JoeyBike

My wife and I will be relocating from the perfectly flat land of New Orleans, LA to the never-flat land of Greenville South Carolina. I already acquired a Surly Lowside single speed (one low gear for uphill) with disk brakes (I have no plans of pedaling down hills but would like stopping power). I've put about 900 miles on it since May.

I am still a fairly strong cyclist at age 65 and use several different bikes and an indoor smart trainer to keep my fitness level up best I can. But obviously, and likely sooner than later, my fitness will start to reflect aging.

MY QUESTIONS:

If you have noticed your fitness level declining after age 65, not associated with injury or disease, when did that occur? If you're still hammering out big miles and high speeds, what's your "secret"? I realize genetics plays a role here but I am interested in environmental factors mostly.

Many of my most fit friends noticed a decline beginning at 70 and one fellow made it to 77 without too much drop-off. I know one racer who kept racing into his 90s in Senior Olympics (and other venues) and I believe he had to stop in his mid 90s. He lived to see 99. I would sign up for 90 years active right now!

I've had a great cycling life, biked across the USA five times self contained and mostly solo, and was good to about 150 miles at a stretch. Car Free for 30 years. (I have a car now) No complaints. But starting this new life I would love some projections, hints, secrets to stretching this out as long as possible as there are hundreds of good roads and trails where we are headed.

Thanks All and Cheers! Long happy lives to all of you.

Wildwood 

edit:
to summarize = historically, one might say we're (50+) about equally divided in opinion on this. LSD or HIITs take your pick and adjust to your individual schedule. Add weight training. And have fun.

Go for the looong road

Clear your handlebars and your mind will follow

re-edit: 5 times solo Xcountry - you should be giving the tips! I'll listen while sippin my beer.

Tip = over 65 and new to hills and want to ride with spouse might mean road e-bike time for someone.

Jay Turberville

I'm only 64. So I guess I shouldn't answer. But I'm pretty much in your situation having recently retired. I look at my riding friends, and for the most part the ones who are fitter and faster are the ones putting in the work. For someone with your experience, I think its pretty much that simple. You get out what you put it. Personally, I still enjoy riding. So I'm willing to put in the effort. It's fun.

Other than that, make sure you sleep well and allow your older body more time to recover.

terrymorse 

Recovery, that's the tricky bit. At 65, I can still train hard and put in long sessions, but I have to be more mindful of recovery. It doesn't happen as quickly as it did 20 years ago.

No more "I'm feeling a bit tired today, but I'll just push through it" days. If I'm feeling tired, I'll take an easy day.

Random11

I'm 73 and haven't noticed any decline in my cycling fitness. However, I didn't start cycling until I was 67, so I'm not comparing my fitness now with my fitness when I was in my 30s or 40s. I was a runner for more than half a century, but had to quit because of knee problems. Maybe I was more fit when I was running, but I feel just as fit and active now. So, to your question, you should have many years ahead before you feel like your fitness is declining. BTW, I'm not monitoring my performance, so it may be that I'm not as fast or as strong as I used to be. I'm telling you how I feel.

Steve B.

I’m 68. I used to ride very hard and far, 40-50 miles were common. 10 years ago and according to my RWGPS records, so at age 60, was averaging 15-16 mph on solo rides. Last 2-3 years, distances have been down to 30-35 max, but that’s mostly as I just don’t do enough riding to work up to longer distances. My avg speeds are also 13 or so. Partially due to medical issues from 2014 on and harder to get over those issues, so that’s part of the reason not riding as hard. But age related decline is inevitable and you have to work very hard to overcome it.

JoeyBike

Funny, I had to look up both of those acronyms! Now I see why you expect an entertaining thread based on those two camps of fitness techniques.I have experimented with heart monitors - not to hit any target zones but to avoid blowing up my heart! I'm one of those people who could push it beyond sensible limits. I used a heart monitor to learn how certain BPMs feel and really don't need the numbers anymore.

I'll keep those war stories for the folks in the Touring section, although things have changed so much since the 90s. For instance: digital photography, social media, Google maps, Google Earth, and just cell phones in general. I had none of those tools. "Uphill to school both ways in the snow!"

My wife is a gym rat. Hates cycling. She could likely kill me if she ever did cycle. We met as speed skaters. Fairly equal capabilities. I'm fine lost in my own thoughts on a bike. Bird song and wind in the pines suits me fine.

All advice I already follow. I really didn't mean to exclude any age, I just picked 65 because that's where I am. Yeah, the increased recovery thing is becoming mandatory for sure.

Same here. Thanks.

I feel pretty much the same. My bikes keep getting slower and slower.

(It's true. Ditched the fancy road bike a few years ago. My fave right now is a Surly Lowside 1x1. So slow)

Thanks. Yeah, I certainly am bracing myself for decline. Just wanting to slow it down so I barely notice. I see an electric tadpole trike in my (hopefully) distant future!

