# how fast is your fast? are you still pushing? how do you know how hard to push?



## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

do you expect to ride with some out of control moments in order to be going fast?


i like to ride as hard as i can safely ride. it feels great to push a little.

but i dont want to let any mistakes in. if i feel out of control then ive done something wrong and i need to improve my technique.

im still getting better as a rider so... fwiw. i cant be that awesome. i am pretty sure video evidence would prove quite humbling and demonstrate some definite bad habits.


how has your summer been going? got any wisdom to share?


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

My fastest is when I am sharp and in the zone hitting my lines without fear. On those days I am precise and ride well and have flow. I'm pushing hard but i'm in control. 

I have a few strava segments of favourite parts of track locally. I know I am doing well if I can beat me. 

When i'm into some out of control moments that is not the time I beat me. 

PS Its spring in this hemisphere.


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

I have increasingly less interest in crashing, the sore knee or hand for a week or two is bad enough: A guy I race with (who does crash more than most of us, but is REALLY fast, -we're both early 50s) just broke his collarbone in a mtb race crash. I'd really like to avoid that. I'm slowing down a little bit on purpose. I think that the more you ride, you get a better feel for where the edge is, but of course there's always some risk doing anything active and fun, I'm trying to 'turn it down' just a bit.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

I just try to keep it in the smooth zone these days.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

As the years pass by, my technical skills improve. My endurance is not what it once was but it is good depending on how often I ride. My interest in getting through a segment faster and faster has all but faded. I am not a long distance rider. I like to stop and smell the roses and that drives my strava friends absolutely nuts.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

I have ridden a particular flow trail 3 times this year.
1st time was me remembering it. So, conservative, not fast. ...and only a little out of control.
2nd time was with a big group, including some legit racers. I didn't want to hold up those guys so I sent it, full-on. I also actually remembered the trail. I was 98% perfect all the way. I had to wait for those other guys for several minutes.
3rd time was a chill ride. I went fast where it's easy to go fast, but I was not pushing it much at all.

I also did a MTB time trial a few weeks ago. Going fast, on purpose instead of for fun, is really hard. I had a very good race (pace, line choice, overall bike handling): 4th place 40+ sport men. But as "fast" as I was compared to myself, I had zero chance at the podium. They were over a minute ahead of me.

So it is relative. I enjoy pushing it, and I often do well when I do, but I don't live there. Either my luck or my skilz will run out.

-F

PS - If I do make a mistake, I feel better if I know what/why I did it. Then maybe I'll be better next time.


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## LVLBTY (Jul 15, 2020)

I like to think I push myself every time I'm out. The reality of it is that sometimes I'm connected and sometimes I just can't find the lines. Those are the days that scare me! At 58 years young, my goal is to have as much fun as possible and always come home in one piece.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

I use the road bike for eyeball poppin efforts....on trail if I am feeling it I'll motor sure but no longer
do all-out tunnel vision on trail....unless it's kinda safe then of course dig deep. but sustained max
power the road is where it's at


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## JPSeuropa (Jul 12, 2010)

I don't intentionally push when I am riding by myself. Some days I figure I am just going to go out and burn some calories and find myself flying through sections. Other days its just a calorie burn. If I am riding with a group, I try to do the best I can...I know I am not going to be passing the 20 year olds, but I want to be respectable and I usually can. At 69 YO, I still have a pretty big motor that can run for hours so sometimes its just wait for them to get tired and then things are all evened up. If the group heads for the places in the woods where they are jumping gaps, count me out. It just takes too long to heal.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

My rides can often be described as bursts of speed between photo taking opportunities. Of course, speed is relative and I am by no means the fastest person on the mountain. Also, the illusion of speed is greater because I don't ride full suspension bikes. At 55 I am not getting any KOMs, but still setting some PRs.


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## Mountainfrog (Mar 7, 2006)

At 67 YO I'm riding solo most of the time so I keep it conservative. I still go fast on the steeps but I keep it within my limits because there is nobody around to ask "Are you alright?" The remainder of the time I ride my ride, pace myself as to how I'm feeling that day, and smell the flowers along the way. I'll pause now and then to practice skills to stay sharp. No hurries, no worries. The only person I have to impress is myself.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

I no longer aim for completing a segment as quickly as possible (“fastest”) but rather I try to ride cleanly and smoothly (i.e., No dabs, no bobbles, no pedal strikes, precise lines, etc.). I also honestly don’t care if someone else rides a trail faster than I do. I like challenging myself with increasing trail difficulty instead of speed (although I do like ripping down a trail at high speed).


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

I've reeled in the pace and super techy riding lately for a couple of reasons:

1. I seem to be doing stupid sorts of things more often (low speed dumb crashes) and it takes me longer to recover. I'd rather burn calories on a frequent basis to keep the jelly belly in check rather than being laid up injured and fattening up.

2. 120mm/100mm FS travel w/o dropper has some limitations where I ride. Not interested in getting more than probably 130mm travel because I'd just start pushing the envelope again. Also don't want to put a dropper on because then I'd want the same on some of my other bikes haha

For years I've worn a BT HRM on ~25% of my rides (and reviewed stats afterward) to give me a good idea of how to identify various levels of output without looking devices. I'm happy maintaining an averge heart rate ~130 or less on half day or longer rides with a healthy amount of climbing.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

I'll turn 68 in a couple months. I never expected to be riding like I do at this age. I feel so lucky.
No, I'm not as fast as I was 10 or 20 years ago, but I actually spend a lot more time in the air today than I did back then.
Bike geo is better, safer today. Suspension is way better. Brakes are better. *I'm* not better, but I use today's amazing equipment to offset my degrading body.
As for outright speed, I'm simply not into it anymore. Oh I still go fast, just don't take chances at speed like I used to -- the penalty for failure is too high for these ol' bones.
I've broken a few over the years... hopefully done doing that.
Here's a GPS track from a few days ago: Smith / Catamount
=sParty


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## Preston67 (Mar 20, 2008)

Riding without crashing, "finding the edge" is always a challenge at any age over 30. Most of my crashes in the last few years were "surprises" ie everything is going great until it isn't, as opposed to when you know you're taking chances. I would say I almost never ride out of control anymore. Just for the record I regularly make podium in our local Enduro and DH races, but am definitely not actually fast (I went to an EWS qualifier and a BME and did poorly although they were fun and I rode competently. Those tracks are no joke either). 

What I have found is I have a lot more days when I just don't have it, and the real wisdom is slowing down on those days. I also live in the PNW and it is wet a lot of the time, and many of our local trails are actually quite treacherous. Even though I've been riding the wet my whole life lately there are a lot of times I feel more intimidated than I used to be by it - and our trails seem to get gnarlier all the time.
The answer is always the same, although its easy to forget it - slow down !! Get in the flow, enjoy the ride. The speed will come back. 
I often say to myself "Just ride beautifully". or "Just ride well". If the speed is there that day it will come.


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

On some of the downhill segments on my local trails I will often surprise myself and get a PB when I'm not pushing hard but riding smooth and in control the whole segment. When pushing hard it's difficult to remain mistake free through a whole long segment. Usually my PBs come after pushing a segment hard several times then riding the segment smooth and in control.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

I have never liked to fall off of my bike, but I used to take more chances than I do now. I've had close calls that could have really been bad, but mostly made it through. At my age I want to have fun and stay fit, but not break things. I quit mountain bike racing, except for the easier roadie or gravel type stuff.

