRA crashes (honestly, I endoed into some rocks going slowly UPHILL a couple of weeks ago – sheesh). 

I am also working on slow speed drops (which require some (lacking) manual skills) and I practice a lot on grass and very small drops. I am building up very slowly – no rush to get over my head.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

^Right on... speed is the crutch of youth.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

bsieb said:


> ^Right on... speed is the crutch of youth.


What? You mean amphetamines?


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## andytiedye (Jul 26, 2014)

Nurse Ben said:


> That's kind of boring, sorta like using a walker to get around
> 
> I just got back from Moab, rode with a buddy who's about to turn sixty, he's not in poor health, but he is now "officially" retired and I kinda wonder if that explains his recent change in motivation.
> 
> ...


Sounds like the motivation is still there, but his body can't deliver anymore. Who wouldn't be frustrated?
If he had _decided_ to back off, he wouldn't be struggling.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

andytiedye said:


> Sounds like the motivation is still there, but his body can't deliver anymore. Who wouldn't be frustrated?
> If he had _decided_ to back off, he wouldn't be struggling.


Or this:


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Push your limits, and one day you'll find them.

All your tomorrows rides depends on decisions you make when you ride today.


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Velobike said:


> Push your limits, and one day you'll find them.
> 
> All your tomorrows rides depends on decisions you make when you ride today.


Reason I never took flying lessons, I have a bad habit of doing that.

At a point pushing limits seemed self defeating as a strategy for a long happy future.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

... or don't push your limits, never approach your potential, and all your tomorrows will be decided.

I used to think that limits were something that could be known; I know better now.



Velobike said:


> Push your limits, and one day you'll find them.
> 
> All your tomorrows rides depends on decisions you make when you ride today.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

No, I think he gave up pushing limits after he decide to remarry and retire, he even admitted as much.

I suspect he could get fit if he chose to do so, but he's just not motivated.

When we first started riding together he kept talking about getting fit so he could ride faster and longer, but the talk never turned into action.

He never calls anymore so I think he's decided.

Kinda sad, he's a good guy with good skills, he just needs fitness.



andytiedye said:


> Sounds like the motivation is still there, but his body can't deliver anymore. Who wouldn't be frustrated?
> If he had _decided_ to back off, he wouldn't be struggling.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Nurse Ben said:


> ... or don't push your limits, never approach your potential, and all your tomorrows will be decided.


I used to play chicken with my mates on motorbikes when I was young. Head on and flat out. I always won, so I realised I had reached my maximum potential. The only worry was would one of the other guys... 

So I learned then not to push achieving maximum potential until something breaks. Good enough does the trick.


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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

beastmaster said:


> I am nowhere near the MTB rider that I am a skier and therefore couldn't conceive of giving up skiing. I have literally skied my whole life. It isn't just something I do. It is something which defines me. It is a way of living. I tore my ACL last year, had total reconstruction, did major rehab, and am back skiing like normal--like it didn't even happen.
> 
> About to put a 1/2 down payment on a new bike. Seems ridiculous to spend $7K on a bike. But the last bike cost almost this much too.
> 
> ...


By golly I hear you on that one. Skied my whole life, I took up mountain biking at your age. 
I ski at the D team level for technique but no way do I have the body to take advantage of that. My problem skiing is my neck and head from g loading. To easy to get to much and end up with whiplash symptoms. I currently ski with a Knee binding, mostly on a pair of Stokli Lazer AX's

Had to back off mountain biking or get killed. I could flow effortlessly, I could put the bike way over at will. The problem was I was skiing in my head not biking and you cannot clear a tree or close terrain simply by moving the inside hand in. The GD handle bars are still out there. Yup that's right, whappp and off into the poison ivy sliding on my forearms. No tendency to brace with my arms. Not far to fall when you have the bike way over. No hand injuries but trails are not snow covered. Damn, six times before I decided the change. The other problem with flow for me was rolling into a turn before I had cleared a skinny; twice. I had to be back off that approach to mountain biking. I knew I had better never ride a chairlift up with a bike. currently riding a Titanium e fat bike like an old man. The S-Works Stumpy 27.5 sits.


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## colbatguano (Jul 9, 2014)

I'm closing on 60 and my strategy has been to just keep rotating sports to accommodate whatever body part isn't working well anymore. I gave up BJJ at 55 and now focus on enduro-style riding. My last BJJ injury was a blown ACL but when I saw the ortho for it they found that the ACL and the MCL were blown in both knees and recommended that I forgo surgery and start acting my age. 

