Still riding at 80 years, both road and mtb. Tuesday group ride was 30 miles at 17.4 mph. Thursday group ride was 40 miles at 14.7 mph. Keep Moving! Central Pennsylvania has plenty of hills and rollers.
I’m 71, coming up to 72. I do a 13 or 23 mile loop six times a week unless I’m doing a longer ride during the day. I’m not quick, about 12mph over a ride and it takes longer to recover and motivation is harder, but I can still do 4/5 hours a day. It’s as good mentality as it is physically. You’ve just got to try keeping on keeping on as Dylan used to sing.
About 10 years ago, I told my mom I was getting a bike. She assumed that I was getting an adult tricycle. When I made it clear that it was a road bike, she blew her top. I was too old, it was too dangerous, blah, blah, blah. All of this was coming from a woman who was two hundred pounds overweight and couldn't climb a flight of stairs. I, of course, didn't listen to a word she said and now as a 61-year-old female, I ride my bike on the San Gabriel River Trail (that's in Southern California) every chance I get.
Elizabeth -- don't be too quick to pooh pooh an adult tricycle! 😉 I have three bicycles in my garage, none of which I am physically able to ride anymore. 😒 Just this past Christmas I decided to stop procrastinating and get an adult trike. I definitely needed SOMETHING that would allow me to get some sustained exercise. Okay, the trike is heavy, slow and not as maneuverable as a bicycle but I'm not out to set any speed or time trial records. But riding it is enjoyable and comfortable for me; it gives me much needed cardio exercise. I'm 72, a cancer survivor and overweight. I look forward to riding more consistently as weather improves. Elizabeth, I wish you many years of enjoyable riding. I'll be right behind you, at least in spirit. 👍👵🚵♀️
Awesome! I am 60 and I feel like 30 when I ride my bike. Believe it or not I have degenerative disc disease in the lower back and I can't even walk without causing a lot of pain...I have to use a mobility device so I don't have to walk, but, I have absolutely no pain at all riding my bike, so, riding my bike I will do...until I can't anymore.
On the ball Leonard. I returned to cycling in my mid 60’s and I’m still enjoying it in my mid 70’s. Keep up your motivational and inspirational videos M8.👍😀🚴♀️
I am 77 retired living on Florida longest bike trail. Doing 4 x 60 miles per week at average speed of 17 to 18 MPH. My weight is 195 lbs US at 6 ft height. Heart 100 to 120. 150 if I race somebody. I hike and swimm laps daily. It is a lifestyle choice. Do not know for how much longer. Not many over 80 do what I do.
I am 60, weigh 138 at 5'10" and I ride about 245 mi. a month. My average speed is 13 to 16 mph...and I get "winded", plus, I've been riding since 1993. I ride bike 3 days a week and do free weights the other 3 days. Also, I have 1 lung that didn't fully recover after contracting, Valley Fever (Arizona illness) as a teen. So, I'm stymied by how you are more fit you are. But, awesome!
I did so appreciate your video. After eighteen months restricted to riding the turbo trainer due to a stubbornly resistant shoulder injury, I have just finally got out on the road again. I didn't seem to have benefitted as much as I had expected from the turbo (probably hadn't worked hard enough), but I wasn't too bad so am beginning to build things up again and will have to start working on the hills. I use the word 'hills' in a relative sense as the word doesn't have quite the same meaning for me as it used to have - at the age of 88 I think 'steady slopes' will fall more readily within my capabilities. Luckily I am not too proud to walk. I hope your excellent video and the comments it has here evoked will encourage more riders to carry on for as long as they can enjoy it - I am certainly intent on a few more years. So keep the videos coming and good luck to you and all your viewers.
I'm 67, overweight and have heart disease. I'm not going to fade away. I need to have a more active lifestyle to try and prolong my health for as many years as possible. So I went to the bike shop last week and purchased a nice bike for fitness. I was only able to do three miles the first two days, 5 miles on the 3rd, and 6 miles today! And to top it off, I started watching my diet and I'm down 5 pounds already. I don't know why I gave up riding when I was younger, but I hope this journey will help with my health.
Never too old. I'm 59 and started cycling again at 52 after not ridden a bike for 25 years. I'm on a whole plant based diet my BMI is at 21.5, no weight problem. At 54 came 3rd in 35+ yr category 12hr solo mtb race as well as other podium finishes in a number of other races over a three year period I decided to do some racing. Two years ago Strava had a climbing challenge, Giro d’Italia Climbing Challenge 21,000m in 21 days promoted as their hardest one yet. Only around 3% completed it. Of the 94,000 participants I was 26th to finish, working 7 days a week at the time so all evening night rides apart from two Saturdays I juggled my hours around. On my mtb doing hill repeats on a forest gravel road. One of the few 1st 100 to do it on a mtb as most were roadies on tarseal. You only as old as you feel so just keep active and busy.
Yes really pleased with the result from my effort. It was in May so late autumn here in NZ and was lucky with the weather. Belong to a local cycle club and have access to private forest roads. I had done an earlier Strava 9 day climbing challenge, IMBA's Take It to the Trails, at the end of the 9 days with total meters climbed was 15th out of 16,000 climbing a number of different hills and loops in the forest. I learnt from that challenge to make this one more time efficient. I found a hill ideal for the challenge only around 12 minute each accent so muscles didn't have time to cool down on the descents. Gradient was also ideal as with hr between 140 -150bpm could average 10m per minute elevation gain per session. That meant I just needed around 35 hours total ride time to complete the 21,000m challenge. Did it in 10 days with 9x 2.5hr to 5hr sessions with 1 day rest in the middle as body wasn't recovering quick enough with lack of sleep. I had to keep my hr below 150bpm with a health issue I was having at the time.
I might be slower, heavier, older and have the gray hair to go along with it, but I still love getting on my bike. Well with an average speed of 12 to 13 mph I can still manage to hold my own.
I was a runner for for 40 years until arthritic in my knees put a stop to that. Three years ago, at the age of 63, I switched over to cycling and I haven't looked back. I cycle 180+ km per week with very little knee pain.
Now 76 years of age, following an heart attack, I adopted a plant-based diet, which led to losing two stone effortlessly, which made cycling less strenuous and more enjoyable. Most days I roll between four and ten kilometers, not very far but it includes some long climbs.
I gave up running in my 50's because of extreme knee pain. Then I took up cycling again, and it cured my knee pain. Now at 78 I'm still cycling, and knees still don't hurt (much). I'm not very fast, but I don't care. I recently lost 20 pounds, and it's like losing 20 years.
Never too old to cycle as long as you build yourself up gradually. I suppose I have an unfair advantage because I’ve been riding and racing since 15 but now at 67 I will admit training and especially recovery is a lot harder, but I can still mix it with the best of them especially on the hills being a bit of a whippet. I’m a ride leader and we have all ages , our oldest being 84 who could barely ride a mile but with time and encouragement he now does 25 to 30 mile rides with ease. Thanks for another great video 👍
I’m 64 started cycling 2 years ago now doing 25 kilometers everyday on a flat road. My weight is down to 170 pounds having lost 11stone and feel great. I have stopped drinking beer !!!!! John Marshall
56yrs old here 310lbs to 250lbs currently and a 2018 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 I bought 2 weeks ago for reaching target goal. Hopefully next year this time I'll be doing a Century ride!!!!! Can't get enough of your videos
@@billalbion D.. n good idea. Now why didn't I think of that? I'm 65 and started having balance problems 3 years ago. That, combined with a L5S1 impacted disc (injury while sailing), made it quite possible for me to trip over the painted lines on the squash court and made mounting a bike and getting going somewhat fraught. Consequently, I literally hung up my bike and it has been mouldering in the garage rafters ever since... Time to get it down and try trade it for a trike... Thanks for the idea...
66 here but I feel like a kid on my bike. So mobile and carefree. Cycling is one of the joys of my life and so cheap too. I’ve joined a bicycle club and am so impressed by the oldies in the club who lead the rides. I can ride for miles without pain but osteoarthritis in my ankles means I walk with pain. Don’t know why riding is so pain free but I’ll take it. I just wish I could ride everywhere.
i was told by a bike shop employee in Bude Cornwall ,Quote, that is was perhaps time to put my bike in a shed have a cup of coffee and forget it. This advice was given after the same business completely botched a simple tyre replacement. Needless to say i did not follow the given advice and am still cycling at 60 despite sounding like an old shunting engine going up hills and just hoping that i can foil the grim reaper for a while longer.
Excellent info. At 77 I've always been involved in some form of activity. I still cycle and have e-assist bicycles so I can continue to cycle even with poor knees and back.
I’m on my 50s and feeling great. Don’t have the explosion or speed of younger years but I discovered long distance gravel riding. This is my thing now 😊❤️
Thank you for the motivation. I'm 63 and ride about 60 a week. I have slowed since my racing years, but I still love cycling. I plan to ride for many years to come.
I am fifty nine years old.Started cycling three weeks ago.In order to hide my age and face,I have made it a habit to cover my mouth with a mask while riding- I just have one tooth left in my mouth.lol
Hi Leo, I am also a 74 year old chap who regularly cycles 3 days a week from Balham (South London) to Richmond Park and reckon I am cycling about 70 miles a week. I am slower but you are correct that regular exercise helps keeps the old body ticking over. In addition, I also swim on Sundays about 850 metres. The reason is that I don't think that there are many 'other' exercises that go well with cycling however, I have read that swimming is one of them! Hopefully, I will still be cycling in 2035! Thanks for your positive video about older people being able to cycle! Cheers
67 years old, I ride the loop in Tucson (a paved circle about 60 miles long round the dried up riverbeds). Lots of other aged types on the path everyday, most moving pretty fast. I am getting better, too, and in the autumn plan to join the Tour de Tucson. Cycling is a great way to keep young.
Hi there Garth, great to hear that you are enjoying your cycling. When I was in my 30’s I once did a two up time trial with a man in his 70’s and had a hard job staying in his wheel. Good luck with the Tour of Tucson, sounds like a fantastic event.
I live Tennessee where riding a bike is a battle with cars. I started back riding a bike about 5 years ago. I'm 67 now. I'm not in a group or club, I just like to ride and I don't like going to the gym. I have a brother who lives in Tucson, Az. And for two months out of a year, we go stay with him. And I love it. The "LOOP" there is one of the greatest bicycle paths, I've seen. I give it an A- . Only because I have to ride across the street to get to it. But once you get on it, there's over a 100 miles of paved road, on cars.Trying to get my wife to move.
Keto gave me back the body I need to cycle. Now at 64 I'm enjoying biking as much as I did 50 years ago. But without Keto I would be too heavy to ride. I was up to 262 pounds, went on Keto and lost 50 pounds. Because of Keto I have no sugar crashes and have an almost unlimited fuel source: fat. Your videos are very well done sir.
What are you taking about, 50 - you are still on production guarantee:-). Real problems begin to manifest at 75-80. Sarcopenia, osteopenia, but in general you are right, never stop!!!
I am 62 years old and yesterday I rode 15.78 miles in a group ride in 56:27. I think Strava recorded that as an average of 16.4 mph. I started cycling just under 2 years ago. I've owned bicycles before but never had good places to ride. I now have a very nice moderately hilly park nearby with over 20 miles of paved trail. I ride a 20 mile out and back 4-5 times per week. Even at this workload which decreases some in winter my weight has remained steady at 162 pounds. I am 5'10" tall. This is my pre-cycling weight which I achieved by dieting (down from 205) and maintained for 5 years before I started cycling. I do not eat more on a daily basis than I've been doing for the past 5 years, but when I do encounter junk food that looks good I eat it without guilt or worry. It's rarely as good as it looks. The only way to lose weight is by dieting. You cannot exercise your way to the perfect weight. Feed yourself a natural vitamin and mineral rich diet and eliminate chemicals / poisons so that your body has what it needs to function well and it will do so.