My worst injury lately has been pulling an intercostal muscle while bending over in my chair at work to tie my boot, and that effer hurt.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I still like to push myself but won't take lines, etc that put me in too much peril. I'm getting older but still need to feel the rush of hard exertion.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

nOOky said:


> I have never liked to fall off of my bike, but I used to take more chances than I do now. I've had close calls that could have really been bad, but mostly made it through. At my age I want to have fun and stay fit, but not break things. I quit mountain bike racing, except for the easier roadie or gravel type stuff.
> 
> My worst injury lately has been pulling an intercostal muscle while bending over in my chair at work to tie my boot, and that effer hurt.


I've taken to gravel and love it. There's still plenty of room to push yourself and take some reasonable chances on some of the terrain we ride and race, particularly on steep, sketchy downhill sections and techy double or singletrack. The latter is where my MTB skills allow me to pass the roadie fellas.


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## Eric F (May 25, 2021)

I no longer have the desire to be the fastest jackass on the hill, and returning home to my family unbroken is a high priority. I feel like my bike handling skills allow me to roll pretty quickly on trails I'm familiar with, and ride some pretty challenging technical sections, while staying pretty close to my comfort zone. That said, I choose to ride a hardtail 26er singlespeed partly because it is somewhat limiting, and demands a different approach to terrain.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

I ride within my comfort zone 99%, but I'm pretty comfortable on the edge a lot of the time. I know some of my less experienced friends think I ride on the edge all the time. After 30 yrs of this, I'm pretty good at reading the trail, and understanding what will happen when I hit it. Knowing where the lines are, where the traction is, what the speed should be, and what's above my pay grade.


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## Prognosticator (Feb 15, 2021)

I've crashed hard twice in the last month. I am recovering from a huge hematoma on my hip that I got when I went down hard on some slippery off-camber rocks after a slight rain event. I currently have a large and painful hematoma on my forearm that is finally reabsorbing after looking like a golf ball after I went down in a corner so fast I still had my hands on the bars when I hit roots. The other scrapes and scratches make me look like I've been attached by a mountain lion.

It's part and parcel of riding in the south's damp conditions.

Recently one of my employees saw my wounds and asked me about them. I told her what happened and she said, That's so cool.

I looked at her confusedly and she said, It's not cool that you're injured but it's cool that you're injured riding your mountain bike at your age.

Fifty-four doesn't seem worthy of that comment but it made me feel pretty good nonetheless.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

lots of great comments. glad to see. 

thanks every one.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I'm training for a DH race in October. I only race to win. I'm competing in the single speed class on a full rigid bike. It should be interesting. Keyesville BTW.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

In the spirit of stopping more often to smell the roses and/or take a photo, I never would have stopped 10 years ago, two-thirds of the way up a one hour climb to snap this:


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

kosmo said:


> In the spirit of stopping more often to smell the roses and/or take a photo, I never would have stopped 10 years ago, two-thirds of the way up a one hour climb to snap this:
> 
> View attachment 1947509


I'm picturing my tent at the crest of the meadow...
=sParty


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## Super E (Nov 5, 2004)

At 59 my favorite ride is still on a rigid single speed. So picking the right line at speed is a skill that a lot of people just don’t have these days. That said I do not ride beyond my means since crashing hurts too much. I also have a full suss bike that gobbles up rough downhills but again I ride in control.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Super E said:


> At 59 my favorite ride is still on a rigid single speed. So picking the right line at speed is a skill that a lot of people just don't have these days. That said I do not ride beyond my means since crashing hurts too much. I also have a full suss bike that gobbles up rough downhills but again I ride in control.


At 76 rigid single speeds are what I ride. For at least the last 40 years I've been telling people that is the ultimate piece of exercise equipment - or it is for lazy types like me who don't like training or exercise.

You get all the benefits of exercise just by having fun and your core stays in good shape.

Keep it up, and ditch the bouncy geared bike.


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## Super E (Nov 5, 2004)

Velobike said:


> At 76 rigid single speeds are what I ride. For at least the last 40 years I've been telling people that is the ultimate piece of exercise equipment - or it is for lazy types like me who don't like training or exercise.
> 
> You get all the benefits of exercise just by having fun and your core stays in good shape.
> 
> Keep it up, and ditch the bouncy geared bike.


Yep, no doubt about it - riding a SS is a full body workout on every ride. Personally I find the rigid SS the most challenging fun!


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Velobike said:


> At 76 rigid single speeds are what I ride. For at least the last 40 years I've been telling people that is the ultimate piece of exercise equipment - or it is for lazy types like me who don't like training or exercise.
> 
> You get all the benefits of exercise just by having fun and your core stays in good shape.
> 
> Keep it up, and ditch the bouncy geared bike.


I salute you, sir. 
=sParty


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I ride within my limits/skills. I have no desire to take it beyond my abilities.
I guess that's why women outlive men.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

cyclelicious said:


> I ride within my limits/skills. I have no desire to take it beyond my abilities.
> I guess that's why women outlive men.


Nailed it!
=s


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

"I guess that's why women outlive men."

Oh no, no, no, no! That's just one of many.


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## ssjimbo (Dec 6, 2016)

I still push it at 52 and can crack the top 5-10 on downhills in my area on a hardtail, so I'm happy with that. I find that what really helps me push it is that I don't panic when I get to a tricky part of trail. I've been riding so long that I just trust that I can ride out of whatever I ride into (or stop before it goes too far south) and it works. I've been in southern NM for almost 3 months and I've only gone down once and that was pretty minor. Like someone above said, I think I'm a better skilled rider than I've ever been and that combined with a hardtail with a fairly modern geo makes me as fast going down as I've ever been. Going up, I've definitely slowed a bit, but I feel like I can still put up a fight when I'm on top of my game.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

ive ridden just over 125km this past 7 days. 30kmm, 30km, 5km ish, 30km, 13.4+17km.

so there is also that kind of push as well.

lungs, heart, mind feel great, behind is getting a little sore!

after pushing hard with any type of training or skills building, or just chasing a trail on the edge, sometimes its nice to dial it back a bit and feel how well things are at a slightly easier pace. tonight was such a ride. things just clicked. lots of confidence and energy when and where needed!


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Pushing, Strava etc. To delete the fun factor and pleasure of riding bikes is just not my cup of tea... Call it a "workout", I better be able to pass an invoice for the time spent! 

It sure is no chore. It is an opportunity to enjoy some time away from slaving over hot engines and such.
Do I roll on the throttle, well, yaaaa. The one speed automatic with the pithy attitude sees to that as do the geared bikes in the collection. 
Pleasures are many. Hitting a trail with plenty of elevation gain is at hand and level ground must be imported. Taking the ride with a singlespeed is a great way to keep the endurance in check, while keeping the cardiologist at bay. Makes a rider strongfast! I do not evar view it that way since that puts the job in and removes the fun. Target cadence range is always good for that comfort zone effect.
One of my haunts is a collection of punchy ascents, descents along with some wide open throttle sections that are worthy of the ride it like the cops are on yer arse. 

