Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Back-of-beyond, Kootenays, BC
Posts: 750
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix Exp ert Road and Specialized Stump Jumper FS Mountain; De Vinci Caribou touring, Intense Tracer T275c, Cramerotti, Specialized Allez, Condor
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 166 Post(s)
I am just a youngster of 65 on our trails. I’ve been mountain biking since about 1986. I still do technical trails (although I have decided my one and only ride down SMD (Super Mega Death) was my last on that trail). We are in the mountains and most of our trails would be rated black diamond i.e. very difficult. Many riders around here are in their 60s. It’s what we are used to. Modern bikes can make trails accessible that I never would have ridden a dozen years ago. I ride a FS carbon Intense Tracer 27.5 and find it very capable for the trails I ride.
Enjoy riding within your capabilities. At our age there’s really no need to try to impress anyone. I love the uphill as much or more than the down(depends on the run).
I seem to be constantly explaining to newbies that the risks of road riding are often devastating (or fatal) and often largely out of your control. Whereas the risks of mountain bike riding are usually lesser and largely in your control.
But it I also road ride.... and my only major injury was while road riding.