jleeg

I’m two months shy of 69. My younger son, 31, a former division 1 swimmer, has been quarantined with us for 3 months. He’s expressed his approval of my return to cycling after a 15 yr hiatus, but he’s floated, far too often, that he’d have no problem hanging on to me on my local hilly ride. Today he retrieved his hand-me-down vintage steel 10 speed from the lbs and laid down the challenge. Mind you, I’m pushing Campy 12 and all that comes on a great road bike and he’s in sneakers... He’s also 6’5 and 230 lbs to my 5’8, 159 lbs.

So we rode. The start is a mile of flat followed by a 1.2 mile climb. I followed, unsure of his bike handling and to be his buffer. Old man barely breaks a sweat and broaches 150 bpm while boy is pulsing upward of 168 .... I’ll give him credit. When he pushed, no doubt he’s stronger. But intimidation wins races as does stamina. I feel great and my kid may have something good to say at my funeral.

Similar experiences?

vespasianus

My 19 year old swimmer can crush me when he decides to push it. He stays with me and makes me feel good, but when he wants to hammer, it is depressing (I am only 55). And remember, HR can't be compared to people. Your max could be 160 and his could be 190.

big john

A 70 pound difference is huge when climbing and cannot be overstated. A man over 200 can be a decent climber but the higher over 200 you get, the bigger disadvantage is built in.

berner

Your post is proof that cycling keeps you strong at any age.

saddlesniffer

So true of a statement. Such a great activity to do.

Iride01 

Oldest son moved back to the area four years ago. He got interested in riding with dad. He was doing some dirt trail riding before that but not a lot. His 29'er bike was heavy and I could easily out do him on the road. He even did a metric century on it. However soon after that he realized he needed a real road bike.

He found a 2017 Trek Emonda ALR something with 10 speed 50/34 and 11-28 rear. Not really low enough gear for some of the hills frequented here. But it did allow him to beat dad on all straight and level and most hills. He of course can sustain max efforts longer than I can. However, long steady climbs I could still out do him. Also, he has had a knee problem since young and pulling high power a lot aggravated it. So I got him an 11-32 cassette for his bike against all his protests because he'd read that it's not what a true road biker will run. But after he used it a few times and was consistently beating dad with no knee issues, he was sold on it.

So for the next three years dad didn't win many impromptu sprints when we rode together. However I just got a new bike for my 62nd b'day that's five pounds lighter than my previous two bikes and I'm showing up my son on many climbs and able to hold a faster steady pace. He can still sustain a max effort longer, but that doesn't always get him to the top first.

Besides my lighter bike, he ate too well over the winter riding hiatus. And he's finally getting to the age where it's not so easy to lose weight anymore. Just one of many things fathers tell their sons and the sons ignore till it happens to them. Then for a few years they try to justify it as something different than the good advice dad was then telling them. <grin>

Hopefully I can tone it down a little so he doesn't get discouraged and not ride with me. It has been nice these last four years to have someone to go on long rides with.

Random11

No similar experience for me. Earlier this week my son and I rode a 38 mile mostly flat ride, me on my Diverge and he on his Tarmac. He was kind enough to the old man to ease up and ride with me. We averaged 16.6 mph for the ride. I'm 70 and my son is 32. We did an all off-road ride of 28 miles today, me again on my Diverge and he on his aluminum Trek gravel bike, and I felt like we were riding about even. Obviously, his bike gave him an advantage on our road ride, but I had the bike advantage on the off-road ride. We don't live in the same cities, so it's nice when we can get together and have these father--son rides. We're not competing against each other, but I know that if we were, he'd smoke me.

volosong

On occasion, I used to ride with my daughter. She is my only child. Fairly athletic and is in pretty good physical condition. She never could out-ride me, but then again, we never did any climbing. To her credit, on long rides, she always gave me permission to hammer for a few miles to get in a good workout, then I'd either wait for her or ride back to her. Those were precious times. Alas, she lives in a distant state now and we rarely have an opportunity to spend good, quality time together. I miss riding with her.