Med cocktail arrived this past week to continue the blood cancer treatment. My bikes are in full on therapist mode, once again! They are going to be part of kicking this to the curb. As this thing gets in full swing, I will do everything I can to keep a bicycle in motion while the treatment is ongoing... Never give up, never give in... Trying to keep the positive outlook is the easy part. Getting in motion, well, time will tell. Buuutt... I cannot give in, sure the sofa is there but my bike said it is time for therapy! Off on another adventure... 

Keeping on cause my bike is doing the pushing.

Cycleicious has a sig line that says it succinctly! Thankya for that, by the way.


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## mnpikey (Sep 18, 2017)

I'm 50 and push it every day. Riding more now than I ever have. More rides, longer rides, and still getting faster. Have been riding since 1995 on and off.

Combo of MTB and gravel riding every week. I seem to be gravitating towards longer endurance rides too, maybe due to age? Signed up and completed many 100 mile MTB and gravel rides this summer and fall here in MN. Lutsen 99er, Unbound Gravel, Heck of the North, Dirtbag 50, Filthy 50, Belgium Waffle Ride.... lots of ground rides too with varying ages to push myself and average MPH. Try and hit 18-20 mpg average on gravel and 12mpg on most MTB singletrack around here.

On track for 5,000+ miles this year per Strava and have been hitting 120-130 miles per week the last several months. I have a few friends, similar age, that will hit triple that for the year so I have no delusions about where I sit in the pecking order. No "wasted" miles riding, always full on, hard pedaling and heart rates into the 170s (at times). Hope to stay health and keep riding at least 100 miles per week for years to come!


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

mnpikey said:


> I'm 50 and push it every day. Riding more now than I ever have. More rides, longer rides, and still getting faster. Have been riding since 1995 on and off.
> 
> Combo of MTB and gravel riding every week. I seem to be gravitating towards longer endurance rides too, maybe due to age? Signed up and completed many 100 mile MTB and gravel rides this summer and fall here in MN. Lutsen 99er, Unbound Gravel, Heck of the North, Dirtbag 50, Filthy 50, Belgium Waffle Ride.


Keep it rolling! My strongest 100 mile racing years were from 50 - 52 (though I did get a late start to the game).


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

kosmo said:


> Keep it rolling! My strongest 100 mile racing years were from 50 - 52 (though I did get a late start to the game).


Likewise. I began racing 100 milers at 47 and by 57 I was pretty much toast.
But I'm talking that distance & elevation at that speed.
I'm delighted to say that cycling seems to be a sport that an older person can thrive at.
Speaking of my experience, at 67 I'm still able to be active 5-6 days a week unless I'm doing consecutive long/hard days. Then I have to tone it down to 3-4 days a week.
That said, my "long/hard" day used to be 40-60 miles. Now it's 20-25+, depending on elevation gain.
Just grateful to be out in the woods on my bike having fun.
I'm appalled at how many people my age I see who're inactive, overweight & suffering mobility issues. Too many people don't seem to be aware of the life choices they're making at the time they're making them. Then one day it's too late. What a horrific realization that must be.
I'm so lucky that I fell in love with cycling around age 16. No one ever told me that I should ride a bike. No one ever had to. No one could have kept me from doing it.
=sParty


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## peterk123 (Oct 10, 2005)

I'm 54. I recently moved from Massachusetts to Montana. Sold my Stumpy before moving out here and finally got my hands on a new bike, a Norco Sight A1. The bike is ridiculous. The trails here are ridiculous. I was riding Mountain to Meadows in Big Sky last week. As I am flying down the trail (at least flying for me), I thought to myself, "if I clip a tree I'm done". Life is good


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

I ride as hard as I am comfortable with and it varies with different trail systems. I prefer large drops, technical, rocky as hell terrain and lots of climbing while at the same time not a big fan of a lot of smooth single track or jumps-some are alright. I also would prefer a longer ride than a faster ride most days of the week.


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

Tightwad Trumps Smooth Story: Yesterday, while riding on near-perfect dirt, I felt my THREE YEAR OLD front tire give a bit, first on a left, then on a right, then I low-sided with no ill effects.

Didn't matter that I was riding at the smooth pace. Time to make that old shoe a summer rear tire!


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

kosmo said:


> Tightwad Trumps Smooth Story: Yesterday, while riding on near-perfect dirt, I felt my THREE YEAR OLD front tire give a bit, first on a left, then on a right, then I low-sided with no ill effects.
> 
> Didn't matter that I was riding at the smooth pace. Time to make that old shoe a summer rear tire!


You da man. We each go our own way, eh. For safety's sake I run the sharpest knobs I can. I've got at least a dozen NIB tires in the closet, collected due to COVID lack-of-supply fears. Meanwhile I've probably got 6-8 perfectly good (although narrower, 2.2-2.4") older tires in a bin in the shed collected from the days when I was a tire tester for Maxxis. I've saved them to give to friends or who knows what other reason. Kosmo, let me know if you want any of the latter -- personally I don't run anything narrower than 2.6" anymore. Be aware that you might get stuck with Ardents, CSTs, whatnots... 
=sParty


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## kosmo (Oct 27, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> You da man.
> 
> For safety's sake I run the sharpest knobs I can. I've got at least a dozen NIB tires in the closet,...
> =sParty


Thanks, Sparty! First dang time on the deck this year. So close.

Doubly embarrassing, because I'm in the same boat as you with new tires. Plenty of new ones.......in fact, I'm mounting one up _right now_!


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Sparticus said:


> You da man. We each go our own way, eh. For safety's sake I run the sharpest knobs I can. I've got at least a dozen NIB tires in the closet, collected due to COVID lack-of-supply fears. Meanwhile I've probably got 6-8 perfectly good (although narrower, 2.2-2.4") older tires in a bin in the shed collected from the days when I was a tire tester for Maxxis. I've saved them to give to friends or who knows what other reason. Kosmo, let me know if you want any of the latter -- personally I don't run anything narrower than 2.6" anymore. Be aware that you might get stuck with Ardents, CSTs, whatnots...
> =sParty


Collecting tires instead of toilet paper, nice!

Got any DHF 29 x 2.5 WT


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Nurse Ben said:


> Got any DHF 29 x 2.5 WT


I sure do, Ben.
=sParty


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## Eric F (May 25, 2021)

I ride for different reasons than I used to. I'm not trying to be the fastest jackass on the hill any more. Sure, I still like the sensation of moving over the ground quickly, and handling terrain at a speed, but I don't push against the limits of my abilities the way I did when I wasn't as concerned about my personal structural integrity. Part of the reason why my MTB of choice right now is an old hardtail singlespeed is that it does limit my velocity. It makes the challenge of riding about brute strength and interacting with the terrain in a way that's different than a squishy go-fast bike. The only speed I really pay attention to is climbs. I use Strava uphill segments just as a measure of my fitness. I'm really not concerned about beating other people...except this one guy, Mike. I always want to beat Mike.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Eric F said:


> I ride for different reasons than I used to. I'm not trying to be the fastest jackass on the hill any more. Sure, I still like the sensation of moving over the ground quickly, and handling terrain at a speed, but I don't push against the limits of my abilities the way I did when I wasn't as concerned about my personal structural integrity. Part of the reason why my MTB of choice right now is an old hardtail singlespeed is that it does limit my velocity. It makes the challenge of riding about brute strength and interacting with the terrain in a way that's different than a squishy go-fast bike. The only speed I really pay attention to is climbs. I use Strava uphill segments just as a measure of my fitness. I'm really not concerned about beating other people...except this one guy, Mike. I always want to beat Mike.


