# In your own words, how has aging affected your mountain biking? State your age also.



## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

43

If I go more than a week or two without riding, I feel less balance and stability. The balance really bothers me too. I used to walk a tightrope in a seconds' notice. Now, I really feel handicapped unless I'm practiced often. 

My triceps are my overall weakness. They are the weak link in my riding. I don't ever remember this before, but I was always 225-230ish and very athletic. I'm 245lbs now, and I carry more fat than ever before. My vision is getting less sharp.

Getting old is having a distinctly more pronounced affect in my early 40's than I've ever noticed before. I feel like I'm sharp and a great rider, but I don't ride with young guys, so I wonder if I'm not nearly as sharp and good as I think I am. 

What are the things that have made you stop and think "wow I'm getting older", or maybe even the things that help you keep from "losing it"?


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2018)

49
I’m much slower, hesitant, scared, out of shape...I’m not fat though  I’ve also found that it takes forever to recover from injuries...it also takes me a day to recover from a ride; I rarely ride back to back days :bluefrown::sad:


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

griz said:


> 49
> I'm much slower, hesitant, scared, out of shape...I'm not fat though  I've also found that it takes forever to recover from injuries...it also takes me a day to recover from a ride; I rarely ride back to back days :bluefrown::sad:


Oh yes, the injury recovery slowness. This is in full effect.

I never feel like riding in the mornings. Ever. 11am is about the earliest I'll get on a bike for a mountain ride. Not sure if this is because I'm old and spoiled, or a mental thing, or what. I don't like to get going in the mornings. I don't get up early to fish either though, so it probably doesn't have a thing to do with mountain biking.


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## 786737 (Mar 13, 2015)

56 next month.

I was probably in the best physical shape of my life post-college about 6 years ago, regular biking and hiking but really revved it up when training for a race on my SS. Then I had a fall in my garage, severed a quadriceps tendon and never really got back to that same fitness level. The muscle was surgically reattached but it's taken years for that leg's strength to match the other, and I think the knee joint is getting arthritic. I guess I could attribute that to age and slowness of recovery, but it was a pretty catastrophic injury. Sort of takes the wind out of your sails when SS is your only ride.

I'll keep the SS but I'm building up a 10-spd HT to be able to ride more often. And I can still kill it on 20+ mile backpacking days, but trekking poles are non-negotiable items.


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## JD Dakar (Dec 29, 2015)

50
No longer have the edurance I had 20 or even 10 years ago. I think this has more to do with not having as much time to ride then with my age. Recovery does takes a lot longer. If I ride for more than 2 hrs, i am spent the rest of the day.

I'm also a little more hesitant taking some of the bigger jumps, but I still take them. It hurts a lot more when the landings don't go as planned. I have not gained any common sense over the years and that adrenaline rush you get from bombing a down hill or clearing a gap is still the same at 50 as it was at 17.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

I'm 53. I'm a better rider now than when I started ten years ago. Not only do I have better bikes but I know how to set them up and have built most of them myself and can do almost any kind of maintenance including a lot of things out on the trail. I've lost a lot of weight (still more to go), am eating better, and am married to a super-hot woman who is an athlete and a fitness nut and a pretty good road cyclist. I get nothing but support from my wife in all my fitness endeavors including the Tour Divide.

I also have a lot more endurance and power than when I started. My wife has got me in the gym and, apart from general strength training I do squats, dead-lifts, and other core and leg exercises that have really helped, especially in my ability to climb hills. I know I am getting older and I tend to hurt a little more than I did ten years ago but I hope to maintain my fitness (and improve) so I am riding in my sixties and seventies. 

Next Tour Divide attempt is on for 2020! (Work and other requirements make 2019 unlikely).


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## John Kuhl (Dec 10, 2007)

I'm 64, and this is the first year where I feel like age has caught up with me some. My usual 20 mile
ride isn't as easy as it use to be.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Turning 40, overall much faster. I've figured out a lot more about training and how to be fast. As far as aggressive DH, I feel nearly as fast as younger, but I feel the slight amount that I might be slower is just riding smarter and not taking some chances that aren't worth it, although I still do tend to take chances. 

Going fast, racing, endurance, climbing, etc., is all about watts to weight ratio, if you can keep the weight down and get the watts up, you'll be pretty dang fast, and age doesn't seem to be a limiting factor in that until much older (than I am), based on all the older guys that are that fast. What does seem to be important is working out, keeping yourself fit, cross-training, etc. 

One thing I figured out about getting faster (stronger, etc.) is that it's very hard to do alone and it always feels extremely uncomfortable, right on the edge of pain, but not quite painful. Pushing yourself this far is key and you have to get away from what is "comfortable".

With that, I'm doing longer races than ever (100 miles) and enjoying good success all around. I'm a bit slower this season and trying to make up for it, but a lot closer to last season than my overall riding fitness 10 years ago.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

52
I'm not as motivated as I used to be to ride when it is cold out. Probably didn't have more than a dozen rides below 25°F this winter.
Aside from that, there is little change due to aging. My skills have probably improved over the past 33 years of mountain biking.


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## davec113 (May 31, 2006)

@[email protected] said:


> 43
> 
> If I go more than a week or two without riding, I feel less balance and stability. The balance really bothers me too. I used to walk a tightrope in a seconds' notice. Now, I really feel handicapped unless I'm practiced often.
> 
> ...


43 here too.

I started mtb around 30, if anything I'm getting faster every year and it's been good motivation to keep in shape. As the years go by the people I ride with and myself have had increased expectations. In some ways I'm in better shape now than ever. I think the main difference I notice getting older is more matters, especially diet, rest and recovery... I stopped drinking alcohol almost entirely and have had to make some adjustments in diet to keep weight down. Recovery takes longer... maybe not a ton, maybe it just matters more, idk. Rest seems to matter more.

If you want to see how fast and sharp you still are enter some races. We ride to go down, so Enduro fits my style and I can do ok if there's not a lot of pedaling/climbing.  Also, it's nice to see the 40+ age group times are competitive, so I'd say it's definitely possible to ride fast while old. A lot of it really comes down to time on the bike... if you want to be fast you need to ride your bike A LOT and spend time in the gym too.


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## Lopaka (Sep 7, 2006)

I'll turn 65 in a few months. I find I have a diminishing sense of balance. I don't have the same explosive power. I also don't feel the need to take the same risks as I did when I was younger. My endurance is as strong as ever and my overall bike handling skills are getting better with age.


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

John Kuhl said:


> I'm 64, and this is the first year where I feel like age has caught up with me some. My usual 20 mile
> ride isn't as easy as it use to be.


Yeah. I was going great guns in my early 60s with only gradual declines and minor issues. Mid 60's things started deteriorating pretty fast. It's different for everybody but I know a fair number of riders who are doing great in their late 50s. Perhaps the guys who aren't doing so well aren't riding and that's skewing the riding population.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

I am 59 and lately have lost confidence night riding, and climbing. Right now climbing is the only thing that scares me. On gnarly climbs I am afraid of stalling and falling, probably because I have done it a few times. Going down does not worry me at all, bring it on. Weird.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

50


My riding skills are the best they've ever been
I no longer feel like spending 3+ hours on a ride (unless I'm visiting a new locale)
I no longer enjoy wrenching -- I'd rather just pay my LBS to do it
Recovery takes longer (maybe that's part of not wanting to ride 3+ hours?)
I don't care about being fastest. I like to "stop and smell the roses."


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

I really only care about going fast downhill. I will put in a hard effort on some climbs but I live to descend.


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

Travis Bickle said:


> Going down does not worry me at all, bring it on. Weird.


That is weird, mid-50's and one of the biggest changes for me is that I'm no longer fearless at speed. I still push the pace pretty good but I'm fairly terrified about biting it, mostly because a broken bone could take me off the bike for months and at this point in my life there's only so many good months left to enjoy so it's a shame to waste even one.

What's surprising to me is that my fitness is probably the best it's ever been.


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## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

66

Made me more cautious. Was more of a moto rider up until 20 years ago. Now I might moto off-road once a year (e-biking not included) At first MTB'ing felt like I was naked; I think coming from moto's made me more cautious at the git-go. As far as age-related; eventually I had to give up clipless; too many stupid crashes where I didn't un-clip in time. Needing to put on reading glasses to make repairs, read maps and GPS...

Speaking of e-bikes; they're great for hauling trail work tools but they're detrimental to maintaining cardio conditioning IMHO. I gained 10 # when I started riding e-bikes about 50% of the time.


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## spunkmtb (Jun 22, 2009)

Turned 48 2 days ago. Been MTB'ing since 1986. It really bum's me out when I get contemplative about how often I used to be able to ride. The biggest thing I struggle with in winter is getting cold on a ride. My camelback is so heavy in the winter because I have to bring so many different layers. I sweat alot. (And I live in So-cal for hecks sake). I lived in Missoula, MT for 14 years. I think about how I was always the 1st tracks in the spring time and the last in the fall. But I think my biggest hurdle is my mind. I think about how I used to ride and had enthusiasm to get out and it bums me out in the here and now when I hear my mind say's "Too sore, too tired, too cold, blah, blah, blah" But I still love getting out and hope to always be getting out. Also I love my hardtail. But I cannot ride it anymore unless I only ride fire roads and zero singletrack. But what fun is that? It is relegated to a very expensive town bike.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

Up until a couple of years ago, I would've said that nothing had changed in more than 25 years of steady riding. Charging just as hard as I did at 20. If anything, I might have said that recovery times had extended depending on the prior effort. I was never a racer, had no glory days, just a regular 3x a week rider, who lived for the downs and popping off trail features.

Then at 45, I compressed, ruptured, herniated a disc in my lower back - going off a little drop I've done a million times. I was completely off the bike for more than 2 years, and spent the past year just trying to ease back into it and find my groove again. Needless to say, I'm really struggling to get back to my old self. 

The secret to riding into old age... is of course, to never stop riding. Once you're forced off the bike for an extended period, it seems really hard to come back now. We'll see.... story to be continued....


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## richj8990 (Apr 4, 2017)

spunkmtb said:


> Turned 48 2 days ago. Been MTB'ing since 1986. It really bum's me out when I get contemplative about how often I used to be able to ride. The biggest thing I struggle with in winter is getting cold on a ride. My camelback is so heavy in the winter because I have to bring so many different layers. I sweat alot. (And I live in So-cal for hecks sake). I lived in Missoula, MT for 14 years. I think about how I was always the 1st tracks in the spring time and the last in the fall. But I think my biggest hurdle is my mind. I think about how I used to ride and had enthusiasm to get out and it bums me out in the here and now when I hear my mind say's "Too sore, too tired, too cold, blah, blah, blah" But I still love getting out and hope to always be getting out. Also I love my hardtail. But I cannot ride it anymore unless I only ride fire roads and zero singletrack. But what fun is that? It is relegated to a very expensive town bike.


I have the opposite problem, started at age 47, if it's warmer outside and I'm directly in the sun, biking with the helmet on I sweat like crazy and start getting dizzy. I take the helmet off on flatter easier trails/roads due to this. Heat intolerance. It may be that I eat so much protein that the thermic effect of the protein is overheating my system in a warm season that then pushes the body homeostasis off kilter. Doesn't matter how much water I drink, that doesn't help. I have noticed that being in the shade of a hill or mountain, even at 80-85F is better than being in the sun with the helmet on at 75F. Other than that I feel more fit than since I was 18 and surfing 10 foot waves.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

My friends keep getting younger. This works out as my emotional age really started to stagnate around 18.


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## LaloKera (Jul 31, 2015)

Great topic! 38 here. 
Sometimes i feel 25, other times i feel 55. 
I notice if i drink any alcohol more than say a couple drinks, it completly shuts my biking down. I would rather quit drinking than biking. 

I think some of my injuries from years back 
Are coming back to haunt me. Have developed a clicking ankle now due to one to many sprains. Last one being a moutain bike crash. Docs have paid no mind since i have no pain there but its annoying as hell!
I feel aches and pains try to creep in sometimes and well reminds me to take better care of myself. Have to stay better hydrated and eat healthier.

MY Daughter is almost an adult and seeing her grow up makes me feel old sometimes. Raising a teen daughter can get expensive too. 
Man, if this is how i feel now, how will my 40s and beyond be? Any advise from the older riders on what to expect and how to keep progressing for another 20 years? 
That is my goal. 




Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk


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## spunkmtb (Jun 22, 2009)

richj8990 said:


> I have the opposite problem, started at age 47, if it's warmer outside and I'm directly in the sun, biking with the helmet on I sweat like crazy and start getting dizzy. I take the helmet off on flatter easier trails/roads due to this. Heat intolerance. It may be that I eat so much protein that the thermic effect of the protein is overheating my system in a warm season that then pushes the body homeostasis off kilter. Doesn't matter how much water I drink, that doesn't help. I have noticed that being in the shade of a hill or mountain, even at 80-85F is better than being in the sun with the helmet on at 75F. Other than that I feel more fit than since I was 18 and surfing 10 foot waves.


One thing I have always done since the invention of camel back bladders. I have always loved riding in the hot summertime heat 90-100F. The trick is to freeze 1/4-1/2 of you bladder than fill it before the ride. In my older age I now bring 2 bladders the 1st oone I freeze and fill before the ride. The 2nd bladder I just freeze 1/2 f it than fill at it the water spot 1/2 ways into my ride. I find that sipping in ice water helps regulate my thermal levels and exhaustion.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

If it were so hot out that I had to bring two bladders of water I’d be more likely to go see a matinee, lol.


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## Pisgah (Feb 24, 2006)

Almost 26 years behind the bars. I'm now 47 and in as good a shape as I was in at 32. However, I had to quit drinking and work out 50% more to keep up with myself. I also don't rage the downhills as much. Numerous injuries over the years too. My right shoulder has taken most of the brunt.


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

Makes me enjoy each ride more, sure I am slower and a bit more cautious but I do enjoy each ride for what it brings good days and bad. 

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk


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## Finch Platte (Nov 14, 2003)

I, uh...

What was the question?


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## mileslong (Aug 20, 2016)

Going on 56 with just a couple years riding in the woods....my riding has been affected like all the other areas of my life; can still do everything I've ever done but just not as long, not as fast and not as furious ...and it takes a little longer to recover after a vigorous session.


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## angelo (Sep 3, 2004)

63.

Started mountain biking in '88, still riding year round with lots and lots of winter riding this year.
Did a 50 mile race/ride this year in 90 degree temps with a friend who was turning 50. I had done the same when I turned 50. The youngest of our core group will be 50 in 7 years, which would put me at 70, hopefully I'll be ready to do it once more. 

Endurance and technical climbing very close to as good as ever, given experience, generally good shape and great advancement in bikes over the last 30 years. A little more cautious descending, never my strongest suit but probably what is fading faster.

Hope to continue riding at a good level for quite a while. Hard to envision not being able to, given how great the feeling is and how it combines so many things; amazingly fun workout, meaningful camaraderie, being tuned in and mindful in nature, traveling to amazing places to ride, the unspoken satisfaction of being able to hang with the younger dudes.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

56

I ain't as good as I once was,
I got a few years on me now,
But there was a time,
Back in my prime,
When I could really lay it down,
trails If you need some love tonight,
Then I might have just enough,
I ain't as good as I once was,
But I'm as good once as I ever was.


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## mr_chrome (Jan 17, 2005)

55, still got some good moves, still got the legs.......SS 29er helps............


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I'm rolling up on 48. That sounds weird because I don't feel it. I've been riding and racing mountain bikes since I was 15 in 1985. I still have the same stoke and can't get my shoes on quick enough at the trailhead. It takes a lot longer to heal and I don't own a DH bike anymore, and the racing now takes a back seat to destination rides, but I still love rolling up to the start and still get butterflies if there's five beeps and a timer. I'm the same weight as when I graduated high school and feel my fitness is the same, but different since I started riding single speeds eight years ago. I believe I ride with the same level of precision and coordination as I had in my 20's. I have to say, I love the mountain bike lifestyle and will ride 'till I can't turn a crank.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

54. I was probably in my best shape about 5 years ago when I was between jobs and had lots of time to ride and run. I lost so much weight that everyone was worried about me. I'm still about the same weight, though my weight fluctuates between summer and winter; still at my end of winter weight I'm less than what I weighed when I graduated college. I've also made improvements in my diet as I've gotten older and I think that helps. 

As far as riding, in the last few years I switched to flat pedals and using a dropper post and I think both of these things give me more confidence and let me ride faster/technical safer. I think the skills that I have gained over the years have surpassed most of the effects of aging. But I do remind myself often that I really can't afford a bad crash and that slowing down a bit and playing it safe is a good idea.

I'm also a trail runner and I think that helps a lot in terms of my body not "feeling" the ride the day before or even after I ride. I'll often do a hard ride in the morning and then to keep the wife happy, do a lot of yard work in the afternoon, or work all day Saturday and ride on Sunday. Actually, I am feeling the yard work more and more as I get older!


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

LaloKera said:


> Great topic! 38 here.
> Sometimes i feel 25, other times i feel 55.
> I notice if i drink any alcohol more than say a couple drinks, it completly shuts my biking down. I would rather quit drinking than biking.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I've just been taking "getting old" a little hard lately and I wanted to hear what other people had to say about it.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

richj8990 said:


> I have the opposite problem, started at age 47, if it's warmer outside and I'm directly in the sun, biking with the helmet on I sweat like crazy and start getting dizzy. I take the helmet off on flatter easier trails/roads due to this. Heat intolerance. It may be that I eat so much protein that the thermic effect of the protein is overheating my system in a warm season that then pushes the body homeostasis off kilter. Doesn't matter how much water I drink, that doesn't help. I have noticed that being in the shade of a hill or mountain, even at 80-85F is better than being in the sun with the helmet on at 75F. Other than that I feel more fit than since I was 18 and surfing 10 foot waves.


