# so what is a reasonable timeframe to get in good biking shape at our age



## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

57 years old here and started biking beginning of April. I was already at a decent weight due to diet and treadmill. So now after a couple of months riding about 300 miles, my average time riding the local paved path of 16 miles has gotten much better. However I still get to breathing very hard on the uphill grades and have to stop to rest. I really want to start riding some singletrack more but feel like I want to get in better biking shape first. How long did it take you to get in shape after injury or break?


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## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

Training gets much harder when we reach our late 50s. I did my final 100 mile race at 58. Training for such an event was never easy, but at least I could do it until my late 50s. The last two times I contested 100 mile races (was 57 & 58 y/o), my training experience was miserable because I was unable to recover adequately between brutal training rides every weekend. That's the problem -- recovery time. In my case one week was no longer enough time for my body to recover between weekend training sessions while at the same time I needed to train every weekend in order to gain muscle performance.

I don't mean to imply that you're training for a 100 mile race, only that the effect is the same regardless -- it's tougher to train/recover and therefore performance gains come much slower.

I broke collarbones in '15 & '16; was off the bike for 3 months each time. Coming back even after these short breaks was hard. I had to push myself to get back to the point where I could keep up with my rather spirited (and younger) riding buddies. But the pain is worth it. Just make sure you get enough rest to recover between hard rides. The optimum amount of time varies from one individual to the next. You'll find yours.
=s


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

You might just have a high heart rate. I just had a physical after a few years and brought up heart rate. The doc said we all vary and I was approaching things right.

For sure get on single track. Then start taking it easy motoring along and save the power for areas that need skills or a climb.

The how long or what shape is varies big time. At 58 my riding is at once pretty lame and pretty good compared to others. I can't hang with the elite but on group rides see I'm almost always ahead of some who are quite a bit younger.

You could join the nudge and sports quantification trend. I've had an Apple Watch 2 since start of the year and the measurement shows I've done more than I think.

If you're just getting at it or back keep in mind it's a sport where it may never really get easier as much as you'll get more capable and faster.


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

Just keep at it. Getting a base fitness level after 50 is never easy... but the rewards once you have "arrived" (2-4 months) is simply priceless. Go ride....


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Volume, ride more, ride often, don't worry about intensity.


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## dave54 (Jul 1, 2003)

As long as you enjoy the ride you are fit enough. You do not have to compete with everyone else you see on the trail. There is no magic 'fitness level' that separates riders from others. You have not dropped dead from a heart attack yet so keep riding because you want to.

Focus more on the fun rate and less on the heart rate.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Thanks for the encouragement. I will just keep plugging away!


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## mileslong (Aug 20, 2016)

Any miles I can get in are adding to my fitness and my happiness. I ride today so that I will be able to ride tomorrow. 

I am only competing against Father Time....


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Onset of decrepitude is highly individual. I was going great until hitting my mid 60s.


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## ridetheridge (Mar 7, 2009)

dave54 said:


> As long as you enjoy the ride you are fit enough. You do not have to compete with everyone else you see on the trail. There is no magic 'fitness level' that separates riders from others. You have not dropped dead from a heart attack yet so keep riding because you want to.
> 
> Focus more on the fun rate and less on the heart rate.


^^ This ^^


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

dave54 said:


> As long as you enjoy the ride you are fit enough. You do not have to compete with everyone else you see on the trail. There is no magic 'fitness level' that separates riders from others. You have not dropped dead from a heart attack yet so keep riding because you want to.
> 
> Focus more on the fun rate and less on the heart rate.


This.

Otherwise it will always be hard because the fitter you get the harder you push, so it's still hard. Cruise.


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## RustyIron (Apr 14, 2008)

Yalerider said:


> However I still get to breathing very hard on the uphill grades and have to stop to rest.


I'm much younger than you (54), so my experience might not apply. Don't worry about breathing hard. The only riders who do not breathe hard are those who are just lollygagging along.

If your heart rate and respiration are elevated excessively, drop to a taller gear and use those leg muscles. Decrease your cadence to maintain the same speed as before. Your legs will start feeling it sooner, but that's the ante if you want to roll with the strong riders.

