The older I get the more lonely my rides are. It is increasingly difficult to find riding buddies that can either ride at my level or be kind enough to hold back so I can keep up. Last years metrics are memories at best. Finished a specific ride in 1 hour and 28 minutes last year - odds of me doing it again this year are VERY slim. I quit asking questions - most answers would be from riders young enough to be my sons. OLD riders are basically ignored as a group - evidence Strava and the several year fight to get them to add age groups - when they finally did - they stopped at 75! Training plans, diets, suplaments etc - again you are on your own. Even your meds will likely have a bigger impact on your riding abilities. Bike gear and kits? Try finding cycling bibs shorts or jerseys that will fit your non-std body shape and hopefully provide sun protection. Try finding a set of gloves with extra padding. Bike equipment - you get shorter and probably heavier so bike fit is changing almost every year. Bike computers - can't read em any more need bigger and brighter screens. Mirrors used to be for nerds. A FEW YEARS AGO I could look under my armpit to see what was going on behind me - now I am lucky if I can turn my head enough to see sidewise. Now can't safely ride without a mirror. And the doctors - finding one that even begins to understand your fitness level and unique needs is impossible. I asked two respected heart docs how I might go about determining my maximum safe heart zone. They both answered 220 - my age! Hell that's 141 bpm. If I stuck to that I would only be able to ride on flat land - no hills allowed. BUT old age is not an excuse to do less. So what if you can only average 12 mph on a flat four mile ride. You just rode four miles and that is probably four miles more than any of your neighbors.
Last edited by ctpres; 06-30-18 at 02:52 PM.