I'm 76. I find I can ride a bike but do not want to ride leaning over as the bikers in your illustrations here do. I like to ride in the more sedate position you see on the streets of the city of Amsterdam. To ride leaning over is to make a fight of something that should be fun. I know that by the, so to speak, logic of aerodynamics leaning means less wind resistance which means more speed. But at 76 I'm not out to impress anyone with my racetrack form and prowess. To hell with all that. I just want a pleasant way to get some air and some exercise.
I started riding a road bike at 59. My first year I rode 7,700 miles including a charity ride from San Diego to Ft Pierce Fl. , 3,300 miles in 42 days. That’s 90 miles a day with a rest day each week. I started at 205 lbs and was 158 lbs when I crossed the finish line. At 67 I’m still riding and try to do at least one century ride a year.
I’m 68 and returned to cycling in the spring of this year after a couple of years off. When young I was fast sport rider and used to feel sorry for the “geezers” I would pass effortlessly on the climbs. Now that I’m one of them I see it all so differently. My motivation to re-start cycling was, as I aged, an increased awareness of my mortality. I was finding I could adapt to the aging process, but seeing the condition of so many people just a few years my senior - the onset of dementia, the heart disease, the general frailty and reliance on others- I was determined to put off becoming geriatric for as long as possible. The statistics confirm what I already know from spending time with riders a fair bit older than myself: this sport, along with swimming I suppose - is as close to a fountain of youth as you will ever find on this earth. By every measurement, an active cyclist's physical fitness rises to meet or beat that of sedentary people decades younger. You can get away with a sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits when you’re young, but not when you’re old. They will make your last years miserable, and take years off your life. If you’re a fit senior, those can be damn good years. As my training progressed over the past several months, I found my quality of life off the bike rising at the same level as my fitness. I have far more energy than I had a year ago, and my general outlook is more positive. I don’t let things I can do nothing about get me down. And when the opportunity comes along to become engaged in some potentially fun activity, like going to a friend's picnic, I choose to take part rather than make excuses as I have in the past. My blood pressure is down from borderline high to normal, I’ve lost nearly 20 pounds, and my stamina for day-to-day activities like housecleaning or grocery shopping, which I noticed had been flagging in recent years, is vastly increased. I'm retired but still busy, and I get SO MUCH MORE done in a given day than I used to. And that’s just life off the bike. Cycling's big secret is that once you’ve put in a few hundred base miles and are in reasonable shape, it becomes hugely fun. You become a kid again, with seemingly boundless reserves of energy and able to relish the sheer exhilaration of flying along the road with no perceived effort, in near silence, with the world all around you, going past at exactly the right speed. The way I feel while enjoying a good ride - and they’re all good - is like I’m a teenager once more. Maybe it’s the endorphins, I don’t know, but it works for me. In the past if I was feeling a bit low I’d have a drink or watch TV. Now instead I go for a ride, and never has cycling failed to raise my spirits. So why doesn’t everybody ride? Because since the early 20th century we North Americans have been conditioned to avoid any kind of exertion in daily life. Sport and outdoor activity were for the young. We were expected to “outgrow” such things as we became adults and took on responsibility. To which I say horsefeathers! I’m not saying it won’t be hard getting started, because it will. But persist at a moderate pace and after a few months you’ll be addicted to feeling great and looking years younger. I would go so far as to say that no age group benefits more than over-55s from active cycling (four rides a week, 15 miles per ride at a decent clip). A great way to get started is by riding with a club that has some member in your age group. Failing that, get a like minded friend to take the plunge with you. Although I have such resources available and use them, riding on my own gives me an unsurpassed sense of freedom. Sometimes for company I’ll have my single earbud playing podcasts while remaining aware of what’s going on around me. And year, I wear a helmet, the Lycra shorts, the clip-in shoes, the whole enchilada. What works for me won’t necessarily work for others, but I can say with certainty there is an immediately distinguishable difference between fit and sedentary seniors. Our remaining years are precious, and if we can take part in activity that holds off the ravages of old age while greatly enhancing the quality of day-to-day life, we have only our excess pounds to lose if we choose to ride.
+John Richards Hi John, thank for sharing your positive experience. Cycling can indeed help improve ones physical body and raise their spirits. It’s wonderful to hear that it has has such a positive effect for you. Long may it continue.
+John Richards Thanks for sharing your experience. A great motivational piece that has prompted me to get back onto my bike after some time off, as in your case. The reminder of the amazing benefits that arise after crossing the initial hard yards speak for themselves. Keep the wheels turning!
I remember competing in my first time trial years ago. One of the competitors was 88 years old! He was a little hunched and walked slow off the bike but once he got on he was smooth and steady. He’s been my inspiration more than any TdF star since.
Started riding about 12 years ago and I'll be turning 71(yikes) this October(2018). I've completed about half a dozen centuries, an equal number of half centuries and a few metric centuries as well. Currently I ride every MWF for approximately 150. Yes, I've slowed some and can only average about 14MPH on longer rides. But I've never fancied myself as a racer, just an old guy with a bike. Keep these videos coming!
I have just got back on a bike at 65, about 25 years since I last rode. Bought myself a MTB as I now live in rural Thailand and most of the roads around here are dirt or potholed bitumen. But it is harder work than a road bike so now that I am getting fitter again I am thinking of getting road bike too for the longer rides on the better roads. In the meantime I am going down the UA-cam rabbit hole of cycling videos, thank you for your ones aimed at us older folks.
I am in my early 60s and never exercise but started riding my bike 2 weeks ago. It is an old fashioned one with one gear and I am up to riding 2km at a time. If you knew me you would find it shocking cause all I like to do is my little hobbies and drink tea all day. I have learned I need to ride alone. Yesterday I went riding with a woman with whom I carefully explained my limitations but she ignored them and kept pushing and pushing me. I told her to keep going on her own but she refused. I ended up falling three times, skinning both knees and one palm. It really hurt and she complained she wouldn't have gone riding with me if I had been honest and told her I didn't like riding a bike. What the actual F@#%&!?!?!?! I finally stood up for myself and told Madame de Torquemada I would walk the rest of the way home with my bike so please continue on riding and I'll see her later. Another nope moment. She thought it would be nicer to walk with me so she could nag and explain how inferior a rider I am. Yeah? All this time I thought I was Olympic material. Ha! At the end the only thing that saved the day was a nice shower and a giant mug of hot tea. My dignity died somewhere on the biking route. May it RIP. If you are new at it like me, ride alone or with someone you can trust to listen when you explain your limitations. It can be very serious to push an old fart like me until they keep falling and hurt themselves. This morning I woke up with swollen, scraped and bruised knees but I still want to bike and get exercise. For regular bikers, please don't suck the joy of it out of older people. Let us go at our own pace. We are happy to see you ride on and enjoy your time. I even hope to be strong like you some day. :-)
Sorry to hear that you had such a negative experience. Cycling alone can be great, especially if you need to take things at your own pace. But riding with others...the right people can also be beneficial. I wish you every enjoyment for your future cycling.
It was a rough start, wasn't it? ha! I am going to ride alone for a while then be very selective if I ride with someone else. I've chosen a very pretty area to ride so it will be more fun. Thanks for your kind thoughts.
I'll be 67 next week and usually cycle 70-80 miles a week. I do tend to go sop for a couple of reasons: I'm more built for endurance than speed, none of my friends are interested in a 20-30 mile _slowish_ ride, and I really quite enjoy the solitude. It's just nice to get out in the countryside and fresh air...until I find a place for a coffee and a scone!
One of the best things about cycling is riding on your own. No screens, no inane chatter, just you and your bike. Just keep riding, and enjoy the ride.
I will be FOURTY this November and I have bought a hybrid a week ago. This is my new hobby, passion, another means of activity to burn calories and weight gained WFH his pandemic. I do 5K walk/jog/run everyday and at least two 10Ks every month. I was worried about picking up cycling as means of activity (and my fat)... Your videos motivate me to continue to pursue cycling ....(And I am enjoying it). Thank god UA-cam recommended me your channel....
I got to 51,went vegan and got back on the turbo trainer. Lost around a stone and feel fantastic. For me finding the time is most difficult so shorter sessions indoors ia the answer with a longer ride at the weekend. I have a video up if you would like to come and have a look. Thanks for the inspiration. 👍
Thank you for your videos. I'm almost 65, cycle each week, and love it like I did in 1979 (the day after I saw "Breaking Away", haha). I'm also husky. This gives me confidence in what I'm doing on the bike.
I am inspired. I am 65 and considered buying an ebike this year, instead I'm using your videos to inspire me to climb the hills around my home town. Every time I want to give up I ask what would Leonard do? Then I soldier on. Keep posting. Thanks,
I broke my leg badly now held together with screws, a long plate and some pins, cannot jog or run as jarring causes pain, however cycling no problem, I am 72 and will keep riding until they put me in a box, presently 3 x 45kms in 2 hours each week, love it!
Never too old! What makes us old before our time is stress and being sedentary. If your 40 and have never been active start very slow and easy. Being consistent is the key, you'll be amazed how much better you feel after a few months! People I know that are fit in their 60's and beyond have been athletic their whole lives and have made it a life choice or they started and stayed consistent. Amazing how well getting out and pedaling clears the head, relieves stress and just makes you feel better! Know your limitations and start there, but start..
I am an over 50 cyclist and I too struggle having lost enthusiasm for cycling and recently found it again because of health reasons. I am having a few issues that I am dealing with but I still think the way to overcome these issues is to just keep cycling. As I see it, I'll just keep going as long as I can. Besides it is Still fun for me and I do feel better after a couple of hours in the saddle. I admire your Courage, Sir. Keep up the good work and I'll keep watching.
Well said. PS Don't fall, you will pay more as your bones break easier. Recovery from a fracture can be a nightmare. Resumed riding at 57y/o (30 year hiatus!) and train/ride regularly at 60y/o.
I didn't plan to break any bones but 2 years a go a woman thought differently fractured my back and now I suffer sporadic excruciating pain. However am now looking at bike videos again so might get my mojo again @59
i can testify to that. january 19 2018 i hit a patch of ice, fell straight down and broke my pelvis in two places. after three hours of surgery, fourteen weeks of not being able to put my left foot on the floor ,and a lot of physical therapy, i got back on my bike. couldn't go far didn't go fast. still did over four thousand miles before the end of the year. my surgeon told me it's a good thing i rode a bike and was in good shape or i would really have been in trouble. i was 67 when it happened.bought me a time vrs fluidity to celebrate being back on the bike.
I'm 59 riding when I can, maybe once or twice a week. A walk in between. Very heavy at 240 pounds but watching your videos keeps me inspired and motivated. Thank you sir!
Im 54 and 20 stone just bought a trek marlin 6 mountain bike for weight loss and fitness ,yes its hard but loving every minute of my trips out with it hills are killing me but battling through obviously a newcomer to cycling but i am enjoying it started to lose weight as well ,enjoy your videos keep them coming.