Don't fret about this, it's a common mistake for less experienced riders to over-spin. Be sensible, though. If you continuously ride in far too tall a gear, you can hurt your knees. Just go one gear taller, work your legs, and in the space of a half dozen rides you'll see a difference.



Yalerider said:


> I really want to start riding some singletrack more but feel like I want to get in better biking shape first. How long did it take you to get in shape after injury or break?


Nobody is ever "ready" to take the next step. If you want it, you'll jump in and then make yourself better.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Hit the trails, far more motivating than paved paths, and every little down is fun. Learn to keep your momentum, and pump.


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## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

It never gets easier because you just go faster (and farther). For me, I ride because it is fun, and fitness is a happy by-product of that.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Lotta good advice thanks going to start hitting some more singletrack wnd just focus on fun and learning technique over speed.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

If you want to better overall fitness from riding a bike, ride a singlespeed.


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## Slowdownhill (Oct 20, 2015)

Try to find a riding partner who is a bit stronger than you are. It is much more difficult not to ride when someone else is involved. If you are able, get a heart rate monitor and take the guess work out of how hard you are actually working-playing. Staid advice, but have a conversation with your Doctor about what is ok for an exertion level. Expect fitness to arrive in plateaus-you suddenly find that you are stronger & it takes a while to step it up again. At your age, if you get off of the bike for a couple of weeks, expect 
your hard earned progress to disappear quickly. Ride a better bike than you can afford & it makes it more difficult to not ride. Everyone responds to training differently, but give yourself a reasonable time to step it up and ride in all seasons. Give your body at least a day of recovery after hard rides. Following these guidelines, I did 2,000 feet of climbing/descending today over 16 miles of gravel/ single track trails in Western North Carolina and enjoyed every mile of it. I'm 68 & just upgraded to a Yeti SB5+. Now I have to ride, ride, ride to amortize the bike. Stay at it & you reap the benefits next decade.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Slowdownhill said:


> Try to find a riding partner who is a bit stronger than you are. It is much more difficult not to ride when someone else is involved. If you are able, get a heart rate monitor and take the guess work out of how hard you are actually working-playing. Staid advice, but have a conversation with your Doctor about what is ok for an exertion level. Expect fitness to arrive in plateaus-you suddenly find that you are stronger & it takes a while to step it up again. At your age, if you get off of the bike for a couple of weeks, expect
> your hard earned progress to disappear quickly. Ride a better bike than you can afford & it makes it more difficult to not ride. Everyone responds to training differently, but give yourself a reasonable time to step it up and ride in all seasons. Give your body at least a day of recovery after hard rides. Following these guidelines, I did 2,000 feet of climbing/descending today over 16 miles of gravel/ single track trails in Western North Carolina and enjoyed every mile of it. I'm 68 & just upgraded to a Yeti SB5+. Now I have to ride, ride, ride to amortize the bike. Stay at it & you reap the benefits next decade.


I have two new bikes so stoked to ride. I also have a Fitbit HR and my heartate is OK.


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## OldManBiker (Nov 5, 2016)

I will be 54 in a couple of months. Not a long time rider but have been actively fit for several years. Began in high school, rolled into the Marines, and never stopped taking care of myself. Most likely all of us on here can attest to something similar to this same story. I admire that you just started MTB riding and want to get better/be better. There's a lot of sage advice above and as I read them I kept thinking how I wished I had known a lot of that BEFORE so I would have known what to expect going forward. One of them was to ride with a stronger partner. I did that and it wasn't long that I had developed a mental and physical desire to just stay up with him which eventually moved into climbing hills as good as he was. Not long after I wanted to stay behind the entire ride so we could chat and enjoy the ride more sociably. It wasn't that long after that he asked ME to lead some of the rides! I was stoked! Watching him ride helped me learn so many things about riding, i.e. picking lines, focusing, braking, climbing, how to corner, shifting gears, etc etc etc. Monkey see, monkey do! As far as the heart rate, I do suggest you get a HR monitor (chest strap version is typically the most reliable) and begin saving your rides to see where you are compared to where your age group states you should be. I can't for the life of me seem to ever ride in the Zone that is best for fat loss (Zone 2-3) and seem to live in Zones 4-5 which irks me to no end. However, unless I literally just stroll through the trails I can't see me going that slow even if I wanted to! So what do I personally do with this? Well, nothing honestly but I do enjoy seeing where my HR is at on average so I have this info when I sit and talk with my family Dr. I have heart disease in my family and it's a subject that I like to be informed about for myself at all times. A healthy heart is one of my main goals riding a mountain bike. One thing I did for myself to help keep me motivated and keeps my mind more off not being as fast or quick as others is I signed up on Strava (free or membership available for perks) and set a goal for myself. 1200 miles is my goal for 2017. Not much for most people but, I work full time. Drive 3 hours each day for a commute so time is limited on the weekdays. My bike stays on the back of my car which I now call my "portable Gym". lol. I try to average 25-30 miles per week to stay on course with my goal. Don't overlook what many of the folks above said - Have fun! Don't make this like we all have done with the gym over time - a dread. It should never become that or you'll lose interest.