After a couple bouts of severe heat exhaustion and spending days in the ER with saline and mag draining into both arms, I can't ride in extreme heat. Hot with no breeze? No way. I had two very close calls in the Kern River Valley. I won't drop into a canyon with hot dead air anymore. A couple years ago I turned around 500 yards into Broken Arrow in Sedona and called the GF to come get me. Instead, after that evening's ride I ended up feeling my way out along a trail on Oak Creek to Midgley Bridge after dark in pitch black after riding Munds. At one point, I was ready to swim across but didn't want to get water past any seals, bearings or pivots.


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

@[email protected] said:


> Thanks. I've just been taking "getting old" a little hard lately and I wanted to hear what other people had to say about it.


Unless you were very competitive in your younger years you have a lot of potential to discover and improving to do. I've got more than a decade on you and am still setting pr's and gunning for occasional kom's.


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## RustyIron (Apr 14, 2008)

55 years old. Skill is far better than any other time in my life. Strength is near it's peak, and my body's ability to sustain that strength is better than ever. Stamina is good, far better than most youngsters, but I might have had better endurance five years ago. It's hard to be certain, as my bike is different now, and I use up energy in different ways. 

I think the key to doing well is maintaining a healthful diet and doing appropriate stretching exercises. I'm not all that diligent in those things, but I'm sure I could ride better if I tried to maintain my body better.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

This will probably get challenged but supplements can REALLY help here. In addition to doing everything else right...diet, sleep, stress management, etc. supplements can really supercharge mind and body in this context. I'd highly recommend picking up a book like
https://www.amazon.com/Real-Vitamin-Mineral-Book/dp/089529690X
and going from there.


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

Over your head. Basically what happened in the last several posts. Shame on you all. :nono:


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

spunkmtb said:


> Turned 48 2 days ago. Been MTB'ing since 1986. It really bum's me out when I get contemplative about how often I used to be able to ride. The biggest thing I struggle with in winter is getting cold on a ride. My camelback is so heavy in the winter because I have to bring so many different layers. I sweat alot. (And I live in So-cal for hecks sake). I lived in Missoula, MT for 14 years. I think about how I was always the 1st tracks in the spring time and the last in the fall. But I think my biggest hurdle is my mind. I think about how I used to ride and had enthusiasm to get out and it bums me out in the here and now when I hear my mind say's "Too sore, too tired, too cold, blah, blah, blah" But I still love getting out and hope to always be getting out. Also I love my hardtail. But I cannot ride it anymore unless I only ride fire roads and zero singletrack. But what fun is that? It is relegated to a very expensive town bike.


About 8 years ago I hit the Raynaud's Disease, although I didn't realize it at the time. Since that time, I've moved to Alaska and I've become pretty adept at adapting and defeating it. It took me a good season to figure out my clothing, but one of the important points that I wish I'd realized earlier is that owning at least some of the gear I do now 10, 15 or more years before, would have been extremely beneficial and would have made a lot of riding more enjoyable. The lake 302/303 boots aren't very good for real cold temps, but damn I wish I had them years ago when it dropped into the 40s on some rides. Pogies make it possible for me to ride in colder temps without getting crazy sweaty fingers that later turn cold, coupled with chem-heaters when I need them. What I've learned is that stuff like this is worth it. Now I take small packable jackets on summer rides in the backcountry, I bring "one level" colder on my winter fat-rides in case it goes to my next-colder temperature range, but I'm not over-loaded with gear either. I know that if I was doing just half of what I am now I would have had a hell of a lot more fun and comfortable rides in the past.


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## BrianU (Feb 4, 2004)

Will be 53 this June, still riding a rigid SS and enjoying it. Actually feeling stronger this past year than I have in a long time, although I notch that up to how I have been riding. Typically only still get out a couple days a week to ride, but on those days, I have been putting in considerably more miles and tend to ride trails that require more climbing and skills. Feel pretty good, fitness wise, when I am riding.

Used to run a lot and enjoy it. Come home from work, grab some tunes, and head out the front door for how many miles I felt up to. Not riding, but a good, convenient way to clear the head. About 10 years ago, injured my left knee and the last couple years if I run more than a couple miles, it aches for days. That does make me feel old. Fortunately, hammering my SS does not seem to phase that knee. If anything, it makes me feel better.

I can relate to LaloKera's experience with his daughter. 11, soon to be 12 year old daughter that showed me today how to set up my wife's new Ipad tablet and a 15 year old daughter, that does not look like a little girl anymore, bugging me about getting her learner's permit. Gads! I need riding now more than ever.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

The one thing I notice now compared to ten years ago is that I hurt more after long rides than I used to. Nothing to intense, just aches and pains in the quads and arms that last longer and sometimes require Motrin. Every now and then I decide to just stay home and not work out or ride even if I have time...which was unthinkable ten years ago when I finished residency training and all of a sudden had more time.

Not that I used to work out or ride every day; only that if I had the time I would. I need more rest days now.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

BrianU said:


> Will be 53 this June, still riding a rigid SS and enjoying it. Actually feeling stronger this past year than I have in a long time, although I notch that up to how I have been riding. Typically only still get out a couple days a week to ride, but on those days, I have been putting in considerably more miles and tend to ride trails that require more climbing and skills. Feel pretty good, fitness wise, when I am riding.
> 
> Used to run a lot and enjoy it. Come home from work, grab some tunes, and head out the front door for how many miles I felt up to. Not riding, but a good, convenient way to clear the head. About 10 years ago, injured my left knee and the last couple years if I run more than a couple miles, it aches for days. That does make me feel old. Fortunately, hammering my SS does not seem to phase that knee. If anything, it makes me feel better.
> 
> I can relate to LaloKera's experience with his daughter. 11, soon to be 12 year old daughter that showed me today how to set up my wife's new Ipad tablet and a 15 year old daughter, that does not look like a little girl anymore, bugging me about getting her learner's permit. Gads! I need riding now more than ever.


I had a really bad hamstring injury a few years ago. I could hardly walk for a couple of weeks and it still hurts a little every now and then...tore the muscle itself...but miraculously it didn't really effect my riding.

Of course, if I had to get off the bike it hurt like nobody's business for a few months. On my last Tour Divide attempt my knee got so bad that, while I could pedal easily, twisting out of the clips was like torture on some days.

I want to bring up another subject relating to age: I definitely have more cares and concerns than I used to. On last years Tour Divide not only was I going through a really vicious lawsuit from my ex-wife and a few malpractice suits (that are mostly frivolous) but just after I landed in Banff my lawyer called to tell me I was named in a suit that is definitely not frivolous and could be a career-killer. To say my mind was not on the race would be an understatement.


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## Len Baird (Aug 1, 2017)

I am 48 and starting up again after a long break. I had health problems that took me off the bike years ago, and I lost all my fitness, and last fall I decided to start up again. I felt like I never fully recovered for months last fall, even just doing short rides a few times a week. Then I started Zwifting in February figuring I need to build up my fitness in a slow reasonable manner. I have been doing around 80-100 Zwift miles a week for a month and a half now, and I am still recovering slowly. I can't do hard or even medium rides on successive days anymore. If I do real hard workout, I need at least two days recovery. I have been enjoying riding, so it takes discipline to ride easy or take the day off. My heart rate is a lot different now. I used to go over 200 BPM on a full out effort, and now my heart rate rarely hits 150. Partly due to blood pressure meds I believe. Riding along at tempo I used to sit around 160 or more, and now at the same sort of effort it is more like 125.


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

J.B. Weld said:


> Unless you were very competitive in your younger years you have a lot of potential to discover and improving to do. I've got more than a decade on you and am still setting pr's and gunning for occasional kom's.


I don't doubt that. Ridimg bike is my saving grace. It's all the normal everyday things about getting old that are bumming me out. I slipped on a wet muddy parking lot 4 months ago and both of my knees hurt worse now, 4 months later, than any time in my past, and I was a very involved and competitive athlete in my high school and early college years. I'm afraid I really damaged them. Add to that, my vision recently got worse, noticeably.

My stamina feels great though. I just wonder what others' perceptions are.


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## mileslong (Aug 20, 2016)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> Over your head. Basically what happened in the last several posts. Shame on you all. :nono:


That's because you misquoted the last line....."But I'm as good ONCE as I ever was"


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## HawkGX (May 24, 2012)

Turned 50 at the end of January. Been riding MTB for about 6 years now. Bought my “dream” bike last year as an early 50th gift (figured I should start enjoying it as soon as possible.., while I was still “young”!). 

Still have my first real MTB (29er HT, just converted it from 3x9 to 1x9 this month). The FS bike definitely helps my feel less beat up after hard rides these days. But I don’t feel that I’ve become less timid hitting stuff now compared to a few years ago. 

Back-to-back days are pretty much out though. Doesn’t seem to matter what the trails are like or how hard I push. Can’t really get up for that 2nd straight day. 

Also less likely to get up early and ride. Cold temps haven’t bothered me yet so at least I still ride through the Midwest winters. 

I have noticed it’s easier to beg off going for a ride (too tired, too achy, too much other things to do, etc). Takes more convincing to get out and ride. 


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## tealy (Mar 7, 2013)

okay


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

mileslong said:


> That's because you misquoted the last line....."But I'm as good ONCE as I ever was"


Ahh. . good catch. I'm still not convinced that was the reason. I'm thinking we've got a bunch of smimmers amongst us.


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## Thustlewhumber (Nov 25, 2011)

45 here. I always feel like I'm 15 again when I get on a bike. Each time I ride, I try to ride something better than I did last ride. Just took up large gap jump lines (finally!), and will probably upgrade to a full face later this year.

I was trying to be XC earlier in life, but I don't have the will to punish myself like that anymore. I ride to have fun, and only climb to get to the downhills.


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## smithcreek (Nov 27, 2012)

At 51 I can say it takes longer to gain fitness and less time to lose it. And, this is the real kicker, even if I exercise more than I did when I was younger, I have to eat less to maintain the same weight. I used to be able to ride 3-4 times a week and eat any and everything I wanted. Not so much anymore.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

This very short Pinkbike video of my good friend Mike is appropriate for this thread.

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/50-years-of-riding-a-bike-mike-bishop.html


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## gtsum2 (Jun 28, 2017)

45 here. Been riding mtb on and off since I was 16 maybe? I did get away from it for about 10 years and was blown away at the technology when I came back! I believe I am faster and better on the bike now than I ever have been (big air being the exception). Diet seems to play a much bigger part of my overall (and cycling) fitness than when I was younger


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

68 in a couple of weeks

 Never had endurance, but always tried to go faster and suffered pleasure lost more than fitness gained. A few years ago, I gave up trying harder and just enjoyed being on the bike and poking around on the trails.

 More careful, I let my wife track my phone as I usually ride alone. More for her, but I admit it's nice knowing there's a better chance I'll be found if I'm off the main trails.

 Find myself riding easier trails

 I ride more rail trails when it's hot. Cop the breeze, outrun the bugs.

 I am more and more thankful that I am still on the bike.


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

Great thread!

I've only been riding 4 years and I'm 47. Still improving notably. Was not a natural (at all) but ride quite impressively these days. 

I'm not the most fit I've ever been but that isn't what slows be down. Breaking 20+ bones on motorcycles previously, the arthritis, and the fear of new injury are what limits me now. I'm flat scared of getting injured badly again. 

Also as a business owner the stresses and phone calls are relentless. 

Still absolutely loving it and wish I could ride more. Retirement to me is all about traveling to ride way more.

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## Entrenador (Oct 8, 2004)

@[email protected] said:


> My stamina feels great though. I just wonder what others' perceptions are.


Probably best to just ask her?

:ihih:


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## levity (Oct 31, 2011)

72

Kids graduated from college, check

Grandkids in good hands, check

Retired, check

GOOD TO GO! Now have time to pedal (or paddle) 6 days a week, year-round here in SoCal. Short “vacation” trips can be any time to the Cali’s desert, Central Coast, or Tahoe, as well as longer excursions to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, or Oregon. FUN!

The motor is not as strong of course, but I have to say I enjoy biking more than ever. This is probably because I better appreciate the good fortune of just being able to have these experiences. Mike Bishop expressed similar sentiments in the neat pinkbike video that Vader posted above.

Advances in bike tech have also allowed me to keep riding at about the same level. Skills were never that great so improvements in suspension and handling of modern bikes actually let me cope with technical terrain better and have even more fun than before.

One concession to aging that I’ve made is to the creature comforts of a camper van with a nice bed, a shower and weather protection. Haven’t been bikepacking in a while, but I’d like to get back to the rewards it offers.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Age: 45

Bikes: '17 Nukeproof Scout 290, '17 Giant Reign 2...

MTB'in: 4 years in & I'm 5 times the rider I was when I started out...

I've had a couple of injuries along the way (haven't we all?), but they're only set backs i.e. what doesn't kill you...

Providing work, family life don't cause clashes - I'll be doing 2x Enduro races this year (first timer too).

I've done a couple 1 day Enduro events & that style/format of riding suits me.

My own kids growing & enjoying riding, will keep me feeling young & engaged in the future, for sure.

Can't wait until the day when/where my two boys & I can be a 3 man team at a most laps event. It will be epic!

'We'll all make it to the top... Some of us, might not make it to the bottom'


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## funnyjr (Oct 31, 2009)

Started at 13 so 1992 when **** was getting hot (suspension forks - rock shox mag 21, yeti w ano ringle, kona, answer manitou, Rocky hammers etc etc etc ... 
3 1/2 years of shredding on my Bianchi ocelot ?? ,Breezer Storm and a specialized Stumpjumper. Rode all season and everyday to school in grade 10 even in freezing winter with ski goggles on and only 1 major spill on black ice. Survived. Manitou bumper were frozen rock solid zero travel. Ppl thought I was a ****in idiot riding in winter who would of ever thought winter fatbiking would be cool. 
At around 16 started being cool friends were getting cars, smoking, pool halls, skipping class, wannabe gangster lifestyle. Dropped the mtb thing altogether.
Around 2009 browsing online came across an add for a used specialized epic marathon - looked cool and reminded me of my old stumpjumper. Went and picked it up cause it was steal of a deal off a kid that was probably entering the same life cycle I was back at 16. 
Now 39 soon and enjoy riding for past decade. Met many new friends that share the same passion. Enjoying all the singletrack my home city has to offer outside my front door. 
Fitness was good until last 3 yrs when 2 beautiful kids and family life got in the way, but still try my best to get out ride as much as I can. 
Peace!! 


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## murf58 (Aug 3, 2011)

Turning 50 in 3 weeks time

* injury recovery time a lot longer - even cuts taking ages to heal 
* confidence and skills decreasing, probably due to a big off a few years ago and generally a lack of riding time with work and family
* general recovery a lot longer - have limited longer rides which has helped. Riding really hard for two days in a row increases the chance of an illness. 

Always been a bit on the heavy side - still haven't dialled my diet in after years of trying (sort of) but feeling now as if I will just have to harden up and do it.


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## masm71 (Dec 24, 2010)

47

I'm getting every year faster. I changed my work place 2016 which allows me to ride 3 times (2-3h) a week comparing to the one ride a week I was doing before.
Of course the bikes are also more expensive.
I started MTB 2008 and then lost 20kg. But after summer vacation each year it has been more difficult to loose weight and every year slightly heavier and have now 3 kg more that 10years ago (77kg). Of course it could be more muscles as I´m faster...

I had a bad knee injury 2002, which affect my running but luckily not biking.
Lot of riders I ride with are getting faster themself up to avarage 55 years, so I'm not worried for the coming years about my age.


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## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

How has mt biking affected my aging? 55 here. Great blood pressure. Only weigh 10 pounds more than I did in my first year of college. Great legs( according to her) great general health and well being. Generally faster than when I started with much longer endurance. Hindsight is 20/20. Ride within your limits, distance as well as skill level. Yoga is great for recovery and core strength. Highly recommended. Sure some longer recovery times, but mix it up some. I commute by bike on a regular basis as well do some bikepacking too.


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## CaptDan (Jun 26, 2013)

Reactions, or more accurately, increasing reaction time.

In my late 50's I used to think I still "had it": riding fast enough to experience the thrill of near-misses & epic saves that riding at the brink-of-control gives.

Then we started riding with our sons. It was stunning to watch how quickly they could react to "Surprise!" features or situations on a trail. Humbling too. I learned strength, stamina, and skill are all subordinate to reaction time.

But there is a positive flip side to this. I still ride through sections that I think simply _*cannot*_ be ridden through faster - clipping trees, tires sliding, ducking under branches, perfect shifts, whoohoo! But the only reason it _*feels*_ that way is because of my slower reaction time. The *impression* is that I'm going as fast as I always have. But the stopwatch tells a different story.

So happily, the thrill is still there; I really am flirting with disaster - near-misses & such - but it merely happens at a slower pace.

64 years old.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

As others state, recovery from hard rides is longer (young 50's here). 

With proper training, muscle strength and aerobic capacity are fine as long as I keep at it. It tends to go away faster than the old days! I train smarter and harder, keeping in mind that rest days are crucial


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## bingemtbr (Apr 1, 2004)

45.

1. Risk and reward. Couple years ago, I crashed and destroyed both shoulders, broke 6 ribs and concussed. After missing and/or suffering through the rest of that season, I had shoulder surgeries amounting to over $130K. I am much more hesitant to ride technical features on any trail--especially the trails I have ridden 1,000 times. 

2. Speed, power, and endurance are as good as they have ever been. Maybe better some days. My 40's certainly are better than my teens and 20's. 

3. Time. I have more time to ride. We started our family early. Our youngest is 20. That being said, the wife and I get out and ride whenever, wherever and as much as we want. Usually 5+ times a week if the weather cooperates. Also, we have more mtb road trips...ah the joys of empty nesting. 

