Ruby13

Just came across this thread and since I hit 65 in September thought I would join in. The prior poster 10wheels I know of from the weight an mileage thread and hope to get my mileage up to his levels. To give more of my background here goes.
Was an active golfer and mountain biker till my early 50's when my back which always gave me problems really started going bad and the back operations began. Two years ago I was now on disability and my golf hobby was gone when my neurosurgeon suggested I start riding a bike again to build up my lower back and hip muscles but road biking only. In 2011 I did 400 miles mostly on a hybrid until I bought my Cannondale Synapse the end of that year. In 2012 I did 4400 miles and my goal was 6000 miles for 2013. Unfortunately after almost 1300 miles by April of this year the back went out again which necessitated putting two titanium rods in my lower back this past June.
The road back has been slower than I had hoped with only 200 miles since mid September. Part of the problem has just been getting into shape again but the onset of cold weather has just been a killer for me in just getting my back to loosen up. The good news is this Friday I go down to my South Florida home from NY and hoping the warm weather kick starts my mileage and conditioning again. My riding buddies are waiting for me and average in age from 63 to 72.
Hope to be a useful contributor here.

10 Wheels

Florida seems to be the only warm area right now. 43*F and raining here all day.

rdtompki

Where's the love for California I do wear leg warmers when it's below 50 degrees, but that's usually only at the start of some winter rides.

OTOH, the Feds just announced that California has the worst roads in the country congestion-wise. Our road conditions are also terrible.

RonH

Why do all of that? Just do like I do. Put Morton Lite Salt on a salad or other foods that are good when salted. Its approx 50% sodium chloride (table salt) and 50% potassium chloride.
I use it because potassium works best on cramps (when I do get them) for me.

tsurr

Try using some form of electrolite replenishment drinks or tablets. When it gets hot and humid in east Tenn. you really need this. Good luck

3bluebikes

I'm a much better and stronger rider now at 70 than I was at 35 primarily because now that I've been retired for 5 years I have been able to ride many times each week, not just week-ends or before or after work. Joining an active bicycle club with many, many posted rides of various speeds, disciplines, and distances has also made a huge difference in knowledge and appreciation of all things bicycle related.

snapshot46

I'm also a 67 year old biker in Michigan and have been riding for a year and a half. This year I went with the old style toe clips from Amazon. They keep my feet where they should be and I've had no falls because of the clips. I was down once this year but that was because of loose gravel on a turn. Anyways, I like this style of clip and will probably stick with them for a while.

Miami Biker

Hi. Love riding in South Florida. Yesterday rode my age (68) for second time this year. New shoes, pedals and helmet lowered weight by a ton or slightly less. Averaged 16 MPH which is fast for me thanks to lower winds than normal.

just drank two water bottles with electrolytes until came home. Long ride but what a great feeling of accomplishment. How lucky are we?

Ed

tsurr

we are very lucky to be active at this age, will be 70 very soon. Will meet two friend this morning and try and get a ride in before the rain moves in for 5-6 days. A little hard to ride in east Tenn. this time of year.

lenA

Indeed

snapshot46

I have to say that living in the Michigan area, I'm envious of your location. Our bike rides here have just about over because of the cold weather and the wicked wind. When it gets below the freezing mark, it takes a lot of the pleasure out of riding. However for the month of March, we'll be in the Keys around Marathon and then a couple of weeks northwest of Orlando in Inverness. Great bike trail there and love the town and we'll be packing our bikes along. By the end of February, we're ready to thaw out in your state.

DougG

Also from Michigan, and I'm definitely not a cold-weather biker and put mine away over a month ago. I find my tolerance to cold getting worse as I age, but even back in my younger days when I rode motorcycles, I enjoyed having heated grips and a heated vest! I do run outside all winter -- snow and ice conditions permitting -- but that doesn't require as much bundling up as you would suppose since you heat up very quickly once you get going.

We are going to get an early break, though, as we are flying to Key West tomorrow for a week of warmth. I'm taking my running clothes of course, but our only biking will be on rental cruisers (probably all that's necessary there!). And the day we come back it could well be 80 when we get on the plane and 20 when we get off in Flint!

snapshot46

Looks like Doug picked the right place for a vacation. The weather there today is supposed to be in the low 80's with no rain in the forecast. You can't beat that. My theory has always been if you're looking for warm weather somewhere in the lower 48 states, the Florida Keys is most likely the place to be. On top of all that if you can get out of Key West in a car or on a bike, they have some beautiful scenery as you head north on Hwy 1. Its about a hundred miles of small islands, bridges and teal blue ocean. Very pretty and some of it is very conducive to bike riding. The only drawback can be the wind on some days if you have it in your face. Its a great day to be getting out of Michigan as we had some snow move in last night. Lucky Doug!

