Aging out for technical MTB trails?
09-23-23, 11:37 AM
#26
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I developed a terrible rash from using Voltareń cream on my leg. It took weeks to go away, and only days to develop. Hope you don't have that problem, but be aware.
09-23-23, 02:14 PM
#27
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The label say only for use on hands and feet. I was wondering what would happen if used elsewhere and you provided the answer!
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09-23-23, 04:58 PM
#28
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09-23-23, 11:16 PM
#29
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I think mountain biking is a great workout and it also keeps you sharp and trains your body and mind in ways that road riding never will. I've seen so may cyclists who lack strength, coordination, skill and ability to ride up or down a simple curb or some other simple obstacle. They have to stop and walk their bike and these aren't really old guys, they're still younger men, what a shame...If you regularly mountain bike then riding over curbs or some other obstacles is easy.
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09-24-23, 06:24 PM
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I started riding bikes after a serious motorcycle crash that prompted me to give it up. I've been tempted to try some mountain biking but I've held off mainly because the people I know that do, are often not riding at all because they're recovering from some kind of crash; broken collarbones, bruised or broken ribs, concussions, etc. As we get older, recovering from broken bones, etc. is just a lot more difficult and I find I have less tolerance for risk than i used to.
At the moment, I get all the enjoyment I need road biking so I'm content to stick with that. Naturally it has it's own risks, and I do my best to minimize them.
At the moment, I get all the enjoyment I need road biking so I'm content to stick with that. Naturally it has it's own risks, and I do my best to minimize them.
09-25-23, 06:34 AM
#31
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09-25-23, 07:49 AM
#32
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Yep. One thing about using it on larger pody parts is that it is easier to exceed the recommended dosage (it does get into the bloodstream afterall). Itching, rash and so on are listed side effects and I'd imagine you'd be more likely to run into problems with them if exceeding the recommended dosage. I recall it coming with a card that showed how long of a bead equalled what dosage. Not sure if that was with the prescription stuff, the OTC, or both.
09-25-23, 08:33 AM
#33
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I mean, we’re old farts still riding around on rocks. Someone should knock some sense into us!
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09-25-23, 08:39 AM
#34
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I know that there are many factors involved, but I am curious how long some of we older riders manage to ride technical single track and other MTB trails as we age. I know that I have spoken to a number of local guys who feel like they have aged out of riding any of the local trails that they don't consider "flowy". I mentioned to a neighbor that I rode from the house and where I went and he said he'd have to walk most of what I ride. He drives to some nice flowy non technical trails about 20 minutes drive from home to ride. The 40 minute round trip drive, plus loading and unloading the car is a lot of inertia to overcome so it means he is way less likely to ride.
Any way it got me thinking. He is about 10 years my junior (I am 72) and apparently in good health. I know our life and health can be a fragile thing and can be taken away at any time, but I'd like to think there is a reasonable chance that I can still be riding the same kind of trails and make trips to destination rides another 10-15 years if I continue to be blessed with good health. I have always had decent skills for crashing gracefully and without serious orthopedic injury. I think that helps a lot.
We don't have long fast downhills here, but I'd love to ride some if we did. I have always been a fearless descender and I don't think I'd let my age stop me. I miss those descents having moved to Tallahassee. It is one thing I'll enjoy if I travel with my MTB. At present I have been kind of stuck at home and have not travelled for a while.
Am I kidding myself about the likelyhood of another 10-15 years of enjoying this?
What have you found that you have managed? Have you toned down your trail riding? Quit trail riding? Or are you still riding like you did whne younger?
Any way it got me thinking. He is about 10 years my junior (I am 72) and apparently in good health. I know our life and health can be a fragile thing and can be taken away at any time, but I'd like to think there is a reasonable chance that I can still be riding the same kind of trails and make trips to destination rides another 10-15 years if I continue to be blessed with good health. I have always had decent skills for crashing gracefully and without serious orthopedic injury. I think that helps a lot.