Hi Paul, good to hear that you have taken up cycling and that you are enjoying it. Take it from me as a heavy rider that the hills do get easier. A big part of it is in the mind; once you have conquered a particular hill you will know, without doubt, that you can get up it. Enjoy your new bike.
I'm 35yo and 18stone. My weight literally fluctuates by stones some years. Ive been up to 21stone and back down to 16.5 stone in the space of 3 years... I love cycling but the problem is my compensatory eating... once I crack that code the hill climbs should* be easier :)
Lot of folk here advocating advanced age cycling, It is certainly a big part of my life at 72. Been doing it regularly for 22 years now, still with the same group of guys. We are not as fast as we used to be especially on steep climbs, but I can still ride in a way that pleases me. There is no climb around here that we cannot do reasonably well. So I would encourage anyone so long as they have good road sense and balance to keep at it.
Keep em coming friend. You’re really encouraging this 57 year old grandpa whose recently developed an obsession for the sport. You make me wanna ride!!!
When I was in my 50s I was out for a ride and met a man in the middle of nowhere who happened to be riding from coast to coast (US). We both stopped for a chat and I was surprised to find out first that he was half way through his tour but most of all, he was in his 80s. Today I'm 75 and still cycling.
Great video! 65 here. Been riding for years. I'm not particularly fast 12-14 mph, one of those "I'll get there when I get there" riders. In my defense sometimes I stop and take a lot of pics. But there's nothing better than getting on my bike and heading out.
Very well presented, Leonard. I remember breaking back into cycling at your age. And now with an additional 23 years added, and a somewhat rabid addiction to the sound of a clean drive train, I've set the new goal of riding with the 90 y/o group who do the Yellowstone Tour each year. And it all got under way with the promise kept to myself to lose my midsection and make it happen. I made time that is for What I Really Wanted. No regrets at all. Keep posting and keep riding over there.
Indeed, it is. That tour happens each year and attendees buy their spot as soon as available to hold their place. I've not done that one yet but have done the Pedal The Pacific ride (down the west coast from Washington to Los Angeles) on three occasions and It'd be hard to top. Great Stuff! Have fun and ride on, Leonard.
54yr old, 104kg male, A Bad knee, stopped me cycling for years. But dusted off the mountain bike 3 months ago. After a wobbly start around the block, I’m now doing 25 miles no problem. My other knee was showing signs of going, cycling almost every day has helped so much. I’m getting fitter, faster Points to check for comfort 1. Correct seat width, 2. correct seat height, 3 correct seat position ( tilt, fore aft). 4 correct crank length I’m 170cm tall and my crank arm is 165mm. 5, decent padded shorts. 6. Ride every day.
I’m 52 and going strong. I love my regular bike, my eBike for commuting and think more people should be cycling for health. Great video series, subscribed.
I've not ridden since high school (I'm 57.) I want to start riding again, though just basic bike riding. Videos like this one are helping to bring up my confidence to purchase and ride a bike again. Thanks for posting this video!
All these comments are wonderful and inspiring. I took my last bike tour in France at age 75. I have taken 5 European Bike Trips since 1996. I am waiting to return in July for another (short) tour of five days. I hope I will never be too old to cycle. I am 78, take no medication, and weigh less than I did at age 20. (I am 5'6" and weigh 128 lbs.) Diet is extremely important. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and CFS and I find that exercise keeps most flare ups at bay. Occasionally a very serious flare-up renders me unable to exercise, but after a few days of rest, moderate exercise, both cycling an walking, bring me back to normal. As late I have increased my B-12 intake for more energy and endurance. I try to ride at least 4-5 times a week, for at least an hour, sometimes on a trainer, more mileage on the weekend. I also do a half hour of YOGA every morning.
I have just turned 67 years old got my first mountain bike 3 years back now a new Trek road bike and completing 1000ks a month here in Chiang Rai Thailand the best years of my life. Your video gives me more inspiration I never new the pleasure of riding alone or with a few friends would change my life.All i can say is yes get away from that tv and give it a go. Cheers
I've never let my age get in the way of me riding...i'm now 70 and ride mountains here in the dodecanese group of island's Greece at least 5 days a week up to 3500ft...inclines of up to almost 30% and feel great doing so...but....you must keep on top of your fitness levels, its amazing what a two week break can do to those levels when you age....lucky the weather here is fabulous so winter riding is not a problem..last xmas eve I rode in 24 degree temps!...
Spot on Leonard, now 63 and enjoying the bike as much as I ever did and, barring any major health issues, fully intend to be going (not so) strong at 73/83 and beyond. If you enjoy it no need to stop. Out Ona ride recently and came across a guy on a trike rode with him for a bit and chatted. Turned out he was 86yo and turned to the trike when his balance started to get a bit dodgy in his 70s. Fantastic.
I live close to where a somewhat legendary California cyclist, Jobst Brandt, lived. He road his bike well into his 80s, basically right up until he died in 2015. It was a true inspiration seeing him out the roads, and even having him pass me on a descent once when he must have been in his late 70s. He wasn't a pro, he just loved road biking, and if he can do it until he died, just about anyone can.
What difference does it make to eat a very healthy diet. I should know. I've been a vegetarian for fifty years, a vegan for 35 and a raw vegan for 10 years. I'm 74 now; when I was 70 I decided to take cycle the length of California despite previous attempts at cycling aggravating my troublesome back. By the time I reached San Jose my back and all the rest of my body was in better shape than it had ever been. For the past two years I have been a bicycle courier, cycling 25 to 45 miles every day of the week. I have none of the "inevitable" signs of aging mentioned in this video. My biggest challenge is eating enough calories to keep a steady pace throughout the many hours I cycle daily.
Hi Mark, you sound pretty superhuman. 74 years old and a cycle courier riding those distances is incredible. It might well be diet, genes, training, a painting in the attic that does the aging but that is pretty bloody amazing. You have to admit that you are the exception to the rule. The things I mention in the film are what most, typical, people can expect as they age. That’s not to say that they can’t do anything to fight it.
There may be other factors involved but I think its mainly my diet. You can find many examples on UA-cam and elsewhere of raw vegans that look and act half their age. My parents ageing process was typical, I have no training at all, nor do I have any paintings of my likeness let alone one that is suffering my karma.
mark harris I have to admit that I had to look up what it means to be a raw vegan. Sounds like a pretty tough lifestyle. For me food is one of great pleasures in life and it’s a massive balancing act enjoying that pleasure and eating healthily. I know that, for me personally, a raw vegan diet would completely remove that pleasure. I also believe that pleasure and being happy is very important to one’s quality of life in general. Shame it isn’t possible to have a magic painting; that way I could do both.
Good news, you can do both even without a magic painting. Don't forget, the human entity is not a fixed something but a living system that like all other living systems adopts to changes in its environment. At one point in my life I thought I would suffer greatly if I could never eat another Twinkies cupcake or sirloin steak. Now these foods are disgusting to my taste buds I've regained my natural instincts. In the garden I love to graze, plucking a leaf right from the plant as it grows, especially the leafs of edible weeds. The life force is incredible, and my taste buds know it. But the body needs time to purify and re-adopt. Some people take the plunge; go on a seven day fast and then totally change their diet: but you can also make gradual changes; eliminating processed foods one by one and gradually eating more and more the foods that our ancestors would recognize as food. :
Just caught this year old video. Awesome explanation of the love of the sport, setting one’s own goals and achieving them and enjoying the ride. We all age at different rates and have different abilities and can enjoy the experience at whatever level we find comfort in. I got into cycling seriously 3 years ago when I was 64 and discovered recumbent riding was best for me and I ride a Catrike and recumbent 2 wheeler around 150 miles per week, changed my diet and feel better than I did when I was 40 and working a million hours a week in my medical practice. I can ride with anyone or alone and don’t feel compelled to win...I am there to enjoy the scenery, get and stay fit and love the experience. I do a steady 13-16 mph on the trike and 19-20 on the two wheeler and the sense of accomplishment when completing a ride is very rewarding. I will ride until I can’t anymore and I have been blessed/lucky with no knee or hip or ankle problems. Triking is the way for us old guys!
leonardmlee I had never ridden a trike nor had I seen one until two years ago.saw a guy on Cape Cod Canal trail with one, stopped and asked questions then did homework on computer all night and drove 70 miles the next day to the closest merchant carrying the model I wanted and poof....done. Second trike was delivered the other day and being assembled.men and their toys.....not the type of item one can sneak in the house and hide in a drawer! Have to modify the golden rule sometimes and ask then explain with a great BS Story.
I agree with the recovery part. I cycle every day, for work and stuff. My work is physical and I'm vegan. 20 (or even 10) years ago, I would tackle icy roads without a second thought, I don't do it know, I love biking, did it all my life and never gave it a second thought about how good it is for health in general until I see the difference in cardio between me and people my age who have sedentary jobs and drive around in a car. So I'm older? no problem, just use more caution, and when I get even older, if I have a balance problem, well, then I will get a tricycle.
Sounds to me like you are doing great, physically, but I think you are right about starting to wonder abut certain elements of cycling when we get older. I have a particular roundabout that I have recently started avoiding whereas even three years ago I would have been fine. As we age I think we realise that we aren't quite a brave as we once were even if we are relatively still fit.
I am a 80 year man and I ride 40 mils 3 times a week. I ride with all ages to day I rode with a 60 year old and 57 year old we went 35 miles and averaged 13.8 miles an hour.I ride all year around. I do not ride in the rain. I ride 3 charity rides a year I have been riding for 34 years.
Great words, I'm 69 and have noticed a little of everything you said, I love it, started, swimming again, and rollerskiing makes me really look forward to getting on bike again, RIDE ON.
47 and starting with a road bike again. Always riding my old lady bike here in Berlin Germany before, but now it's time to push fitness level a bit. A road bike was my first bike. Great channel by the way, keep on. You and CGN motivatet me to start. Thanks. Best investment in health.
Great video, Leonard. Good words of encouragement for those of us past the mid-century. There are three eras that our bodies go through as we age: a) from birth to adulthood the main theme for the body is growth, b) from young adulthood to (let us say) 40, we are in our bodily prime so that we can hunt and raise kids, and c) from 40 to death our bodies enter a downward slope of slow regression in physical terms. However, this occurs only if we allow it go this route. We can stave off (to some degree) the regressive age effects if we consciously make an effort to do so. Eat a good and moderate natural diet, and quite simply exercise, because exercise promotes the chemicals for body maintenance and helps to keep our waste disposal systems fully functional, which is absolutely vital as we age. I'm not talking about detoxification, even though that too is promoted, I am talking about our waste disposal systems remaining close to optimal operation. Eating the right foods that give us the most required minerals and nutrients for cellular growth and maintenance, along with plenty of water intake, also helps in their waste elimination from our bodies. The whole process still slows down, but the trick is to encourage the body to maintain itself as optimally as possible. Quite simply, we lose what we don't use as we age. Along with good indoor exercises that help to keep us supple, cycling gets the blood pumped around the body, delivering the minerals and nutrients and plasma and oxygen to all the essential organs and muscles, and of course, all importantly, the brain. For many sedentary people entering their fifties and sixties, the body breaks down faster, because their sedentation promotes that breakdown. The older generations need to be educated on this, and actively encouraged to pre-empt old age effects and hold them at bay, because we truly are as young as we feel, and we feel as old as the body we maintain. As we age, we should aim for a balance between weight and muscle tone for the structure of our body, and that comes from maintaining a fitness level, or even regaining a fitness level. There's no denying that it takes effort to do so, especially if one has decided to leave behind what was once a lifestyle of sedentation. Along with cycling, swimming too is good as it is a low impact aerobic exercise, and helps to maintain an overall body muscle tone.