4. Disposable income. I don't buy the bling but I buy quality engineering. It costs more and between the two of us, we have 14 bikes in the stable. Its nice to be able service stuff when it needs servicing. And replace stuff when it fails or wears out. I couldn't always afford to do so in my teens and 20's. I remember one season riding/racing on a locked out Mag20...good times. NOT.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

I'm 65, and have been riding since 1990.
Using technology to compensate for age, my times have actually improved. I have kept track of climb times on several local trails for about 15 years. Through better gear, and better technique, I set several personal "time to climb" records last summer on trails in the 45 minute and 1000 foot climb category. I don't go crazy on the downhills, though, and my times on longer rides have remained about the same. It helps that I live at 6500 feet, and about a dozen years ago, I took up telemark skiing to enhance fitness. I get about 80 days per year doing that, and really concentrate on skiing moguls which also helps with leg and core strength and endurance.


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## ryguy79 (Apr 12, 2007)

With 21 years on mountain bikes and bmx before that, I'm a better rider all around at 39 than I was at 29 or 19. I ride a lot smarter and don't crash much, but if anything I'm faster overall than I was when I was younger.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

tealy said:


> ... But my endurance peak is in the past, which is less my age and more my not giving a ****.
> 
> ....


:thumbsup:

Man, you guys are _OLD_! :lol:

I don't think much about my age. I hafta do the math to remember: I'm, umm... 48.
I've been riding since I was 4, and off-road since I was 8. I have crashed, bonked, froze (a little), over-heated (a little), rode hung-over, rode injured, and have managed to put together some awesome rides over the years even as I watched my fitness ebb and flow.
My skills are still improving, but they are pretty good.
My endurance and speed (those are separate things) are in step with how much I ride in each discipline - they don't seem to be age-related at all. Not even a little.
My reflexes or fast-twitch were never that fast - so, not much age-related effect there either.
I have this luck/karma meter in my head. If I get lucky and avoid a crash with a great recovery/save, I am very reserved for awhile (like months) until I save up some more. I've been known to take some serious risks at speed (but never twice in the same trip). In the old days, I just went for it all. the. time. ...and paid for it. Recovery was much shorter then, though.
Maybe the one thing that I'm starting to notice is that my upper body doesn't maintain strength like my lower half does. Granted, I have some loose shoulder joints and maybe some things that will never be right again, but the loss of strength is still noticeable.
I do spend more time at cruiser speed than I used to, but in the past I was nearly as fast on my way to the trails as most of the roadies, so still not slow.
I guess the biggest realization is that I'll never really be "fast" - even if I got serious. But then, the goal has never been to be fast; I just always wanted to ride more and go farther and see more, so I rode more.
BTW - my main bike, 9 months of the year, is still rigid. I have not experienced any back/shoulder/neck/whatever problems because of riding without suspension. But yeah, my triceps are on fire if I tackle a tough trail in the early season.

-F


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

leeboh said:


> How has mt biking affected my aging? 55 here. Great blood pressure. Only weigh 10 pounds more than I did in my first year of college. Great legs( according to her) great general health and well being. Generally faster than when I started with much longer endurance. Hindsight is 20/20. Ride within your limits, distance as well as skill level. Yoga is great for recovery and core strength. Highly recommended. Sure some longer recovery times, but mix it up some. I commute by bike on a regular basis as well do some bikepacking too.


Was waiting for someone to take it the other way.
Cycling litterally turns back the clock in very measurable ways.
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180308143123.htm


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## DiRt DeViL (Dec 24, 2003)

52

Takes longer to recover from injury so avoid jumps and crazy stuff, can ride longer with a slower steady pace but after a couple hours my hands and arms start to hurt and eventually numb due to CTS so my rides are usually 1.5hrs long and that allows me to be functional the rest of the day. Also don't usually ride on consecutive days.

15 years ago would go for xc races, endurance and adventure races (solo or team), now not even thinking about any of that.


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

59 in Oct...I feel like I'm riding as strong as I ever have (started in the 80's). I can still do a back to back but that 2nd day starts with more aches and pains than it used to...once I get the juices flowing I'm good. 

I still have the same inner drive to push myself but past incidents have a way of tempering that from time to time depending on terrain/conditions. I've always been a strong skier (ex racer) and push myself on the mountain too...very similar physical activity with gravity, speed and hard objects involved if you screw up (it's called CONSEQUENCES). Let's just say there's something to that 'older and wiser' thing. The object is to have a great day and get my 'fix' WITHOUT having to get something fixed.

I've always been a gearhead so also enjoy wrenching as much as ever...sorta like a hobby to me keeping cars, motorcycles, ski's, bikes all tuned and ready.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

49

1 year out of a heart attack

The 2 biggest things I notice are the loss of endurance after not riding for a while, and more fear of falling when attempting risky stuff...hence, less attempting risky stuff.

The 3 months off after the heart attack really effected my endurance and strength. Still making up that muscle loss. 

On the positive side, I have more time to ride now because I am less stressed out about "keeping up" at work, and I am more motivated to ride because I make more time to do it...because of worrying less about "keeping up" at work.

I have also gained a "minimalist" approach to riding. I have simplified my approach to gear, how and when I ride, and the definition of a "Good" ride is a lot more broad


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

sXeXBMXer said:


> 49
> 
> 1 year out of a heart attack
> 
> ...


Have you posted previously about your pre-heart attack health or if there were any warning signs?


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

I'm 56. Slight dose of BP med and one for cholesterol.

* I have more respect for the bike and the trails than ever before. 
This comes with aging and the wisdom / experience associated over the past two decades.

* I'm more interested than ever in biking for fitness and health reasons these days. 
I was always thin and had the appearance of being fit and in good shape without ever having to do anything but that slides away a bit over time and the past 17 years of a career change has taken away some of the exercise that I took more for granted in previous work-life. _I know this sounds a lot like an excuse if I don't make up for that lacking fitness byproduct with more diligent p__ursuits of activity but I'd rather not talk about so don't bring it up again !_ I'm steadily in the 170 to 174 range at 5' 10.75 and a bit of beer belly bump, like " 3 months along or so". ​
* Was never a speed hound but I'm definitely more reserved on the downhill loop. 
I find a moderate speed where I still feel that effortless flow and enjoy the free feet.per.second velocity but really fight that visual image of a dismantled scene, field littered with bike or body parts etc. Things happen fast and I'm fortunate to have had only a few major malfunctions in my time so I heed the memories without conscious effort.

* Aging has given me more incentive to advance my tech skills and ability even though I've yet to impress or 'shine'. 
I do believe the slower pace of learning those skills can help redirect me (my interests) to focus on things less dangerous, more rewarding and keep the challenge of the ride where I need improvement while enhancing the fitness aspect. 
To me, the beauty of a bike ride (any) is the way it feeds me as 'the rider'. One day might be the outdoor elements, temps, fog, snow or scenery. Those conditions that help me feel more alive and provide the giddy'up to generate the body warmth needed.
Other times, it's meeting up with friends or that small group fellowship / recreation. Enjoying the company and never even thinking about the workout or fitness aspect sometimes.

* Lastly (for now), I feel that aging has had a very positive effect on me related to biking in the aspect of mental health and attitude. 
Any (and there are some) aches or pains and limitations for what I can do, how often I can ride or down time needed between big rides versus 6, ten or twelve years ago is not nearly too much trade-off IMO for the positives I get out it these days. 
Probably obvious and no disclaimer needed that I'm not commenting from a background in racing or competition! 

btw- Excellent question and post to provide. :thumbsup:


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

51.

I still rack up 3000+ miles per year (knobby tires everywhere) and hit all sorts of trails from buff single track to rocky technical. Feeling a bit fatter/lazier/slower recently... not sure if it is temporary or not. 

I intend to keep on pedaling until my legs can't turn the cranks anymore.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

52 - Started riding about 4 years ago, life took a swing at me and had to stop just after starting. Last couple of years though, its basically all do for fun, peace, health etc. 

My killer is not being able to ride consistently - 6/7 days off the bike, and it feels like starting over. I'm in decent health, but do have a hyper thyroid which is the only meds I take 10mg daily. 

I've to say riding has re-rejuvenated me in a sense. Hardly drink anymore, no more 4am drunken stunts, and being out on the trail is just where I prefer to be. Things have changed for the positive.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

46. my riding hasn't changed, but the time of recovery has doubled...


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## matadorCE (Jun 26, 2013)

40

I've only been mountain biking in earnest for 5 years, but have ridden a bike pretty much all my life. I've felt the best on the bike two years ago, when I was racing and pushing myself. I also got injured more frequently and that sucked since like other have said, recovery just takes a lot longer--even cuts and bruises take longer to go away. Now my bike skills are a lot better, but I don't feel like I have it in me to push myself without thinking of consequences. I'd ride chicken out on a drop or jump and get to ride the next day, then to go for it and crash. I do want to do the gnarly stuff, but I can't afford to get hurt to the point where I can't ride.


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

60
From MX to MTB I've been riding since my teens. I'm one of those small thin guys so weight never wore my knees, and I skipped football and did soccer in my young days. I get tired, but recover in a couple of days compared to weeks for the guys with damaged/aged knees. In '13 two of my pals bought some 29" bikes and changed the way we ride. After beating my bike for a couple of years I updated too. Longer Lower Slacker 27.5. I got motivated to get back to the front of my pack and worked on my skillset. While always fun, riding faster is more fun and I've became addicted to getting as fast and fly as far as possible. My limit is time and how much I choose to spend working out. Not crashing became important to me because the 1 that hurt bad cost me too much time off the trail. 
For some it happens in the 40s for me it was my mid-50s but damage-recovery begins to take too long. I've got young kids (most think I'm the grandpa) so I've recognized how time is the most valuable thing in the world. I enjoy my time on MTBR as I've always liked benchracing too, so hello to all you other bullsh*t artists posting here.


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## CUP-TON (Dec 7, 2016)

54, I have been riding since about 85-86. I have had a lot of broken bones and other injuries.
I still charge hard and love techy rides, up and down. I still jump and love drops up to 5'. 
Endurance wise I probably peaked at 42-45. Recovery takes longer now and like some others here a small amount of alcohol adds to recovery times. 
Can't ride as far or as fast as I once did due to hip and back issues. Still ride throughout the year but much shorter rides. 
Most of my rides now are 6-10 miles, but usually pretty techy up and down. Then a ton of stretching. I can do a 20-25 miler but my back will hate me afterwards. My last big ride was a few years ago. I did 62 miles in a weekend at Buffalo Creek, 20 the first day and 42 the second.
Spent 60 days off the bike this winter trying to get my back in better shape, so hopefully I can do a few epic rides this summer.


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## scaryfast (Apr 23, 2004)

38. Been riding since I was 10, still riding a decent amount. I don't have the energy/strength that I used. I also don't take the bigger risks like I used to. Definitely calculate fun/risk ratio a lot more these days.


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## Gallo (Nov 17, 2013)

adversely


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

Interesting and a little disheartening that longer recovery times seem to be nearly universal as people age, not surprising I suppose. I guess I'm sort of a freak because I'd ride 6 days a week if I could, spare time is the only thing holding me back. I'll take what I can get and enjoy it while I can.


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

J.B. Weld said:


> Interesting and a little disheartening that longer recovery times seem to be nearly universal as people age, not surprising I suppose. I guess I'm sort of a freak because I'd ride 6 days a week if I could, spare time is the only thing holding me back. I'll take what I can get and enjoy it while I can.


I wonder if there is a pattern or a ratio to recovery time even with us older people if were we to chart who rides pretty strong or regularly 3 to 5 days a week versus those that ride 4 to 10 times a month. Maybe it would reveal results less disheartening.

In my case, I almost certain my fatigue or lagging recovery stems for that "weekend warrior syndrome" since I'm anything but a consistent rider any given week or month or length and type of rides.


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

bachman1961 said:


> I wonder if there is a pattern or a ratio to recovery time even with us older people if were we to chart who rides pretty strong or regularly 3 to 5 days a week versus those that ride 4 to 10 times a month. Maybe it would reveal results less disheartening.


That would be interesting, in my case I've found the more I ride the better I feel and I'm usually ready to go the next day.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

bachman1961 said:


> I wonder if there is a pattern or a ratio to recovery time even with us older people if were we to chart who rides pretty strong or regularly 3 to 5 days a week versus those that ride 4 to 10 times a month. Maybe it would reveal results less disheartening.
> 
> In my case, I almost certain my fatigue or lagging recovery stems for that "weekend warrior syndrome" since I'm anything but a consistent rider any given week or month or length and type of rides.


I set myself a small goal of 30mi. x week, it has helped. I don't always make it, but sometimes I pass it.


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## Davide (Jan 29, 2004)

59. Survived a severe heart attack 2 years ago

I am a better rider that I was even five years ago, especially downhill, but I am slower uphill. Hard to tell why it is so. Age, maybe the light damage to the heart, but most likely the statin drugs that are killing me (I am in pretty much in constant pain). But ... I could be dead, so it is a present every time I go riding! 

I ride pretty much every day Oct to March, 1.25 hours is the norm with the occasional 2-2.5h. The short ride requires no recovery the day after. Than windsurfing season kicks in, and Apr to Sep MTB is less frequent.

I am not too worried about further decline, it is part of being human. It might come up quick, and then it might be a bit hard to adapt to a more sedentary existence (but there are e-bikes, and sailboats, at the horizon! :thumbsup


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

I'm 52 , I'm a lot less Kamikaze than I use to be.
I'm more into longer runs , slower.
I do more road ride than I use to.

In MTBing , I'm a better climber , not faster but better. 
(Experience)


I'll probably get a FS bike when I'll get old......


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## bachman1961 (Oct 9, 2013)

jcd46 said:


> I set myself a small goal of 30mi. x week, it has helped. I don't always make it, but sometimes I pass it.


Cool !
From what I'm reading of others and recall, I'll guess that most riders with consistency and most age groups fair better for recovery. In a sense, I'd thing that true of most fitness or athletic endeavors.

Shameful - There is no reason on earth I can't be fitting in sit up's 3 - 5 times a week and the elliptical at ? min daily. 
None of that is a time vampire like planning a ride, meeting up, getting there and back.

:madman:



J.B. Weld said:


> That would be interesting, in my case I've found the more I ride the better I feel and I'm usually ready to go the next day.


Just realizing one of the things I enjoy gleaning from others and mtbr in general is all the positive and encouraging information and experiences shared. Sometimes, what is possible may otherwise fall through the cracks or go by undetected.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> Interesting and a little disheartening that longer recovery times seem to be nearly universal as people age, not surprising I suppose. I guess I'm sort of a freak because I'd ride 6 days a week if I could, spare time is the only thing holding me back. I'll take what I can get and enjoy it while I can.


I don't think it's the consecutive days of riding that matters as much as the intensity of those rides.


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

Crankout said:


> I don't think it's the consecutive days of riding that matters as much as the intensity of those rides.


Agreed it's the burn, also it's not the "consecutive" part, for me just getting in 3 rides a week makes huge diff in my stamina. The climbs here are short and if I'm losing speed on them it's confirmation I've only been on the trail like once a week for a while. I'll renew efforts to get out more; cresting a hill at speed morphs the following section of trial. Like a different trail entirely.


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## RooHarris (May 11, 2011)

*I'm 71 and still a kid!*



@[email protected] said:


> 43
> What are the things that have made you stop and think "wow I'm getting older", or maybe even the things that help you keep from "losing it"?


I'm an old(er) fart that still feels young. Young with the experience of the years of wisdom while being present.

I started MTB biking to get through a nasty divorce in 1986. It worked!
That Cannondale was my rocket ship to freedom. I've stayed with riding ever since. I tried racing in 1993 at the Norba Championships in PC, but that was way too frenetic for me. It was more where the bike could take me: high up into the mountains of Utah (Wasatch Crest Trail) that mattered most. Now, my only regret is I didn't retire 5 years earlier as I'm so loving riding three to four days a week for the last 11 years. Settling into the Mendocino coastal area is the best thing I've ever done after leaving Bend OR (3 year hiatus) via Salt Lake City (20 year stint).

Living here has afforded me year round opportunities to ride as much as I care to get in. Most of us are older with the oldest and still charging hard is Jack (my co-author of the guidebook) at 78! So, that brings me to my perspective on why we ride: It's about the comradery of good friends. We support one another regardless of who is last to the top of the climbs. There is always someone who is faster (BigBike Nick-who'll be turning 60 in May!) but it isn't a race, but an opportunity to be a kid, each time we ride. Riding is similar to ski racing: it's about challenging yourself, no one else. If you compare yourself to others you lose the essence of why one is riding in the first place. My only goal in riding is the number of miles I accumulate in a year (3000+). No Strava. No Personal "Best Awards". Just the "Ride"! Beside being in good shape, I can eat all the pizza I care to devour. I use to be a bike guide (Mendocino Bike Sprites) until the JDSF threatened us with citations. The beauty of guiding was meeting so many great folks who had similar desires: to experience new trails without the fear of getting lost. To be able to commune with each other in a friendly, unthreatened manner leaving any macho at the door. Macho rides alone!

I love what aging has taught me: It is the opportunity to be gentler, more aware, and more forgiving. With each ride comes harmony and endorphins and lots of smiling. I hope to carry this forward through the years ahead. What comes will be a great mystery, but also the opportunity to enjoy all there is on my Ripley "Believe of not"!. Then, it's time for another pint of IPA and a second slice of life!

​


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## fokof (Apr 24, 2006)

Really nice thread guys , wish we had the "like" option 

Nice to read about others in my group age !


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

This is inspiring. As a sick sort of science experiment I mountainbiked 5 days in a row ending with a great ride last night. Normally I ride 2-3 days in a row and then recover and at 59 this seems to work well. I did it and managed to climb in the gears I usually do for each section. My coordination was off a notch last night but it's hard to say what the cause was. I have days when I'm on fire and a few where I'm all over the place. The last two days my whole body ached after the rides, and while I'm tired today, I feel like I could still knock off a lap today. I only set 1 goal, and that is to climb at least 80km a year, and ride a lot so I can ride a lot.