One last thing. Someone above said to ride on a bike that perhaps a little more $$ than you'd most likely pay for one. I did that and after 3 bikes I am on my dream bike which seems to whisper my name to ride her often as possible! Weird how that happens but it's true. lol

I'm going to have to try that advice above about stepping up a gear to use my legs more. I do that now most times but it sounds like I could still go another which in the long term could be quite advantageous for me! Thanks for that tidbit!


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## Scott In MD (Sep 28, 2008)

Think about getting some professional help, from an experienced coach. This will teach you how to improve your fitness faster. My own experience with coaching is 1) it works; and 2) you get what you pay for; and 3) it's important to like your coach; and 4) you don't need a coach forever but they can help you get get up to strength faster and train through plateaus more efficiently; and 5) your coach should ride with you. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## 2old (Aug 31, 2015)

Takes about a month of riding for me to step it up

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## PierreR (May 17, 2012)

I started mountain biking at 56 and I am 62 now. I have had my share of difficulty getting in shape and staying rubber side down during the last six years. I have a high heart rate and heart rate and exertion has been a problem for me. Vo Max appears to be slightly north of 180. I can easily see 170+ on single track if I am not careful. If I push too hard on the pedals I will also have a lot of pain through my hips and develop leg cramps after I am done. 
I started riding with a group of old guys three days a week on paved bike path. 20-25 miles per session. They ride about 13-15 mph and this help with building a base for about 10-12 miles of single track at a whack. 
This year I took a different tactic. I wanted a snow bike but knew I did not have the strength and endurance to enjoy the bike. I still bought one last November and rode some in the snow. My speeds were about 5-6 mph for 5-6 miles and I was done. In March I decided to go electric mid drive assist on the bike and have been delighted at the results. Since the end of March I have ridden 1000 miles. I am riding the snow bike on bike path and roads five days a weeks with some rides exceeding 60 miles. I put in as much work as I think I can and supplement the rest with watts. I getting a much longer workout without the high heart rate spikes.
I have started riding my full suspension high end mountain bike again and I am shocked at how fit I am. I have never enjoyed my mountain bike so much as this last week. The electric bike taught me how much I could press on the pedals and not develop the deep pain in my hips. I am changing gears much more often to maintain about the same feel I have with the electric fat bike. 
right now I am looking forward to riding single track on my full suspension mountain bike and I am looking at doing some longer multi day bike path/road trips of 75-100 miles per day on the e fat bike. 
Other posters here have some pretty good suggestions. I like the suggestion about utilizing a professional coach and riding longer at lower intensity. I think both of those suggestions would have worked okay for me.


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## dereknz (May 3, 2011)

Yalerider said:


> 57 years old here and started biking beginning of April. I was already at a decent weight due to diet and treadmill. So now after a couple of months riding about 300 miles, my average time riding the local paved path of 16 miles has gotten much better. However I still get to breathing very hard on the uphill grades and have to stop to rest. I really want to start riding some singletrack more but feel like I want to get in better biking shape first. How long did it take you to get in shape after injury or break?