Hello there, thanks for the comment. Some very sound advice there. In essence, eat well, exercise regularly and, I would add, have a positive attitude. Cycling is one of the best exercises to keep you fit and healthy in later life. As, you say, it is low impact which is a big consideration on older joints and muscles.
57 years old riding entire adult life with a few tricks for aging dogs to try. 1.) By far the biggest improvement to performance in my life was switching to whole food /plant based diet 2 years ago. Dropped 45 lbs without even trying eating as much as I want, across the board significant improvement in performance metrics (Shaved nearly 20% off time on a 100+ mile ride w/ 9,200 feet of climbing), with vastly improved recovery as a bonus. Only regret is not having tried it years ago. May not be for everyone, but definitely worth a 90 day challenge. 2.) Added Zwift and a smart trainer going into this off season...also something I should have done sooner. Never had so much fun riding for hours indoors, and my non-riding wife loves the idea that there are no distracted drivers in virtual landscape. Will likely switch software for more structured training going into spring, but the the set up is the best equipment upgrade since clipless pedals and integrated shift levers almost 30 years ago. Life is short, enjoy the ride...
I was just 18 when i was in a training camp in high altitude in Austria. Nearby is the city of st johann.There they have the world championships for seniors every year. Was just making a break on the market place,when i saw the senior riders invading the town. In a good mood,healthy and strong,well trained-at that moment i thought,ok,thats the place to be when i’m grey!🚴🏽💦
57 and can kill most other cyclist in a chain gang. The biggest difference between people is their training not age. Obviously as the young reach their potential you will be left behind, but most people are not at their potential and can mix equally with 20 somethings on group rides. Motivation is the biggest stopper for us oldies. With motivation time suddenly becomes available. My partner hates me training. We are constantly arguing about the need to train, and that it is a mental disorder oh yes, and that i look perfectly fine 3 kg over my racing weight and should not be obsessed. She thinks I might look thin in the face or something. Oh deary me what am I to do. She says I must slow dow and act my age. It like trying to convince a flat earther the earth is round. She will never understand
Been hard cycling for 42 years I'm now 58, done road racing, mountain biking, time trailing, still doing as faster times now than in my 20s, I push a 62 teeth front cog down to 11 on back I've used this for the last 30 years, yes I did say 62 teeth, and no plans to stop. Keep on cycling.
When someone asks me how old I am, it takes me a moment to answer. Why? I purposely try NOT to remember my age. STOP thinking of your age as a barrier that people tell you that you can or can’t do something. Your age has NOTHING to do with how fit you are and what you can and can’t do. How you have treated your body over your lifetime does. But, if you are out of shape, then start today getting back in shape...no matter how old you are...or are not. Lol
Just turned 68. What you don't use you lose so just keep pushing it. I cycle around 200km per week, and walk/climb the local fells. setting off on solo cycle tour of north west highlands of Scotland in weeks time and the longer it takes the better. Cycling keeps heart, mind and soul together so cycle come rain or shine!!
I'm 60, I was an avid rider back throughout the '80's. I even worked at a Schwinn bicycle shop! I changed careers 30 years ago, got married, had a family, and left cycling behind. Now, after working on cars for 30 years, I have a bad back, sore knees and I weigh a good bit more than I'd like to. So, I'm trying to get back into cycling. This video is helpful, and inspiring! Wish me luck!
I never owned a bike until I turned 60 and the doctor told me to get my BMI down to as close to 20 as I could and to exercise. He suggested swimming but I never learned how to do that and I was told that running is bad for the knees at my age. I looked at the local council run gym for the exercise machines but it was full of super fit young people in designer gym wear looking very serious; the young trainer told me I would feel uncomfortable there and so I decided on cycling. A really terrific young man in the bike shop suggested a lightweight hybrid/commuter bike (which I bought) with a rack and panniers to carry my camera gear and do a little grocery shopping while riding. I am very lucky in that I live in a flat area with lots of paved cycling tracks along a lovely river and through parks. I do 20Kms per day riding in my baggy old jeans and a polo shirt (I am strictly a lycra free zone) with 10 year old kids sometimes passing me on BMX bikes. I get looked at and laughed at but I don't care, I enjoy the rides and sometimes stop for a coffee and sit and watch the world go by. I have just ordered a little cycle trailer/caboose from Ebay to attach to my bike so that my old dog can sit in there and enjoy the view and fresh air as I ride. Got my BMI down to 23 and working on pushing it down to 21.
65 here, still riding urban style every week. Because it's still as much fun as when I was 7 and learned with training wheels. Best workout ever, even at night. Tonight, did about 3 miles around the "hood" and have lights etc. I take slow cruise mode and stand to pump when I need a bit of cardio and speed, of course. Recovery...normally about 5-10 minutes now and feels good to pedal and move along. At 100 I'll probably have a tricycle...never give up. Because it's life and fun, again. Cheers everyone. Keep it moving, baby. Or else join your friends on the couch watching Netflix with pizza. Me, plant based mostly but I get my meat in nice meals from "Everytable" which we have here in Compton, CA now. Compton is changing, little by little for the better and it's now quiet most nights here, despite the movie and the hype about the city. I love being able to ride a bicycle at my age...timeless energy and exercise keeps you alive. No doubt. Eat right...oh one final point. I now weigh 188 pounds, took nearly 3 years to lose from my high of 306 pounds US..138kg I once was, and miserable. So I got busy and started walking, watching what and when I ate and kept at it. Now I can wear size 36 slacks and it just tickles me now, buying off the rack so easily. Sleep's better too, due to physical activities I enjoy. God is so Good as we age gracefully, rather than simply sit, eat and rot away. Everyone I see now is obese and I feel like I won the lotto by achieving a set goal. Not much else seems impossible now. I like 85 kg a whole lot now. First you see it in your head, find the motivation and just go outside and go...
Cycle until you can Cycle no more! It is man’s second most useful invention in History. The First placed invention is down to your personal choice :-) Great video , thank you ....
Thank you for explain to us why our metabolism is changing, I'm 54, began with a pawn shop bike fro, Big W, Wherever brand bike/ I ride with a friend a distance I'm yet impressed with that bike. Now I'riding an XC H brand I bought used and I'm restoring to a rid-able statue.. The truth is that riding have changed my life. I feel younger and healthier, Perhaps tomorrow I can"t read this, but today, I'm alive. PEACE
I am now 73 and just purchased a Giant Bike. I have never developed leg muscles but am in fairly good shape considering I have diabetes and have had TB..I am going to stick with this.appreciate your site
I just turned 50, and I am not as fast as I was when I was young, but I am close enough! Cycling is a great sport that you can do well at a variety of ages! You're doing great Leonard! I have lost 75 pounds/ 35 kilos in the last 2 years or so, and it becomes self motivating, because the gains you make in your cycling are huge. At first just cycling and mostly eating the same worked, but as I got leaner I needed to make changes for the better in my diet, but I was motivated by how much my cycling was improving from it.
At 62, I'm cycling 6 days a week / 20 miles a day. And it's almost effortless, after a week or so into the plan (to lose some significant, unhealthy weight: approx. 10 kg) I also do 1.5 hours (daily) in the gym and don't leave till I've burned 800-1000 cals. (Rower and X-Trainer) After just 1 week at this regime, I lost 3kg. And I feel just Fantastic. Endorphins are good! This is a secondary consideration, however: Cycling is about getting out there, and wallowing in air, and light, and space, safe in the knowledge that every moment spent pushing pedals endows a positive health benefit. When I stop biking..... I will probably be dead! Best resource ever. End Of.
50 this year and I'm the strongest and fittest I've ever been. We've had this conversation before I know, but you need to head for the hills and do it at least two or three times a week and believe me the weight will fall off! I rode 105km in hilly terrain only last week and nothing to recover from. No aches or pains the next day either. Burn more calories than you eat, it's that simple!
+adriboff1 I was 50 in August so we are a very similar age. My cycling has slowed a little but that is only because I have not put the same time and effort in to it that I have done in the past. I plan on correcting that by doing a lot more hills this year, especially as I have my trip to Mallorca coming up in September.
All the best with that! Genuinely, I have seen my weight creep back up when riding only the flats and shorter distances. As soon as I increase things and hit the hills, things turn around again. Exercise (cycling) needs to be a way of life if you really want to lose weight which is where most people fall! 50 this August! Nice video! Very inspiring for us older ones. ^^
Thanks. I really looking forward to the trip. Getting fitter and lighter for it is a great motivator. Hitting the hills certainly raises my heart rate above my usual flat rides so that is definitely a major consideration. Mind you, 50 is still young these days!
@@Kitiwake Good job I am an old age warrior at 60 then, therefore no damage lol. Beats worrying about heart failure, whilst sat on a couch getting fatter.
It really helps to have a bunch of old guys to ride with. Solo riding is better than no riding but it takes a bit more mental effort to do it consistently by your self. Nothing like a bunch of buff geezers to keep you motivated. We had 16 guys on today's ride. We often have 25 or more on our Wednesday 40 mile loop. I'm second senior at 76 but the big dog just turned 82. We did an 80 mile group ride for his 80th two years ago. The UA-cam video Celebrating Cycling w/Dr. Jim Mullen 80@80 Event is still up if anyone would like to see typical riding in Orange County, Southern California.
My wife and I are 67 and 68 and have four bikes each..a Brompton a Moulton a Mountain Bike and a Dutch delivery bike...sounds a little ocd but they all serve a purpose.Cycling is great for mental and physical health and it’s good for sleep.Ive had a knee replacement 9 years ago and cycling outs very little strain on the knee.Rather than sit on a couch becoming depressed,over weight and a burden on others we exercise everyday as we are gym members too.We often take our fold up bikes,on the Eurostar to,Paris,get off at the Gard du Nord and cycle to an Airbnb and then spend days cycling around the nicer parts of Paris..not near the Eiffel Tower etc!!!If you want a new life get a bike and stick with it
Got back into MTBg 3 years ago. Ride about 2000 miles per year mainly trail and gravel. Find myself in the top 1/3 on Strava for my local trails. So not bad for a decrepit 62 year old. Oh and just did the Whole Enchilada in Utah. You're as old as you want to be. Great motivational videos. Keep it up.
71 here. Been riding competitively for over 40 years, and still do fast group rides 2 to 3 times a week, with a day or so easy spin. While it's a huge contrast from what I was able to do in my younger years I still get satisfaction of being quite fast for my age.
Great vid - thx for making it!!! A few months of Ketogenic diet and you’d be a lean mean climbing machine !!! I’ve done 10 months of Keto / Carnivore with a few breaks - and am now very lean and as strong and fit cycling / climbing / skiing / snowboarding / +++ as ever. Good Luck with everything and Keep Pedaling brother :-)
I’m still 38.. But cardio is very important to me.. So i ride my roadbike everyday, to maintain a healthy life & good cardio.. Everyday i rode 1 hour, with approximate speed 20-30 kph, cycling approximate 25 km per day, 150 km per week, 7500 km per year.. And it makes my body fit & always in good health.. Exercise is important, have at least 30 minutes a day, to do exercise.. It helps our health & fitness a lot..
Out of all the sports, cycling is the best for an aging athlete. I see guys 20 years older than me still giving me the work. It’s a great sport with many benefits. Nothing better than a long ride.