If my plan works out I'll wear out my last ligament a few days before my heart stops.


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

I went on a pretty vigorous (for me) mountain bike ride on Saturday morning--lots of climbing, some rocky descents, some hike-a-bike, the usual stuff. Tired the rest of the day, but OK. Sunday morning headed out for a ride on my road bike. I looked back over my left shoulder for cars and then snap, I pulled something in my back. Almost couldn't finish the ride. That's the second time something like that has happened in the past six months. Will I pack it in and never ride again? Of course not. But I know better than to think I'll be able to push limits with impunity. I can't deny that my physical limits are way, way more apparent than they were even a few years ago. I want to ride for the rest of my life, so I ride accordingly. Actually, to put it another way, after watching several relatives outlive the ability to walk, I would say my real goal is to be able to walk when I'm old. I'm wise enough, finally, to know that this will mean more to me than going a little bit faster on a trail at age 56.

There's one thing that's real clear to me
No one dies with dignity
We just try to ignore the elephant somehow


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## rob214 (Apr 18, 2019)

screw the age limits, one friend is 77 and still riding moto trials, one friend is 77 and still road biking and mtb biking and just healed up from his third broken collarbone (with surgery). you don't need to be on great shape to ride but you need to be in great shape to crash. the older you get the more you need to work on strength and flexibility. I'm still doing all the off road stuff I can and after I get my knees replaced I'll be back at it again. I do ride with more caution than I used to but I'm still chasing the young guys around the woods trying to keep up and crashing is part of the game. I'm healing up from a crash two weeks ago and I'm riding the road bike until I can get on the mtb bike. just remember you could fall while in the shower and be worse off. oh I'm 58, I've raced mx, moto trials, jet skis and sports cars.


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## Weinerts (Feb 3, 2011)

I just bought a bike for my 74 year old father in law last year. He used to crush us all when he was 50 on an old creaky crank Nishiki. 

He loves riding it around the hills in Alpine, CA where his other daughter lives. 

I just turned 50, and am building a bmx bike (that is from the 80s) so i can ride the pump track in south San Diego. I have been riding it on my Trials bike but I want to try to get more air.. bmx it is. I also want to ride in the skate parks around here. 

It is never to old to learn things - however workouts are more like rehab than workouts... and I will never dead lift over 400 again. But I am fine with that.


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

I'll be 65 in 2 weeks. I separated my shoulder in April, went to the doc for it in July (and found a rotator injury to boot) but better now with PT. I've been on MTB since the 90s, raced DH with rim brakes, that stuff, and have a mountain of ER receipts to prove it lol. Since starting back up I've felt pretty good on the rocky, rooty New England trails. Note most of my injuries have involved speed and/or jumps. OK actually not jumps, landings. But I was cleaning the local technical trail rides and feeling quite proud till I rode with my 24 year old son today. Man he dropped me like a bad prom date, and I realized that the aging process has lowered the bar for me. We 're hitting a bike park this weekend, I have not been on these bermed machine made trails with jumps though he tells me the trails I ride beat him up worse than those. I'm prepared for embarrassment. I have no need to launch off stuff, especially before my follow up with the ortho. So am I too old for this *#&#^ ? I say it depends on what )(*Y& you're talking about. High speeds and air time, I'm gonna say I'm too old because injury takes me out of other things I enjoy for too long now. Old school technical trails I will ride till I can't and I'm sure my body will let me know.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I’m fifty-five, my son is twenty-four and my son in law is twenty-nine, both are capable riders, and I handily destroy them up and down 🤣

Some day they may catch me, but it’s gonna take some doing....

I just love kicking young folks’ arses!


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## Ft.Rock (May 7, 2020)

After a couple brutal local rides took the 24yo to the bike park and I am happy to say that even though I could barely get on my bike due to back pain, once on the bike he did not smoke me as expected lol. First time on machine built trails and I have to say they are much kinder on the body than my old school stuff. Even hit a jump trail though I only hit a few and avoided gaps. Maybe there is hope...


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## 6D ATB-1T EVO (Jul 13, 2010)

I also was 55 once.
Think it was 20 years ago.

Whatever king of bike you ride and enjoy it continue.

I do.






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