That's cool. I mean, it is. Whatever keeps you going on the bike. This is true for anyone -- whatever brings the smiles.
Me? I typically climb as slow as I want, which is often just a relaxed pace. I mean, I'm retired so whatever. The faster I go, the less time I spend in the forest and the forest is the place I love to be. So I typically don't hurry the cilmb.
But when the trail turns down, I go with the flow.
I'm not talking about "flow trail." Can't say that I actually even know just what a "flow trail" is. I just mean I seek out the trail's personality, character or whatever you want to call it and then make like a chameleon and work myself into that particular trail's mode so that I blend with the trail's intention as much as possible. Sometimes the "flow" of a trail is rock gardens & roots, sometimes it's switchbacks or bowl berms, sometimes it's long sight lines and high speed. I just want to milk the most I can out of whatever a given trails offers so I have to figure that trail's personality out. When I get to the bottom, if I'm smiling and worked, then I'm a happy camper. But in any case I can't lie -- I pay my climbing dues mainly for the payoff -- the descent. And for me, the payoff isn't necessarily going as fast as I can, it's squeezing every bit of fun and entertainment I can out of a trail.
I can't deny this technique is typically optimized at the highest {safe} speed a trail allows.
As my riding buddy Ken likes to say, "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much room."
=sParty


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## Eric F (May 25, 2021)

Sparticus said:


> That's cool. I mean, it is. Whatever keeps you going on the bike. This is true for anyone -- whatever brings the smiles.
> Me? I typically climb as slow as I want, which is often just a relaxed pace. I mean, I'm retired so whatever. The faster I go, the less time I spend in the forest and the forest is the place I love to be. So I typically don't hurry the cilmb.
> But when the trail turns down, I go with the flow.
> I'm not talking about "flow trail." Can't say that I actually even know just what a "flow trail" is. I just mean I seek out the trail's personality, character or whatever you want to call it and then make like a chameleon and work myself into that particular trail's mode so that I blend with the trail's intention as much as possible. Sometimes the "flow" of a trail is rock gardens & roots, sometimes it's switchbacks or bowl berms, sometimes it's long sight lines and high speed. I just want to milk the most I can out of whatever a given trails offers so I have to figure that trail's personality out. When I get to the bottom, if I'm smiling and worked, then I'm a happy camper. But in any case I can't lie -- I pay my climbing dues mainly for the payoff -- the descent. And for me, the payoff isn't necessarily going as fast as I can, it's squeezing every bit of fun and entertainment I can out of a trail.
> ...


It sounds like we're pretty much on the same page. One thing about riding a singlespeed is that sometimes you don't have a choice to take it slow and easy on a climb. The grade and the gearing demand a big effort just to keep moving forward. I don't always climb with the intent to set PRs, but when I feel spicy, I still get satisfaction from digging into my fitness to see what my body can do. Many years of racing (mostly on the road) developed a mindset where EVERY ride was about training to go faster. Suffering was the point. After a long break from my bikes, I have a different mindset about riding now. I'm learning how to ride for the fun of it, not the suffering of it. That said, sometimes going fast IS the fun part.


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Eric F said:


> Suffering was the point.


Ha ha, yeah. From age 47 to 58 I spent about a decade riding singlespeed almost exclusively so I recall the feeling. It's a good feeling, isn't it. At least it was at the time -- I'm not there anymore.

It's been said that youth is wasted on the young but some of us are lucky enough to exploit our spirit and ability to feel like an exception to that axiom. Get it while you can, eh.
=sParty


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## Eric F (May 25, 2021)

Sparticus said:


> Ha ha, yeah. From age 47 to 58 I spent about a decade riding singlespeed almost exclusively so I recall the feeling. It's a good feeling, isn't it. At least it was at the time -- I'm not there anymore.
> 
> It's been said that youth is wasted on the young but some of us are lucky enough to exploit our spirit and ability to feel like an exception to that axiom. Get it while you can, eh.
> =sParty


I'm finding that I enjoy the different kind of effort that SS requires - more of a brute strength exercise - compared to what I know from the road. It has definitely become more fun as my strength and endurance for those kinds of efforts has improved. At 53, I'm never going to have fitness I had in my early-30s, but I'm having more fun now simply because fun is the intent. At some point, I might get myself a new(er), geared MTB, but I'm not in a hurry to do so.


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## 2021Mach6 (Jan 19, 2021)

I ride mostly bike parks and speed isn't something I've ever aspired to do. The trail usually dictates the needed speed, and so long as I'm riding smooth and not casing jumps, I don't go any faster than necessary. That's why I still prefer 27.5 to 29.


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## oldcolonial (Aug 28, 2018)

There are bold pilots and bold pilots, but no bold old pilots. Might also hold for mountain biking. As life's other commitments have become more important and my ability to recover and heal have been withering away so has my desire to ride fast and take chances. I a whole lot more calculated and careful to consider consequences than I used to be.


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## ZX11 (Dec 24, 2020)

It is also said with pilots/flight, "Speed is life."


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## Blue Dot Trail (May 30, 2018)

I never cared about being “fast” or “pushing it”. I’ve never tracked my ride speed or monitored my heart rate, ever (in 33+ years). I ride because I enjoy it and I like being outside. I like naturally technical trails and have zero desire to ride ”bike parks” or do big jumps. 90% of the time I’m out in the woods all by myself. There’s nobody to impress. I just zone out and enjoy the terrain and the trees. If I’m feeling it, I blaze the downhill. If I feel tired, I take breaks. No worries. Most important part is that I’m out there.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I posted in this thread a month ago. Since then I've crashed twice at speed, receiving a hairline crack in my patella and rupturing my Achilles tendon. I'm good to go and am doing a DH race in two weeks but healing in my early 50s sucks. If that's not bad enough, I started skating pools again.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

Like the chatter.

I have been hesitant to say it since the snow hasnt hit the ground yet. But neither have I. Yeah!

i have been doing a little bit of jumping on the bike lately. Thats a new sensation to me. The inner ear not like it used to be. Handful of bike lengths at most. The wife must trust me more than i think cause she even filmed me trying it. Instead of the usual scolding not to.

age seems to be catching up as i think it took the entire season to get my cardio level up to where i can feel that turbo power. Hammer the trail and not blow up. Head on to the next obstacle. Do a little recovery pedalling and then hammer again.

had a great and what could be final fall ride yesterday. Went to an area i had never been and did a ride while the rest of the group hiked. (even setup my bike for my friend to test that day, dropping the bars on my stem, air pressures etc).

maybe a couple rides left. Will see. You south of the border riders are lucky.

so im still pushing... how far can i ride, how well do i feel, whats my weight, whats my hr, take friend out, etc.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

milehi said:


> I posted in this thread a month ago. Since then I've crashed twice at speed, receiving a hairline crack in my patella and rupturing my Achilles tendon. I'm good to go and am doing a DH race in two weeks but healing in my early 50s sucks. If that's not bad enough, I started skating pools again.


take it easy!


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

Fuse6F said:


> take it easy!