I know this is an old vid but I'm just getting into this whole bike thing again. I just turned 50 and in the last year have lost 70+ pounds. Still at 245 I am now actually able to be active again. Long story short I'm buying my first bike since my teens and this vid is a real kick in the seat to get on with it. All that to say this, thanks for the inspiration and confirmation that I'm not completely out of my mind lol
Thank you. I started cycling when I turned 40. I 'm now 74 years old and still cycling
Good for you, Edgar.
Hope your still cycling well ? I'm 40 and have been riding for a month.
Looking forward to riding at 74
Inspiring🎉🎉
Still riding at 80 years, both road and mtb. Tuesday group ride was 30 miles at 17.4 mph. Thursday group ride was 40 miles at 14.7 mph. Keep Moving! Central Pennsylvania has plenty of hills and rollers.
I’m 71, coming up to 72. I do a 13 or 23 mile loop six times a week unless I’m doing a longer ride during the day. I’m not quick, about 12mph over a ride and it takes longer to recover and motivation is harder, but I can still do 4/5 hours a day. It’s as good mentality as it is physically. You’ve just got to try keeping on keeping on as Dylan used to sing.
About 10 years ago, I told my mom I was getting a bike. She assumed that I was getting an adult tricycle. When I made it clear that it was a road bike, she blew her top. I was too old, it was too dangerous, blah, blah, blah. All of this was coming from a woman who was two hundred pounds overweight and couldn't climb a flight of stairs. I, of course, didn't listen to a word she said and now as a 61-year-old female, I ride my bike on the San Gabriel River Trail (that's in Southern California) every chance I get.
Same here; 70, comfort and road bike. Bike riding is peaceful.
Woohoo. SGRT! I'm there once a month cuz my knees no longer work for running
Elizabeth -- don't be too quick to pooh pooh an adult tricycle! 😉 I have three bicycles in my garage, none of which I am physically able to ride anymore. 😒 Just this past Christmas I decided to stop procrastinating and get an adult trike. I definitely needed SOMETHING that would allow me to get some sustained exercise. Okay, the trike is heavy, slow and not as maneuverable as a bicycle but I'm not out to set any speed or time trial records. But riding it is enjoyable and comfortable for me; it gives me much needed cardio exercise.
I'm 72, a cancer survivor and overweight. I look forward to riding more consistently as weather improves.
Elizabeth, I wish you many years of enjoyable riding. I'll be right behind you, at least in spirit. 👍👵🚵♀️
Awesome! I am 60 and I feel like 30 when I ride my bike. Believe it or not I have degenerative disc disease in the lower back and I can't even walk without causing a lot of pain...I have to use a mobility device so I don't have to walk, but, I have absolutely no pain at all riding my bike, so, riding my bike I will do...until I can't anymore.
Hi Suzanne, that’s fantastic. It’s really good to hear that riding is having a positive effect.
I am 75 years young and I still go mountain biking in and around yorkshire and I have Copd👍
Awesome! :)
I know what you mean. I'm 72 with severe degenerative lower back malady. I can't walk without pain, but I'll cycle till I can't.
@@johnwebster1680 keep it up and you will never regret it, You also live in an a good area for biking.
On the ball Leonard. I returned to cycling in my mid 60’s and I’m still enjoying it in my mid 70’s. Keep up your motivational and inspirational videos M8.👍😀🚴♀️
I am 77 retired living on Florida longest bike trail. Doing 4 x 60 miles per week at average speed of 17 to 18 MPH. My weight is 195 lbs US at 6 ft height. Heart 100 to 120. 150 if I race somebody. I hike and swimm laps daily. It is a lifestyle choice. Do not know for how much longer. Not many over 80 do what I do.
+Wilfried Dehne Hi there Wilfred, sounds to me like you are doing great. Long may it continue, my friend.
I am 60, weigh 138 at 5'10" and I ride about 245 mi. a month. My average speed is 13 to 16 mph...and I get "winded", plus, I've been riding since 1993. I ride bike 3 days a week and do free weights the other 3 days. Also, I have 1 lung that didn't fully recover after contracting, Valley Fever (Arizona illness) as a teen. So, I'm stymied by how you are more fit you are. But, awesome!
Wilfried Dehne well done. Are there any hills in Florida ?
My ride group has a gentleman named Manny who is 86 years old and rides in our 40 mile road ride. Never too old to ride.
I did so appreciate your video. After eighteen months restricted to riding the turbo trainer due to a stubbornly resistant shoulder injury, I have just finally got out on the road again. I didn't seem to have benefitted as much as I had expected from the turbo (probably hadn't worked hard enough), but I wasn't too bad so am beginning to build things up again and will have to start working on the hills. I use the word 'hills' in a relative sense as the word doesn't have quite the same meaning for me as it used to have - at the age of 88 I think 'steady slopes' will fall more readily within my capabilities. Luckily I am not too proud to walk. I hope your excellent video and the comments it has here evoked will encourage more riders to carry on for as long as they can enjoy it - I am certainly intent on a few more years. So keep the videos coming and good luck to you and all your viewers.
I'm 67, overweight and have heart disease. I'm not going to fade away. I need to have a more active lifestyle to try and prolong my health for as many years as possible. So I went to the bike shop last week and purchased a nice bike for fitness. I was only able to do three miles the first two days, 5 miles on the 3rd, and 6 miles today! And to top it off, I started watching my diet and I'm down 5 pounds already. I don't know why I gave up riding when I was younger, but I hope this journey will help with my health.
Best of luck with it, Jim. You have done yourself a massive favour getting on the bike.
Never too old. I'm 59 and started cycling again at 52 after not ridden a bike for 25 years. I'm on a whole plant based diet my BMI is at 21.5, no weight problem. At 54 came 3rd in 35+ yr category 12hr solo mtb race as well as other podium finishes in a number of other races over a three year period I decided to do some racing. Two years ago Strava had a climbing challenge, Giro d’Italia Climbing Challenge 21,000m in 21 days promoted as their hardest one yet. Only around 3% completed it. Of the 94,000 participants I was 26th to finish, working 7 days a week at the time so all evening night rides apart from two Saturdays I juggled my hours around. On my mtb doing hill repeats on a forest gravel road. One of the few 1st 100 to do it on a mtb as most were roadies on tarseal. You only as old as you feel so just keep active and busy.
+Derek Adair 26th our of 94,000 is amazing. Chapeau!
Yes really pleased with the result from my effort. It was in May so late autumn here in NZ and was lucky with the weather. Belong to a local cycle club and have access to private forest roads. I had done an earlier Strava 9 day climbing challenge, IMBA's Take It to the Trails, at the end of the 9 days with total meters climbed was 15th out of 16,000 climbing a number of different hills and loops in the forest. I learnt from that challenge to make this one more time efficient. I found a hill ideal for the challenge only around 12 minute each accent so muscles didn't have time to cool down on the descents. Gradient was also ideal as with hr between 140 -150bpm could average 10m per minute elevation gain per session. That meant I just needed around 35 hours total ride time to complete the 21,000m challenge. Did it in 10 days with 9x 2.5hr to 5hr sessions with 1 day rest in the middle as body wasn't recovering quick enough with lack of sleep. I had to keep my hr below 150bpm with a health issue I was having at the time.
Congratulations mate! I'm 47 and vegan too and love cycling. I'm also on STRAVA. And on you tube. Best wishes from Poland 😊
Great inspiration. Now I too will continue my riding with renewed vigour.
Derek Adair Awesome, Mate...👍 🇬🇧
I'm 63, and still ride. I did my first Century ride in my late 50s.
I might be slower, heavier, older and have the gray hair to go along with it, but I still love getting on my bike. Well with an average speed of 12 to 13 mph I can still manage to hold my own.
I was a runner for for 40 years until arthritic in my knees put a stop to that. Three years ago, at the age of 63, I switched over to cycling and I haven't looked back. I cycle 180+ km per week with very little knee pain.
Now 76 years of age, following an heart attack, I adopted a plant-based diet, which led to losing two stone effortlessly, which made cycling less strenuous and more enjoyable. Most days I roll between four and ten kilometers, not very far but it includes some long climbs.
Have similar problem only to de generate ! I will ride till i go into a wheel chair then get a snazzy trike ! All good as long as im going forward !
I gave up running in my 50's because of extreme knee pain. Then I took up cycling again, and it cured my knee pain. Now at 78 I'm still cycling, and knees still don't hurt (much). I'm not very fast, but I don't care. I recently lost 20 pounds, and it's like losing 20 years.
Heck, my knees started hurting from high school track. Bicycling give a better breeze and more scenery anyway.
Never too old to cycle as long as you build yourself up gradually. I suppose I have an unfair advantage because I’ve been riding and racing since 15 but now at 67 I will admit training and especially recovery is a lot harder, but I can still mix it with the best of them especially on the hills being a bit of a whippet. I’m a ride leader and we have all ages , our oldest being 84 who could barely ride a mile but with time and encouragement he now does 25 to 30 mile rides with ease. Thanks for another great video 👍
I’m 64 started cycling 2 years ago now doing 25 kilometers everyday on a flat road. My weight is down to 170 pounds having lost 11stone and feel great. I have stopped drinking beer !!!!! John Marshall
wow!
56yrs old here 310lbs to 250lbs currently and a 2018 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 I bought 2 weeks ago for reaching target goal. Hopefully next year this time I'll be doing a Century ride!!!!! Can't get enough of your videos
Good luck with it. The synapse is a great bike,
Damn right.. when I'm too old to balance on a bike I'm taking my wheelchair out on the road..anything with wheels baby!
Like it!
Or buy a trike and keep going.
Yeah baby! Or buy a powered road bike lol
@@billalbion
D.. n good idea. Now why didn't I think of that?
I'm 65 and started having balance problems 3 years ago. That, combined with a L5S1 impacted disc (injury while sailing), made it quite possible for me to trip over the painted lines on the squash court and made mounting a bike and getting going somewhat fraught.
Consequently, I literally hung up my bike and it has been mouldering in the garage rafters ever since...
Time to get it down and try trade it for a trike...
Thanks for the idea...
Well said that man
66 here but I feel like a kid on my bike. So mobile and carefree. Cycling is one of the joys of my life and so cheap too. I’ve joined a bicycle club and am so impressed by the oldies in the club who lead the rides. I can ride for miles without pain but osteoarthritis in my ankles means I walk with pain. Don’t know why riding is so pain free but I’ll take it. I just wish I could ride everywhere.
i was told by a bike shop employee in Bude Cornwall ,Quote, that is was perhaps time to put my bike in a shed have a cup of coffee and forget it. This advice was given after the same business completely botched a simple tyre replacement. Needless to say i did not follow the given advice and am still cycling at 60 despite sounding like an old shunting engine going up hills and just hoping that i can foil the grim reaper for a while longer.
Excellent info. At 77 I've always been involved in some form of activity. I still cycle and have e-assist bicycles so I can continue to cycle even with poor knees and back.
I’m on my 50s and feeling great. Don’t have the explosion or speed of younger years but I discovered long distance gravel riding. This is my thing now 😊❤️
Thank you for the motivation. I'm 63 and ride about 60 a week. I have slowed since my racing years, but I still love cycling. I plan to ride for many years to come.
Regardless of my age, when cycling, I want to feel like a twelve-year-old going out on a great adventure. Just keep those legs moving.
Thanks, Leonard. Peddle On!