Yalerrider you are the same age as me, I turn 58 in just over a week. I started cycling 6 years ago after not being on a bike for 25 years

It's just going to take a bit of time on the bike to get bike fit, the treadmill would have helped some towards your fitness just need the muscles to get more used to cycling. With your uphill climbs only 2 months into cycling I would suggest putting the bike into a lower gear and take your time pacing yourself up the hills. You'll find it not as hard and more enjoyable than having to stop to catch your breath. When your bike fitness increases and the uphill climbs get easier you can start putting the bike into a higher gear and pushing yourself harder to get up the hill. One quick way to to get your bike fitness up quickly as long as you don't have a ticker issue is to mix some interval training in with your rides 1 to 2 times a week. This involves pushing yourself hard for a short time 30sec to 1min then go at a slow pace to recover 2 to 4 min depending on how you are feeling and repeat it a numbers of times.

If in good health don't let age or skill level be a barrier just ride in your comfort zone and just above to help you improve your fitness and skill level. I entered my 1st mtb race 6 months into riding, a 4hr race DNF (Did Not Finish) the hybrid I was riding not suitable for racing both front and back brake pads wore out 3 hours into the race as I had only ridden on the flat up until 3 weeks before the race and never in the wet. Race day it poured during 4&8hr race on the hilly forest track the 8hr was cut back to 5.5hr. My skill level took a boost that day trying to ride the slippery muddy hill tracks on hybrid tires. Following year returned with a proper mtb and year later did the 8hr race both managing podium finishes in 35yr+ category.

A good tool that can help you with your fitness is Strava, you can use a phone app or one of the many cycling devices that can record and store your ride activities on the strava web site. Having the data recorded it is easy to see how your fitness progress it going and when you start riding single track you can see how your fitness and skill level is increasing by comparing the time it takes you for A to B.

Strava also have Challengers that can help you set goals and challenge yourself. I like setting myself goals including the odd climbing challenge to build endurance and boost fitness, last year Strava had a climbing challenge promoted as their hardest climbing challenge yet. 21,000m of climbing in 24 days. It was a tough one with only 3% of 90,000+ participants completing the challenge. I at the time having a health issue having to keep my HR below 150bpm or I would get chest pain manage to complete the challenge in 11 days being the 26th rider to complete the challenge. Setting yourself goals can be very beneficial getting into good bike shape.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

Yalerider -

All this good advice just gets me to wanna ride more often and get in shape faster.
I'm just shy of 56 and have this "weekend warrior" thing going on at times so I know if I'm committed to a regular ride plan, hiking or some treadmill and yard or house chores on a daily or very regular basis, I'll ramp up faster. 

Yet I'm amazed at how just one or two rides that I push through as (lately) very technical and strong uphill demands can do a lot of good nearly overnight ! 
That's encouraging and probably just what I need to focus on so I start riding more often and pushing a bit to get my legs for those d*mn climbs.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Age is just a number. But you have to remember how old you are. I was introduced to mtb at 48 , dh at 50 and now doing enduro in my late 50's. I was a regular roadie in my 40's and have been doing crossfit for the last 3 years (I took up about running a year ago) I have a cancer dx but it's in remission and I have been fairly lucky bouncing back from serious injuries (I heal up quickly thanks to a good diet, motivation and keeping active) no real "damage" but do have aches and pains. 

As you get older you have to remember you aren't 20 and do what you used to do. As a life long work-out person, you look at others your age or even younger and your hard work pays off. Oh BTW, I ran my first 10km race last October and finished 3rd /20 runners in my age cat (50+); I participated in the crossfit open again this year, did the workouts prescribed for the first time and finished 29th/150 participants in the 55-59 master's age for Canada east (Bragging) and I just had another birthday. Good Diet and exercise, gives you a great quality of life. Stick with it, make it fun and enjoy the trip of life!


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Thanks for all the advice! I have tried different apps and settled on Runtastice MTB Pro. I really like it. I and going to try to check my heart rate on my Fitbit while riding but I kinda know when I should stop and rest. I am also going to try going in a slower gear and slower up hills. I attack them furiously and then end up trying to catch my breath, not a good feeling. Can't wait to get my new oval chainring switching to 1x11 on my new Scott waiting on the parts.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

A lot of good advice here and I'm taking much of it to heart as a returning rider. I got back on the bike ~3 yrs ago after a 20 yr hiatus and at 54 now I'm just getting back to "reasonable" riding shape. My definition of "reasonable" has had to be altered by the realization that what worked for me when I was riding hard in my 20s and 30s doesn't work now. But the thing I heard when I first started serious riding in 1980 still applies: Ride Lots. Not necessarily hard, far, or fast, but ride often and *Do. Not. Stop.* That last bit is what was a bigger issue for me than my age.