My patellas are thick, like my skull.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

milehi said:


> I posted in this thread a month ago. Since then I've crashed twice at speed, receiving a hairline crack in my patella and rupturing my Achilles tendon. I'm good to go and am doing a DH race in two weeks but healing in my early 50s sucks. If that's not bad enough, I started skating pools again.


Tendon injury is a long healing time so be good to it, milehi. It is waaay too easy to undo the healing done.


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

Look at wave shock therapy for tendon issues.

I've tried it three times and it heals within 5 weeks. 

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

Had a great sunday ride. 
Put 24km on. Was 13 degrees C. Not many chances left. 

ran a little 500m climb that felt so good. Legs were recharged and full of power. Bike working great. Feel the front rear balance working great. Sitting on the tip of the saddle. Accelerating where needed. Breathing well finishing without slowing down.
Sad to see winter come and watch all that hard work diminish


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## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

milehi said:


> I posted in this thread a month ago. Since then I've crashed twice at speed, receiving a hairline crack in my patella and rupturing my Achilles tendon. I'm good to go and am doing a DH race in two weeks but healing in my early 50s sucks. If that's not bad enough, I started skating pools again.


I cracked/broke my patella (vertically) almost 4 weeks ago, x ray yesterday shows it's healing well (cyclocross race crash in a corner on pavement, smacked the knee hard). The swelling in and around the knee has been where the pain/tenderness is, I'm still 'hobbling', and can't walk much on it. Hopefully I can start riding the trainer very soon. - good to hear you're back to riding and skating, that gives me hope! -since we're sharing x-ray, can you see something not quite right here?


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## cwoodffr (May 23, 2019)

53M that is back for 3 years after riding a ton in the 80's and 90's. I push hard because I want to beat myself. I also like to make the younger guys squirm....but what I value most is what it has done for my health....I track my stats and as a lifetime asthmatic I am extremely proud of my resting heart rate and having just been able to stop the meds I was taking for mild hypertension. I do notice that some days I am just "off" and prone to crashing and have to just wind it back and take it more easy. Toward the end of the season I went over the bars 3 times in one slick ride and ended up so dizzy I had to wait about 20 mins before I could ride out. ( I did not hit my head or even fall very violently but it freaked me out). Strava has to be a major contributor to crashes  I am building a fat bike which I plan to ride slowly over the winter and just chill and enjoy being outside.


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## Hibikealot (Oct 14, 2021)

My fast is just the fraction of second before I'm laying on ground bleeding,bikes broken and now I have to get to ER.
I try not going my fast anymore.😢


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

I'm not interested in any serious injuries so I'll ride as fast as I can and stay in control. If I am having a bunch of near misses or I actually crash I'll tone it down. I also know that going 10% faster doesn't make me any happier once I've reached a reasonable level of performance so I am not all that motivated to push things to the limit.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

I think this thread started with a question about how fast is your fast? In raw numbers, my fastest ever was two years ago on a road bike when I hit 55 mph on a long downhill confirmed by Strava, Sigma and people I rode with. It didn't feel all that fast but it was too fast when I look back. 

60 to 70 percent of my riding is on dirt and I'll honestly say my average speed seldom exceeds 6 mph and top speed may hit 30 mph but not on tight, rocky, single track where that speed is stupid fast for me. 

At 72 I ride within my limits and enjoy going fast more on a climb and being careful on a downhill. I would much rather ride the 140+ days I'll get in this season slow then tell everyone how fast I was going when I trashed my season.

I do ski stupid fast and strive for 50 mph but that is a whole different story. I do this mid-week when I have the slopes to myself.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

have abnormally warm weather this last three days. it has snowed around us but is still dry here, so i have made two evening rides this week. on the last one, me and a buddy were pedalling home on paved trail and saw some kids hanging around on bikes by a steep drop into the bushes. a kid was riding it on his devinci downhill bike. all his friends had just normal bikes etc and none would hit it. i watched the kid climbing back up out of the chute and he had to get help from a friend to grab the front wheel to get the bike up and out as it was just about vertical the top 10 feet.


i dropped in and rode it successfully! not to bad for a 50+ dad!


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

cwoodffr said:


> 53M that is back for 3 years after riding a ton in the 80's and 90's. I push hard because I want to beat myself. I also like to make the younger guys squirm....but what I value most is what it has done for my health....I track my stats and as a lifetime asthmatic I am extremely proud of my resting heart rate and having just been able to stop the meds I was taking for mild hypertension. I do notice that some days I am just "off" and prone to crashing and have to just wind it back and take it more easy. Toward the end of the season I went over the bars 3 times in one slick ride and ended up so dizzy I had to wait about 20 mins before I could ride out. ( I did not hit my head or even fall very violently but it freaked me out). Strava has to be a major contributor to crashes  I am building a fat bike which I plan to ride slowly over the winter and just chill and enjoy being outside.


I track my stats daily too and can honestly say I still weigh what I did in college and the army though I may be a inch shorter. BP and heart rate remain low also. Never was on meds. Being off on some days just proves you are human.

I'll ski all winter but want to force myself to use the trainer at least once a week because we are heading to NorCal in late April to ride with a friend and will have only a few weeks to get in shape before that. My long lost riding buddy won't be in any better shape though.


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## cwoodffr (May 23, 2019)

Rev Bubba said:


> I track my stats daily too and can honestly say I still weigh what I did in college and the army though I may be a inch shorter. BP and heart rate remain low also. Never was on meds. Being off on some days just proves you are human.
> 
> I'll ski all winter but want to force myself to use the trainer at least once a week because we are heading to NorCal in late April to ride with a friend and will have only a few weeks to get in shape before that. My long lost riding buddy won't be in any better shape though.


Make it 3 a week on the trainer and you will be killing it! Trainer road has been a great addition for me.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

cwoodffr said:


> Make it 3 a week on the trainer and you will be killing it! Trainer road has been a great addition for me.


I believe what you are saying but with 5 days a week skiing, that might be pushing it (this is taking my very understanding wife into consideration.) During the season I ride at least 5 days a week most weeks from April through November.

PS: I thrive on goals, stupid or otherwise so you now have given me the goal of twice a week on the trainer all winter.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

I've never been the fastest and don't chase KOM's or even PB's on Strava but I do like tech stuff and I'm constantly looking for optional lines, drops, etc...

I live in Prescott where the median age is 56 and that is reflected in the group(s) I ride with on a regular basis. I'm pushing 57 and one of the younger riders but definitely not the youngest. I'd say I'm in the lower end of the top 1/3 for speed going UP, top 10% for speed going down and nobody I ride with will ride all the features I do in Sedona. There are a couple guys that will _ride_ most of them though but they still avoid the bigger drops.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

My problem is once I get going I forget how old I am 

Muscle memory is different than brain memory. i.e. common sense


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## Grinchy8 (Jul 6, 2021)

I thought I was pushing this weekend. Had the kids out on a local, traditional singletrack (climb a mountain, ride down). I was trundling along and saw they had stopped. I rolled up and started to get the water out of my pack, looked down and saw I was in the fully granny. Clicked up a couple and was able to climb the rest with a bit more pace, but guess I'm not as aware of going for it as I used to be.
This is trouble as I am setting up to build a SS, and it won't be geared 30/48 . . .
However they wanted to turn back as soon as there was an option (about 2 miles in), but I felt plenty fresh and wanted to climb at least another mile, and feel two would have been fine too.
I smoked them on the DH, but they are only 12 and 15, and very new to the sport.


