AJW2W11E

Back in rainy gloomy March I was thinking my days of road biking were coming to an end. My speed had dropped miserably as well as my riding enjoyment . I was preparing to swap out my drop bar bikes for a hybrid and accept my fate. I had a lot of fun but being over 60 is ...the next step to 70, I thought.Somedays I just looked at my bikes with disinterest.

It's almost July now. Things changed. The Sun just seeps into my soul. Yesterday I did a personal best on a more aggressive new bright yellow Allez. On top of that I did 60 push-ups this morning . I feel like I'm 45.

Of course Winter will come again and ultimately I will get slower and weaker as I age, but for this moment just let me enjoy this Summer, my time in Heaven.

Polaris OBark

No.

Also, I am trying to put off my time in Heaven as long as possible.

PoorInRichfield

Since summer is only about a week long here in Wisconsin, I purchased a "smart trainer" many years ago and ride on Zwift for at least half the year. No, it's not as good as riding outside, but I find that the group rides, races, etc., are "entertaining enough" to keep me riding during the off season. I'll also listen to podcasts when I'm riding indoors to keep my brain entertained. Since purchasing my smart trainer, I find that my fitness level stays constant all year long as opposed to getting totally out of shape over the winter and then spending the bulk of summer just trying to get fit again.

staehpj1

Nope, not me. First of all here in Tallahassee summer is definitely the worst time of year for riding in my opinion. Even when I lived up north I loved the shoulder seasons and even winter. Trail running, snowshoeing, XC skiing, or even MTBing in the snow are great fun. Also a spring day is pretty awesome. That said nothing beats a cool fall day with the fall colors in full blaze.

Summer is okay if it isn't too hot. It is when I am likely to be able to to multimonth tours. It has it's good points, but no it isn't my favorite by a long shot. If anything it drags me down.

BTW, I am typing this after a hot sticky predawn ride. Pretty much all of my daily rides for 3-4 months of summer will be snuck in before daylight to avoid the typical summer heat. Even getting out before daylight I wind up with temps close to 80F and 100% humidity. I'd prefer 20 (or more) degrees cooler. Maybe if I didn't prefer to ride in chilly weather...

To make matters worse Summer often seems to be 6 months long here in Tallahassee. At least winter seems a little like fall which is my favorite time of year.

BobbyG

Does summer make you five years younger also?

Actually, no. Every summer I find myself less resilient to heat. However, I seem to do better riding in the cold and snow with each passing year, so it is winter that makes me feel younger.

But overall, it is riding itself that makes me feel younger...except for falling average speeds and hills that seem to grow more steep and the continuing loss of natural padding.

50PlusCycling

I miss March, the weather was cool and dry, and the cherry blossoms came early. July brings the heat and humidity, and even if it doesn't rain during my ride, I sweat so much that it might as well have. I'll start feeling better in October, when the heat, humidity, and haze go away, and the air is cooler, clearer, and dryer.

GhostRider62

Yesterday was dripping with humidity and I did a PB on my favorite climb. My previous best was done when I was 57, 8 years ago. Turn up that heat.

TakingMyTime

The best part of riding for me here in So Cal is the early morning sunlight. Nothing like heading out at 05:30 - 06:00, avoiding the wind and being home by 09:30. I feel great after the ride and have the whole day ahead of me.

rumrunn6

yes, by the end of the summer, I will feel younger but between now & then I have a lot of work to do

big john

I hate the summer. I still ride when it's hot and I can acclimate, but it sucks. We had an unusually long stretch of cool, overcast weather this spring. People were sniveling about it on the news and everywhere. I thought it was great. It's better for everything, sleeping, sitting around, even riding bikes.

Of course, we don't really have winter here and summer temps can top 100 for weeks and go as high as 115 sometimes.

pdlamb

You've heard about snow bunnies who move south to Florida, Arizona, or southern California in the winter? I'm the opposite; I look for opportunities to vacation far to the north during the summer. I feel old and cranky riding in the heat and humidity, but I feel much younger when I run into a "heat wave" of highs in the 80s during that week or two up north.

tkamd73 

Only bourbon makes me feel 5 years younger, at least till the following morning.
Tim

rsbob 

Every time I climb on a bike it’s like getting into a Time Machine. My late age is suspended and I am free to ride the roads and trails. The only reminders of my real age is on climbs and when the distance is over 50 miles and I just want to be done with it. Summer is wonderful if it is not too hot or smokey but I prefer Spring and Fall where the temps are in the 50s and 60s.

Wildwood 

Sheet --- stop whining about over 60.
You've got 70 and 80 ahead.
Enjoy 'em, every single day/week/month/year/decade.
Remember the alternative.

Life on the bike isn't always fair and comes with a bruise or two.
Maggy Up.

¿Why don't road cyclists wave more?

jon c. 

I don't know about younger, but it makes me feel a lot better. We finally got some hot weather. 95 every day with humidity to match. It does increase leg cramps at night, but I love it.

Biker395 

I used to love riding in hot weather (95F+), and I did really well in it. About all that gave me issues was sweat in the eyes.

Not any more! The heat now gets me pretty good, and I start getting tired and running out of gas easily, even if I’m careful with the electrolytes and hydration.

All that said, I still love summer. Nearer the house where I do most of my riding, summer means clear, warm weather, but it’s seldom really hot or uncomfortable. We’re lucky enough not to need AC.

Random11

This is how I feel. It's not like I feel 50 again, or 29. I feel ageless. It's a good feeling, no matter what time of year I'm riding. (But, it never gets really cold where I live.)

downtube42

I rode Olympia to Portland Tuesday, with the high around 96. What made me feel 10 years younger wasn't the temperature, it was the 10mph tailwind. 125 miles of glorious tailwind! Sweetness.

grcolts

It gets too hot and humid in south Texas to really enjoy riding during the summer months. I much prefer spring, fall and winter where I live.

RCMoeur 

Same here in central AZ. Summer is the off-season. In mid-September it'll start cooling off in the mornings, and by October be good again until late April (or like this wonderful spring, into mid-June).

wolfchild

Winter riding in below freezing temps is what makes me feel younger and stronger.. Sure I go slower because of the cold but so what ?...speed isn't a priority. Getting my exercise outdoors is the most important goal for me.

JustaJoe

I'm finding summer here in NC is a time to try and maintain some fitness. Riding in the heat and humidity is not pleasurable for me and everything seems to require much more effort (and sweating). In fact, this is the 1st summer I really struggled with hydration, electrolytes, etc. I just do shorter rides now.

Fall, winter, spring - try to ride 6 days a week, and longer rides. Find myself smiling for almost the entirety of every ride.

Summer makes me feel 10 yrs older, the rest of the year 5 years younger.