Remember too that you're going to have some days better than others in the saddle. I went out Sunday evening for a short "maintenance" ride and felt so good I added a much larger technical loop and got home later than I'd planned but feeling great and with a big grin on my face. Then yesterday I rode and the moderate trail just beat me up - but the good news is those days are getting fewer and farther between. The highlight of yesterdays "bad" ride was that as I was kicking myself for being "too old for this crap" I got passed on a steep up hill by a guy who looked in his 70s and just _hammering _it up the hill with no apparent effort. That's an inspiration and an aspiration for me.


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## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Just an opinion.

I reckon nothing puts people off cycling more than feeling the need to be "fast". It means you're always working too hard which is ok if you want to race, but otherwise, why?

(Nothing against racing - I do 24 hour events)

Ride at a civilised pace, take your time, enjoy the ride and a faster pace will come eventually. 

Don't make your ride an unpleasant experience, and there's nothing wrong with walking on the steep bits. In fact there's a lot to commend it, and I do it shamelessly.


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## Prophet Julio (May 8, 2008)

It takes months to get into solid riding shape. Miles add up, even easy rides help. Pick your moments to push, but it's better to ride within your capabilities and those will expand with the aforementioned miles. Good luck!


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I'll paraphrase a wise cyclist who once said, "It doesn't get easier, you just go faster."

Most of us tend to push to a similar level of exertion from one ride to the next, but each time we're a bit faster and can ride a bit farther. 

At some point though, we tend plateau and have to find a way to push through to the next level, if that's what you want to do. For me (as it was for someone else who responded) it was switching to a single speed bike. It was a game changer for me and paid dividends on my road bike as well. Particularly for climbing.

What I've noticed is that taking a week off the bike now, is like taking a month off the bike ten years ago. I lose the fitness quicker and it takes more riding to stay where I want to be.


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## life behind bars (May 24, 2014)

Ride at endurance pace and don't worry about it. Next thing you know, your in pretty decent shape.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

life behind bars said:


> Ride at endurance pace and don't worry about it. Next thing you know, your in pretty decent shape.


Yep really enjoying riding now. I can go and go


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## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

Heart rate monitors--what a buzz kill. Just ride your bike in fun places. Listen to your body. When you feel good, you can ride faster or farther. If you don't feel good, take it easier. Challenge yourself a bit when you feel up for it, but give yourself rest as well. Don't sit around after a ride--walk around, go shopping, do light housework, etc. to keep from getting stiff and sore. Don't worry about speed--just enjoy being out there.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

So I downloaded Strava to take a look how I stack up. I am towards top on some trails according to my age group so maybe doing better than I think. I agree with just ride at your own pace and have fun!


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## gray ghost (Aug 28, 2017)

I love using strava to keep track of my time on closed course lap(s) while doing training rides. I mostly alternate between training and touring rides. When I'm feeling good I really get after it. My first priority is to enjoy myself. Ride, ride, ride!


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## Len Baird (Aug 1, 2017)

I appreciate all the posters in this thread. I just started up after a long break, and so far it's been going well! I have to stop myself sometimes from riding faster than I know I should be, and I haven't fully recovered for several weeks now, so I try to do easy spins and goof around riding stairs or something. I tried to manual on some grass for a while the other day. I had a get off/crash trying to ride up the same stairs. Even that was fun, and a relief to know I can survive a minor crash.
Anyway, I appreciate the ideas and info here, and knowing others did it!


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I've had a rethink on this after being around 50% ahead of last year's trail riding that was ahead of the year before. I started Sept with my Cyclemeter app showing 1034 of single track. In Apple Watch terminology I've "closed the rings" most of the year and 150 days+. 