I am fifty nine years old.Started cycling three weeks ago.In order to hide my age and face,I have made it a habit to cover my mouth with a mask while riding- I just have one tooth left in my mouth.lol
Absolutely. I am 47 & restarted cycling an year back n certainly feeling nostalgic of my teen years n enjoying it ...happy cycling.
Hi Leo, I am also a 74 year old chap who regularly cycles 3 days a week from Balham (South London) to Richmond Park and reckon I am cycling about 70 miles a week. I am slower but you are correct that regular exercise helps keeps the old body ticking over. In addition, I also swim on Sundays about 850 metres. The reason is that I don't think that there are many 'other' exercises that go well with cycling however, I have read that swimming is one of them! Hopefully, I will still be cycling in 2035! Thanks for your positive video about older people being able to cycle! Cheers
67 years old, I ride the loop in Tucson (a paved circle about 60 miles long round the dried up riverbeds). Lots of other aged types on the path everyday, most moving pretty fast. I am getting better, too, and in the autumn plan to join the Tour de Tucson. Cycling is a great way to keep young.
Hi there Garth, great to hear that you are enjoying your cycling. When I was in my 30’s I once did a two up time trial with a man in his 70’s and had a hard job staying in his wheel. Good luck with the Tour of Tucson, sounds like a fantastic event.
WOW!!! amazing, unbelievable.
I live Tennessee where riding a bike is a battle with cars. I started back riding a bike about 5 years ago. I'm 67 now. I'm not in a group or club, I just like to ride and I don't like going to the gym. I have a brother who lives in Tucson, Az. And for two months out of a year, we go stay with him. And I love it. The "LOOP" there is one of the greatest bicycle paths, I've seen. I give it an A- . Only because I have to ride across the street to get to it. But once you get on it, there's over a 100 miles of paved road, on cars.Trying to get my wife to move.
I was trying to say, there are No Cars on the pathway
Good for you brother. Ride on!
53 and I can still leave my 28 year old rugby playing son behind , up the hills
Keto gave me back the body I need to cycle. Now at 64 I'm enjoying biking as much as I did 50 years ago. But without Keto I would be too heavy to ride. I was up to 262 pounds, went on Keto and lost 50 pounds. Because of Keto I have no sugar crashes and have an almost unlimited fuel source: fat.
Your videos are very well done sir.
Never too old! Use it or lose it!
What are you taking about, 50 - you are still on production guarantee:-). Real problems begin to manifest at 75-80. Sarcopenia, osteopenia, but in general you are right, never stop!!!
I am 62 years old and yesterday I rode 15.78 miles in a group ride in 56:27. I think Strava recorded that as an average of 16.4 mph. I started cycling just under 2 years ago. I've owned bicycles before but never had good places to ride. I now have a very nice moderately hilly park nearby with over 20 miles of paved trail. I ride a 20 mile out and back 4-5 times per week. Even at this workload which decreases some in winter my weight has remained steady at 162 pounds. I am 5'10" tall. This is my pre-cycling weight which I achieved by dieting (down from 205) and maintained for 5 years before I started cycling. I do not eat more on a daily basis than I've been doing for the past 5 years, but when I do encounter junk food that looks good I eat it without guilt or worry. It's rarely as good as it looks. The only way to lose weight is by dieting. You cannot exercise your way to the perfect weight. Feed yourself a natural vitamin and mineral rich diet and eliminate chemicals / poisons so that your body has what it needs to function well and it will do so.
Well done Connie
I'm 51 and only really started cycling about 7 years ago. I love cycling with my buddies too
Congrats Connie..I am your same age
1955 was a good year to be born Connie!
Best Wishes to you.
Great average speed .. well done
Very well put Leonard common sense enjoy all your videos .
I'm 76. I find I can ride a bike but do not want to ride leaning over as the bikers in your illustrations here do. I like to ride in the more sedate position you see on the streets of the city of Amsterdam. To ride leaning over is to make a fight of something that should be fun. I know that by the, so to speak, logic of aerodynamics leaning means less wind resistance which means more speed. But at 76 I'm not out to impress anyone with my racetrack form and prowess. To hell with all that. I just want a pleasant way to get some air and some exercise.
I started riding a road bike at 59. My first year I rode 7,700 miles including a charity ride from San Diego to Ft Pierce Fl. , 3,300 miles in 42 days. That’s 90 miles a day with a rest day each week. I started at 205 lbs and was 158 lbs when I crossed the finish line. At 67 I’m still riding and try to do at least one century ride a year.
Wow Rob, those rides aren’t far off Grand Tour distances. Sounds like you are smashing it. Chapeau!
Absolutely right - never give up!
I’m 68 and returned to cycling in the spring of this year after a couple of years off. When young I was fast sport rider and used to feel sorry for the “geezers” I would pass effortlessly on the climbs. Now that I’m one of them I see it all so differently.
My motivation to re-start cycling was, as I aged, an increased awareness of my mortality. I was finding I could adapt to the aging process, but seeing the condition of so many people just a few years my senior - the onset of dementia, the heart disease, the general frailty and reliance on others- I was determined to put off becoming geriatric for as long as possible.
The statistics confirm what I already know from spending time with riders a fair bit older than myself: this sport, along with swimming I suppose - is as close to a fountain of youth as you will ever find on this earth. By every measurement, an active cyclist's physical fitness rises to meet or beat that of sedentary people decades younger. You can get away with a sedentary lifestyle and bad eating habits when you’re young, but not when you’re old. They will make your last years miserable, and take years off your life.
If you’re a fit senior, those can be damn good years. As my training progressed over the past several months, I found my quality of life off the bike rising at the same level as my fitness. I have far more energy than I had a year ago, and my general outlook is more positive. I don’t let things I can do nothing about get me down. And when the opportunity comes along to become engaged in some potentially fun activity, like going to a friend's picnic, I choose to take part rather than make excuses as I have in the past. My blood pressure is down from borderline high to normal, I’ve lost nearly 20 pounds, and my stamina for day-to-day activities like housecleaning or grocery shopping, which I noticed had been flagging in recent years, is vastly increased. I'm retired but still busy, and I get SO MUCH MORE done in a given day than I used to.
And that’s just life off the bike. Cycling's big secret is that once you’ve put in a few hundred base miles and are in reasonable shape, it becomes hugely fun. You become a kid again, with seemingly boundless reserves of energy and able to relish the sheer exhilaration of flying along the road with no perceived effort, in near silence, with the world all around you, going past at exactly the right speed. The way I feel while enjoying a good ride - and they’re all good - is like I’m a teenager once more. Maybe it’s the endorphins, I don’t know, but it works for me. In the past if I was feeling a bit low I’d have a drink or watch TV. Now instead I go for a ride, and never has cycling failed to raise my spirits.
So why doesn’t everybody ride? Because since the early 20th century we North Americans have been conditioned to avoid any kind of exertion in daily life. Sport and outdoor activity were for the young. We were expected to “outgrow” such things as we became adults and took on responsibility. To which I say horsefeathers!
I’m not saying it won’t be hard getting started, because it will. But persist at a moderate pace and after a few months you’ll be addicted to feeling great and looking years younger. I would go so far as to say that no age group benefits more than over-55s from active cycling (four rides a week, 15 miles per ride at a decent clip).
A great way to get started is by riding with a club that has some member in your age group. Failing that, get a like minded friend to take the plunge with you. Although I have such resources available and use them, riding on my own gives me an unsurpassed sense of freedom. Sometimes for company I’ll have my single earbud playing podcasts while remaining aware of what’s going on around me. And year, I wear a helmet, the Lycra shorts, the clip-in shoes, the whole enchilada.
What works for me won’t necessarily work for others, but I can say with certainty there is an immediately distinguishable difference between fit and sedentary seniors. Our remaining years are precious, and if we can take part in activity that holds off the ravages of old age while greatly enhancing the quality of day-to-day life, we have only our excess pounds to lose if we choose to ride.
+John Richards Hi John, thank for sharing your positive experience. Cycling can indeed help improve ones physical body and raise their spirits. It’s wonderful to hear that it has has such a positive effect for you. Long may it continue.
+John Richards Thanks for sharing your experience. A great motivational piece that has prompted me to get back onto my bike after some time off, as in your case. The reminder of the amazing benefits that arise after crossing the initial hard yards speak for themselves. Keep the wheels turning!
@@davemullin466
This sums me up in a nutshell.
I'm 65, 132kg and Type 2 diabetic. Time indeed for me to stop making excuses...
Wish me luck.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. I totally agree.
I remember competing in my first time trial years ago. One of the competitors was 88 years old! He was a little hunched and walked slow off the bike but once he got on he was smooth and steady. He’s been my inspiration more than any TdF star since.
Started riding about 12 years ago and I'll be turning 71(yikes) this October(2018). I've completed about half a dozen centuries, an equal number of half centuries and a few metric centuries as well. Currently I ride every MWF for approximately 150. Yes, I've slowed some and can only average about 14MPH on longer rides. But I've never fancied myself as a racer, just an old guy with a bike. Keep these videos coming!
Hi Jose, sounds like you are enjoying your cycling. Good for you my friend.
If you're ever in Southern California, let's ride!
I have just got back on a bike at 65, about 25 years since I last rode. Bought myself a MTB as I now live in rural Thailand and most of the roads around here are dirt or potholed bitumen. But it is harder work than a road bike so now that I am getting fitter again I am thinking of getting road bike too for the longer rides on the better roads. In the meantime I am going down the UA-cam rabbit hole of cycling videos, thank you for your ones aimed at us older folks.
I am in my early 60s and never exercise but started riding my bike 2 weeks ago. It is an old fashioned one with one gear and I am up to riding 2km at a time. If you knew me you would find it shocking cause all I like to do is my little hobbies and drink tea all day.
I have learned I need to ride alone. Yesterday I went riding with a woman with whom I carefully explained my limitations but she ignored them and kept pushing and pushing me. I told her to keep going on her own but she refused. I ended up falling three times, skinning both knees and one palm. It really hurt and she complained she wouldn't have gone riding with me if I had been honest and told her I didn't like riding a bike. What the actual F@#%&!?!?!?!
I finally stood up for myself and told Madame de Torquemada I would walk the rest of the way home with my bike so please continue on riding and I'll see her later. Another nope moment. She thought it would be nicer to walk with me so she could nag and explain how inferior a rider I am. Yeah? All this time I thought I was Olympic material. Ha! At the end the only thing that saved the day was a nice shower and a giant mug of hot tea. My dignity died somewhere on the biking route. May it RIP.
If you are new at it like me, ride alone or with someone you can trust to listen when you explain your limitations. It can be very serious to push an old fart like me until they keep falling and hurt themselves. This morning I woke up with swollen, scraped and bruised knees but I still want to bike and get exercise. For regular bikers, please don't suck the joy of it out of older people. Let us go at our own pace. We are happy to see you ride on and enjoy your time. I even hope to be strong like you some day. :-)
Sorry to hear that you had such a negative experience. Cycling alone can be great, especially if you need to take things at your own pace. But riding with others...the right people can also be beneficial. I wish you every enjoyment for your future cycling.
It was a rough start, wasn't it? ha! I am going to ride alone for a while then be very selective if I ride with someone else. I've chosen a very pretty area to ride so it will be more fun. Thanks for your kind thoughts.