We don't have long fast downhills here, but I'd love to ride some if we did. I have always been a fearless descender and I don't think I'd let my age stop me. I miss those descents having moved to Tallahassee. It is one thing I'll enjoy if I travel with my MTB. At present I have been kind of stuck at home and have not travelled for a while.
Am I kidding myself about the likelyhood of another 10-15 years of enjoying this?
What have you found that you have managed? Have you toned down your trail riding? Quit trail riding? Or are you still riding like you did whne younger?
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Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
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Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
09-25-23, 09:23 AM
#35
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I have ridden MTB in various parts of the country and enjoyed all of the riding whether it was Snowshoe WV, Moab UT, Tahoe, NV, or even Tallahassee. Some of it was world class stuff and some not, but it was all fun. Tallahassee is way better than I expected when I moved here. That is true of both the roads and the trails.
09-25-23, 10:03 AM
#36
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Usually if you suggest trying a mountain bike to a roadie they will picture flying off cliffs or tumbling down rock strewn chutes. The reality is you can start with mellow singletracks or even smooth fire roads. You shouldn't start by following seasoned riders down a double black diamond trail or a jump line at a park.
Some of your road skills and abilities will translate to mountain bikes but there is a whole separate skill set needed to manage the dirt. Good road riders will do fine on smooth climbs. Whoever the best road climber is will likely be the best off road climber until things get gnarly.
Roadies will try to just sit on the bike like they do on the road. You need to learn to move your body around a lot more and get comfortable with some sliding. Some people who are good road riders will never be good off road. Never. It's a different discipline. It's definitely not for everyone, but neither is road riding.
The positives to off road riding are huge. First, no cars. This means no drunk drivers, no carloads of obnoxious kids screaming and throwing things at you. No punishment passes. No deafening race motorcycles inches from you. No bus exhaust, no traffic lights, etc. You can see a side of the land you'll never see from a road. You'll experience quiet. And great memories.
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09-25-23, 10:27 AM
#37
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The positives to off road riding are huge. First, no cars. This means no drunk drivers, no carloads of obnoxious kids screaming and throwing things at you. No punishment passes. No deafening race motorcycles inches from you. No bus exhaust, no traffic lights, etc. You can see a side of the land you'll never see from a road. You'll experience quiet. And great memories.
I ride the trails every day and enjoy it immensely. I consider the risk of minor injury possibly a little higher than riding on the road and the risk of really serious injury much lower.
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09-25-23, 11:56 AM
#38
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I am in Tallahassee so it is more like SW Georgia than the rest of Florida, but no there arent any rocks to speak of. What there are is lots of treees, roots, ruts, and llittle ledges. It is mostly hard packed sand some of it with loose sand on top. The hard packed sand can be almost like sandstone so the ruts and ledges can be almost like rock, Tallahassee has lots of short, but surprisingly steep hills. It is much better in that regard than you'd expect for Florida. Some of the trails are tight and twisty where you have to really work you way through to not get the bars hung and crash. We don't have any mud so it is quite different from the riding I am used to when I was riding in MD, PA, VA, and WV where mud was ubiquitois much of the year. That and the lack of rocks means the area has its own different set of riding challenges.
I have ridden MTB in various parts of the country and enjoyed all of the riding whether it was Snowshoe WV, Moab UT, Tahoe, NV, or even Tallahassee. Some of it was world class stuff and some not, but it was all fun. Tallahassee is way better than I expected when I moved here. That is true of both the roads and the trails.
I have ridden MTB in various parts of the country and enjoyed all of the riding whether it was Snowshoe WV, Moab UT, Tahoe, NV, or even Tallahassee. Some of it was world class stuff and some not, but it was all fun. Tallahassee is way better than I expected when I moved here. That is true of both the roads and the trails.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
09-25-23, 02:14 PM
#39
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09-25-23, 03:51 PM
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Few realize that we have hills in the Florida panhandle. They aren't large hills, but there are a lot of rollers and short grades that are fairly steep.