Even after building up more strength and fitness than past years the exercising daily and high percentage of 200%, 300% and 400% goals has in the past month kind of dropped heart rate overall.

At the moment I'm thinking 1.5 - 2 months starts building enough fitness to make a difference but 6+ months if really being at it is a whole other level. Quite unexpected, I seemed to have hit another threshold in the past 4-6 weeks where even at age 58 I'm riding with people who always used to drop me. This is also part of a few years overall more active.

The other plus for this new threshold is actual skills on the bike. The not being so winded while in a group ride has me not messing up on technical features. I'm remembering technique when for years my brain was mostly trying to help the body survive.

For a while I thought a high end new bike was part of it but it's not. Mom, dad and two teens are sharing same 4 bikes. I'm riding better no matter what bike.

I think I'm also gaining muscle I haven't in years. Pants have been too loose since late Feb but I weigh around 5 pounds more.

Now I feel there's an important level of fitness you get in 2 months but at late age you can still build up more.


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## TheBaldBlur (Jan 13, 2014)

https://www.bikejames.com/strength/dont-ride-for-fitness/

Interesting perspective on "riding to get in shape" and I can see his point. When I was riding a lot in my 20's and 30's I was _already _in good shape from lots of cycling AND other activities including competitive sports. That and, well... I was *younger*. Then I took a decade off. Resuming riding and expecting to "get in shape" has been partially successful but only for "riding shape" not general all round fitness. Oh, and at my mid 50s I can't rely on my youth to cover for me any more.

I do know that my riding gets better each year than the previous year since I resumed riding at 51, but I"m still spending the first couple months of riding season (yes, I'm a fair weather rider) getting back to where I left off the previous fall. This year when the snow starts flying I'm going to spend some time at low weight/high reps in the gym focusing on my core mixed with a little cardio. My riding buddy, who's a couple years behind me, has been doing this the last couple years and he's recovering his riding in the spring much faster than I have been.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

TheBaldBlur said:


> https://www.bikejames.com/strength/dont-ride-for-fitness/
> 
> Interesting perspective on "riding to get in shape" and I can see his point. When I was riding a lot in my 20's and 30's I was _already _in good shape from lots of cycling AND other activities including competitive sports. That and, well... I was *younger*. Then I took a decade off. Resuming riding and expecting to "get in shape" has been partially successful but only for "riding shape" not general all round fitness. Oh, and at my mid 50s I can't rely on my youth to cover for me any more.
> 
> I do know that my riding gets better each year than the previous year since I resumed riding at 51, but I"m still spending the first couple months of riding season (yes, I'm a fair weather rider) getting back to where I left off the previous fall. This year when the snow starts flying I'm going to spend some time at low weight/high reps in the gym focusing on my core mixed with a little cardio. My riding buddy, who's a couple years behind me, has been doing this the last couple years and he's recovering his riding in the spring much faster than I have been.


Snow flying? Fat bikes and Nordic skiing don't have to cost much. Grooming with snowshoes and an avy shovel are work outs.

One really good thing about fat biking that helps all your riding is getting used to your to your tires sliding around under you.

At times I think the $1000 spent on a fattie and snowshoes was the best boost to my fitness and riding skills ever. Even a crappy winter has made it 25% to 50% more trail riding.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Boomers gotta keep moving ...



> Count the number of hours you sit each day. Be honest.
> 
> "If you commute an hour in the morning and hour after work - that's two hours, and if you sit at an eight-hour-a-day desk job that's 10," says epidemiologist Loretta DiPietro of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.
> 
> ...


Prolonged Sitting And Binge TV-Viewing May Take A Toll On Ability To Walk : Shots - Health News : NPR


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## bootsie_cat (Nov 3, 2004)

Do you have low enough gears?
Many think they are out of shape, when the reality is that they need lower gearing.

You should be able to do long climbs at preferred cadence at less than a maximum effort.
If this is not possible you need lower gearing.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

I bought this for winter

https://www.amazon.com/Kinetic-Road-Machine-Smart-Trainer/dp/B01MD1U901


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

Well here I am after my first season still loving to ride. I am in much better shape than when I first started but still progressing. Just started riding my trainer with zwift.