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## thegock (Jan 21, 2014)

Looked back on my Strava training calendar at age 66. I averaged 8mph for 15 miles with 1400vf yesterday. This is a hard ride for me. A slow ride would be 6.2mph with my regular ride partner who is 68 years old. My calendar has 400 hours and 229 rides year to date.

Occasionally, I will take a run at a segment, but not more than once a week. I especially like it on trails that I built. Last year a 20 year old nabbed my DH KOM on the local trails. Took a run at a half mile loop yesterday in a local park, but was 15 seconds off my 2:03 PR---too much gear and water is the excuse I am using.

At 66 years old it hurts a bit to go hard every day, so today will be a chill ride.


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## defdes (Aug 21, 2018)

56 here in Vermont, I was an avid rider/racer from '87/'97 but once the MTB trails started looking like ski slopes in SoCal, I gave it up for trail running. Bought my first new MTB 3 years ago since the mid 90's and have been going at it pretty good since. I average 10.5mph on rides that are 1/2 and 1/2 climbing and descent....when I ride with my 35 year old friends we average sub 8mph which makes me feel good though I know they just lack seat time and technique.


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## myles-rider (Nov 29, 2021)

When mtb riding I'm not concerned much about speed. Road riding is a different story - speed and stamina are the main measure of improvement. On the trails though I'm thinking about improving skills, clearing new technical sections, then getting smoother and more efficient at them once cleared. How long that takes or how fast I get through a section doesn't really cross my mind. The technical challenges and getting out into nature have been the fun parts about trail riding for me, not speeds or times. If I want to go fast I take the road bike out.

That said, I've been on group rides where speed is the thing. Being novice, intermediate or advanced is primarily gauged by average speed. For me I find most group rides that are sufficiently technical to be interesting set a pace that I'm not comfortable with. Then the ones that are a bit less "max speed" oriented are not technically challenging enough to be fun. So, I end up riding solo most of the time.


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## trmn8er (Jun 9, 2011)

I just turned 60 two days ago. I am super competitive mostly with my own times and raced XC on and off until before Covid. I ride around 2k per year and enjoy climbing even though I’m a big guy at 6’2 and 225. I ride alone a lot and occasionally with buddies. I push myself pretty hard but mostly not super technical terrain. I have well over 15,000 Strava miles logged and dozens of segments I have ridden hundreds of times so it’s hard for me to PR stuff. Recently I decided to attack a long segment that is buff but super high HR and fast. I was able to PR it using my Sons HT bit it was a max effort. I look at my times after each ride and see where I stacked up that day compared to other riders who recorded. Often I’m the top 10 to 20% or better if I’m pushing it. It’s getting harder to push it and be fast on the climbs and descents on a given ride but I like to be at least 10MPH average while climbing 100-120 feet per mile. I’m almost where I was when I was racing a lot 2015 and 2016. There are super fast group of riders near me I know and ride with occasionally. They humble me and I can get dropped on the climbs and hang on on the downhills but they are crazy fast top 2-5 percent riders So it’s all relative. There’s always faster riders for me at least. 

I crashed pretty bad almost 2 years ago at high speed and it scared me a bit. So I am super aware of traction, tire pressure, and focus. Prior to that I have had a few crashes but I still push it hard. Not as hard on tecky stuff but I still ride it. I’m more likely to push myself in regards to speed and HR on non technical XC riding. I have no plans of slowing down and am sourcing another XC HT race bike. I’m excited. That said I love my trail bike too. Below is from todays ride. 











Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tjkm (Jun 9, 2007)

I ride solo just about all the time, but I have two groups that I ride with on occasion. One group is always a night ride with fast guy and I find myself fighting to hang on sometimes. The other group are guys I work with and some are new riders. We will get out on a Saturday, and with this group, I am the fast guy and that feels weird. I enjoy both groups and do get something out of each ride and enjoy showing the newer guys around the trails, but love the challenge of hammering with the fast dudes.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

tjkm said:


> I ride solo just about all the time, but I have two groups that I ride with on occasion. One group is always a night ride with fast guy and I find myself fighting to hang on sometimes. The other group are guys I work with and some are new riders. We will get out on a Saturday, and with this group, I am the fast guy and that feels weird. I enjoy both groups and do get something out of each ride and enjoy showing the newer guys around the trails,* but love the challenge of hammering with the fast dudes.*


Which is a good thing at our age. One of the primary physical functions that drops with age is aerobic capacity, so intensity during exercise is a necessity. No need to scale back in spite of outdated notions that one needs to slow down with age.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Crankout said:


> Which is a good thing at our age. One of the primary physical functions that drops with age is aerobic capacity, so intensity during exercise is a necessity. No need to scale back in spite of outdated notions that one needs to slow down with age.


I'm glad you brought this up as I've been curious about this lately. On flat or climbing sections on descents where I'm trying to get a good time (for an enduro race or just for bragging rights with my buddies), I find I'm less able (or less willing?) to really stand and hammer until my eyes bleed like a used to. I know some of that is decreased aerobic capacity and max heart rate as I age, but I wonder how much of it is just me not wanting to suffer in the pain cave for something that I probably won't be able to improve on much anyway. My riding buddies are all in their 30s and early 40s so I realize the time when I cannot beat them or even keep up with them is fast approaching.

Is it more dangerous for me to push into the anaerobic/max HR zone at 60 (assuming I'm healthy otherwise) than it was at say 30 or 40? Or is this the outdated notion you're talking about?


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

Crankout said:


> Which is a good thing at our age. One of the primary physical functions that drops with age is aerobic capacity, so intensity during exercise is a necessity. No need to scale back in spite of outdated notions that one needs to slow down with age.



Absolutely! One of my strengths is holding ftp for long stretches but anything over that can really mess me up, Vo2 max intervals hurt like hell but I still give it full gas every time. Only dead fish swim downstream!


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

KRob said:


> Is it more dangerous for me to push into the anaerobic/max HR zone at 60 (assuming I'm healthy otherwise) than it was at say 30 or 40? Or is this the outdated notion you're talking about?


Provided your health is in good order, then yes, you can continue to improve your aerobic capacity.

I've mentioned this many times across several subforums, but order the book *Fast After 50* by Joe Friel. I've read it several times as I plan different parts of my racing season, and seem to learn something new each read.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> Absolutely! One of my strengths is holding ftp for long stretches but anything over that can really mess me up, Vo2 max intervals hurt like hell but I still give it full gas every time. Only dead fish swim downstream!


Super painful but the payoff is beautiful.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Crankout said:


> Super painful but the payoff is beautiful.


So what you're saying is it's still going to hurt to go faster at 60, I just have to decide if I'm up for the pain.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

KRob said:


> So what you're saying is it's still going to hurt to go faster at 60, I just have to decide if I'm up for the pain.


It's a 'good' pain! The mental aspect is just as important; being able to endure the workload.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Crankout said:


> It's a 'good' pain! The mental aspect is just as important; being able to endure the workload.


Ha ha. Yes it is. Although I'm not even sure I'm getting to where I feel pain so much as just getting to the point where my breathing and legs are maxed out and I just want to sit down, shift down, and spin it out. Maybe going faster isn't as important to me as it used to be.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Crankout said:


> It's a 'good' pain!