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## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

53 and while I know I'm not as fast on the climbs, I can still sit back and spin pretty well. Techy climbing has always been my strong point and it's the one area where I can still pull away from most of our riding group. I've definitely gotten better going downhill the last few years (after 25 years of riding) because I finally forced myself to stop "picking a line" and just plow over the chunder. It took me a trip OTB, lawn darting on my head and fracturing my neck at age 49 to learn that lesson. Fitness wise, I'm not as physically strong as I was because I used to go to the gym 4-5 days a week but riding wise, I'm probably better because I ride a lot more in retirement.


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## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Yup, sometimes it's best to let the bike do it's job.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

RooHarris said:


> I'm an old(er) fart that still feels young. Young with the experience of the years of wisdom while being present.
> 
> I started MTB biking to get through a nasty divorce in 1986. It worked!
> That Cannondale was my rocket ship to freedom. I've stayed with riding ever since. I tried racing in 1993 at the Norba Championships in PC, but that was way too frenetic for me. It was more where the bike could take me: high up into the mountains of Utah (Wasatch Crest Trail) that mattered most. Now, my only regret is I didn't retire 5 years earlier as I'm so loving riding three to four days a week for the last 11 years. Settling into the Mendocino coastal area is the best thing I've ever done after leaving Bend OR (3 year hiatus) via Salt Lake City (20 year stint).
> ...


Love it!
Where's the like button indeed.


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

Crankout said:


> I don't think it's the consecutive days of riding that matters as much as the intensity of those rides.


I'd describe the majority of my rides as high intensity. I'm not doubting that age effects recovery times as people are reporting here but I haven't noticed it yet, something to look forward to I guess


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## thecanoe (Jan 30, 2007)

70 y/o and love Mtbing. Cut out the techie stuff and enjoy XC. But in Massachusetts there’s always roots and rocks. I ride a SC Tallboy C. But Cape Cod offers miles of old MX trails. So now we do a lot of exploring on my fat bike. Never know what you’ll encounter. And there’s nothing wrong with stopping to catch my breath and check out the view. 


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

I noticed absolutely no difference in recovery times. But I eat a very clean diet, am slender but never smoke, it's mostly just about my current Fitness level.

To be frank, I'm faster than a most of the people I encounter. And most the ones that beat me seem to be older than me!

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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

44 here.

Still climb like ****  but I'm climbing here now that I can breathe.

Moved to Colorado a year and a half ago. Learned to mtb in Florida and NC in the early 90s before moving to California in the mid 90s.

I was my most technical riding in Florida and NC. In California I developed asthma. That really sucks.  and I found it hard to find technical riding in the Bay Area that didn't involve a lot of climbing so my tech riding suffered.

Here my asthma is much more in check, and I'm spending a lot more time working on jumping and dh. I'm not hitting anything hard core but there are better progressions and better riding opportunities here to ride dh. And I'm learning how to ride the big bike. It's amazing, even if I'm older. And I'm relearning how to ride the rocks.

I'm also healthier here. But yeah recovery from injury takes longer and same for recovery from harder rides.


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## Hurricane Jeff (Jan 1, 2006)

*My aging process and riding*

My experiences have been a little different than the majority. In my 20's and 30's, I was at, what I thought, " the top of my game. But when I turned 40, I was riding better and faster than I've ever had. In my mid to late forties, I slowed down a bit, mostly due to family and work. Late in my 40's, 48,49, I started to pick it up again and when I turned 50, I probably had my best year racing ever. I won almost every race I entered, 50+ cat.1 and even had a couple of races in which I passed most of the younger riders and caught some of the pro riders who started 9 minutes ahead.
I was really amazed at my riding but knew that someday I was going to have reach a plateau. A few ago, I'm 56 now, I think I did. While I still had some really amazing days, it seems for the most part, I just don't have that kick anymore.
Right now and for the last 4 months, I've hardly ridden due to a re-occurring back injury and a business that has been going crazy.
I hope to get back on my bike soon and get back some of my fitness


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## tg (Feb 1, 2006)

55 and still alive! I live in western Colorado surrounded by sweet single track. Very blessed to be on my bike almost every day. XC raced for over 20 years but gave that up 2 years ago. I find that I ride just as much now if not more than ever. A few years back i picked up a fat bike and now there is no off season for me. I find myself skiing less and riding more. I really do feel that cycling helps me stay younger than I am. Side note.. I also weight train 4 days a week and eat pretty much what ever I want.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> I'd describe the majority of my rides as high intensity. I'm not doubting that age effects recovery times as people are reporting here but I haven't noticed it yet, something to look forward to I guess


I'm guessing you're very fit and can manage that workload. Later in the season I can pull that off, but not at this phase of training.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Great to read all of the stories for sure..also great to know that success is not always about trophies am=nd speed!!

I think if we all just keep our personal goals in mind, we will always ride better....funny how many people are also actually riding more, and possibly better after 50 than in their early years. I know I ride more now for sure...and I ride more focused, even if it is not more physically demanding due to the age of my body...my brain still thinks I am 17

keep at it !!!


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

Crankout said:


> I'm guessing you're very fit and can manage that workload. Later in the season I can pull that off, but not at this phase of training.


I am feeling pretty good these days and here in the SW USA there really is no off season.

I'm sure I was stronger in some ways and had better lung capacity 30 years ago but I feel more fit now, maybe that's selective memory presiding but either way I'll take it. It would be interesting to race my former 25 y/o self, I'm positive I'd destroy that poor sap on the mtb but I wonder about on the road?


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## SeaBass_ (Apr 7, 2006)

50

Bikes - Jones Plus SS / Evil The Following / 92 Cannondale M800 1x10

Been riding MTB for close to 30 years. The rigid SS does a good job of getting and keeping me in shape. Rides on the FS are cake after that.

Started doing a lot of pushups about 3 years ago and have basically eliminated lower back pain and improved most everything else. 

Like any sport, some days you're on fire, some days you're sucking ass on the trails. 

I always have to have my pre ride coffee and bring a mid ride banana and gels/chews. 

It's amazing how the changes in geometry and wheel size have benefitted my riding. I used to endo quite regularly on my 26" HT's. That maneuver has been basically eliminated from my repertoire - except when I took my 92 Cannondale M800 out this past Thanksgiving and promptly endoed over a couple logs that my other bikes don't even consider obstacles.


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## maverickc_c (Nov 4, 2009)

73 years young here in the Phoenix area. MTB gets me out of the rocking chair (death trap). I have slowed down the last couple of years (according to Strava) but still enjoy riding 3 x/week getting in 30-40 miles/week. I have an arthritic left knee and have been advised to get replaced . I think if I wasn't riding I would have to get a knee replacement so the riding keeps it lubed up. I mostly spin up the hills and no big gears and ride x country trails. 
As I read the comments above one thing stands out 'Everyone remembers when they were at their best' and that is one of the frustrations of aging but inevitable. Most of you guys have a long ways to go but it can be some of the best times as long as you adjust your expectations. I occasionally ride with a guy named Bill. He is 76 and up to a year ago he rode a rigid ss. He now rides an 11 speed rigid with 2.8" tires but I can't keep up with him unless it is rocky and downhill. The message is 'keep active"


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## ColinL (Feb 9, 2012)

42. I was never an elite athlete in my youth, so I don't have some lofty standards by which to judge myself. 

I can still feel rusty the first few rides after winter, when I only ride an indoor trainer, and the first few techy trails are out of rhythm. I keep getting better throughout the season for skills, because again, I was not that awesome.

cardio is different than skill. no doubt I have to work harder for a given amount of cardio and I lose it faster. and no doubt I don't ride as much as I would like to be able to. the best riding I ever did was when I was between jobs for a few months about 5 years ago.

my son just turned 11 and it's fun getting out with him on rides. he whines more than I did as a kid, I think it's his mom's fault.  I raced dirtbikes and crashed a lot, and it hurt. the speeds and weight of the vehicles alone makes MTB crashes a lot less violent on the whole. we skipped MX for him due to cost, lack of legal riding areas, and the fact the whole family can ride MTB. he likes MTBing and he is getting better by leaps and bounds. whereas I'm still getting better slowly.

very soon he'll exceed my cardio endurance abilities but he has a long way to go to exceed my skills and determination. once all 3 dominoes fall, he'll be the one waiting up for me on the trails.


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## MiWolverine (Jun 15, 2009)

47 in a couple of weeks and I have slowed considerably. Though, that was compounded by the fact that I lost interest in biking due to depression, age and getting fat. I was so depressed that I sold my bikes. I recently bought a new bike and am getting back into it. I used to be quite dedicated to mountain biking and was much quicker than a lot of the young whippersnappers. Now, I am a fat brick on wheels. Though, I have changed my mentality and want to just have fun and am no longer interested in being fast.


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

i am fifty six.

don't talk to me about recovering from injuries; injuries suck when you're over fifty.

my eyesight has always been iffy now it is iffy-er. this becomes an issue mainly during night rides which are few and far between.

however, i probably go downhill somewhat faster which i think may be a result of my refining riding skills over the years. (i started riding MTB when i was 29) i also believe my patience and decision making while on the bike have improved somewhat as well.

i don't ride in the rain for fun any more and i avoid riding in san francisco traffic whenever possible, since i used to pedal the 17th street gauntlet from the inner richmond to dogpatch every day for eleven years. 

commuting with numbnuts in four wheeled steel boxes will take the joy of cycling out of a man right quick.

yes, recovery is slower but i can still pull off back to back rides although one of those back to backs has to be shorter and mellower.

what age has not changed is my passion for the sport. i hope i'm still able to pedal the same terrain i'm riding now when i'm sixty-six.


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## DethWshBkr (Nov 25, 2010)

38 here. Rode from 1993-1997, when I was 13-17 years old. 

I am 6', and was 140lb back then. 210 right now. 
I don't think my age has affected much in and of itself. I don't have the ability to just go flat bonkers anymore, but it's more having a wife, two little guys, and trying to run a 1 man small HVAC business that keeps me sane. Definitely don't have the ability to just go for something without a care in the world.
That's how I got my screen name in 1993. DethWshBkr (biker). I would challenge anyone, anywhere, anytime on downhills. You had the main line? Cool, I'll go off trail through chunder and still pass. One ride, I scared a bunch of expert riders, passing them through a rock garden that was not part of the trail. They thought I was out of control and crashing. 
Nope. Later that ride, they told my dad I need to slow down, because it seemed I had a death wish. 
I defintley don't have that complete lack of fear. (Could also be weight related, as 210 lb doesn't stop, maneuver, or crash as nicely as 140 lb does!!)


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## LMN (Sep 8, 2007)

Turning 41. Been riding since I was 8.

The biggest change is my appetite for risk. I can ride as fast or perhaps even faster then when I was younger but not all the time. Nowadays there is a lot of mental checks I make before I really decide to push my limits. I need to feel that I am on and sharp, if I am feeling slightly off I will stay within my comfort zone.

I am OK with this. Crashing hurts, and I have a lot of fun riding my bike smoothly and cleanly.


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## LMN (Sep 8, 2007)

J.B. Weld said:


> Interesting and a little disheartening that longer recovery times seem to be nearly universal as people age, not surprising I suppose. I guess I'm sort of a freak because I'd ride 6 days a week if I could, spare time is the only thing holding me back. I'll take what I can get and enjoy it while I can.


The increased recovery time mainly applies to anaerobic work. Really hard efforts take longer to recover from. However, someone who has been riding regularly their whole life has this huge aerobic base that allows them to long ride after long ride after long ride.

Years of riding has it benifits


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

MiWolverine said:


> 47 in a couple of weeks and I have slowed considerably. Though, that was compounded by the fact that I lost interest in biking due to depression, age and getting fat. I was so depressed that I sold my bikes. I recently bought a new bike and am getting back into it. I used to be quite dedicated to mountain biking and was much quicker than a lot of the young whippersnappers. Now, I am a fat brick on wheels. Though, I have changed my mentality and want to just have fun and am no longer interested in being fast.


Dude, I went through the same kind of thing about 10 years ago. Got real depressed after a 13 year relationship suddenly ended. Did the whole recluse, living like a hoarder thing for about 5 years....biking is what got me back out of it. I had sooo many good memories of what biking was when I was younger. I actually came across the old MTB when cleaning out all of the mess, and it was like magic!! It gave me a new reason to get up and out for sure. 5 years this side of what I call "The Darkness" now and there has been now sign at all of depression. I really can't beleive Iactually was in that world.

I hope you also find your "catapult". I also only ride for my own fun. I have never raced, even when I was younger on BMX, it was all about the hang, and learning tricks. MTB is escape for me, and a connection to the outdoors, which I also grew up with by camping and hiking. I ride MTB to keep my skills challenged from a tech side, and it also keeps the gear-head in me happy. Still ride BMX as well. My step-son does both BMX and MTB with me, and that is cool


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## RobLyman (May 8, 2006)

I'm 54 years old now. I started riding as a kid. I bought my first rigid mtb in the late 80s. I raced for a few years in mid 90s in my 30s. At 46 I broke my wrist mountain biking. At 48 I dislocated my ankle and required surgery. Then, at age 52 I went OTB and dislocated my shoulder, again requiring surgery.

I am not as flexible nor as light as I used to be, so I watch my speed and especially take notice of when I get tired, because that is when I tend to wreck.


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

RobLyman said:


> I'm 54 years old now. I started riding as a kid. I bought my first rigid mtb in the late 80s. I raced for a few years in mid 90s in my 30s. At 46 I broke my wrist mountain biking. At 48 I dislocated my ankle and required surgery. Then, at age 52 I went OTB and dislocated my shoulder, again requiring surgery.
> 
> I am not as flexible nor as light as I used to be, so I watch my speed and especially take notice of when I get tired, because that is when I tend to wreck.


did you ever recover full range of motion from your dislocated shoulder?

i dislocated mine back in september and the muscles froze. my ROM is still limited somewhat but i can ride.

how long was your recovery from dislocation to "full"?


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

shekky said:


> did you ever recover full range of motion from your dislocated shoulder?
> 
> i dislocated mine back in september and the muscles froze. my ROM is still limited somewhat but i can ride.
> 
> how long was your recovery from dislocation to "full"?


I've mildly seperated both of my shoulders at separate times. It took a long time for them to completely heal, as in 6+ months so I would think a serious dislocation would take quite a while to heal. I also dislocated my pinkie and it took a surprising long time to be 100%, longer than the doc said it would take.


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## RonSonic (Jan 8, 2005)

62
Only been MTB for about 12 years. Was a roadie, discovered cyclocross started doing gravel and trail riding before it was a thing and just kept going deeper into the woods until that became my main thing. My ankles and knees can't take running much but I can still ride. Technique is pretty darn good for an old roadie, which is to say pretty bad. My bunny hop is an upward lurch. 

Still having fun. Still scare myself from time to time and don't crash a lot so I'm good.


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## DeadGrandpa (Aug 17, 2016)

65

I rode my first mtb 9 months ago. Previously was all paved road riding for stamina and endurance, up to 250 miles per week in August heat and humidity. Riding hills, no, make that CLIMBING hills in the mountains has increased my cardio/aerobic capabilities and made my legs stronger. I don't care about being fast and am cautious on any downhills, because I don't want to crash. 

I don't eat anything special. Whatever I happen to want, from donuts to ramen soup and sandwiches. I take various vitamins on a semi regular basis. B12 sublingual is good for balance. I'm 6ft, 170 pounds. 

You young whippersnappers in your 40s and 50s, are not close to being old. You might need a younger woman, if you are truly feeling old. And quit avoiding the climbs. Speed on the DH or catching air on a jump won't help you when it's important, which is when you're with a woman. Unless that's not important to you, hahaha!!


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

shekky said:


> did you ever recover full range of motion from your dislocated shoulder?
> 
> i dislocated mine back in september and the muscles froze. my ROM is still limited somewhat but i can ride.
> 
> how long was your recovery from dislocation to "full"?


dislocated my right shoulder playing hockey 3 years ago - big check in the boards - tore my rotator cuff as well. I still don't have full ROM...probably 60% right now, but am working on it. It has gotten better over time. Due to not having health insurance whne it happened, I also know I did not follow the proper protocol for rehabbing it, so that probably did not help. I know that it healed back wrong, so I am fighting that...


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## RobLyman (May 8, 2006)

shekky said:


> did you ever recover full range of motion from your dislocated shoulder?
> 
> i dislocated mine back in september and the muscles froze. my ROM is still limited somewhat but i can ride.
> 
> how long was your recovery from dislocation to "full"?


My dislocation include a labrum torn about 66%. I too had a frozen shoulder during recovery. A single cortisone shot during PT worked it out. I regained 80% range of movement in 3 months or less. I was doing push ups by then. My job required it. Another 10% over the next year. I'm at about 95-99% now, but get some popping going on depending on how I rotate my arm/shoulder.

The ankle was much worse, with a 2" and a 2.5" screw in my ankle during recovery. It was 5 months before I rode a bike again.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

J.B. Weld said:


> I am feeling pretty good these days and here in the SW USA there really is no off season.
> 
> I'm sure I was stronger in some ways and had better lung capacity 30 years ago but I feel more fit now, maybe that's selective memory presiding but either way I'll take it. It would be interesting to race my former 25 y/o self, I'm positive I'd destroy that poor sap on the mtb but I wonder about on the road?


Ha! It's funny, I wonder the same thing in regards to current vs. former fitness. I have to say, I definitely train smarter than I ever have out of necessity. It seems like it takes me longer to warm up than before; in other words, I feel like I can't hammer out a decent interval without spinning for about 15-20 minutes, or even longer.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

sXeXBMXer said:


> Great to read all of the stories for sure..also great to know that success is not always about trophies am=nd speed!!
> 
> I think if we all just keep our personal goals in mind, we will always ride better....funny how many people are also actually riding more, and possibly better after 50 than in their early years. I know I ride more now for sure...and I ride more focused, even if it is not more physically demanding due to the age of my body...my brain still thinks I am 17
> 
> keep at it !!!


