Ray9

It is cold here in New England and cycling after winter is unpleasant, uncomfortable, and painful. Why do I keep doing it? I made the decision to buy three very expensive bicycles over the years which many people do not do. I begin in March and ride to December. By December I am riding 50 miles a day. I did this even as I as was fully employed often riding with lights after work. I was a runner for 12 years before I was a cyclist. This goes back to 1973. It is like I am paying my dues to stay healthy. I feel good when I do it. There is nothing like the feeling of peeling off spandex after a good ride and knowing you have done a good thing. You may fall and get to see the inside of an emergency room and Cat Scans, but the risk is worth it. I have never played golf though if people want to play golf and enjoy it, more power to them-life is short. I like to bowl in the winter, and I am pretty good at it. It is a night out.

I ride alone mostly now though I have fond memories of club riding-that is where a lot of the crashes occurred-1983-2008. I do not go on exploratory rides anymore. I ride wide circles around my little town with lots of challenging hills. My heart and lungs see no difference. One of my nephews just dropped dead from a Fentanyl laced drug and this is very sad. I keep riding because it is a good thing, I do it for myself and for my family because I am around to help them.

When I got on my bike after winter it was like I had never been on a bike in my life-for one day. It all came back. Before I got a haircut and real job, I was professional musician. I played lead guitar on an expert level. I laid the instrument down in 1975 and did not touch it until the other day. It was like I was a stroke victim. I know all the chord formations in my head because they are coded in brain, but I could not even play one chord. The physical act of brain/muscle is lost. I will have to relearn everything. That is all for now.

rydabent

As I have posted before, this year I turn 84, and in warm weather I ride 20 to 35 miles every other day. I have never been a speed demon, and prefer to check out the sights from the up right seat of my trike. My motto is--------------if you set you rust.

LarrySellerz

runners who turn to cyclists are crazy strong

Wildwood 

@Ray9 - I generally agree with everything in your post. Congrats on riding strong at 75. I'm only 71 in a couple of months.
Show us those bikes,.....that's what we want to see!

"... like I am paying my dues to stay healthy." Interestingly common.
To whom are you making these payments?
Are the payments too high?
How long do you intend to pay?
Is there no end to your indebtness?


Been through a couple of dozen vintage bikes in the last 10 years, they were affordable. No dues or paying. Just miles of smiles in the hills and valleys of 70+ life.
Thankful to post regularly in the 'Did you ride today?' thread.

Roll on!

Newer bikes ridden guilt free as well.

Smile on.

Rdmonster69

I'm a young pup at 52 but share the sentiment. I carry a 185 average in my bowling league. Gonna bowl this summer for the first time. Keep racking up the miles .... I will too. Keeps my mind right.

cyclezen

all good... but waxing Filo-sofic about wrinkly skin, still riding, a good BM, or just 'flexing', is best done in the 50+ forum...
prefer to keep this, and other forums, for those who'd rather not think about it all too often...
Just Ride On...
Yuri

indyfabz

BITD I rode across the country unsupported with 12 other people. One participant turned 77 during the trip. He had been a member of the RCAF and had spent two years in a Nazi prison camp. When the tour ended in ME he started riding home to PA. His wife finally made him pack it in in CT, where she came to pick him up. He lived to the age of 91. R.I.P. Stu.

tcs

BlazingPedals

Ray9, I hope to be where you are in... (counting on toes) 9 years. Way ta go!

A350driver

I ride with a group of 10-15 who ride 5 days a week, depending on who shows up, most of us are in our 60’s, but we have 4 guys in their 70’s the oldest is 78 and he’s a stud! He takes his 3-5 minute pulls and keeps up at 22-24 mph for 40-50-60 mile rides! He’s my inspiration, I hope I can still be riding like that in 16 years when I’m 78!

One guy is 74 and rides an Ebike in which he put the high speed chip so he can go 40mph, but he helps pull us up some of the bigger hills or into a big headwind. All those guys have been riding road bikes for many years, it keeps them young! I’ll keep doing it until some kid texting and driving takes me out…

Random11

Thanks for posting, Ray9. You're an inspiration to us younger riders. (I'm only 71.) I always enjoy reports from older riders who are keeping at it.

ColonelSanders

Hey Einstein

Reynolds 

I thought "Mark Twain on a bike!"

Wildwood 

Einsteinian = Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep one's balance one must keep moving.

Sam on a bike


Wildwood (for the 21st century) - Clear your handlebars and your mind will follow.

Wildwood 

Haha

indyfabz

Forgot to mention that during my two-week tour back in September I fortuitously ran into Chris Crowley, co-author of "Younger Next Year." He was chatting with a group of older folks outside the cafe along the Harlem Valley Trail near the entrance to the Copake, NY, portion of Taconic State Park, where I was camping. I had no idea who he was until I heard him mention that he had written the book. Butted in to the conversation and mentioned that I had read it back in 2007. None of the people he was talking to had heard of it. Dude was out for a ride on his road bike. Cannot remember exactly how old he said he is, but he is an octogenarian.

Koyote

My best friend got me into cycling; at the time, I was 39 yrs old and he was 62 yrs old. He'd been heavily into cycling in the 1970s, before it was very popular.

Seven years later, we both rode this event out in Southwestern Colorado. That's when I set the goal of being in THAT kind of shape when I'm 69. So, I just gotta hold it together for another decade.

rumrunn6

this has been a cruel month. especially lately, windy & cold. at least the snow & ice are gone

zandoval 

BRAVO! I am only 68 and ride little, right off my driveway, 10 to 15 mile rides that are for the most part UP and DOWN. I really only pedal when going up so half my ride I am just coasting. These little rides have changed me and my equipment allot. They are on Torn Up Asphalt and Slow, and sometimes tricky but no traffic. My rides are not urgent. A stop for a MDI Puff to catch my breath, pet that big dog who no longer chases me, chase off the deer and turkey in my path (no feral hogs please), walk that complex single track short cut through the pine needles, or talk to the neighbor down the street watering thier weeds... Happy, Happy... Joy, Joy...

livedarklions

Of course, if you ride fast enough, you could ride for a couple hours and find out everyone you know has died of old age during your ride.

Wildwood 

???
........or not.
Sounds Oewellian - no pic.

Kai Winters

I'm 66 and have been riding and racing since the mid '80's. I'm a crossover from competitive running and wanted something less pounding on my knees.
I still ride 30-50+ miles a day...gotta love retirement.
I still compete and really enjoy beating the "kids" who are in their 30's lol.
I love being healthy physically and mentally which I attribute to my riding and exercise routines. I love feeling fast because it makes me feel young.
Riding is a wonderful way to spend my days and I'd not trade it for anything.

Reynolds 

Way to go Ray9! Only 71 here, looking forward to be still riding at 75.

SpeedyBlueBiker

Former competitive track/XC/road racing runner. Ran in high school and college. Dipped under 30 minutes twice in 10K road races. Barely broke 4:10 in the mile. Started riding mountain bikes in the 90's for fun. Moved to road bikes a few years after that. I still like to run but haven't been doing as much as U used to plus have packed on a good 50lbs since college. The bike is much more forgiving in that regard. I'll be 63 this summer. Most of my solo bike rides are at 18-21mph over 30-50 miles. Can go all day at 18mph. When I'm on my bike I feel like I'm only 37!!

livedarklions

Einsteinian, it's a special relativity/time dilation joke.