I haven't ridden technical trails since before there were "mountain bikes." (I grew up in western NY and of course back then we just had bikes that we outfitted for the purpose.) At my age I wouldn't consider it now but I'm also sure that if I was already doing it there is no way I'd consider stopping. You stick with what's comfortable and for me that's now the road. I do have the good fortune of endless miles of very low traffic country roads at my doorstep.
I haven't ridden technical trails since before there were "mountain bikes." (I grew up in western NY and of course back then we just had bikes that we outfitted for the purpose.) At my age I wouldn't consider it now but I'm also sure that if I was already doing it there is no way I'd consider stopping. You stick with what's comfortable and for me that's now the road. I do have the good fortune of endless miles of very low traffic country roads at my doorstep.
09-25-23, 05:34 PM
#41
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I enjoy multitrack trails and other forms of "tame" mountain biking, but I have had dyspraxia ("clumsy child" syndrome) since infancy, and this has resulted in an absence of self-confidence for anything requiring much in the way of physical coordination. My younger son is a natural athlete, instantly good at any sport he attempts, and the family joke is that he gets it from me. 
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
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09-25-23, 08:20 PM
#42
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09-26-23, 10:45 AM
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Yep. One thing about using it on larger pody parts is that it is easier to exceed the recommended dosage (it does get into the bloodstream afterall). Itching, rash and so on are listed side effects and I'd imagine you'd be more likely to run into problems with them if exceeding the recommended dosage. I recall it coming with a card that showed how long of a bead equalled what dosage. Not sure if that was with the prescription stuff, the OTC, or both.
Ended up in ER (by ambulance) with a severe allergic reaction that started within a few minutes and manifested like a significant cardiac event. Took days to recover.
Turns out that this is a very rare, but not unheard of, reaction. Can't recall if the reaction was to the active ingredient(s) or the carrier medium. I think the latter, but not sure. Needless to say, haven't gone near the stuff since!
09-27-23, 02:42 PM
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What is technical to one rider may not be to another. I will still occasionally ride something I consider technical but I don’t seek it out. On the other hand, living in the heart of the mountains many people would think many of our trails are technical that the locals don’t.
The main factor that has caused me to shift from mountain biking to road is the prevalence of electric bikes on the trails over the last few years. Most of my former riding partners have them - especially if they’re into steep technical trails. I have always been into mountain biking more for the exercise than the technical skills. Now I can’t enjoy it nearly as much dodging all the motorized bikes powering uphill for their next technical descent.
The main factor that has caused me to shift from mountain biking to road is the prevalence of electric bikes on the trails over the last few years. Most of my former riding partners have them - especially if they’re into steep technical trails. I have always been into mountain biking more for the exercise than the technical skills. Now I can’t enjoy it nearly as much dodging all the motorized bikes powering uphill for their next technical descent.
10-01-23, 05:10 AM
#45
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Recently turned 66 and bought a new mountain bike for my birthday. Being optimistic I guess! I ride a 12mi trail 3 times a week on average, alternating with heavy weightlifting on non riding days. I think the weight lifting has made a big difference in being able to still get at it agressively out on the trail. I am still still fairly strong and nimble. The trail is a mix of flowy and multiple man made jumps and features. I still do all but the extreme technicals, but sometimes when I am airborne off a jump I have the thought.."You're too old for this now!!!" There is one feature which consists of a wooden bridge about 4ft off the ground, 2ft wide and maybe 50 yards long. I gave it up after seeing a fellow older rider go off the side and completely shatter his collar bone. He gave up MTB permanently. I got 10 years out of my previous bike and hope to get as many or more out of the new one.
10-01-23, 06:55 AM
#46
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Recently turned 66 and bought a new mountain bike for my birthday. Being optimistic I guess! I ride a 12mi trail 3 times a week on average, alternating with heavy weightlifting on non riding days. I think the weight lifting has made a big difference in being able to still get at it agressively out on the trail. I am still still fairly strong and nimble. The trail is a mix of flowy and multiple man made jumps and features. I still do all but the extreme technicals, but sometimes when I am airborne off a jump I have the thought.."You're too old for this now!!!" There is one feature which consists of a wooden bridge about 4ft off the ground, 2ft wide and maybe 50 yards long. I gave it up after seeing a fellow older rider go off the side and completely shatter his collar bone. He gave up MTB permanently. I got 10 years out of my previous bike and hope to get as many or more out of the new one.