Definitely more focused, in part because I have the time to ride, and in my early 50's I want to make every workout meaningful.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

Crankout said:


> Definitely more focused, in part because I have the time to ride, and in my early 50's I want to make every workout meaningful.


having it be meaningful is definitely a larger factor for me to...quality over quantity, though with biking, really, ANY ride is a great ride. As many have mentioned, my worst day of riding is better than my best day at work, sometimes (I actually love my job)

but knowing how the riding is tied into eating habits and weight management to make my body last longer is definitely more of an interest of mine now. Also, understanding how keeping my body in balance effects my riding is a motivational thing for sure...every gym/training session is like "getting new components" for the bike to make it run faster, and more efficient


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## shekky (Oct 21, 2011)

DeadGrandpa said:


> 65
> 
> I rode my first mtb 9 months ago. Previously was all paved road riding for stamina and endurance, up to 250 miles per week in August heat and humidity. Riding hills, no, make that CLIMBING hills in the mountains has increased my cardio/aerobic capabilities and made my legs stronger. I don't care about being fast and am cautious on any downhills, because I don't want to crash.
> 
> ...


i don't want a younger woman because i "feel old"...

i want a younger woman because...


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## stepping-razor (Aug 15, 2008)

cool thread!

i'm 47 (48 in july)

for me, aging with reference to riding has been a compensation of sorts.

when i was i younger i had:
- way fewer responsibilities
- much more free time
- more physical strength
- more stamina
- less recovery time between rides
- much less fear of speed, jumps, drops, but mostly of *FALLING*

now, as we all know, with age we generally replace "less/fewer" with "more/much" and vice-versa.

it could be said that a "certain type" of mtb riding is for the young, but i essentially think that with all sports (and with many things in life), you eventually need to calibrate things to your capabilities and get the most out of what you can get.

at my age i would like to be able to be KOM on a gnarly downhill section, but is it worth getting hurt and as a result having to take off from work, burden my family, spend money on doctor bills and risk not ever getting back on the bike?

not for me.

so my reasons for riding have changed. i go to spend the day, or a couple of hours, out on my bike, and although i try to push my limits now and then, i try to improve riding skills and keep things like heart rate in check and make sure i have plenty of snacks and water.

most importantly, i still have fun and when i get home, i am already thinking about my next ride, just like when i was younger.

that said, i feel pretty good for my age and consider it a good time to be a mountain biker. i am in decent shape (the same weight as i was when i was 30), and although my priorities have changed, i now have more of an interest in things like trail building, bike repair, training, diet, etc. (the internet has helped a lot imho). so i spend a lot of my free time involved in the general field of interest, especially when "middle age" problems like prostatitis and hemorrhoids occur.

there are also fewer "temptations" in terms of getting stupid drunk or stoned, eating bad, etc. now *staying in shape is more than a goal, it's the means to an end: keep riding as long as possible.*

one other, less important aspect is having considerably more disposable income to spend on all the goodies modern mountain biking has to offer, something i couldn't say 20 years ago.


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## fillaroida (Oct 2, 2017)

shekky said:


> i am fifty six.
> 
> don't talk to me about recovering from injuries; injuries suck when you're over fifty.


Wow. Many of these responses are downright depressing.

I think that riding regularly contributes significantly to my recovery time from injuries.

Recovering from recent injuries haven't been any different over fifty for me(yet).


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## 92gli (Sep 28, 2006)

I'm 43, 2020 will be my 30th year mountain biking. The only negative for me has been longer recovery time after really hard rides. Otherwise I'm in the best shape I've been in since high school. Back to that weight too - 170. I've been running 3-4 miles every day that I'm not biking since 2008, and lifting weights one day a week (upper body/core only) since 2015. When I started the weightlifting again it was 2-3 times a week. It eliminated most of the back, shoulders and neck pains I'd have after riding. But I scaled it back to one day a week as I started to gain some weight. I don't eat any carbs for breakfast or lunch, but I kind of pig out at dinner and drink beer every night. If I cut out alcohol completely I could probably get down to a super ripped 160 pounds but I'm not that motivated.


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## CGrr (Aug 30, 2010)

49 yrs young. Started riding bikes again about 10yrs ago, after stopping pretty much when I got my drivers license, to try and avoid the heart issues that my uncles and grandfather suffered from. So far, so good and I have my fingers crossed. Things I've noticed as I've gotten older are that I seem to have lost some of the 'pop' in my riding and that sometimes I think too much about my performance as I ride instead of just enjoying it. The loss of 'pop' I'm going to blame on my equipment and attribute it to going from 26" wheels to 29" and then from rigid SS 29er to FS 29er. The FS 29er is more capable and more comfortable but doesn't have that 'zing' and 'pop' that the 26er did, at least that's what I'll blame it on. The thinking too much part is me trying to blame the lack of 'pop' on my bike while I'm riding it. 


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

CGrr said:


> 49 yrs young. Started riding bikes again about 10yrs ago, after stopping pretty much when I got my drivers license, to try and avoid the heart issues that my uncles and grandfather suffered from. So far, so good and I have my fingers crossed. Things I've noticed as I've gotten older are that I seem to have lost some of the 'pop' in my riding and that sometimes I think too much about my performance as I ride instead of just enjoying it. The loss of 'pop' I'm going to blame on my equipment and attribute it to going from 26" wheels to 29" and then from rigid SS 29er to FS 29er. The FS 29er is more capable and more comfortable but doesn't have that 'zing' and 'pop' that the 26er did, at least that's what I'll blame it on. The thinking too much part is me trying to blame the lack of 'pop' on my bike while I'm riding it.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Pretty much my same story, but I am riding now post family inherited heart attack. Went from a 90s era Trek 26er to a 2015 Surly Krampus...soooo much more fun to ride right now, ans am trying to get the pop I had back in the early 80s on BMX. Still ride BMX as well looking for that pop.

Keep up thenriding, and also to avoid that HA, reduce sodium intake....big time! For me that and other sensible food choices have been the best thing for my health and riding success!!!!


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

39 now, started mountain biking back when I was 10 or 11.

The main difference compared to my teens and 20s is smarter risk taking. Back in those days I'd hit any jump, drop, teeter-totter, or stupid line straight down the mountain as long as I thought I had a 20-25% chance of pulling it off. It didn't matter if I crashed most of the time, if I thought I had that small chance of looking like a hero, I'd ride it. I guess that's what happens when you're young, a bit crazy, and everyone in the riding group believes in encouraging others to push their limits.

These days I still do a lot of stupid stuff but it's a lot more calculated, I'm not going to huck myself off a drop without carefully scoping out the surroundings, I'm not going to attempt something unless I feel I have a 90% chance of pulling it off. And even then I'm going to look at my bailout options and figure out what the possible crash is going to look like if I botch things. I take more risks when the likely consequences are only minor injuries, but when there's a high potential for an ambulance ride I'm unlikely to risk things. In short, I still take risks and push my limits a lot, but I do it in a much safer & more controlled way so that I don't end up in the hospital.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

At 35 i feel like i've been 20 for 15 years. I'm more aware of my mortality, but i experience it vicariously through watching my peers age and get hurt. Me, i feel great and crash frequently without repercussions. (knock on wood!) Haven't really noticed any change in recovery time or fitness. I know it won't last forever, and i don't do things that could really break me, but in the mean time i know i'm lucky and i'm gonna exploit it!

If anything, my stamina is better, my anaerobic power is fractionally worse, and i'm somewhat stronger. I attribute all that to being active for a long time and not caring about fitness, aging is just a measure of that time.


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## blaklabl (Mar 14, 2011)

43 years old, been riding for 31 years this year. 

As many have stated, the most pronounced thing I have noticed is recovery between rides. I used to be able to ride every day, all day, but now I need a rest day if I go 20 miles or so.

I am sure I am probably slower overall, but the most important thing I have learned is to take my time and enjoy the ride. 

When I got sober 5+ years ago, I promised myself I wouldn't do things that didn't bring me joy (for the most part). I hate getting up early on the weekends, so I don't ride in the mornings during the summer; I found that dragging myself out of bed for it made me resent the ride so I stopped doing it. I'd rather deal with the heat in the afternoon.

If I don't feel like going riding, I don't force it.

I ride primarily by myself, I usually have a route mapped out in my head and I don't like to compromise (sorry not sorry). Also, mountain biking and beer has become so intertwined it seems more like riding is the excuse the go sit at a trailhead and drink after the ride, and I'm just not there anymore. 

I do more things like hiking these days, between ride days.

My average ride is closer to 20 miles or so, definitely longer than I used to. In the old days, I was one of the guys that raced out to the trailhead to do an 8-mile loop on my carbon wonderbike and reward myself with those aforementioned beers in the parking lot. 

What I may lack in outright speed, I make up for in smoothness which I feel has kept me faster over the long run. Still running rigid and single speed so that helps the focus on riding light and smooth.

Recovering from injuries also sucks as you get older, so I try not to get hurt.


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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

48

In my twenties I could party all night, go to bed a 2 am, get up at 7:30 am still drunk, and ride all day. Now a days it's much different. Drink a twelve pack, bed at midnight, and up a 6 am, and only ride a half day.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Scott O said:


> 48
> 
> In my twenties I could party all night, go to bed a 2 am, get up at 7:30 am still drunk, and ride all day. Now a days it's much different. Drink a twelve pack, bed at midnight, and up a 6 am, and only ride a half day.


That clean living will be the end of you Scott.


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## 92gli (Sep 28, 2006)

Scott O said:


> 48
> 
> In my twenties I could party all night, go to bed a 2 am, get up at 7:30 am still drunk, and ride all day. Now a days it's much different. Drink a twelve pack, bed at midnight, and up a 6 am, and only ride a half day.


I'm sure there's a scientific explanation for this, but I swear I'm stronger sometimes when I'm nursing a hangover. Sometimes my wife will look at me and say "I can't believe you're going", but I refuse to waste a nice day laying around.


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## VTSession (Aug 18, 2005)

92gli said:


> I'm sure there's a scientific explanation for this, but I swear I'm stronger sometimes when I'm nursing a hangover. Sometimes my wife will look at me and say "I can't believe you're going", but I refuse to waste a nice day laying around.


I swear by riding when I'm hungover. It's very hard to motivate but a good, long sweaty ride just gets all the poison out and makes me feel so much better.

Exercise is the best and fastest way to get booze out of your system.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

VTSession said:


> I swear by riding when I'm hungover. It's very hard to motivate but a good, long sweaty ride just gets all the poison out and makes me feel so much better.
> 
> Exercise is the best and fastest way to get booze out of your system.


I don't drink whiskey much anymore, but when I would tie one on I'd drink LOTS of water along the way. Give the kidneys something to work with as it filters out the toxins and doesn't leave you dehydrated in the AM.


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## iliketexmex (Oct 29, 2016)

When I was very young I was an athlete and competed at a national level (not cycling). Then I started working my way through school, supporting a family and working sedentary jobs. I slowly became a physical mess. At age 46 my doctor gave me a "get your $&@! together or die young" speech. That's what got me started riding frequently. My weight is down, my energy is up, I'm not on any medication. So my aging feels pretty good. I will never be the explosively strong like I was as a young adult, but I feel better than I have in years. I'm not sure I would have made the urgently needed changes if my doctor had sugar-coated the message. His willingness to have a hard conversation made me motivated to make big changes. I'm grateful for that.


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## richde (Jun 8, 2004)

LMN said:


> Turning 41. Been riding since I was 8.
> 
> The biggest change is my appetite for risk. I can ride as fast or perhaps even faster then when I was younger but not all the time. Nowadays there is a lot of mental checks I make before I really decide to push my limits. I need to feel that I am on and sharp, if I am feeling slightly off I will stay within my comfort zone.
> 
> I am OK with this. Crashing hurts, and I have a lot of fun riding my bike smoothly and cleanly.


One of the best parts of getting older and wiser is the fact that you can have a bigger bag of skill to rely on.

At 49, I'm probably not as fit as I could have been at my previous mid-30's fitness peak, but with everything (bikes, training, my own patience and judgement) improving over time, I have little doubt that I'm faster than I was then.

The issue isn't how many years have passed, it's what you did with them.


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

Tendonitis! 

I developed it in my elbows during a trip to Rabbit Valley a few years ago. It was bad enough I could barely twist a door knob. While it's much better now I still feel it, almost constantly, and it does become a factor when riding, especially if there's lots of pulling up on the bars to do.

My aerobic fitness isn't what it used to be (peaked in my late 20s, I'm 43 now) but I'm actually way more muscular than I was then so... I guess I look better in a bathing suit.

Other than that the biggest change is a general lack of motivation but that could be because of how long I've been riding my local trails - it gets boring sometimes.


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## tammin (Aug 22, 2006)

58. Better shape now than I was in my 20s and 30s - mainly due to moving from Midwest and months of winter downtime, to NorCal, with year-round hiking/biking. 

Nothing to add to what has already been said by others in this age bracket. Things that are on my mind:
1. I wish I could retire now so I could ride more - hopefully a couple more years and I’ll be there.
2. I wish there was an easier way to find a riding posse of, shall we say, more seasoned riders like myself. They’re around, just haven’t figured out a way to connect with them for regular rides (China Camp or Mt Tam).
3. You guys in your 70s who are rocking it RULE! Thanks for posting up - you are my inspiration.


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## kneecap (Dec 20, 2003)

Lotta youngens here, ha.
I'm 72, started riding mtb's at 58, just then having stopped racing enduro motos. Got to see some beautiful country that is mostly closed at this point.
I ride with the younger crowd, since at my age not many left, ha.
Took a test ride on an ebike last month, so that's what I'm mostly about presently.
Kudos to RooHarris, the canoe, & maveric-c. we need an over 70 form !


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

VTSession said:


> I swear by riding when I'm hungover. It's very hard to motivate but a good, long sweaty ride just gets all the poison out and makes me feel so much better.
> 
> Exercise is the best and fastest way to get booze out of your system.


Ditto that.
Bucket loads of glycogen to burn after a long night of beers.


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## bjeast (Oct 29, 2017)

Well, I'll join in late to the party. Some of you might have already my post on returning to riding in my fifties on the over fifty thread, but I'll post here anyway. I just turned 57 and I enjoy riding as much as I ever did! I love getting out as often as I can, and I'm enjoying the North Shore here in BC as much as ever, though I have to be honest, I shy away from some of the stuff I might have ridden in the past just because I'm trying to avoid injury. My knees are even worse than they were in my forties...

But, that said, I kinda think that in the eight months I've been back mountain biking, I'm actually a better technical rider than I used to be. If I'm not, well then, the improved bike technology has helped. Lines that used to give me pause don't as much - maybe it's the 29 inch wheels with the 2.6s on my Fuel that help.

I'm in pretty good shape. Not race shape, or anything, but in better condition than I've been for a long time! I will NEVER be the fastest up the hill, or the fastest down, but I'm okay with that! 

Bottom line is that I still love this sport! I was thinking about flying to Alberta in early June for a family reunion, but I'm driving so I can take my bike!


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

dir-T said:


> Tendonitis!
> 
> I developed it in my elbows during a trip to Rabbit Valley a few years ago. It .


Turmeric will resolve this issue.


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## Steveroot (Dec 15, 2011)

I'm turning 68 in August. I started riding more seriously when I turned 50 and had some bad medical reports (cholesterol, weight and blood pressure). I lost 3 pounds in 6 months and did the Ore-to-Shore race (finished last... but finished!). Bought a titanium road bike with a front triple based on Joe Friel's recommendations. Over the years, I've used the granny less and less and have felt pretty stable for years. I took up multi-modal cycle commuting (folding bike-train-folding bike) 16 years ago, which helped keep me in shape.
Then in January of this year, I slipped on the ice and gave myself a "Maisonneuve fracture", basically a really bad sprain and a broken fibula. This was not a bike injury... my "winter" folder has studded tires; I slipped on my patio. 3 months later, I'm in physical therapy and just getting back to the bike. I'm hopeful that I'll make a full recovery (I'm told it's likely) but it will take 6 to 9 months. I don't think age, per se, has slowed me down all that much. Time will tell!
Steve


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## jim c (Dec 5, 2014)

Steveroot said:


> I'm turning 68 in August. I started riding more seriously when I turned 50 and had some bad medical reports (cholesterol, weight and blood pressure). I lost 3 pounds in 6 months and did the Ore-to-Shore race (finished last... but finished!). Bought a titanium road bike with a front triple based on Joe Friel's recommendations. Over the years, I've used the granny less and less and have felt pretty stable for years. I took up multi-modal cycle commuting (folding bike-train-folding bike) 16 years ago, which helped keep me in shape.
> Then in January of this year, I slipped on the ice and gave myself a "Maisonneuve fracture", basically a really bad sprain and a broken fibula. This was not a bike injury... my "winter" folder has studded tires; I slipped on my patio. 3 months later, I'm in physical therapy and just getting back to the bike. I'm hopeful that I'll make a full recovery (I'm told it's likely) but it will take 6 to 9 months. I don't think age, per se, has slowed me down all that much. Time will tell!
> Steve


Great story Steve. I'm 7yrs your junior but I've felt my aging has slowed body-repair time. Not a lot but to me it's noticeable. Never really stopped riding so I've nursed a few injuries over the decades.


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

Legbacon said:


> I am 59 and lately have lost confidence night riding, and climbing. Right now climbing is the only thing that scares me. On gnarly climbs I am afraid of stalling and falling, probably because I have done it a few times. Going down does not worry me at all, bring it on. Weird.


If you have a dropper post, and are quick on the trigger, you can get your feet snapped out and on the ground quick and avoid this. Do you have a dropper?

I'm the threadstarter so I can resurrect this thread.


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## scottzg (Sep 27, 2006)

@[email protected] said:


> If you have a dropper post, and are quick on the trigger, you can get your feet snapped out and on the ground quick and avoid this. Do you have a dropper?
> 
> I'm the threadstarter so I can resurrect this thread.