I'll be 67 next week and usually cycle 70-80 miles a week. I do tend to go sop for a couple of reasons: I'm more built for endurance than speed, none of my friends are interested in a 20-30 mile _slowish_ ride, and I really quite enjoy the solitude. It's just nice to get out in the countryside and fresh air...until I find a place for a coffee and a scone!
sop=solo!
One of the best things about cycling is riding on your own. No screens, no inane chatter, just you and your bike. Just keep riding, and enjoy the ride.
I will be FOURTY this November and I have bought a hybrid a week ago. This is my new hobby, passion, another means of activity to burn calories and weight gained WFH his pandemic. I do 5K walk/jog/run everyday and at least two 10Ks every month. I was worried about picking up cycling as means of activity (and my fat)... Your videos motivate me to continue to pursue cycling ....(And I am enjoying it). Thank god UA-cam recommended me your channel....
I got to 51,went vegan and got back on the turbo trainer. Lost around a stone and feel fantastic. For me finding the time is most difficult so shorter sessions indoors ia the answer with a longer ride at the weekend. I have a video up if you would like to come and have a look.
Thanks for the inspiration. 👍
Thank you for your videos. I'm almost 65, cycle each week, and love it like I did in 1979 (the day after I saw "Breaking Away", haha). I'm also husky. This gives me confidence in what I'm doing on the bike.
I am inspired. I am 65 and considered buying an ebike this year, instead I'm using your videos to inspire me to climb the hills around my home town. Every time I want to give up I ask what would Leonard do? Then I soldier on. Keep posting. Thanks,
I'm 65, 66 this fall. I love my GT ZR..
I broke my leg badly now held together with screws, a long plate and some pins, cannot jog or run as jarring causes pain, however cycling no problem, I am 72 and will keep riding until they put me in a box, presently 3 x 45kms in 2 hours each week, love it!
Right on +Roger Kingdon
Never too old! What makes us old before our time is stress and being sedentary. If your 40 and have never been active start very slow and easy. Being consistent is the key, you'll be amazed how much better you feel after a few months! People I know that are fit in their 60's and beyond have been athletic their whole lives and have made it a life choice or they started and stayed consistent. Amazing how well getting out and pedaling clears the head, relieves stress and just makes you feel better! Know your limitations and start there, but start..
I am an over 50 cyclist and I too struggle having lost enthusiasm for cycling and recently found it again because of health reasons. I am having a few issues that I am dealing with but I still think the way to overcome these issues is to just keep cycling. As I see it, I'll just keep going as long as I can. Besides it is Still fun for me and I do feel better after a couple of hours in the saddle. I admire your Courage, Sir. Keep up the good work and I'll keep watching.
Hi Ed, we all have our ups and downs but I hope you are back on the bike soon.
If its not fun you're not going to do it. Change the route, or reduce the distance. The best solution is to ride with others. Good luck.
I just cyckled with my 1947 born father and he could easily do 60 km trip with good pace..
Well said. PS Don't fall, you will pay more as your bones break easier. Recovery from a fracture can be a nightmare. Resumed riding at 57y/o (30 year hiatus!) and train/ride regularly at 60y/o.
Good luck with your rides. Hope you have a great time. I don't plan on breaking any bones- fingers crossed.
I didn't plan to break any bones but 2 years a go a woman thought differently fractured my back and now I suffer sporadic excruciating pain.
However am now looking at bike videos again so might get my mojo again @59
i can testify to that. january 19 2018 i hit a patch of ice, fell straight down and broke my pelvis in two places. after three hours of surgery, fourteen weeks of not being able to put my left foot on the floor ,and a lot of physical therapy, i got back on my bike. couldn't go far didn't go fast. still did over four thousand miles before the end of the year. my surgeon told me it's a good thing i rode a bike and was in good shape or i would really have been in trouble. i was 67 when it happened.bought me a time vrs fluidity to celebrate being back on the bike.
I'm 59 riding when I can, maybe once or twice a week. A walk in between. Very heavy at 240 pounds but watching your videos keeps me inspired and motivated. Thank you sir!
Hi Ron, a couple of rides a week and a walk in between sounds like a reasonable exercise routine.
Im 54 and 20 stone just bought a trek marlin 6 mountain bike for weight loss and fitness ,yes its hard but loving every minute of my trips out with it hills are killing me but battling through obviously a newcomer to cycling but i am enjoying it started to lose weight as well ,enjoy your videos keep them coming.
Hi Paul, good to hear that you have taken up cycling and that you are enjoying it. Take it from me as a heavy rider that the hills do get easier. A big part of it is in the mind; once you have conquered a particular hill you will know, without doubt, that you can get up it. Enjoy your new bike.
Best of luck mate. Keep at it. It becomes addictive the more you do it. Hopefully you'll enjoy the fresh air and feel the benefit.
Yes thank you i think you are right.
I'm 35yo and 18stone. My weight literally fluctuates by stones some years. Ive been up to 21stone and back down to 16.5 stone in the space of 3 years...
I love cycling but the problem is my compensatory eating... once I crack that code the hill climbs should* be easier :)
Paul Mcgrath non
Lot of folk here advocating advanced age cycling, It is certainly a big part of my life at 72. Been doing it regularly for 22 years now, still with the same group of guys. We are not as fast as we used to be especially on steep climbs, but I can still ride in a way that pleases me. There is no climb around here that we cannot do reasonably well. So I would encourage anyone so long as they have good road sense and balance to keep at it.
Keep em coming friend. You’re really encouraging this 57 year old grandpa whose recently developed an obsession for the sport. You make me wanna ride!!!
When I was in my 50s I was out for a ride and met a man in the middle of nowhere who happened to be riding from coast to coast (US). We both stopped for a chat and I was surprised to find out first that he was half way through his tour but most of all, he was in his 80s. Today I'm 75 and still cycling.
Great video! 65 here. Been riding for years. I'm not particularly fast 12-14 mph, one of those "I'll get there when I get there" riders. In my defense sometimes I stop and take a lot of pics. But there's nothing better than getting on my bike and heading out.
Very well presented, Leonard. I remember breaking back into cycling at your age. And now with an additional 23 years added, and a somewhat rabid addiction to the sound of a clean drive train, I've set the new goal of riding with the 90 y/o group who do the Yellowstone Tour each year. And it all got under way with the promise kept to myself to lose my midsection and make it happen. I made time that is for What I Really Wanted. No regrets at all. Keep posting and keep riding over there.
The Yellowstone Tour sounds amazing.
Indeed, it is. That tour happens each year and attendees buy their spot as soon as available to hold their place. I've not done that one yet but have done the Pedal The Pacific ride (down the west coast from Washington to Los Angeles) on three occasions and It'd be hard to top. Great Stuff! Have fun and ride on, Leonard.
Thank you. I am 57 and just did a 120KM ride today. It is nothing to do with speed. It is about the process of enjoyment. Keep it up!
54yr old, 104kg male, A Bad knee, stopped me cycling for years. But dusted off the mountain bike 3 months ago. After a wobbly start around the block, I’m now doing 25 miles no problem. My other knee was showing signs of going, cycling almost every day has helped so much. I’m getting fitter, faster
Points to check for comfort 1. Correct seat width, 2. correct seat height, 3 correct seat position ( tilt, fore aft). 4 correct crank length I’m 170cm tall and my crank arm is 165mm. 5, decent padded shorts. 6. Ride every day.
I’m 52 and going strong. I love my regular bike, my eBike for commuting and think more people should be cycling for health. Great video series, subscribed.
I've not ridden since high school (I'm 57.) I want to start riding again, though just basic bike riding. Videos like this one are helping to bring up my confidence to purchase and ride a bike again.
Thanks for posting this video!
Buying a bike and starting any kind of cycling is one of the biggest favours you can do yourself at our age. Good luck and enjoy!
All these comments are wonderful and inspiring. I took my last bike tour in France at age 75. I have taken 5 European Bike Trips since 1996. I am waiting to return in July for another (short) tour of five days. I hope I will never be too old to cycle. I am 78, take no medication, and weigh less than I did at age 20. (I am 5'6" and weigh 128 lbs.) Diet is extremely important. I suffer from Fibromyalgia and CFS and I find that exercise keeps most flare ups at bay. Occasionally a very serious flare-up renders me unable to exercise, but after a few days of rest, moderate exercise, both cycling an walking, bring me back to normal. As late I have increased my B-12 intake for more energy and endurance. I try to ride at least 4-5 times a week, for at least an hour, sometimes on a trainer, more mileage on the weekend. I also do a half hour of YOGA every morning.
I have just turned 67 years old got my first mountain bike 3 years back now a new Trek road bike and completing 1000ks a month here in Chiang Rai Thailand the best years of my life. Your video gives me more inspiration I never new the pleasure of riding alone or with a few friends would change my life.All i can say is yes get away from that tv and give it a go. Cheers
1000 kms a month is a very respectable distance. Glad that I can help you enjoy your rides!
I've never let my age get in the way of me riding...i'm now 70 and ride mountains here in the dodecanese group of island's Greece at least 5 days a week up to 3500ft...inclines of up to almost 30% and feel great doing so...but....you must keep on top of your fitness levels, its amazing what a two week break can do to those levels when you age....lucky the weather here is fabulous so winter riding is not a problem..last xmas eve I rode in 24 degree temps!...
+fourlapfever That’s amazing. I would love to cycle in Greece. 24 degrees on Christmas Eve?!!!!
Absolute respect!!! Couldn't have put it better my self. Something to consider
Yes, yes, yes. Start, with respect, mind your units (distance and velocity) and continue, don't give up, make a plan and CONTINUE !
Spot on Leonard, now 63 and enjoying the bike as much as I ever did and, barring any major health issues, fully intend to be going (not so) strong at 73/83 and beyond. If you enjoy it no need to stop. Out Ona ride recently and came across a guy on a trike rode with him for a bit and chatted. Turned out he was 86yo and turned to the trike when his balance started to get a bit dodgy in his 70s. Fantastic.
Hi Tony, Great to hear that you are enjoying your cycling and chapeau to the 86 yo on a trike.
I live close to where a somewhat legendary California cyclist, Jobst Brandt, lived. He road his bike well into his 80s, basically right up until he died in 2015. It was a true inspiration seeing him out the roads, and even having him pass me on a descent once when he must have been in his late 70s. He wasn't a pro, he just loved road biking, and if he can do it until he died, just about anyone can.
What difference does it make to eat a very healthy diet. I should know. I've been a vegetarian for fifty years, a vegan for 35 and a raw vegan for 10 years. I'm 74 now; when I was 70 I decided to take cycle the length of California despite previous attempts at cycling aggravating my troublesome back. By the time I reached San Jose my back and all the rest of my body was in better shape than it had ever been. For the past two years I have been a bicycle courier, cycling 25 to 45 miles every day of the week. I have none of the "inevitable" signs of aging mentioned in this video. My biggest challenge is eating enough calories to keep a steady pace throughout the many hours I cycle daily.
Hi Mark, you sound pretty superhuman. 74 years old and a cycle courier riding those distances is incredible. It might well be diet, genes, training, a painting in the attic that does the aging but that is pretty bloody amazing. You have to admit that you are the exception to the rule. The things I mention in the film are what most, typical, people can expect as they age. That’s not to say that they can’t do anything to fight it.
There may be other factors involved but I think its mainly my diet. You can find many examples on UA-cam and elsewhere of raw vegans that look and act half their age.