KRob said:


> Ha ha. Yes it is. Although I'm not even sure I'm getting to where I feel pain so much as just getting to the point where my breathing and legs are maxed out and I just want to sit down, shift down, and spin it out. Maybe going faster isn't as important to me as it used to be.


I totally get it. I'm still racing so I need the interval work.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Crankout said:


> I totally get it. I'm still racing so I need the interval work.


Yeah, that makes a difference. Good for you man. Keep pushing yourself. I still try and have a racer's mentality to some extent, but haven't raced in a couple years. Maybe if I could find some enduros close to me that have a 60+ class I'd jump back in. The main one I've raced in the past has no age categories at all and I held my own against the young guns pretty well, even winning my class a few times, but I've been content to help out with check points or sweeping the past few years.


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

been skating lately with stick and puck. shooting around w some older gents. think 75-85

asked some questions as i got to know them…

heart attack, yep, hip, yep, knee yep, stroke, yep, etc.

sure you can push, but expect more pushback as we age!

im having fun working on my skills and drills. 

so far so good.


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

d365 said:


> I ride within my comfort zone 99%, but I'm pretty comfortable on the edge a lot of the time. I know some of my less experienced friends think I ride on the edge all the time. After 30 yrs of this, I'm pretty good at reading the trail, and understanding what will happen when I hit it. Knowing where the lines are, where the traction is, what the speed should be, and what's above my pay grade.


At 65, my riding style fits yours to a T. However, I feel I should get paid for what I accomplish on the trail. (lol?)


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

KRob said:


> Yeah, that makes a difference. Good for you man. Keep pushing yourself. I still try and have a racer's mentality to some extent, but haven't raced in a couple years. Maybe if I could find some enduros close to me that have a 60+ class I'd jump back in. The main one I've raced in the past has no age categories at all and I held my own against the young guns pretty well, even winning my class a few times, but I've been content to help out with check points or sweeping the past few years.


I ride solo so I have nothing to prove to anyone except to myself. Cheers.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

If you read post #3 that is pretty much where i am. At 64 i want an other good 20 years
maybe more with some luck. I do not do tricks but in a day if my front wheel is up a few
times i mean just a bit i feel like this is nice. Just pushing a bit but keeping control.


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

Mountainfrog said:


> At 67 YO I'm riding solo most of the time so I keep it conservative. I still go fast on the steeps but I keep it within my limits because there is nobody around to ask "Are you alright?" The remainder of the time I ride my ride, pace myself as to how I'm feeling that day, and smell the flowers along the way. I'll pause now and then to practice skills to stay sharp. No hurries, no worries. The only person I have to impress is myself.


65yo I ride solo exclusively, but going by your post, if you and I rode together, noone could tell the difference between us.


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

Fuse6F said:


> do you expect to ride with some out of control moments in order to be going fast?
> 
> 
> i like to ride as hard as i can safely ride. it feels great to push a little.
> ...


As to your first question: I expect to have some out of control moments. I don't necessarily need to be going fast. 
As to your next statement: I whole-heartedly share your sentiment. It also points back wonderfully to your first question.
As to the third line: I have made and will continue to make more than my share of mistakes. I'm a terrible student. 
As to the Fourth Line: I am also getting better. It's altogether worth it. I too fail the awesomeness test. A video of me riding my bike would easily win best comedy act of the year.  Cheers


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

peterk123 said:


> I'm 54. I recently moved from Massachusetts to Montana. Sold my Stumpy before moving out here and finally got my hands on a new bike, a Norco Sight A1. The bike is ridiculous. The trails here are ridiculous. I was riding Mountain to Meadows in Big Sky last week. As I am flying down the trail (at least flying for me), I thought to myself, "if I clip a tree I'm done". Life is good


Please let us know if you encounter a bear or mountain lion. Whatever you do, don't clip a tree.


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## MtnBkrBob (Aug 15, 2007)

I used to push stupid hard. Whether it was racing moto & cross-country dirt bikes, sports cars or mountain bikes -- I continually saw the red mist…

Now I just chill & smell the roses..


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## mtbbiker (Apr 8, 2004)

My younger years, I pushed hard and when I crashed, I’d get up as fast as I could and push harder. 

The 52yr old version of myself still pushes the limit, not as much as my younger years. Plus when I crash, I take a few moments to get up and slowly get up to speed. I noticed bruises and sore muscles takes weeks or longer to go away. Oh and I wear full face helmet, elbow pads, knee/shin guards and gloves. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NC_Foothills_Rider (11 mo ago)

At 54 I still push myself. By that I mean trying to pedal harder and to sustain my effort throughout the ride, not necessarily equalling or surpassing my ability to go fast downhill or clean rough terrain at speed. No more huge air just for the sake of it. As others have said, it takes too long to heal at this age.

But some days I just get into the zone and ride faster overall -- who knows why.

The pushing in my case is mostly mental (pedaling when I want to coast) and hammering on climbs, not to the point of stretching my reflexes and riding ability to the limit like I would have done in a race 20-30 years ago -- IE out of control often and going balls out. I don't do that anymore. But I do work on being smoother in line choice and am always trying to improve my cornering ability. I don't think doing those things increases my riding risk substantially like attacking rough terrain or gap jumps at speed would.

I've watched enough Friday Fails. Those days are behind me now.


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## Stewiewin (Dec 17, 2020)

Fuse6F said:


> do you expect to ride with some out of control moments in order to be going fast?
> 
> 
> i like to ride as hard as i can safely ride. it feels great to push a little.
> ...


dont know cant measure speed but on local free trails is pretty sketchy .


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

For downhill, I've really tried to not look at the clock. Instead of pursuing speed, I now pursue style and air. And I focus on corners which is the hardest pursuit of all. Instead of just doing one jump, I try to hit em all now. Find that line that links them all together.

For uphill, mostly I ride temp 2-3 hour rides. 90% ebike 10% xc bike to keep the pain threshold lubed. Great news is I have a 2000 foot climb here in Los Gatos, CA that I've been doing for 20 years. Last month, I broke my 12 year old record and climbed it in 40 minutes. 

I'm doing my hillclimb challenges on an SC Blur. 57 years old


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## Fuse6F (Jul 5, 2017)

have been working out this off season ice skating and shooting pucks. No games! This has been great fun and the legs are in excellent shape heading into spring. Each work out is an hour and there really are no sit down breaks, you just keep going.

I pushed it on the ice a little and had a dizzy moment so the doc had me wear a holter heart monitor and i got in a pretty good skate while wearing it. We will see what the experts say.

i guess running out of headroom with the old ticker is probably pushing it as hard as you can!

Note. my tickr x has my skating work outs at 160bpm. Average for about 45-50 minutes!


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I have a cardiologist, so that was a milestone in itself. The heart issues that run in my family are manageable. They are electrical based. PVC's and A-fib. My recent calcium scan showed 100% clear. But when I take in too much caffeine, I start getting PVC's closer together which will cause me to feel a little out of sorts. My dad is on his second pacemaker at almost 90. He's gone into A-fab 3 or 4 times, and only once had to go in for a scheduled cardio-vert. Once I realized I was getting PVC's close together, I went straight to decaf. But I kept feeling the need to take a nap in the middle of the day. So now I'll drink a little tea in the afternoon. It keeps me focused on my desk job work and I can feel when I've had enough. If I'm planning a ride or surf, I'll go no caffeine at all. I don't take any meds, and I'd like to keep it that way 

Am I faster? I keep breaking my own personal STRAVA records on my local trails. Partly because I've got my bike really dialed in fit and suspension wise, so I'm more comfortable riding it faster. And partly because my biking confidence and skills are improving. 