11-16-23, 02:07 PM
#47
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We only have technical trails where I live. Nothing flowy. They're old hiking trails that see little use. I'm 57 and still doing just fine with them. Not as fast overall as I used to be, but I still climb and clear as well as ever. I have a couple friends in their mid 70's who ride nearly every day on these trails. But they do avoid the loops that are full of brutal steep technical climbs. I image I will some day as well.
I think the bike has a lot to do with it too. Modern bikes are so much easier to ride than the old rigid 26" ones we had in the 80's-00's. My next bike will be a trail bike. I've always had XC bikes but I think I'd enjoy something longer, lazier and more forgiving as I age.
For me, technical means a trail I know I can't clear 100% regardless of fitness. Pretty much every loop near me has sections that very few people have ever cleared. The measure of how you're doing is how many times you failed. And I've been riding these trails since the mid 80's
I think the bike has a lot to do with it too. Modern bikes are so much easier to ride than the old rigid 26" ones we had in the 80's-00's. My next bike will be a trail bike. I've always had XC bikes but I think I'd enjoy something longer, lazier and more forgiving as I age.
What is technical to one rider may not be to another. I will still occasionally ride something I consider technical but I don’t seek it out. On the other hand, living in the heart of the mountains many people would think many of our trails are technical that the locals don’t.
11-17-23, 07:22 AM
#48
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I started riding bikes after a serious motorcycle crash that prompted me to give it up. I've been tempted to try some mountain biking but I've held off mainly because the people I know that do, are often not riding at all because they're recovering from some kind of crash; broken collarbones, bruised or broken ribs, concussions, etc. As we get older, recovering from broken bones, etc. is just a lot more difficult and I find I have less tolerance for risk than i used to.
At the moment, I get all the enjoyment I need road biking so I'm content to stick with that. Naturally it has it's own risks, and I do my best to minimize them.
At the moment, I get all the enjoyment I need road biking so I'm content to stick with that. Naturally it has it's own risks, and I do my best to minimize them.
I remember my coworkers asking how I could do such risky activities all the time (ww boating, mountain biking, and so on) when I had a family. I ras pretty much never nursing injuries serious enough that they affected my job. The funny thing was these guys were injured all the time from playing softball and hobbling around in braces and casts. That may be because they seemed to think alcohol was a necessary part of any recreational activity.
Edit to add:
FWIW, if I spent enough time ay any fun outdoor activity there were some injuries. Perhaps a bit surprisingly I didn't find trail running to be that much different than trail riding when it came to number of injuries. At least for the kind of trails I ran. I guess if you ran flat well groomed trails...
Last edited by staehpj1; 11-17-23 at 09:17 AM.
11-17-23, 07:37 AM
#49
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For me, technical means a trail I know I can't clear 100% regardless of fitness. Pretty much every loop near me has sections that very few people have ever cleared. The measure of how you're doing is how many times you failed. And I've been riding these trails since the mid 80's
Maybe my definition is carried over from my whitewater paddling days where big water and technical stuff are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Big pushy water with long trains of standing waves aren't technical. Tight twisty creeks where you are dodging boulders are.
The rider's ability is likely to come into play in applying the definition in any case.
11-17-23, 02:21 PM
#50
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Yep. One thing about using it on larger pody parts is that it is easier to exceed the recommended dosage (it does get into the bloodstream afterall). Itching, rash and so on are listed side effects and I'd imagine you'd be more likely to run into problems with them if exceeding the recommended dosage. I recall it coming with a card that showed how long of a bead equalled what dosage. Not sure if that was with the prescription stuff, the OTC, or both.
One inch is the maximum dose per day and am only supposed to use it for X weeks due to liver toxicity, so need to take a break from it to reduce internal level.
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