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Yalerider said:


> Well here I am after my first season still loving to ride. I am in much better shape than when I first started but still progressing. Just started riding my trainer with zwift.


Very good. Keep up the good work! Go for a fatties or commuter!

I don't usually consider sports stuff investments but do for exercise. I just picked up a used Fargo and I'll be ordering studded tires and other stuff to keep riding when MTB trails are not an option.

I don't do well keeping at a trainer or gym but was fine with 14 mi commute in the rain today. My goal is not lose any or much fitness over the winter.

Best wishes for a good winter season.


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## gwlee (Jan 22, 2018)

Fit for what? It's relative. Watching TV or the Iron Man? No one's fit for everything. Everyone is fit for something. It depends on your goals and your weight. 

I know this is a road bike forum, but this has worked for me, and it's bike relevant. If you can pass this test, you are in striking distance for anything bike related. 

If you are at your target weight and starting from scratch, figure you can be in good enough shape to complete a road bike century within six weeks without killing yourself. Check Bicycling Mag for a training plan. It works.

If you are over your target weight, figure you can realistically drop no more than 2 pounds per month, which will give you a head start on your 6-week training plan when you get to your target weight. 

70 Year Old


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Yalerider said:


> 57 years old here and started biking beginning of April. I was already at a decent weight due to diet and treadmill. So now after a couple of months riding about 300 miles, my average time riding the local paved path of 16 miles has gotten much better. However I still get to breathing very hard on the uphill grades and have to stop to rest. I really want to start riding some singletrack more but feel like I want to get in better biking shape first. How long did it take you to get in shape after injury or break?


Part of what you're running into is a lack of pacing. You need to slow down on the steeps and this is something to learn. Also you're riding beyond your aerobic fitness and over-drawing from your anaerobic system(s).

Can you shift to a lower gear and just go slower? Keep your effort in check in order to keep your breath calm. Initially I relied heavily on my 22x36, spun all the steep stuff. I ride a lot of steeps (>15%) and when I got a new bike with a 26 small ring I found it was too stressful and I had to go get a ring with a 22 (cheapest was to get a whole new spider.) Once you build enough fitness you'll not need the smaller ring.

The other thing... are you feeding? Are you shivery and chilled after a long ride? Try eating a clif bar 10 minutes before your ride, then another one every 45 minutes, and refill with more simple carbs right after your ride. Providing simple sugars might make a huge difference to your energy and your recovery.

So:
- dial back your pacing either with gears or just effort so you don't get so tired that you need to stop
- feed with simple sugars while riding


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

UPDATE: I finally got to where I'm doing a lot better. A lot due to riding with a friend who is in his 50s and incredibly fit. He had me slow down on hills and showed me how to use supplements. I have been riding a LOT. No more walking up steep hills on my normal rides but I still do on some long rides at times. Much funner riding when you are a little more on the fit side I have to say.


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## centershot (Nov 21, 2008)

"It never gets easier, you just go faster"............


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

centershot said:


> "It never gets easier, you just go faster"............


I hate that quote, it ain't true in general. Sort of like no-pain no gain. If someone doesn't have an aerobic base they will see years of improvement that will greatly ease their pain. Go ahead and tell me that someone that finishes a race in 8 hours is suffering just as much as an unfit clueless newb that takes 15+ hours to do the same event. The newb doesn't have a map of their limits and puts themselves in medically sketchy states. They finish dehydrated and famished and often quite out of their minds. The newb will hurt bad for a week or more while the fit racer will do an easy workout the next day to loosen up the legs. Always cheer those end markers because those folk are the ones that really leaving it all on the table.

Whenever am experiencing the sort of pain I experienced my first year of endurance rides (on a canti hardtail) it is not a merit of achievement but has happened only because I've screwed up really bad.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

I buy into that quote. I always push myself while climbing. I climb a helluva lot faster now than I did when I started. Now, I push through the perceived limit. I used to stop there.