Rocky1405

Well, we here on the MN "Tundra" are pretty much done with bike riding for the winter too unless we are totally nutty. Last week we got a nice 1" underlayment of ice and then about 3 inches of snow on top of it so its too slippery to walk safely let alone try to balance on two wheels. The wind-chill factor today in the twin-cities is about -20 and the wind truly does cut like a knife. Luckily for me I have a workout room in my house with my Dahon bike on an exercise stand and a treadmill - plus lots of action movies to keep the imagination moving whilst I work to keep from losing my basic biking fitness that I worked so hard to attain last riding season. I turned 71 this year and see more and more of my old pals who thought I was nutty for working out and riding bikes or running - when I see them nowadays they are walking with canes or riding in electric scooters because they are weighing about double what they should. Biking doesn't cost us I firmly believe it keeps our worlds large and engaging. Merry Christmas to all you fellow "Geezer" bike riders. 8-)

Miami Biker

Welcome to South Florida folks. Temps about 80 during the day with no humidity. Winds 10 to 15 or so.

lived in northeast all my life and family has 1898 cottage in Grand Haven, MI so familiar with winters. Love living here now and biking big plus. Two of us are planning a century Saturday, winds and bodies willing. My first attempt after doing 70 recently. Will post if somehow manage to make it.

RonH

Same here. It was ~70F when I left the house at 9AM for my ride. Lots of sun and wind from the south. No complaints from me.

rdtompki

I need a dose of HTFU. The last 3-4 days have been mid-20's at night (actually, at 0600) and I just too much of a wimp to ride at 0800 when it's sub-40. High temps have approached 50, but that's after lunch when I tend to get involved in other work. I should tear up my senior citizen man card. However, I'm treating this as am important element of my training, restoring my muscle tissue and building up fat reserves for the next cold wave.

Miami Biker

May post more in 50+ place, but did want to say today did 101 miles! After TKR, and 2 years and 2 months of road biking and after losing 45 pounds in 5 years (and 80 pounds in 10 years). Two of us did although didn't draft and we had high winds of 10 to 15 mph, against us the whole way home. Who da thunk?

If I can do it at 68+ many others can join the club. Right now feeling very tired but also elated.

Ed

lenA

we are a resilient species

congrats......

tsurr

I totally agree about biking and exerise keeping young at heart. I will be 70 in February and hope to ride around 5000 to 6000 miles next year. Hoe you have a Merry Christmas and a great biking year.

Rocky1405

I am not built well enough to go more than about 1700 miles a year - at least with our riding season here in MN but during the riding season I ride around 15 to 20 miles a day for 5 days a week and I enjoy every mile but in reality - knowing my body the way I do - that's about the limit of my endurance. I ran for 6 years - 4 days a week year around and never was able to get my body to have the endurance of most of my running pals. We are all built different with different capacities and I say to go with what your body will allow and you get great health benefits out of it. At 71 years of age I do not take any medications except an anti-histamine and I credit that to my keeping active and trying to eat right. Plus I have had the good luck of getting some good gene's too. Do what you can but do something - like that Nike commercial saying: JUST DO IT. Have a great Holiday Season fellow riders and Best Wishes!

DnvrFox

Welcome - and you are right - just keep on going. But, one question -

"Hey, I AM peddling! "

OK, what are you peddling?

RonH

Welcome.
I think the problem with your endurance may be the bikes you ride. I'll be 69 in a few days and ride with folks in their mid-70s and some of them can whip me on the bike. We all ride road bikes. Maybe you should consider getting one. You don't have to get a $3000+ carbon fiber bike. An entry level aluminum or steel bike will suffice, and you can find them in the $700+ price range.

Rocky1405

Nope -due to a neck injury i have to ride a comfort type bike so i'm sitting up pretty straight. 12 mph is my average speed and to really make miles you gotta go faster than that. My faithful Raleigh Passage 4.0 and i get along fine.

fastcarbon

I am 71 and had been suffering bad neck and shoulder pain on rides over 35 mi on my specialized s works Tarmac in the last 6 months. I even used a short 35 deg. stem with lots of spacers. I thought I would get an S Works Roubaix but tried Cannondale's new Hi Mod Synapse, Felt's Z2 and the Roubaix. The last bike I tried was a Trek Domane. I was amazed at the bump and rough asphalt damping on the Trek and ended up with a 6 series with DA 9000. So far I have ridden up to 50 mile rides on the bike with about 3500 feet of climbing. The neck and shoulder problems have almost gone. I was able to get a 22 cm head tube so am higher but of course slower into the wind. I guess we try to ride race frames as long as possible. The Domane doesn't have the snap of the Tarmac but still climbs well and is stiff out of the saddle on sprinters hills.