2009 Thanksgiving Day ride from Palmdale to Willow Springs Raceway. I was 58 at the time.

Cougrrcj

Not really bike related, but a dozen years or so ago, when asked by my 'Primary Care Physician' about 'any pains' - I casually mentioned that 'I was fine other than the usual aches and pains of aging' and he scoffed that 'there is no such thing'... Fast forward a few years and now that 'older age' has crept up to him - while he has not quite agreed with me - he has at least quit giving me grief about my observations....

ascherer 

Great story!

My youngest, 23, never liked bikes. When he was in the 11th grade I appealed to his interest in things old and English, and picked up a 3-speed BSA that he took a liking to. Promptly got a shoelace caught in the chainwheel and ran into a parked car with enough momentum to pop the car tire sidewall with the front axle of the bike! He got chewed out by the owner and didn't ride much again, we sold that bike once he was in college.

Recently I gave him another, a Raleigh Sports I've been using to commute in Manhattan that I've replaced. He lives in Brooklyn near Coney Island and loves riding it along the water. There's a beautiful greenway that runs along New York Harbor, all the way up past the Verazanno Bridge to the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Bay Ridge. I'm thrilled because he's had no other physical activity, but he doesn't think twice about going out and knocking off a dozen miles.


It must be serious, because he's already asking for something lighter! Carrying that old boy up three flights of narrow stairs with tight turns is a challenge.

Cougrrcj

I carried my all-steel behemoth up several flights of stairs in my college dorm -- illicit as it was -- "No bike allowed" in the dorms. NO WAY was I ( or my roomies) leaving our bike outside in Ohio Winters... Fortunately, within the first couple of months we had all upgraded our rides to the point where all of our bikes had quick-release hubs and the frames tucked away under our bunk beds..

ascherer 

Hell, I made friends with the RA next door and locked my Zeus to the bunk bed!

zacster

Two years ago I was in great cycling shape and had lost 30 pounds. I met my 25 year old son in Prospect Park to do some laps and I had some fun at his expense. I had been doing laps in the park all summer and knew exactly how much I could push it, and did it that day. About halfway through the 2nd lap he turns to me "Do you always ride this fast?" I was pushing 300 watts the entire time, which is pretty good for an old guy. When we hit the hill I just kept going like it wasn't there (and it felt like it wasn't there that entire summer.) I took it easy after that. When I checked my stats at home I saw that it was a bit faster and harder than I even usually would ride.

He hasn't ridden with me since.

AlgarveCycling

I like my wife and step-kids to ride with me so go along at their pace when they join me. I bought my wife an e-bike to help. My step-kids are both in their early 20's now and live in different parts of Europe so treasure the time they visit. My step-son did go through the phase where he challenged me though. He's a strapping 6ft 4in Danish lad, did a stint in the Danish Army and is fit. At gym he annihilates me pushing weights. I'm only 5ft 6in and 65kg. At cycling, swimming, running etc he has zero chance and has never even posed a remote challenge there.
At 51, I'm still beating all but the top 8-10 or so young Elite cyclists in my region but am able to ride with them, albeit wishing I was still able to muster the power and speed that they can having been there myself at their age.

RockiesDad

My daughter is 27yrs and has run a few marathons and a couple of small triathlons. We did a 30 miler charity ride last year and she just barely kept up. Granted, she hadn't trained in awhile so that's why she felt a little tired. My 63 yr old body could have gone for a few more miles.

Just last week we went on a 23 mile ride and I was okay when we were done but she said she wanted to take short run. I decided to follow her on my bike while she ran just to keep her company. Eleven miles later my legs were getting tired and my back was starting to cramp. She wanted to run a bit more but I convinced her we should go home. Mom was waiting for us. Dang, I thought I was in pretty good shape but I could never run even a couple of miles after a 20 mile bike ride let alone 11 miles. Kids these day...

Chuckles1

Passed a young lady at the end of her driveway yesterday. She was adjusting her gloves and helmet, obviously about to start riding. A mile or so later, as I was spinning up a long, steep hill at about 6mph, she goes flying past me at at least twice my speed, wearing jeans no less. Not the first time nor the last that has/ will happen, I hope.

tobey

Thanks for all the great stories. I have none to tell since my daughter who has run over 25 marathons, including Boston just doesn't like to cycle no matter how hard I try to convince her.
However, her son (6 year old grandson) has suddenly decided he loves to bike and has told everyone he cannot wait to ride with grandpa for the first time this July 4th. Can't wait!
So do I let him cruise past me?