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## ddoh (Jan 11, 2017)

I also buy into that quote. If I am working at 90% of my fitness level, I hurt just as much as 90% effort from 15 years (and 35lbs) ago. I just go faster. The problem you are pointing out is that the beginner blows thru that 90% much quicker or earlier in the ride.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

ddoh said:


> I also buy into that quote. If I am working at 90% of my fitness level, I hurt just as much as 90% effort from 15 years (and 35lbs) ago. I just go faster. The problem you are pointing out is that the beginner blows thru that 90% much quicker or earlier in the ride.


I think there is a fair distinction between good healthy recoverable exercise pain from the different sort of body destruction pain you get when you're undertrained, unprepared, dehydrated and out too long with bleeding saddle sores. Both achieve 100 mile events but the fit racer has a much better time of it.

Just saying... some beginners can't tell 70% from >100% and end up in a genuinely precarious state.


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## MikeInPA (Mar 18, 2017)

Yalerider said:


> UPDATE: I finally got to where I'm doing a lot better. A lot due to riding with a friend who is in his 50s and incredibly fit. He had me slow down on hills and showed me how to use supplements. I have been riding a LOT. No more walking up steep hills on my normal rides but I still do on some long rides at times. Much funner riding when you are a little more on the fit side I have to say.


Really enjoyed this thread....adds perspective. I'm 53 with old motocross injuries and 18 years of fairly serious road biking. Took up mountain biking a few years ago and stepped it up last year with an EX8. On Strava recorded over 2500 miles and over 250,000 feet of climbing. Eastern PA, steep, technical, etc.

But my first few years MTB were on a hardtail riding mostly dirt roads with as much climbing as I could find. The technical stuff was not only more difficult than I'd originally thought, but it also blew up my lungs something fierce! So I kept riding as much as possible, enjoying the scenery and the peace and quiet away from public roads. This built my base and gradually took me from roadie to mountain biker. Now, with the EX8 and 27.5+ tires, I'm going up and down stuff I'd never pictured doing on a bicycle!

I'm riding through the winter this season and loving it! 27.5+ works great for me year round, and I've had some epic snow rides (yesterday 13 miles and 2000 feet climb on snow and crusty ice.)

So, that's it. Advice is: fall over as little as possible, ride often, and do at least 1000 feet climb on every ride no matter how slow you have to go to get there. Do this for one season, and your next season and all that follow should be fairly epic.


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## Len Baird (Aug 1, 2017)

I have been road riding, and got a smart trainer and Zwift too.
I used to love road riding just as much as MTB after starting as a way to train my fitness. In my opinion for fitness building you can't beat it. It is also less harsh on my body and I am finding I am recovering better after rides. I used to do all my training rides on the road, and I would play around and race on the mountain bike. With the additional fitness, my mountain biking was a ton more enjoyable and I was a ton faster in the races. 
I think one of the great things about cycling is that as you get fitter, it gets funner. It's a great motivator and reward system.


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

eri said:


> I think there is a fair distinction between good healthy recoverable exercise pain from the different sort of body destruction pain you get when you're undertrained, unprepared, dehydrated and out too long with bleeding saddle sores. Both achieve 100 mile events but the fit racer has a much better time of it.
> 
> Just saying... some beginners can't tell 70% from >100% and end up in a genuinely precarious state.


Yeah I agree, one of the most important aspects of experience is knowing what sort of effort is sustainable and for how long. I now know exactly how to gauge hard efforts from 3 minutes to 3 hours whereas in my rookie days I would often either blow up or underestimate myself.

I probably push myself harder than ever now but I know how to gauge it and what to expect so there are no surprises anymore and the pain is tolerable, even desirable. Also I find cycling to be a lot more fun when my motor is running well.


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## Yalerider (Feb 14, 2017)

I think my road bike and Zwift definitely helped me as well as riding MTB a lot. That quote may be true to some extent as yes I am going faster and still get tired, but I feel like I have a good base and recovery is quicker for my normal trails.


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## scycllerist (Jul 31, 2017)

Everyone is different. No correct answer. Just keep at it. Have fun, make it fun. If you're healthy challenge yourself, carefully "one up" yourself. 

If you get tweaked or hurt take it easy and switch up to something else until you're recovered then get back into it. learn what hurts you and take precautions against it. Injuries are a big set back and expensive. With dental damage and hernia costs I'd have an awesome bike or a great trip to ride somewhere in the US.


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