He passed away about a year ago.


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## Steveroot (Dec 15, 2011)

Steveroot said:


> I'm hopeful that I'll make a full recovery (I'm told it's likely) but it will take 6 to 9 months. I don't think age, per se, has slowed me down all that much. Time will tell!


Here I am two and a half years later. I'm pleased to say I am 100% back to normal. I was back to bike commuting about four months after the surgery. I didn't get back to my clipless pedals until my surgeon said it was OK... that was about six months out. It took a good year and a half before the swelling of my ankle went away, and about that long before I could balance on the injured ankle as well as the other one. I'm up to 50 miles on my road bike, and 25 miles on my mountain bike. I've ditched the knobbies and fitted some 26x2.15 Maxxis tires, because I don't see myself shredding much single-track. Not sure if it's age per se or the ankle misadventure... probably a little of both. Plus, I have a lot more going on at work, which leaves less time at home for riding. Turning 70 in a couple months, and planning to ride at least 70 miles before the end of the season.


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## blaklabl (Mar 14, 2011)

blaklabl said:


> 43 years old, been riding for 31 years this year.
> 
> As many have stated, the most pronounced thing I have noticed is recovery between rides. I used to be able to ride every day, all day, but now I need a rest day if I go 20 miles or so.
> 
> ...


Well here I am 2 years later when I got the notification this post was updated. Honestly I forgot I had posted in it!

So a couple changes;

-now riding a plus HT with gears and suspension fork, rigid and single got to be less fun over time
-average ride mileage is up a tick, and able to ride more consecutive days than I was a couple years ago (thanks to daily CBD regimen)
-still sober, almost 8 years now
-still hate riding in the mornings
-on pace to ride the most miles in a year than I have in probably 15 years, if not ever. 
-have developed carpal tunnel in my right wrist from a career spent at a computer, being treated with cortisone shots for now. Wonder if tumeric would help?
-now been riding mtb for 33 years


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## Len Baird (Aug 1, 2017)

I too received the notice about this thread updating, I replied last in 2018. At that time I had just started up after a 20 year break at age 48.
Well, I have kept at it. I have lost 75+ pounds. I have continued Zwifting to build my fitness and improved enough to race in the B category there. I never thought it was possible to do things like that until I tried , and did it.
For MTB riding I have still not gotten to where I want to be, and after a couple years I am just finally feeling full body strong enough to hop stuff and ride technically challenging trails to a decent degree of skill. Losing weight has helped a lot with this. I have done several MTB races, and achieved my first goal of not being dead last. It took more than one try, I was dead last in my first one  I entered the same category I used to race in my 20's, which I no longer will do haha. I met some over 50 riders and now have a crew who I see at the races if they ever start up again


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## fly4130 (Apr 3, 2009)

41, 75% of the way to 42.

The morning aches are increasing, fitness falls off way faster, food becomes fat much easier, and the beer to headache ratio gets closer to 1.

Like many, many others have said, time becomes fleeting so it is even more imperative to maintain fitness in any way possible. I have even taking to running more <GASP> to sneak in basic cardio in shorter windows.

I am still both fat and slow, but improving the slow. If I can keep pushing as I have been this year it may be my most productive saddle-year yet. For those in the winter latitudes I highly suggest a fat bike. Since getting one two winters ago the winter to summer ramp has been MUCH shallower and riding in the snow is awesome.


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

I'm 71, and riding 5 days a week, 6 months and skiing 5 days a week the other 6 months.

Lifting heavy.

All this helps to stay with it.

Stretching helps too, and eating right also.

Genetics probably too.

I'm still trying to improve in mtn biking and skiing technique, expert skier, not there in biking.

Good luck.

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


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## waltaz (Oct 14, 2004)

Just turned 56, and in the best riding shape of my life. Do endurance XC-type events, including 12/24-hour solo and marathon+ distance. I ride 4-5x per week, including at least one ~4-hour endurance ride. I was doing structured training over the past year and a half, but with all events being cancelled this spring and summer, I’ve stopped “training”, and am just riding for fun, and what I feel like.

I also lift hard in the gym 3x per week, which has great benefits, overall. And I hike with my dog first thing in the morning almost every day.

I started SS’ing in 2004/05, and have ridden that primarily for the past 15 years, but I’ve gravitated to a short-travel FS bike (SB100) for most of my endurance riding these days...it’s just more pleasant. I’ve beaten myself up enough over the years. My SS is now a fun, change-of-pace bike, with a Ti frame and 2.6” tires.

I recently picked up a used Ripmo V1, and have been working on my tech riding and pushing how hard I ride stuff. I’ve never had a “big-travel” (for me) bike before, and it’s pretty fun to pad-up go out and session stuff, or try to push the pace down certain “enduro-type” runs.

Overall, just trying to have the most fun I can...for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

Hell, I'll just do an edit of my post #17 above:

_68

Made me more cautious. Was more of a moto rider up until 22 years ago. Now I might moto off-road once a year (e-biking not included) At first MTB'ing felt like I was naked; I think coming from moto's made me more cautious at the git-go. As far as age-related; eventually I had to give up clipless; too many stupid crashes where I didn't un-clip in time. Needing to put on reading glasses to make repairs, read maps and GPS...

Speaking of e-bikes; they're great for hauling trail work tools but they're detrimental to maintaining cardio conditioning IMHO. I gained 10 # when I started riding e-bikes about 50% of the time._​
To which I'll add that this COVID thing has seen me gain another 10 # because it's made it so much more inconvenient to get out and get proper exercise. Irrespective of the recent weight gain my Doc thinks I'm in great shape for my age; just had my annual work-up.

I'll add that I've seen my lifting capabilities slack off in the last couple of years; I still have the strength but my back won't take it. If not for doing some yoga stretches when I sense impending damage I'd probably be crippled up back-wise.


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

Moe Ped said:


> Hell, I'll just do an edit of my post #17 above:
> 
> _68
> 
> ...


Consider going to physical therapy for your back. I had pain for almost 2 years and I thought I was done for, but it turns out my spinal erector muscles called the illiopsoas were weak from desk sitting at my job. I rehabilitated them in about 2 months and now I can do things that I thought I'd never do again.


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## Earthpig (Jan 23, 2004)

50 in about 6 weeks.

I was diagnosed with a-fib last year. High intensity endurance exercise over a period of about 2 decades is a significant risk factor. I rode hard and fast for about 2 decades. Former XC racer, hardcore 20- rides-a-month rider for at least 9 months out of the year. I don't think developing a-fib was a coincidence. 

At 46, before a-fib, I was fine. Able to do fast rides and long rides - whatever it was, it was possible. Lots of PRs at that age. I noticed in 2017 my endurance and speed were slipping. By 2018, I wasn't able to do long rides any longer and was really slow on even the easiest rides. Long climbs that had been easy on a singlespeed just a year or two before were now almost unrideable on a geared bike. I had to stop and rest a lot. I chalked it up to age and stress. 

The a-fib was diagnosed in early 2019, which explained the significantly reduced ability to ride. I've had two medical procedures to correct it. It seems under control, but between the medication and the procedures themselves (which destroys heart tissue to fix the arrhythmia), I'll never be able to ride like I once did. I'm pretty much limited to max 12 - 15 mile rides, but most of the time shorter. And slow.


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## Moe Ped (Aug 24, 2009)

@[email protected] said:


> Consider going to physical therapy for your back. I had pain for almost 2 years and I thought I was done for, but it turns out my spinal erector muscles called the illiopsoas were weak from desk sitting at my job. I rehabilitated them in about 2 months and now I can do things that I thought I'd never do again.


Yeah thanks but yoga seems to be doing the trick. Wife is a spinal/neuro rehab RN (retired) and she's also made the PT suggestion but her encouragement for yoga is what got me started. She's had spinal PT herself; broke her back falling off of her horse a few years back.

I don't have chronic back pain, but if I over-do it (like putting 5 tons of hay in the barn) I'll be suffering the next day.


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

57

I'm much more reluctant to take aggressive lines on trails and I consciously try to avoid injury. Not so much from age (but it's a factor) but I can't afford to be incapacitated, especially by taking needless risks for entertainment purposes. It's the same reason I don't go up on ladders or clean my own gutters. 


Paradoxically, because my wife of four years is an athlete and protects both my sleep and workout time, I am in much better shape than I was when I got divorced ten years ago. Plus we eat a lot healthier. 

My focus lately has been on gravel and bikepacking races. 

I do a lot of indoor training which has improved my endurance and power tremendously. I also no longer feel pressured to ride. If all I can do is an hour or two on my trainer I call it a day and don't worry about it. I ride outside when I have time and as often as I can and "commute" sixty miles to work often (and back in the morning) when training for a big race.


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## Picard (Apr 5, 2005)

50
I have asthma so I can't climb hills.



Sent from my SM-G965W using Tapatalk


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

Way to go Len Baird^!

I'm 47 and feel about as youthful as ever with some exceptions. When I first wake up in the morning my ankle which I've broken and sprained several times is stiff. Not every morning though. I also find getting truly rejuvenating sleep more difficult but think that's more life stress than age perhaps.

I'm definitelynitely finding what I want out of my future shifting. Honestly I'm finding this the biggest hurdle to deal with. Almost as if you need to recalibrate your identity.

Fitness-wise I feel just as good as ever. I'm riding stronger and more skilled/technical than I ever have in my life. Objectively I feel I have at least five to eight years before that might drop off. Hopefully I put those years to good use, once they're gone they're gone...hence the preceding paragraph. 

Sent from my moto g(6) forge using Tapatalk


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

Just turned 50. I have a massive list of injuries, a couple of which are serious (back and neck). I've had ups and downs, esp during my 40s with 2 knee surgeries, a back surgery, and heart surgery. Right now, I'm feeling invincible again. I ride lots and I ride fast (for me). Stretching, PT, and regular chiro visits keep me functional. Giving up alcohol a couple years ago had a profound positive impact on my physical and mental health. Wish I had done it earlier. With all of my ailments, I gotta keep moving or I'll seize up like an unused car left out in the pasture.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

71 (in 9 days)

I weigh 40 lbs. less then when I was 40.

I climb better then when I was 40.

My back hurts. My back hurt for the first time when I was 12. You get over it. Most other things do not hurt though.

Yes, things take longer to heal so you learn not to crash as much.

Testosterone kills. Give up group rides when you hit 50. The only reason men still ride in packs at that age is to prove something they can't prove anymore. People aren't all they are cracked up to be anyway.

Like an old house, things begin to go, especially the plumbing. I had prostate cancer at 58. Its been gone for a long time. Something like 50% or more of men will get it so be checked annually. Its no big deal if you catch early. It will kill you if you ignore it.

With luck, the older you get, the more money you will have to buy the bikes you wish you could afford when you were 40. If not, see my comment on luck.

Balance often diminishes but its not like you fall over. I started picking and choosing where and when to surf after a near fatal surf accident in a tropical storm when I was 60. I probably should have backed off but I learned my lesson. That might have been more a mental balance issue.

I can't take credit for it, but someone recently said "over bike and under trail." That's not bad advice.

You are approaching the point where coffee and aspirin will become the breakfast of champions.

Be like Herb. He was my uncle. On his hundredth birthday he was b!tching about being short of breath when he ran his morning mile.

Keep busy 12 months a year. It will continue to be more difficult to start up again every year as you age. I ski. I bike. I surf (less), I hike. I work out in the gym when Covid 19 is not telling me to stay home. 

Middle age starts at 50, old age at death. By then its too late to worry about it. I heard 70 is the new 50 so middle age just started for me.

BE LIKE HERB.


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## andy f (Jan 13, 2004)

I'm 53. 5'10", 160lbs. and very happy with my current strength and fitness. I ride 3-4 times a week, try to get to the pump track once or twice a week, and do posterior chain focused mobility and strength work twice a week. I'm also a Ryan Leech Connection member and have been working on improving my wheelies, manuals, and bunnyhops on my work breaks. 

Over the past year, I worked hard on my shoulders and upper back, fixing the chronic inward rotation of my shoulders and inactive muscles in my upper back. My wife says I look 10 years younger. Looking in the mirror, I can barely see the dropped shoulder/collarbone bump anymore from my old AC separation. More importantly, I feel like it's helped my technical riding in a big way. 

I mostly see the effects of my increasing age in my loss of skin elasticity and lingering aches and pains from minor crashes.

I have hypertension and have had it since I was 20 years old, if not earlier. I manage it with Losartan but I recently decided I want to get to the bottom of things. Did a sleep study, was told I had sleep apnea and tried a CPAP machine for a couple of months. Didn't see any change in my BP but I sure did hate sleeping with it. So now I try to always sleep on my side since I only seem to have apnea events on my back. Next up is my left kidney. Last week I learned it has two drain tubes. Maybe a long shot but that's the next avenue of investigation.


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## bingemtbr (Apr 1, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> Testosterone kills. Give up group rides when you hit 50. The only reason men still ride in packs at that age is to prove something they can't prove anymore. People aren't all they are cracked up to be anyway.


^This is true wisdom. You'll know it when you ride with these guys. Funny part is they are and will always be oblivious to this.

Happy (early) Birthday Rev!


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

bingemtbr said:


> ^This is true wisdom. You'll know it when you ride with these guys. Funny part is they are and will always be oblivious to this.
> 
> Happy (early) Birthday Rev!


I find smaller group rides are awesome for learning new lines by either following others or saying hell no (haha), seeing and hearing about what other folks use (bike tech/equipment/clothing), finding new routes and helping others when they have mechanicals, crash, need a bit of motivation to come out, etc.

Sure some of my friends are all about KOM's, distance, climb, etc. I ride with them on occasion but prefer the slacker pace folks most often. We do whatever the group feels like and have a good time on (generally) error free rides.


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

I'm 65 and I think I'm doing OK. I do try to get in my once a weekend ride. After the winter off season it does take about a month's worth of weekends to get back to having good rides.


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I'll be 50 in two weeks.

The only thing I've changed is no more big solo rides. Other than that, everything works and I haven't slowed down yet. I've always taken care of my knees and back but I should stretch more and get out the yoga mat.

Injury recovery takes longer these days, LOL


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

47

Been in the game 6-7 years.

I'm a better rider now than I've ever been.

I need to ride 2-3 times a week.

I'm in the best shape I've been in since my mid 30's

Early 40's I ballooned out to 114kg's

I got down to 103kg's, but I was not happy riding at that weight (my bike was!)

Now I'm around 106kg's & I enjoy riding more than ever.

I still suck at long duration climbs.

I love techy trails, both up and down.

As others have pointed out, if I don't ride for a week - I'll feel it more after next ride.

Thing I find longer to recover from, is post ride beers 😥

If I do a big ride and have a few beers... I'll feel like I've been run over by a bulldozer the next day!

No beers, and I'll feel pretty good!? 🤔

I have four steeds in my fleet.

29" FS, 27.5" FS, 29"+ FS & 29" HT...

Been riding with the same crew for 6 years.

They make riding more fun. 

Sent from MTBR.apk


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

I'm closing in on 60 and have set numerous pr's since the last time I posted here over 2 years ago. Faster now than my former 56 y/o self but not by much. Fitness fades quickly though and the term "use it or lose it" becomes more and more relevant as you age, I'm losing it a little now and find that I really need 5 good days a week to maintain or improve. I think that volume is good but still believe that consistency and intensity are most important and that short, hard rides are generally more beneficial than long & steady slogs.


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## @[email protected] (Aug 25, 2017)

I think I may have concussed myself going down a washboard road too fast. It all happened so fast, before I knew it, my eyes were jiggling so bad I couldn't hardly see straight. 

It seems like I'm always finding new ways to hurt myself as I get older.


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## Biohazard74 (Jul 16, 2009)

46 and enjoying it as much as ever. Traveling more now. So I'd say better. Seeing new places and places I wish I'd visited years ago. A wise man once told me. It's never too late to have a happy childhood.


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## goldsbar (Dec 2, 2004)

50 and best I've ever been. Endurance is probably best ever. I used to cramp all the time when I was younger, not nearly as much anymore. Overall speed seems just as good as ever - who knows, didn't have Zwift with a PM 25 years ago. Sharp accelerations/quick power climbs definitely a little down. Skills are best ever as I've put effort into learning technique as opposed to testosterone. 

Crashing will bring about more of that "why the hell am I doing this" attitude than it used to, but it's still temporary. Never had a serious cycling related injury and I realize that the older I get, the more that could totally change the whole sport for me. Somewhat related, I don't mind slowing down on DHs if I realize the person in front of me has more talent. Lo and behold, *sometimes* I'll find myself catching back up as I'm more in control, braking before corners instead of during, etc.

Best part is I'm much better to ride with. At 25, I feel like we were all trying to kill each other on every climb. I have no trouble with a few pushes on some group rides, but have no desire for that group ride aka race thing anymore.


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## blaklabl (Mar 14, 2011)

goldsbar said:


> have no desire for that group ride aka race thing anymore.


Amen.


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## BansheeRune (Nov 27, 2011)

Vader said:


> I'll be 50 in two weeks.
> 
> The only thing I've changed is no more big solo rides. Other than that, everything works and I haven't slowed down yet. I've always taken care of my knees and back but I should stretch more and get out the yoga mat.
> 
> Injury recovery takes longer these days, LOL


Happy birthday, Vader! :band:

I blew out my knees many years ago. Haven't bothered with replacement cause they still work, for now.

To the topic at hand...
57 and falling apart. Still throwing myself against concrete walls but a little less vigorously these days.
Still ride trials, go dirtin, post heart surgery and doing better than prior to surgery. What better way to squander 150k?? The bike infestation in my house is pretty awesome too! All are active and in good working order. Plus and fat are taking the larger % of ride time with the exception of the trials bike. A couple more lengths of micro-lam are desired for another skinny training object that is portable and easily deploy-able for balance training.


