Originally Posted by KraneXL

Its not about the race to the top of the hill. Rather, does that "old man" have the snap judgement and reflexes to handle that boost in speed responsibly?

Good cyclist (just like good drivers) have the ability to look down the line and anticipate danger. Bad cyclist only react after the fact. The only saving grace up until now was that their speed was slower than their judgement. Keep that in mind the next time you see grand dad (or grandma) tearing up the sidewalk on his way to Bingo.