Eyes Roll

Eat well (preferably, avoid the fast food junk and make a home-cooked meal). Drink well (water and smoothies). Sleep well. Very important, remove the negativity and negative-minded people (that cause the unnecessary stress) from your life.

Just simple things. Will do wonders to your body and mind.

late

staehpj1

It depends on what level of training/performance you are talking about. You are kidding yourself if you think your absolute top end potential doesn't decline at a much younger age. Look at pro racers, how many do you see over 40 that are not declining?

That said, you can maintain a pretty high level of performance and certainly ride a lot of mileage into very advanced age. I felt some fairly significant changes at 45 when it came to my maximum performance. I had to work harder to get to a given level and didn't have the same edge, but I still could do long miles and can today at 72. I lately I mostly ride MTB (daily) and still ride fairly challenging trails. I rode my first coast to coast tour at 56 and still could do another at my current age. I'd like to think that barring some major health problem I could do another one 10 years from now, but we don't get any guarantees for the future.

One thing that helps a lot is that these days injuries that would be the end of a riding career and be fixed with surgery. Thus far I have avoided knee and hip surgery though.

Edit to note: I don't buy the "must spin high cadence" to save knees orthodoxy folks preach. I have always used a variety of cadences for a variety of conditions. Buddys always said my knees would be shot at an early age. At 72 my knees are still intact after a huge number of miles on and off the road.

Kai Winters

I'm 68 and still competitive. I typically ride around 10k miles per year and mix it with outdoor as much as possible and zwift/rouvy rides and races.
I'm not as fast as I was in my masters 35/45 years but nearly so.
I'll continue to ride and compete until I am unable to...at what age? who knows...

ofajen

If you have a couple hours to spend, you can listen to this discussion on Inside Exercise:


Host Glenn McConnell talks with David Costill, an important exercise science researcher. Costill is now 87 and holds a number of world swimming records in the 80+ age group.

Basically, if you haven’t noticed much by 80, you probably will after 80. He doesn’t really bother to compete anymore, because he can swim laps alone just by staying home.

Otto

texbiker

I'm 76, soon to be 77. 2023 is my best year biking. I retired in 2011 and each year my yearly biking has been good. This year I rode 9800 road and Zwift miles. I rode 312 days. I'm a recreational rider. Average ride is around 36 miles but I have no problem with metric centuries. All this to say, stay active, eat wisely and keep your weight under control. I also lift light weights 5 days a week for upper body strength. I have had serious crashes over the years but recovered.

JoeyBike

Since I have never cycled competitively, I don't have that measuring stick to track decline. I can still bike or skate any number of miles I want to, I just don't WANT to do centuries anymore. I used to do a yearly (at least) 150 mile ride around our lake so that told me a lot. Haven't done that in 5 years since I sold the last road bike. I have a Wahoo smart trainer for two years and my wattage has improved greatly. It was a struggle to top 400 at first and now I can do 600 (momentarily). So I can still make gains. I'll need that in the hills after the move.

I never played any high impact sports and just broke my first bone this year (ribs). I'm ahead of the game on body abuse over the years except for wonky shoulders (baseball) that rarely effects cycling. No trouble keeping my weight down. I'll likely drop 5 pounds after we get settled and I'm back on the bike often. My "race weight" is 149 lbs. I'm 155 ish now. Those pounds matter cranking up hills day after day and for me they melt off easily.

I've read a lot of very encouraging information on this thread so far. Positivity is a good thing and that's what I'm really seeking with my questions. Much appreciated for the time you folks have spent dispensing years of cycling wisdom.

Now I just need to stay off the grill of the next dually pickup truck passing me!

Bald Paul

Remember to pick up your brass.

Wildwood 

I think the losing fitness thing over 65 'generally healthy, reasonably fit' years - is a very individualized equation. Medicine does not know how to weight the variables in the equation. Genes, illness, bodily wear, prior injuries, diet, environment, level&type of exercise, etc. I had a step down at 60, cause not fully diagnosed, but significant enough that my efforts as winter ski patroller and summer wilderness ranger were marginal. Testosterone injections one year compensated, but that seemed a poor long-term solution with downsides, so full stop. Some fixable cancers (prostate/skin) around 70 not helpful. No good alternatives to keepin on, however one chooses. Not a fan of pain meds.
But that's just me.

edit: and then there is the mental / emotional side....

rsbob 

When I was 67, I joined a climbing challenge with my local Strava buddies. I had always been a mediocre climber but the challenge put the onus on me to go out and do more hills. Just about every day I would do at least 1000’ (usually 2000’) and by the end of the month, what was a labor became far easier. So even at 67, climbing skills can be improved with patience and dedication. You can do it!

