Back into cycling after 10 years away
 

Old fart approaching 65 in October decided to get back into cycling after ten year absence. I had a nice carbon fiber road bike that really motivated me as it was a joy to ride and made hills much less daunting. Unfortunately, it was stolen. Tried using an MTB but just not the same.

I really need to get back in shape and cycling has been the only thing to keep me motivated. I wanted to get another high-quality bike to keep me motivated and ran across a good deal on a 2016 Specialized tarmac pro disc race Ultegra di2.

Yes, much more bike than I need, but it really was a good deal and not much more than a more moderate quality CF bike. It is a joy to ride, and I can't wait to get on it and ride every day. The biggest challenge at the moment is not overdoing it as I am in pretty bad shape from pandemic induced inactivity- I need to ease back into it.

I look forward to participating here and think It will be a good place to learn.

Thanks in advance,
Ray

Welcome Ray, I too enjoy the newer/more modern stuff, but I keep a steel steed or 2 in the barn just to remind me on occasion how much bikes have improved. At 73 I feel much younger than my years and still enjoy 25+ miles/day 6 days/week. Good luck and put some miles on that bike, we're not getting any younger!

Welcome.

It sounds like a great bike for you. something extra-nice that helps with the motivation is a double win.

Good for you! At some point I might consider getting a vintage road bike from the early 70s just for fun. I had a Fuji as a young teen around that time.

Thanks for the support!

Nice! Welcome back. I have the rim brake version of that exact same bike. It’s my favorite bike I have ever owned.

Can somebody please explain to me how to like posts?

In the lower right side below this window, you will see a Like button in a rectangle

Welcome and enjoy your hot bike

Thanks, but on the lower right side there is only Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest boxes. Oh well, maybe its not available to new members until they make a certain number of posts?

Yep, you need 10 posts. Then you can do likes, post threads, post pics. Opens up a whole new world haha.

I like this post :lol:

Welcome and welcome back! I've had a 3 year break due to knee surgery. Covid lockdowns didn't help.

I can only suggest to plan out your rides so you have some options on distance. My route is essentially a big loop (about 25 miles) that has smaller loops (about 17, 12 and 8 miles) depending on where I turn to return home. When I rode more actively a few years ago, I would do the largest loop and turn off sooner if it got too hot, or too windy. Now I'm starting with the smallest loop to improve my legs and my wind. Gradually, I'll get to the larger loops.

Also space your rides out a bit more, since you may need more time for recovery.

Thanks- all great suggestions.

I live on Candlewood Lake in CT and there is a 35 mile route around it that is very scenic with a lot of elevation changes. I would love to shoot for being able to ride this eventually, but it is challenging. My escape route would be a call to my wife. :D

Luckily there are many shorter and less challenging loops in the area that are also scenic.

Raylinds,
Congrats on the nice bike!!

I recently got back on the bike (after 40 years off) and definitely "overtrained" early on...my hindbrain thinking I'm 20, while my lungs, legs and heart were definitely 62 and in horrible shape.

Two things helped me get back into riding shape; 1) a beginners bike training plan that guided slow growth, and a $75 heart rate monitor that showed me workload...showing me when I was overdoing it.

Might not be the thing for you, but that's what got me from; feeling like I was going to stroke out after 5 miles (overdoing it too early), to finishing my 4 times/week 20-30 mile ride feeling great.

The plan, there are plenty of others.

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/fitnes...eginner-153317

[QUOTE=BTinNYC;22418579]Raylinds,
Congrats on the nice bike!!

I recently got back on the bike (after 40 years off) and definitely "overtrained" early on...my hindbrain thinking I'm 20, while my lungs, legs and heart were definitely 62 and in horrible shape.

Two things helped me get back into riding shape; 1) a beginners bike training plan that guided slow growth, and a $75 heart rate monitor that showed me workload...showing me when I was overdoing it.

Might not be the thing for you, but that's what got me from; feeling like I was going to stroke out after 5 miles (overdoing it too early), to finishing my 4 times/week 20-30 mile ride feeling great.

The plan, there are plenty of others.

/QUOTE]
Thanks so much for the good advice- I will be looking at the plan and already decided a heart monitor would be a good investment, but you confirmed it.

One thing I have been doing to ease into things is riding on an exercise bike. I am lucky enough to be consulting from home and can get on it and do several 15 minute workouts a day and now feel ready to extend those.

Excellent!

A further comment on the heart monitor - after using it for a month, I understood what the different workout ranges felt like, and didn't need to check HR while riding. I keep using it (and Strava) because I enjoy seeing my progress.

All good,
BT

I came back to cycling a couple years back after being out for about 20 years …. Had a little learning curve with the advancements in technology but having fun being back in saddle again ..

cheers

I had a similar adventure about 25 yrs ago. I had a 20 mi. ride I'd ride as a TT. In the off season I told myself I was going to train everyday on my rollers. I did. My plan was to get in shape to ride this TT at 20 mph on my 50th birthday in mid-June. I had a steel MAZA bike (not MASI) with Campy Athena friction shifters. I'm sure it was in excess of 20 lbs. When the season began I trained relentlessly for that day. I really busted my butt. No rest days and everything at TT pace. All the wrong things. When the day came I hit it and I hit it hard. I finished at exactly 20 mph to the second. I also was so burned out I couldn't enjoy the bike. I put it away and didn't ride for almost 10 yrs. Then I met a woman who asked me if I knew anything about cycling. So, I helped her get a proper road bike. Then she said, "Well, are you going to ride with me?" And, there I was....10 yrs off the bike, 10 years older and 25 lbs heavier. So, I dragged my sorry ass back on my bike and the journey began. Now I'm 75, have 4 bikes and have lost 20 of those 25 lbs. I'm fit. I'm strong and healthy. If I can offer a little advice......be patient with yourself. As you're re-learning the bike enjoy the ride. It will all come back and you will derive all the benefits that we all know. Oh, that woman? .....together for 20 years and the best person I know.

Welcome back Ray!

Speaking of being away for 10 years, has anyone heard from DeeGee lately?

When I re-started riding a couple years ago, I needed to re-learn some pretty basic things, like terrain that looks flat can actually be sloped, and how much difference that makes. I did not have a heart-rate monitor, but gradually re-learned that using the gears to keep my cadence up (i.e. shifting down instead of pushing harder) helped keep the worst of my gasping for breath under some control...

I finally got serious about it when I started keeping a training log - writing it down just made me want to go out more often. Also motivating was the idea that I might not have the luxury of another summer to actually get in decent shape again, what with the pandemic and all.

In the longer run, I believe that keeping it fun is key.

So, have fun! :)

Ha! I got into cycling in the early 1980s and rode a lot into the 1990s and early 2000s. And after about 12 years away, I returned to riding my old bikes in 2020 due to more free time because of COVID-19 (a benefit of working at home?). I've kept riding my old steeds and I'm glad I kept them, but I'll admit I am amazed at and don't fully understand some of the newer technology. But part of me doesn't care. Would I be faster on a modern bike with the latest tech? Sure, but I'm ******' 60 years old so what difference would that make. Plus, I love riding my 30+-year-old bikes and working at keeping them in operating condition!