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## TylerVernon (Nov 10, 2019)

When I hit my 30s, I had a lot more disposable income to spend on bikes. This increased the quality of my rides and thus my pleasure on the trail.


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## Kerry (Jan 4, 2005)

So, sitting at work on my lunch break into week 3 of my second tibial plateau fracture and I'm 52. The first one happened on my left leg at 50 and required surgery and many many months of recovery. I am good now and like most, part of my recovery was finding a good off the bike form of therapy and exercise. It was both a blessing and a curse as I felt so good now that I was hitting stuff on my bike that really I shouldn't be. And, now my right knee has a much less severe tpf, that has me rethinking what motivates me to ride. Am I smart to even consider mtb anymore? That's how I ended up on this forum. I want to know what other people's thoughts are and how they've approached riding over 50. I feel great, but my reactions are just not good anymore and the high speed stuff is now really unsettling. I have an awesome group of friends that I ride with every week. But, after this second injury, I just wonder, where do I fit in now? What is worth the risk anymore? I want to walk comfortably when I'm 70. Do I go gravel bike and just stay off tech trails? Short travel 29er and just cool it? I love being outdoors, but the enduro bike days are behind me, so what's in front of me?


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

You should test your bone density to see where you are. The finis is a very strong bone.

Do you lift? Strong muscles help with bone density and reaction time

And at 50, way too young to have your reaction time slow.

This requires medical attention.

I'm 72, lift, mountain bike, technical stuff, and ski a lot. 

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Kerry said:


> I love being outdoors, but the enduro bike days are behind me, so what's in front of me?


Trail riding. Short/mid-travel 29er sounds like a great idea.

Take it easy

I'm 51, have been riding off road for 30+ years. I still get after it, but ditched the "ride fast, take chances" creed 10 yrs ago. Hasn't diminished the fun one single bit.


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## brparts (Dec 24, 2007)

i started mountain biking in 1953 ai the San Gabriel mountains above Pasadena. as a 12 year old had no fear and plenty of endurance. rode until 1957 when i got my drivers license . picked it up again in 1991 and found out that the fear factor was a lot higher and endurance was gone. kept riding and got my endurance back some what. had to stop in 2014 when i had a quadruple by-pass. sure do miss it.


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## Kerry (Jan 4, 2005)

rod9301 said:


> You should test your bone density to see where you are. The finis is a very strong bone.
> 
> Do you lift? Strong muscles help with bone density and reaction time
> 
> ...


 Bone density is one of the questions I'll ask when I go to my follow up in a week. My reation time may have been overstated. It's more that I've always had slower than average reaction time, and now, with my age, I just feel the high speed stuff is off the table. I do High Intensity workouts that sometimes involve weights and always have some body weight type resistance. It has been the best thing I've done in my life to keep me healthy. 4 times a week, 30 minutes. It's a no brainer for keeping me in good health. Thanks for your response. Glad to hear that it's more about attitude.


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## Kerry (Jan 4, 2005)

mlx john said:


> Trail riding. Short/mid-travel 29er sounds like a great idea.
> 
> Take it easy
> 
> I'm 51, have been riding off road for 30+ years. I still get after it, but ditched the "ride fast, take chances" creed 10 yrs ago. Hasn't diminished the fun one single bit.


Awesome to hear that. I really do love just being out there too. And, in the last year have wondered many times why I still try to hit some things. The lust for jumps and high speeds is definitely not there like it was 10 years ago, lol.


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## EatsDirt (Jan 20, 2014)

brparts said:


> i started mountain biking in 1953 ai the San Gabriel mountains above Pasadena. as a 12 year old had no fear and plenty of endurance. rode until 1957 when i got my drivers license . picked it up again in 1991 and found out that the fear factor was a lot higher and endurance was gone. kept riding and got my endurance back some what. had to stop in 2014 when i had a quadruple by-pass. sure do miss it.


Good on ya BR, you were a pioneer! Hope you're still staying active!


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## DennisT (Dec 29, 2019)

I'm 64. Started mountain biking (trail riding) at 61 and downhill biking at, uh, 64. I wish like hell I could have started earlier--any amount earlier--but until recently I had very little slack in my budget for things like bikes, snowboards, or season passes. Now I have the bucks to spare and I'm playing catch-up.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

DennisT said:


> I'm 64. Started mountain biking (trail riding) at 61 and downhill biking at, uh, 64. I wish like hell I could have started earlier--any amount earlier--but until recently I had very little slack in my budget for things like bikes, snowboards, or season passes. Now I have the bucks to spare and I'm playing catch-up.


My wife started at 58. She's about to turn 68 and is getting PR's. Now, they're not super fast, but she does seem to be getting faster and improving, and that's really the key.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

52(?)

The one thing that _hasn't_ changed is that I still _really_ like riding my bike! Doesn't matter where, or with whom, or how fast.

I would ride every day if I didn't have other things to do. Some days are slower than others, though.

Pros:
My bike skills are good enough that I am really efficient - cover lotsa terrain of all kinds with minimal effort.
My body still responds positively to actual training and hard efforts.
Stamina seems to be as good as ever, even though power might be down a little.

Cons:
Injuries take longer to heal.
Eyes! WTF is up with my eyes?! Sometimes I can see everything perfectly - sometimes it's like I have water in my eyes. Makes reading the trail very difficult at times.
Trail memory is eroding. ("Where'd _that_ come from?") Makes every trail like a new trail! 
Haven't been able to ride enough to keep myself strong like before. I think it just takes more effort. Or maybe I'm just starting to take it easier. ??? In any case, I can never tell if I'm going to have a strong ride or a slow ride until I'm nearly done. Sometimes it's like I'm spending the entire ride waiting for that switch to flip and it never does. But when it does flip, I've gone for hours in time trial mode and still felt great.

Glad to hear so many are still enjoying themselves!

-F


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

I'm usually the one of oldest participants in any activity I partake. Riding, running, crossfit etc. I've found this has advantages because health and fitness don't have an age .


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

Early mid 50’s. 

Been riding dirt since late 90s (30ish years old)

I am the most confident and skilled I’ve ever been on DH and technical stuff.

That said, I definitely ride smarter. I no longer launch a drop or jump without knowing what I am landing on. I have also learned not to blindly trust jumps if I don’t know who built them. I also keep my speed down in some situations where I used to just open it up and hang on. I’ve been paying attention to how people I know get badly hurt. I thus focus on getting my yah yahs from slower technical riding or tight trails then from high speed bombing. Better to wreck at low speed than high speed.

I’ve stopped buying new frames every 2-3 years trying to keep up with the latest new thing. I am riding a 26” 2012 frame and have come to peace with that. This would have been unacceptable to me 10 years ago.

Recovery takes longer. Both from injury or just a hard day.

I’ve become a bit more picky about when I ride, not wanted to get caught in the rain or ride in the mud or ride in deep leaves. I used to not care about any of that. Living in Upstate NY, that has cut a bit into the number of days I can ride.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

I forgot the single biggest difference: 

It is getting harder and harder to read my phone/gps/map! 

I’m going to need to take some cheap readers with me.


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## Crankyone (Dec 8, 2014)

69, ride most days (retirement sucks), choose terrain based primarily by how hot it is out as I still sweat like a pig. 
I agree with kapusta that I am really frustrated with needing glasses to-read Inreach and phone. Switched to yellow lenses some years ago as I found dark sunglasses blinded me in the trees. That and the waterfall dripping down the glasses from my helmet when I look down.
My hands get numb during descents, making a helmet with Fidlock attachment a godsend.
I primarily ride alone, and frequently out of cell range so the Garmin Inreach mini is reassuring for my wife (cardinal rule of insurance, don’t be worth more dead than alive).


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## dir-T (Jan 20, 2004)

Fleas said:


> 52(?)Eyes! WTF is up with my eyes?!


LOL, I asked my eye doc this very question last fall (I'm 46). His answer - "welcome to your 40s".

The eye gets less flexible with age so it takes longer to adjust between near and far focusing. It seems to take a half second for my vision to adjust when I look up from a computer screen. Also, especially for desk jockies, the tear ducts can atrophy because we're not blinking enough and that results in dry eye syndrome (Google Lipoflow therapy, it did wonders for my wife).

The main thing I noticed with age is that I'm less motivated to ride. In my 20s - mid 30s I would go everyday if I could. Now I don't even want to ride that often - I just have other stuff that I want to do and sometimes it has nothing to do with exercise. I've also been riding the same local trails for over 20 years. When new ones are built or when I can ride in new places / roadtrip it's one thing, when it's the same 6-15 mile climb followed by a 6-15 mile decent (most of the rides here are like that) it actually gets boring.


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

I'm 58. Been mountain biking since I was 42. Age honestly hasn't changed anything for me-that's because I think I found a sustainable way to grow old mountain biking:

I'm not competitive and never raced.
I ride at a slow to moderate pace and have no desire to get faster.
I mostly ride alone and enjoy the solitude and my own company (and peer pressure is nonexistent).
I ride just as much for being out in wild and scenic places as for the riding.
MTB is only one of several sports I enjoy (others include kayaking, flyfishing, XC skiing).
I'm happy to ride green and blue trails all the time (as well as fire roads).

Consider this a recipe for how to ride until you can't balance on the bike anymore!
Scott


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## Caligata (Dec 30, 2020)

I can say that age hasn't impacted my riding the slightest bit. I bought my first mtb when I was 54, and now, at 54, I'm still improving with every ride!



Fleas said:


> Eyes! WTF is up with my eyes?!


Yeah, I was doing really well, far above average, until about 50. I'm grateful that my eyes are healthy, and all my vision problems are correctable with lenses. (For those who don't realize, I'll mention that poor focus generally isn't the result of pathology; sometimes healthy eyes just don't focus the image on the center of the retina as we would wish.)


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

Didn't take up MTB'in until I was 41 y/o.

Of course I rode bikes as a kid up until I was 12 or so years of age.

When you're a kid you sorta figure things out as you go i.e. trial and error.

It would've been great to get coaching as a young fella on my bike.

Skills aquired way back in the day, have helped me initially in my passion for MTB'in.

But, trail management comes into it & hitting jumps on your BMX bike as a young fella allows you to have some confidence in the air.

But, there weren't to many bomb holes or drops on the ole local bmx track to practice on.

I'm 48 years young and know my limitations.

If I had taken up the sport even 20 years ago, I'd be a lot more skilled after the same time I've been in the sport to date.

At my age you can't afford to wreck.

When I was a young fella, I had some great wrecks... but, you bounce up and carry on so much quicker/easier.

I remember riding with my boys a few years ago.

The older one was like 7 or 8 and he did the most wicked scorpion onto asphalt!!

He shed a few tears, needed a hug and got back on the bike and was away like it never happened!!

I would've gone to hospital and been in traction for a 6 months!!

As a nipper you push the limits, it's a natural thing... When you wreck you dust of the dirt and tears and go again b/c you have that built in kamikaze mode.

Now... I can bomb down hill pretty quick, but it's usually very measured i.e. look before you leap.

Think it, see it, do it...

90-95% intensity.

Very rarely will I hit 100% intensity... that zone where the bandwidth starts to get overloaded.

I don't mind having one or two, 10c 50c moments during any particular ride.

It makes you feel alive and definitely gets the old feel good hormones flowing.

Getting more coaching?

I'm happy doing what I'm doing.

Occasionally I'll have a wreck (can anyone explain to me why they come in three's!?) and it ends up being a learning experience.

If you don't learn from your mistakes you're poked!

Most wrecks I have are usually from not paying attention, getting too cocky or just riding when I'm tired i.e. lacking the focus at that particular time.

For me riding is about the camaraderie of riding with friends and feeding of each other's energy aka the Stoke.

Solo rides are about having some chillax time and getting in a little exercise. I hardly ever push as hard on a solo ride as I do on a group ride.

Keep shredding and stay rubber side down!!

Sent from my Asus Rog 3


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

targnik said:


> At my age you can't afford to wreck.


THIS. The most shocking thing to me as I've aged is how your recovery time increases to MONTHS after any sort of serious injury. Hell, my immune system is robust and bombproof for someone my age, and even a bleeding scrape takes WEEKS to heal completely.

I absolutely prioritize not getting hurt above ALL ELSE. If I have to walk an entire trail because I think I'll crash on it, I will. Because I'd rather be able to walk the trail than be out of commission for months.

Scott


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

I'll be 62 in Oct and after all these years riding I'm having more fun than ever. Injuries happen and recovery can take longer but I've found that the older I get the better I understand my body and make adjustments as needed. I'm currently recovering from a total ankle replacement in late March. Was back on the trail at less than 4 months out. I've gotten 4 rides in so far and easing back into it but it's great to be back in the woods. 

Been doing this for awhile...In early '70s growing up in Western Maine we had snowmobile trails running by my house. When the snow melted and mud dried up we would ride those trails for miles through the woods, try stupid/extreme **** in sand-pits, ride through streams, make trails through the trees, etc. The 'hot' bike at the time was my 26" Sears 3-speed with skinny tires...that thing would RIP but the suspension sucked and the brakes were useless!!


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## SWriverstone (Sep 3, 2009)

sturge said:


> The 'hot' bike at the time was my 26" Sears 3-speed with skinny tires...that thing would RIP but the suspension sucked and the brakes were useless!!


I mountain biked all the time on one of these (and drainage-ditch biked and city hall steps-biked and neighbors' front yard-biked and every other possible place to ride!)...these things RULED. In fact, I think I want a banana seat on my Giant Anthem XC bike...









Or heck, forget that-you can still buy the FULL SUSPENSION Orange Krate!


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

At 62 I confess there's some aging out but to non-adventure sports people and much of my cohort I can be considered wild or crazy. I still pursue expert riding and riding a few thousand miles a year.

The aging out is just can't help it stuff. Degenerative disc disease in the family, challenges with eyes and balance not the same but I keep at it. I'm not taking as big jumps anymore. Before that sounds too depressing, as said, I still pursue expert stuff and can make some younger than me hurt.


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## rod9301 (Oct 30, 2004)

Maybe i posted before, but right now after half a burke of 1995 ducru, and a few after dinner stuff, i don't remember.

I'm 72, started mountain biking at 50.

I love the sport, and I'm getting better technically every year.

My favorite kind of trail is steep and rocky, more do much air.

I do a lot of skiing, and steep backcountry couloirs.

Pretty good shape, lift regularly. But not the fastest uphill. 

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk


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## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> 56
> 
> I ain't as good as I once was,
> I got a few years on me now,
> ...


Still feeling the same.


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

SWriverstone said:


> I mountain biked all the time on one of these (and drainage-ditch biked and city hall steps-biked and neighbors' front yard-biked and every other possible place to ride!)...these things RULED. In fact, I think I want a banana seat on my Giant Anthem XC bike...
> 
> View attachment 1942849
> 
> ...


 I had a buddy who rode a 3 speed 'Buzz Bike' like this....


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## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

Love this thread...ROCK ON all you 'experienced' brothers and sisters


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## cookieMonster (Feb 23, 2004)

43, started riding when I was 6, and truly mountain biking when I was 9 or 10. I was a distance runner in my teens and also raced XC, then moved into dual slalom and DH, which I excelled at and honestly preferred.

I know 43 isn’t that old yet, but I’m faster than I’ve ever been; have more stamina, and am riding more challenging terrain than I ever have. However, I ride a lot smarter. I don’t launch huge gaps and drops like I used to, but if a perfectly built one came along, I might still hit it. I just don’t do anything unless I’m 95% sure I can pull it off clean.

I’ve noticed that I can’t hammer every day all week like I used to. I ride every day if I can, and climb 10k feet per week on average, sometimes a little more. After three days of 2k’ climbs, my legs really feel it, and there’s no way I can get PRs in that condition, uphill or down.

Thankfully, it’s not a race! So I just ride a little slower and enjoy the ride! If I take a day or two off, I come back in my prime.

I’m built like a wrestler (I was one), and have always had a strong upper body without needing to lift weights. I think I’m going to need to get serious about lifting in the next few years because I think that gift is about to expire.🤣


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## stripes (Sep 6, 2016)

47 here

Things that have improved over time:
I have the correct number of bikes for me: 3. It’s the Holy Hand Grenade. A park bike, an enduro bike, and a short travel plus bike. No more single bike quivers. I need a dh bike for parks. I’m too old to ride an enduro there. I can, but it hurts. 

I’m comfortable with the fact I don’t like riding carbon bikes. I’m comfortable riding metal bikes and that’s where I’ll stay. I’m also more comfortable on smaller wheels, and that’s also where I’ll stay. 

I needed to adapt my components over the years: shorter cranks for hip/knee issues, and i cannot ride stupid steep seat angles because the geo is not good for my body issues. 

I’m also comfortable with my limitations. I have asthma (diagnosed 10 years ago but been riding 30 years), which explains my fitness struggles. There are going to be people I can’t ride with, and I’m ok with that. 

I also need to do PT before riding, and stretching nightly. I also have a hard time riding back to back days when my asthma isn’t happy. 

Overall though, I’m strong. I’ve been weight training for a year consistently and i feel healthy. 

I still have brave days and i still have chicken days. But i stopped beating myself over it, and I’m still riding so I’m still happy.

I’m still learning better riding skills, including jumping and bunnyhopping.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Rev Bubba said:


> 71 (in 9 days)
> 
> I weigh 40 lbs. less then when I was 40.
> 
> ...


UPDATE:

I am now a couple months past 72. No big deal. I don't feel any different then when I wrote the original except I now have arthritis in my right knee. A couple turns of the cranks and it seems to go away. My goal this season is to ride 121 day (one more then last year). As of now I am at 91. My wife and I will stop off and see friends in NorCal in October on our way to a month in Hawaii. He is my age and still rides so I'll get in some new areas. Same for Hawaii.

Aspirin and coffee still go well together.

I got a new bike late last year (SC Tallboy), I continue to climb well, have my Covid shots and found out we will soon be eligible for a booster.

God bless science.