Just rode Braille Trail above Los Gatos, Ca. and it was awesome. The loop from the parking and back is 12 miles with 1,900 ft elevation gain. My buddy and I ran into a couple young guys who work for SC bikes. They were on their 3rd loop that day! No pedal assist either. So.. that was around 36 miles and 6,000 ft ! They didn't even look gassed at all. We said we're doing one loop and going to lunch Summit market yumm.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

Having been riding since 1987, I look at fast in relative terms these days. I'm more interested in feeling fast or strong on the bike than I am in measuring exactly how fast I am.
Last year, I got my training 100% dialed starting in Nov 2020 due to being bored with the COVID lockdowns. It felt good to feel fast and be actually fast. I set a couple of PRs on local climbs that I have ridden continuously for the past 10 years.
After setting those PRs last year, my fitness seems to have pulled back so I'm relatively slower on the bike so far this year.
Perhaps it comes with age or experience, but I realize that having good days and bad days. Even having good months and bad months as well as good years and bad years is just part of the experience of riding. You don't get those good days, months, or years if you don't keep at it in a smart way.


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## Cheeze Wheelie (May 24, 2004)

My fast has earned me 33 KOMs on single-track at 54 years old, but I am very selective about the trails I ride. My segment times improve over many repetitions, not by charging blindly or taking big risks. Most of the faster riders in my area of Colorado are veterans of the sport who are between 35 and 50 years old. I'm a motocross refugee, so MTB seems relatively safe and tame in comparison. I'm far too restless for golf or tennis, but I do recognize that precautions are mandatory to keep this dream alive. I don't race XC because the antics of other riders are far more dangerous than any trail obstacle.

I tone it down where there are roots, rocks and trees close to the trail. I always ride with a HR monitor, and stay aware of my zones. I ding my bell constantly, and ride mostly familiar trails where I can see riders coming into blind sections. Hikers thank me for the bell on every ride. Most of my rides start at sunrise so I can minimize traffic risks when I want to go fast. I spend a few minutes sitting at the top of major descents watching and listening for riders coming up. The trails I ride are mostly smooth single track with minimal trees. When I make a mistake, I just lose time blowing out a corner or missing a line. Low-stakes mistakes where crashes are rare because there is nothing but scrub brush to run into. I carve wide, sweeping lines that conserve momentum and allow the tires to drift predictably. I avoid rutted corners and abrupt changes of direction where washouts occur. My wheels stay on the ground, mostly. My riding is so butter smooth that I feel slow and am often surprised by my results on leader boards. Flow like water. Maybe its this new trend of squaring off corners that all the cool freeride kids are doing that is making everyone so slow. In MX, that kind of cornering is the mark of a Novice/C classer. I crash maybe once a year, and its usually a front end washout where I do a Pete Rose dive and go home with a few scrapes. I have a family and career riding on all of this, so the risks I'm willing to take are minimal with respect to the skillset I've gained over decades of riding.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

Cheeze Wheelie said:


> My fast has earned me 33 KOMs on single-track at 54 years old, but I am very selective about the trails I ride. I earned them by building up speed over many repetitions, not by charging blindly or taking big risks. Most of the faster riders in my area of Colorado are veterans of the sport who are between 35 and 50 years old. I'm a motocross refugee, so MTB seems safe and tame in comparison. I'm far too restless for golf or tennis, but I do recognize that precautions are mandatory to keep this dream alive. I don't race XC because I learned from years of MX that other riders are far more dangerous than any trail obstacle.
> 
> I tone it down where there are roots, rocks and trees close to the trail. I always ride with a HR monitor, and stay aware of my zones. I ding my bell constantly, and ride mostly familiar trails where I can see riders coming into blind sections. Hikers thank me for the bell on every ride. Most of my rides start at sunrise so I can minimize traffic risks when I want to go fast. I spend a few minutes sitting at the top of major descents watching and listening for riders coming up. The trails I ride are mostly smooth single track where a mistake means I lose time blowing out a corner wide, not a crash into a ditch or tree. I take wide, sweeping lines that conserve momentum. I avoid rutted corners and abrupt changes of direction where washouts occur. Flow like water. My riding is so butter smooth that I feel slow; I'm often surprised by my results on the leader boards. Maybe its this new trend of squaring off corners that all the cool DH kids are doing that is making everyone so slow. In MX, that kind of cornering is the mark of a C classer. My wheels stay on the ground, mostly... I crash maybe once a year, and its usually a front end washout where I do a Pete Rose dive and go home with a few scrapes.


Front tire washout has to be the number one cause of crashes. I have footage of me racing BMX in the early 1970's, on the second to last corner my front tire washed out and I went from 1st to 3rd place. It's happened to me riding motocross and now mountain biking. It's always the same thing, leaning into the turn to hard.


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## Cheeze Wheelie (May 24, 2004)

Tall BMX'r said:


> Front tire washout has to be the number one cause of crashes. I have footage of me racing BMX in the early 1970's, on the second to last corner my front tire washed out and I went from 1st to 3rd place. It's happened to me riding motocross and now mountain biking. It's always the same thing, leaning into the turn to hard.


Indeed. Front end washouts are a type of crash I'm accustomed to and happy to deal with. Much safer than going over the bars or stepping off at speed. Everyone talks about riding skills, but knowing how to crash without hurting yourself is an important skillset as well. BMXers, skiers, and snowboarders all learn how to fall long before they get good. Skateboarders have elevated falling to an art form.


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## Tall BMX'r (Jan 11, 2021)

I don't know if anyone else does this, but when I wash out I keep my hands on the bars. As the right or left bar digs in, I'll pull back hard on the opposite handlebar handle in the air. and kind of elevate myself off the ground by pulling on the handlebars. I equate it to pulling the e-brake. I wear knee pads so my knee will slide under the bike, but my weight is still being held up by my handlebars. Basically the handlebar digs into the dirt acting like a brake. It always rips the end of my handle grip off (replace the grips), but it's hardly a dust off landing.


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## Ilovedoods (Jun 22, 2020)

Fast enough to make me check myself, pushing to and occasionally past the limits of my constantly changing comfort zone, she lets me know.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Fleas said:


> I have ridden a particular flow trail 3 times this year.
> 1st time was me remembering it. So, conservative, not fast. ...and only a little out of control.
> 2nd time was with a big group, including some legit racers. I didn't want to hold up those guys so I sent it, full-on. I also actually remembered the trail. I was 98% perfect all the way. I had to wait for those other guys for several minutes.
> 3rd time was a chill ride. I went fast where it's easy to go fast, but I was not pushing it much at all.
> ...


Yesterday I did a road ride with some decent hills. My "old" (mature) self cautioned my impulsive self against early season hammerfests. It made the ride more enjoyable to dial it back a notch or 2 and sustain a decent pace for the duration rather dying on the bike half way through.

-F


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