Here is a wonderful YouTube video about a 90 year old cyclist. Watching it just made me feel wonderful about this man and cycling in general

JoeyBike

My brass stays in the cylinder.

I've biked up the spine of the Rocky Mountains, Appalachians (twice), Adirondacks, across the Cascades, Down the Cali Coast in my 30s and 40s. I know HOW to do it. I assume I can still do a lot. Just wondering how long other people have done it, or are still doing nice climbs in later decades of life.

I fully realize this is highly individual.

Biker395 

That is a great pix. And I want in on that beerfest. 5X solo cross country is amazing.

I think you can go at it until a fairly high age before you see serious decline in your ability. What you cannot do so easily is simply jump into shape with little training, and recover as quickly. The key is consistency.

FWIW, quite a few of my cycling friends are cycling less. Both less often and shorter distances. But they don't blame older age. Instead, they said they don't have quite the desire they used to.

I think that is part of getting older too. Things lose the shine they used to have. You remember the hassles and not the joys. I know that is true for me.

For example, I used to love skiing. I'd look forward to each and every weekend trip, hit the mountain early and hard, and ski all day. Nighttime would find us out at the local saloons and restaurants. Then the next day, we'd get up and do it all over again. Now, fighting the infamous LA traffic getting out of town makes the trip less fun, and we are members of the "Crack of Noon" club. We still ski, but I swear, if we didn't have a second home close enough to walk to the gondola, I don't think I would ski at all.

I'm not sure how to solve that issue. Maybe riding different bikes (road, gravel, MTB, etc.), different places, or with different people. But physically, if you stay on it and don't find yourself continually getting out of shape and trying to claw your way back, I think you can go at it for a good long time ...

rsbob 

Didn’t mean any offense.

JoeyBike

Oh, none taken!

andrewclaus

I'm 66, and am starting to realize that age 64 was perhaps my strongest year of cycling. That was my last climb of Mt Evans (back when it was named that) in Colorado, a 100-mile ride from my house with 11,000' of climbing. I've tried for two years since then and have not made it. I've come close enough to call it a great day, but that last 5 miles might as well have been 500. I'll keep trying as long as it's fun up there. Also that year was my best year for cycling Mt Lemmon near my Tucson home--I made more ascents and had more fun than any other previous year. I can still do that climb fairly well, at least. There a few older riders up there passing me.

I felt pretty good about the climb at age 64. An older mentor of mine made that climb consistently until age 63. Among a small group of friends I cycle with now, there's only one, in his lower 70s, who can consistently out-power me (we're all very close), and he's my hero. He says his peak was about age 66. But he hasn't slowed down much. Just because you've peaked, doesn't mean you have to decline rapidly.

I've made two XC bike tours, but also hiked the Triple Crown of US hiking trails, all since I turned 50. I currently cycle about 5000 miles per year. I live car-light, sharing a car with my wife of 40+ years, also a cyclist. (The car gets used maybe once a week.)

t2p

mid 60’s active fit cyclist with impressive experience / resume - you should have little trouble riding the area around Greenville SC - unless you plan to head to the mountains on a regular basis

the area / riding will certainly be different than Florida but should not be too challenging and actually could be rewarding

but might want to explore other options on a bike - in addition to a single speed (?) bike … multi-speed bike would be a better option (?)

back in the 90’s I rode a fair amount with a group that included guys in their 60’s and 70’s … they were amazing - we did short rides, long rides (including centuries) with a fair amount of climbing … these were some of the best times of my life … not only learned about cycling - but many other things

staehpj1

I'll just say this... Folks can and do love recumbents and that is great, but as I see it it is a different sport and recumbent trikes maybe more so. Bents don't scratch the same itch for me as an upright bike. Riding is as much about all those little muscle memory things as anything else for me. The years I didn't ride much I trail ran with my dog. I think if get to where I can't ride I'll trail run or if I can't do that I'll hike. I don't see a bent in my future. Not knocking them for those who prefer them though.

Carbonfiberboy 

78. I had a noticeable drop-off at 63 and again at 70, no idea why really. Might have been that I'd eased off for a short period and then couldn't get it back.

So 2 things: never quit but OTOH, cut back on the quantity of intensity. The commonest things to happen are the advent of aFib or vTach, then doctors. Both those are a result of too much top end work and can be game changers. Read through the Pills and Ills subforum.

Another thing is sarcopenia. Consistent work in the gym is the solution to that. Strength does not seem to be as age sensitive as is aerobic ability.

Personally, I prefer lower gears to going electric, although the association between going electric and loss of cycling strength seems to be individual. Some folks just push the button, others don't until they hit their redline. It's just too easy to avoid a little pain.

My wife and I have been riding a tandem since '07. I seldom ride my singles on the road any more, the tandem is just too much fun. We've toured on it, really fun.