My five year old grand daughter is riding well, skiing and I took her surfing for the first time this week.

Next year we plan a trip to Portugal, Spain and Morocco. My wife wants to ride a camel in the Sahara. I want to ride a Land Rover in the Sahara.

Getting old beats the hell out of dying young.

Now go ride.


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## Mark K (Jul 4, 2018)

58 and have been riding a little over 10 years. Love the sport and the challenges it brings - cardio, balance, strength but most of all fun. Skills have improved to the point of learning simple jumps, drop offs, and trials stuff. 

Descents are faster due to improved skills but have laid the bike down twice in 2 months resulting in impressive abrasions. 

No plans on changing other than the purchase of some knee/elbow pads.

Mark 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## yomtnbiker111 (Mar 25, 2006)

I turned 60 three days ago, and for those of you looking at 60 be aware because this one is a cause for reflection. Since 1991 I have had to take a medical exam for my job. EKG, BP check, blood work, eye exam and sometimes more. At first once a year and then more recently I had to go to see a doc every 6 months. I had to sweat thru passing the exam or not being able to go to work; at least until I resolved whatever issue came up.

Although I really really dreaded the upcoming medical day I realized how much healthier it kept me. I've always been active but that extra little nudge made me actually do what I may have otherwise just thought about doing. 

My knees are usually sore until I start pedaling and if I fall it hurts a lot longer. There are a few hills that I just can't climb any longer...yup time for a much bigger cassette. I am slow at everything these days and I don't take risks like I did when I was young. But I know with a workout plan, a real diet program and a lot of stretching I can at least fight aging related slowdown for a while longer.

Regards,

Chas


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

yomtnbiker111 said:


> I turned 60 three days ago, and for those of you looking at 60 be aware because this one is a cause for reflection. Since 1991 I have had to take a medical exam for my job. EKG, BP check, blood work, eye exam and sometimes more. At first once a year and then more recently I had to go to see a doc every 6 months. I had to sweat thru passing the exam or not being able to go to work; at least until I resolved whatever issue came up.
> 
> Although I really really dreaded the upcoming medical day I realized how much healthier it kept me. I've always been active but that extra little nudge made me actually do what I may have otherwise just thought about doing.
> 
> ...


Sounds like a first-class FAA.


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## yomtnbiker111 (Mar 25, 2006)

MSU Alum said:


> Sounds like a first-class FAA.


Yes sir.


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## acer66 (Oct 13, 2010)

All of the above and more.🥺


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## Santa_Cruz_Mountain_Rider (Aug 15, 2021)

55

Didn't start riding until I retired almost four years ago, so I can't compare to my younger days. So while my back has its bad days during and after riding (and those days are more frequent as the years go by), I have lost a lot of weight from it and often feel younger because of mountain biking. I'll report back in a couple of years haha!


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## sooslow (Dec 14, 2017)

65 here

I think I’m doing OK for my age. I enjoy climbing and can still keep up with the youngsters. I used to enjoy getting out on hot days but lately the heat (over 90) gets to me on a ride. I go back n forth between mtn and road bike phases. For the past 6 months I’ve had no desire to ride street as there have been a couple fatalities locally on the road. Don’t know what the circumstances were, but eff that.


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## DennisT (Dec 29, 2019)

sooslow said:


> 65 here
> 
> I think I'm doing OK for my age. I enjoy climbing and can still keep up with the youngsters. I used to enjoy getting out on hot days but lately the heat (over 90) gets to me on a ride. I go back n forth between mtn and road bike phases. For the past 6 months I've had no desire to ride street as there have been a couple fatalities locally on the road. Don't know what the circumstances were, but eff that.


Yeah, I have a road bike but I find myself supremely uninterested in jockeying with cars. MTB is so much more interesting and fun.

On hot days I have the option to do all my riding in forest, so that helps some.


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Fleas said:


> 52(?)
> 
> The one thing that _hasn't_ changed is that I still _really_ like riding my bike! Doesn't matter where, or with whom, or how fast.
> 
> ...


This past weekend we covered a lot of ground. 60 miles worth. My nutrition was well-timed, my efforts were moderate but efficient and fast-ish, my eyes weren't too bad, and my trail memory was right there with me! Without consciously trying, I hit a top speed PR on Lamb Loop. I think the dropper helped, but the fact that I remembered where all the big hits were made me a lot smoother without over-braking anything.

-F


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Are threads like this due to boredom or do folks need to see a counselor?


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Nurse Ben said:


> Are threads like this due to boredom or do folks need to see a counselor?


Are those mutually exclusive?


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## Fleas (Jan 19, 2006)

Nurse Ben said:


> Are threads like this due to boredom or do folks need to see a counselor?


Daily affirmations, with Stuart Smalley...

-F


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

MSU Alum said:


> Are those mutually exclusive?


Probably not.


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

47
My peripheral vision is starting to suck. I have to be careful when I stand up or explode on the pedals- my knees feel a bit more fragile.
I recently started using a CPAP machine & feel years younger. Other than that, I'm still in the front few guys on a climb.


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## North woods gal (Apr 26, 2021)

I'm in my early 70s and have been mountain biking almost as long and there have been mountain bikes. Three years, ago, I had yet another bad injury, barely escaping with my life. Broke my C1 collar on the first vertebrae in my neck after getting thrown from the bike while trying to clear a boulder. After recovering, I had to make my husband a promise that there would be no more stunt riding and that I would keep both wheels on the ground at all times. I've been true to my promise and have no regrets. It's always been about being out on the trail, back in the woods and the grasslands that I love that keeps me mountain biking, anyway. Keeping it less risky hasn't diminished that at all.

As for the age thing, biggest issue is now the numb hands issue after so many years of riding. Takes longer to get up the hills, too, but at least I am getting up them.


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## motox155 (Jan 27, 2006)

56.
Still enjoy it as much as ever but definitely feel aches and pains a bit more. Knee hurts for no real reason. Wrist hurts for no real reason. I don't have quite the amount of horsepower on tap as I used to. Especially on longer climbs. The main thing I've noticed as I get older is to not stop riding. Don't take time off! Even if it means just cruise around.The skills deteriorate pretty quickly as you age. I could take off a year from riding in my 30's, jump back on the bike and in a couple months be right where I was. Not so anymore. The reaction times and muscle memory just doesn't come back as it was.


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## frdfandc (Sep 5, 2007)

45.

I still enjoy riding, I just haven't made the effort to actually get out and ride. I had my right hip replaced 3 years ago, and now I'm starting to feel the same pain in my left hip. So probably beginning of next year is when I'll get that one replaced. My last real ride was a 42 mile road ride April 2019, plus a short 10 miler with my wife on July 4th, 2019. I haven't been on a bike since. Last year I started to part out my MTB. But this fall I've decided to just rebuild my hardtail as a full rigid SS. That'll teach me from not riding for 2.5 years.


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## targnik (Jan 11, 2014)

48 and counting.

Been riding 8 years.

Was introduced to the long, low & slack early on via Kona Process (slack STA, not so much HTA) 

I'm hitting, sending things - that I wouldn't have even looked at when I was 40.

I'm sending stuff, I wouldn't have considered when I was 47!!

So, I guess I'm improving 

Biggest difference (40 to 48) is I have a fleet of bikes now...

1) AM HT 29er
2) Short Travel 29er (moolay)
3) 29+ Rig
4) 650b Enduro Steed

Also, my two boys are getting bigger and we go on roadies together.

Sent from my Asus Rog 3


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## Picard (Apr 5, 2005)

I have asthma. I can't climb hill like a teenager anymore


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## juan_speeder (May 11, 2008)

49
Used to be a fast XC racer back whenNorba semi-pro meant a thing.

Took a 15 year hiatus from racing, just to ride, but entered a couple of marathon XC events this year. Sucked at the Silver Rush 50, got on a training program, lost 20 pounds, and got a podium in my first 100 miler.

Looking at doing 7 or 8 long races in 2022.

How has age affected me? I’m slower relative to fast 25 years olds, but not by as much as one would think.

YMMV


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## Ailuropoda (Dec 15, 2010)

Just to revisit this thread....I’m now 57 and ride a lot better than I did even three years ago after extensive training (for my failed Tour Divide attempt in June, ha ha...next attempt 2023) I can ride for hours at a time even in the mountains with almost no recovery time, no pain, and no adverse effects. We had a local trail in Michigan that used to take me three hours to ride but my last time was a few minutes over two hours and I was passing people. 

I ride conservatively, however, when it comes to technical stuff. My wife and I support a lot of people and I can’t risk a serious injury that would put me out of work. Now that we’ve moved to Arizona the potential for injury is everywhere. Sharp rocks and spiky plants. 

But this is not new. Age is not just a number but barring some 
catastrophe like cancer, you can maintain fitness long into middle age. I have never smoked, done drugs, and gave up alcohol in 1987 which helps. And I work out or ride almost every day. Days I don’t seem weird.


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

John Kuhl said:


> I'm 64, and this is the first year where I feel like age has caught up with me some. My usual 20 mile
> ride isn't as easy as it use to be.


At 65, I begin every mtn. bike session with a gentle 90 min. warm-up, alternating back and forth between walking the bike slowly and riding it slowly. Then I can kick it up to whatever level I please. Standing while riding helps me.  Cheers


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

Guest said:


> 49
> I’m much slower, hesitant, scared, out of shape...I’m not fat though  I’ve also found that it takes forever to recover from injuries...it also takes me a day to recover from a ride; I rarely ride back to back days :bluefrown::sad:


65 Gentle stretching might help. If it causes more pain, it may have been been stretched a little too far. Cheers 🙂


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## nobody special (Jun 21, 2019)

My vision and strength/reflexes are not what they used to be.

Often I will come around a corner or something and see a rock that got knocked into the middle of the trail so I will prepare to navigate past. Suddenly the rock will take off and move away quickly. At that point I realize it was a squirrel.

I just don't have the muscle to manhandle the bike the way I was able to when I was young.

I'm 50


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## ghettocruiser (Jun 21, 2008)

Late 40s, and my night vision blows. 

I probably have 5X the lumens I used to ride with in the '90s, yet fail to identify various hazards.

I've also stopped riding DH, but there were a lot of circumstances there not directly related to age.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

Early 50's. Raced at a high level in my 20's for about 5 years, and spent the last 25? years just riding bikes and drinking beer. Ride 2-4 days a week now, and drink far less, but do still enjoy post ride beers once a week or so. Started incorporating some hiking due to the covid lockdowns, and continue with that now. Dabbled in motorcycle trail riding for about five years, but got out of that when I bought an ebike in 2020. Riding about 50/50 analog/digital now.

Physically, I can still lay down times that place me in the top 10% on Strava segments, if I want to, but I rarely do. I hope to get into longer distance remote area stuff for the last ten years or so that I have left to do this stuff. My endurance is better than it's ever been, largely due to changes in diet.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

I'm 42 myself and it's not my age that affects my ability to ride. It's my overall health from military service. My last regular MTB ride was almost a year ago and I could only pedal 2 miles max before my back, knees, and everything else just gave out. I used to ride 7-10 miles (or more) on my hardtail. 

I just picked up an ebike and it helps me out so much. Once the winter weather is gone, I plan on hitting up some really nice eMTB approved trails in my area. I'm taking it easy on my bike so I don't cause any more problems for myself! These days I just want to pedal or off-road my Triumph Scrambler/KTM 450. My MTB shredding days are over but there is still plenty of fun left out there for me!


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## Red Leg 2 (May 4, 2014)

nobody special said:


> My vision and strength/reflexes are not what they used to be.
> 
> Often I will come around a corner or something and see a rock that got knocked into the middle of the trail so I will prepare to navigate past. Suddenly the rock will take off and move away quickly. At that point I realize it was a squirrel.
> 
> ...


Despite being inanimate objects, rocks do in fact have the ability to just get up and walk away. I'm 65 whereas you are in the prime of your life. Cheers. 🚴‍♀️


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## baker (Jan 6, 2004)

51. Great endurance, skills are good, fitness is good/great. I've always been a wimp when it comes to jumping and that hasn't changed. Explosive sprint capability seems to be gone. Injury recovery takes a heckuva lot longer than it used to, so I try to be less idiotic on the bike, but still love fast chunky technical riding.

My 40's sucked, with a heart surgery, 2 knee surgeries, and 1 back surgery. Changing things up and just riding for fun has made a huge difference in my motivation and fitness. I used to train for one big racing goal, do it, burn out, then take time off. Now I just ride all the time and will do a race if it happens to fit into my life schedule (kids, skiing, traveling, work, etc).


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

North woods gal said:


> I'm in my early 70s and have been mountain biking almost as long and there have been mountain bikes. Three years, ago, I had yet another bad injury, barely escaping with my life. Broke my C1 collar on the first vertebrae in my neck after getting thrown from the bike while trying to clear a boulder. After recovering, I had to make my husband a promise that there would be no more stunt riding and that I would keep both wheels on the ground at all times. I've been true to my promise and have no regrets. It's always been about being out on the trail, back in the woods and the grasslands that I love that keeps me mountain biking, anyway. Keeping it less risky hasn't diminished that at all.
> 
> As for the age thing, biggest issue is now the numb hands issue after so many years of riding. Takes longer to get up the hills, too, but at least I am getting up them.


North woods gal, you are the very definition of bad-ass.


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## North woods gal (Apr 26, 2021)

Thanks. 

Fairly mild this week in the teens, so out riding the fat bike and even one of the single speeds the snow.


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

nwg, I'm 71 and haven't ridden in the woods for almost 2 seasons. Seem to have lost my taste for falling down on rocks. Was close to selling my one remaining bike. But I was out hiking recently and while walking on one of the newer flowy trails that keep appearing, I found myself thinking that it might be fun to get out again. The old hiking/woods road trails that I learned on are so rocky and worn in that no one rides them anymore. Rocks, roots, hill, repeat. So maybe I'll give the smooth flowy stuff a go in the spring. 🌶(my bike's a Salsa)


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## Dunnigan (9 mo ago)

Awesome thread. 49 here. Can still ride the XC trails I love, but I can tell max power is lower. I never really tried the DH stuff, even when I was younger. Certainly now I have no desire to “send it” or hit a big jump—not out there looking for my next nagging injury.
Back in my 20s I could train 5+ days per week and bounce back quickly. Now i give myself more recovery time, which actually makes the training easier to fit in. I also hit the weights this winter for the first time in awhile, so looking forward to how that might help me this season. I focus on consistency and injury prevention, and no longer rely on being 25 to get me by.
I plan on making my 50s my best decade of racing yet.


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## Red76FJ40 (Jul 20, 2020)

55 and began mounting biking in the early 90's and started doing some sort of lifting around age 50. Took some time away from the bike after my son was born in the mid 2000's. Well, right before covid my buddy bought a new MTB and got me back into riding again. We began riding at least 3Xs week and I fell back in love with ridding again. As time went on my buddy convinced me to do an xterra, so not only did we have to train on consecutive days we would run and bike or swim and run on the same days. We plan on doing it again this year. Your body has an incredible ability to adapt, however, since the new year I've only been able to ride 3 times. Now I've been running 4 times a week but I'm concerned my mtb biking has suffered. However, after reading everyone's stories in this thread I can't help not to be inspired.


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

51

After riding my first e-mtb a week ago, I so want one now. It brings joy to my biking to be able to climb again like I'm some 18 year old... LOL. I still love analog biking, but lets face it. A ride can suck if you spend most the ride climbing at 3 mph...

Oh yeah, while I can ride blacks and double blacks, I'm actually much happier on blues, or if I ride a black(+) then I tend to take the ride around on jumps and drops now. I figure the risk to reward is not there anymore. I'm out to enjoy my ride and get out in nature. Getting injured is not enjoyable and I'm not out to prove what a big dick I got by sending some 10ft gap....


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## 2_Tires (May 29, 2007)

I'm 35, I have 4 young kids. I do not push the envelope anymore as I need to work to provide for my family. Still love to ride, no longer race or try to set PRs. I ride because I love it!


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

d365 said:


> Up until a couple of years ago, I would've said that nothing had changed in more than 25 years of steady riding. Charging just as hard as I did at 20. If anything, I might have said that recovery times had extended depending on the prior effort. I was never a racer, had no glory days, just a regular 3x a week rider, who lived for the downs and popping off trail features.
> 
> Then at 45, I compressed, ruptured, herniated a disc in my lower back - going off a little drop I've done a million times. I was completely off the bike for more than 2 years, and spent the past year just trying to ease back into it and find my groove again. Needless to say, I'm really struggling to get back to my old self.
> 
> The secret to riding into old age... is of course, to never stop riding. Once you're forced off the bike for an extended period, it seems really hard to come back now. We'll see.... story to be continued....



Since this thread from 4 years ago is still going, I'll continue/update my story. 

My lower-back _slowly_ got better and better. I still have to be really mindful of it all the time, in everything I do. I know how to take care of it now. I rode a lot during this time span, but getting back was definitely measured in baby-steps. 

BUT - the last 2 years, especially this year, I've been charging hard again, and jumping stuff, and having a good time. Playing around like my old self, but still holding back a tad out of caution... 51 now


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## VTSession (Aug 18, 2005)

I'm 40, going on 41. I was a bit overweight in my 30s (210ish pounds at 6`1") now I'm a bit slimmer (185ish) and feel much faster and more fit. I moved from the city (Boston) to the mountains (Vermont) 5 years ago so the better quality trails here have motivated me to ride more. I ride more now and much better endurance and stamina. I got into gravel riding too which did wonders for my over all bike fitness. I regularly ride for several hours and can knock out 3-5k of vertical with no issue.

On the flip side, I ride more cautiously these days. I'll still ride fast and hammer down steep techy trails but I shy away from big drops, large rollers, etc. I'll also use to ride lift assisted bike parks but don't anymore. I lost interest in gravity riding and prefer pushing myself to earn my downs. I'm definitely focusing more on skill and endurance than going big and riding gnarlier terrain.


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