My parents ageing process was typical, I have no training at all, nor do I have any paintings of my likeness let alone one that is suffering my karma.
mark harris I have to admit that I had to look up what it means to be a raw vegan. Sounds like a pretty tough lifestyle. For me food is one of great pleasures in life and it’s a massive balancing act enjoying that pleasure and eating healthily. I know that, for me personally, a raw vegan diet would completely remove that pleasure. I also believe that pleasure and being happy is very important to one’s quality of life in general. Shame it isn’t possible to have a magic painting; that way I could do both.
Good news, you can do both even without a magic painting. Don't forget, the human entity is not a fixed something but a living system that like all other living systems adopts to changes in its environment. At one point in my life I thought I would suffer greatly if I could never eat another Twinkies cupcake or sirloin steak. Now these foods are disgusting to my taste buds I've regained my natural instincts. In the garden I love to graze, plucking a leaf right from the plant as it grows, especially the leafs of edible weeds. The life force is incredible, and my taste buds know it. But the body needs time to purify and re-adopt. Some people take the plunge; go on a seven day fast and then totally change their diet: but you can also make gradual changes; eliminating processed foods one by one and gradually eating more and more the foods that our ancestors would recognize as food. :
who are you are you a courier for and where? i do deliveries for a Jimmy John's. i thought regular couriering was a dying job.
Just caught this year old video. Awesome explanation of the love of the sport, setting one’s own goals and achieving them and enjoying the ride. We all age at different rates and have different abilities and can enjoy the experience at whatever level we find comfort in. I got into cycling seriously 3 years ago when I was 64 and discovered recumbent riding was best for me and I ride a Catrike and recumbent 2 wheeler around 150 miles per week, changed my diet and feel better than I did when I was 40 and working a million hours a week in my medical practice. I can ride with anyone or alone and don’t feel compelled to win...I am there to enjoy the scenery, get and stay fit and love the experience. I do a steady 13-16 mph on the trike and 19-20 on the two wheeler and the sense of accomplishment when completing a ride is very rewarding. I will ride until I can’t anymore and I have been blessed/lucky with no knee or hip or ankle problems. Triking is the way for us old guys!
Have fun on the trike. I know a younger chap that rides one so it’s not just for older chaps
leonardmlee I had never ridden a trike nor had I seen one until two years ago.saw a guy on Cape Cod Canal trail with one, stopped and asked questions then did homework on computer all night and drove 70 miles the next day to the closest merchant carrying the model I wanted and poof....done. Second trike was delivered the other day and being assembled.men and their toys.....not the type of item one can sneak in the house and hide in a drawer! Have to modify the golden rule sometimes and ask then explain with a great BS Story.
I agree with the recovery part. I cycle every day, for work and stuff. My work is physical and I'm vegan. 20 (or even 10) years ago, I would tackle icy roads without a second thought, I don't do it know, I love biking, did it all my life and never gave it a second thought about how good it is for health in general until I see the difference in cardio between me and people my age who have sedentary jobs and drive around in a car. So I'm older? no problem, just use more caution, and when I get even older, if I have a balance problem, well, then I will get a tricycle.
Sounds to me like you are doing great, physically, but I think you are right about starting to wonder abut certain elements of cycling when we get older. I have a particular roundabout that I have recently started avoiding whereas even three years ago I would have been fine. As we age I think we realise that we aren't quite a brave as we once were even if we are relatively still fit.
I am a 80 year man and I ride 40 mils 3 times a week. I ride with all ages to day I rode with a 60 year old and 57 year old we went 35 miles and averaged 13.8 miles an hour.I ride all year around. I do not ride in the rain. I ride 3 charity rides a year I have been riding for 34 years.
Sounds like you are doing great, Donald...and long may it continue.
Great words, I'm 69 and have noticed a little of everything you said, I love it, started, swimming again, and rollerskiing makes me really look forward to getting on bike again, RIDE ON.
+Rudy Chavira I wish you every success getting back on the bike.
47 and starting with a road bike again. Always riding my old lady bike here in Berlin Germany before, but now it's time to push fitness level a bit. A road bike was my first bike. Great channel by the way, keep on. You and CGN motivatet me to start. Thanks. Best investment in health.
Hi there Michael, good luck with your cycling. Glad to hear that I am able to help in some small way.
Great video, Leonard. Good words of encouragement for those of us past the mid-century. There are three eras that our bodies go through as we age: a) from birth to adulthood the main theme for the body is growth, b) from young adulthood to (let us say) 40, we are in our bodily prime so that we can hunt and raise kids, and c) from 40 to death our bodies enter a downward slope of slow regression in physical terms. However, this occurs only if we allow it go this route.
We can stave off (to some degree) the regressive age effects if we consciously make an effort to do so. Eat a good and moderate natural diet, and quite simply exercise, because exercise promotes the chemicals for body maintenance and helps to keep our waste disposal systems fully functional, which is absolutely vital as we age. I'm not talking about detoxification, even though that too is promoted, I am talking about our waste disposal systems remaining close to optimal operation. Eating the right foods that give us the most required minerals and nutrients for cellular growth and maintenance, along with plenty of water intake, also helps in their waste elimination from our bodies. The whole process still slows down, but the trick is to encourage the body to maintain itself as optimally as possible.
Quite simply, we lose what we don't use as we age. Along with good indoor exercises that help to keep us supple, cycling gets the blood pumped around the body, delivering the minerals and nutrients and plasma and oxygen to all the essential organs and muscles, and of course, all importantly, the brain. For many sedentary people entering their fifties and sixties, the body breaks down faster, because their sedentation promotes that breakdown. The older generations need to be educated on this, and actively encouraged to pre-empt old age effects and hold them at bay, because we truly are as young as we feel, and we feel as old as the body we maintain.
As we age, we should aim for a balance between weight and muscle tone for the structure of our body, and that comes from maintaining a fitness level, or even regaining a fitness level. There's no denying that it takes effort to do so, especially if one has decided to leave behind what was once a lifestyle of sedentation. Along with cycling, swimming too is good as it is a low impact aerobic exercise, and helps to maintain an overall body muscle tone.
Hello there, thanks for the comment. Some very sound advice there. In essence, eat well, exercise regularly and, I would add, have a positive attitude. Cycling is one of the best exercises to keep you fit and healthy in later life. As, you say, it is low impact which is a big consideration on older joints and muscles.
57 years old riding entire adult life with a few tricks for aging dogs to try. 1.) By far the biggest improvement to performance in my life was switching to whole food /plant based diet 2 years ago. Dropped 45 lbs without even trying eating as much as I want, across the board significant improvement in performance metrics (Shaved nearly 20% off time on a 100+ mile ride w/ 9,200 feet of climbing), with vastly improved recovery as a bonus. Only regret is not having tried it years ago. May not be for everyone, but definitely worth a 90 day challenge. 2.) Added Zwift and a smart trainer going into this off season...also something I should have done sooner. Never had so much fun riding for hours indoors, and my non-riding wife loves the idea that there are no distracted drivers in virtual landscape. Will likely switch software for more structured training going into spring, but the the set up is the best equipment upgrade since clipless pedals and integrated shift levers almost 30 years ago. Life is short, enjoy the ride...
I was just 18 when i was in a training camp in high altitude in Austria.
Nearby is the city of st johann.There they have the world championships for seniors every year.
Was just making a break on the market place,when i saw the senior riders invading the town.
In a good mood,healthy and strong,well trained-at that moment i thought,ok,thats the place
to be when i’m grey!🚴🏽💦
57 and can kill most other cyclist in a chain gang. The biggest difference between people is their training not age. Obviously as the young reach their potential you will be left behind, but most people are not at their potential and can mix equally with 20 somethings on group rides. Motivation is the biggest stopper for us oldies. With motivation time suddenly becomes available. My partner hates me training. We are constantly arguing about the need to train, and that it is a mental disorder oh yes, and that i look perfectly fine 3 kg over my racing weight and should not be obsessed. She thinks I might look thin in the face or something. Oh deary me what am I to do. She says I must slow dow and act my age. It like trying to convince a flat earther the earth is round. She will never understand
know the feeling
James I’m with you. Never quit, never surrender!
@Tempo Nelson lol may join mgtow 😪
James I feel your pain, I am 63 and in the same boat,The wife does not understand that I am not ready to get old yet,training is too much fun!
Tell her to bugger off and join saga , you keep cycling as long as you can
I'm 61 and still doing fulltime deliveries on my bike. I often wonder if I'm the oldest delivery/messenger cyclist.
Much love and many blessings. Tom
Been hard cycling for 42 years I'm now 58, done road racing, mountain biking, time trailing, still doing as faster times now than in my 20s, I push a 62 teeth front cog down to 11 on back I've used this for the last 30 years, yes I did say 62 teeth, and no plans to stop. Keep on cycling.
When someone asks me how old I am, it takes me a moment to answer. Why? I purposely try NOT to remember my age. STOP thinking of your age as a barrier that people tell you that you can or can’t do something. Your age has NOTHING to do with how fit you are and what you can and can’t do. How you have treated your body over your lifetime does. But, if you are out of shape, then start today getting back in shape...no matter how old you are...or are not. Lol
Just turned 68. What you don't use you lose so just keep pushing it. I cycle around 200km per week, and walk/climb the local fells. setting off on solo cycle tour of north west highlands of Scotland in weeks time and the longer it takes the better. Cycling keeps heart, mind and soul together so cycle come rain or shine!!
+William Vaudrey Hi William, good for you. Cycling is fantastic all round. Good to hear that you are having a great time.
I'm 60, I was an avid rider back throughout the '80's. I even worked at a Schwinn bicycle shop! I changed careers 30 years ago, got married, had a family, and left cycling behind. Now, after working on cars for 30 years, I have a bad back, sore knees and I weigh a good bit more than I'd like to. So, I'm trying to get back into cycling. This video is helpful, and inspiring! Wish me luck!
Good luck! You’ve got this.
I never owned a bike until I turned 60 and the doctor told me to get my BMI down to as close to 20 as I could and to exercise. He suggested swimming but I never learned how to do that and I was told that running is bad for the knees at my age. I looked at the local council run gym for the exercise machines but it was full of super fit young people in designer gym wear looking very serious; the young trainer told me I would feel uncomfortable there and so I decided on cycling.
A really terrific young man in the bike shop suggested a lightweight hybrid/commuter bike (which I bought) with a rack and panniers to carry my camera gear and do a little grocery shopping while riding. I am very lucky in that I live in a flat area with lots of paved cycling tracks along a lovely river and through parks.
I do 20Kms per day riding in my baggy old jeans and a polo shirt (I am strictly a lycra free zone) with 10 year old kids sometimes passing me on BMX bikes. I get looked at and laughed at but I don't care, I enjoy the rides and sometimes stop for a coffee and sit and watch the world go by.
I have just ordered a little cycle trailer/caboose from Ebay to attach to my bike so that my old dog can sit in there and enjoy the view and fresh air as I ride.
Got my BMI down to 23 and working on pushing it down to 21.
+H Whalley Sounds to me like you are doing really well. Love the idea of taking your dog along for the ride!
65 here, still riding urban style every week. Because it's still as much fun as when I was 7 and learned with training wheels. Best workout ever, even at night. Tonight, did about 3 miles around the "hood" and have lights etc. I take slow cruise mode and stand to pump when I need a bit of cardio and speed, of course. Recovery...normally about 5-10 minutes now and feels good to pedal and move along. At 100 I'll probably have a tricycle...never give up. Because it's life and fun, again. Cheers everyone. Keep it moving, baby. Or else join your friends on the couch watching Netflix with pizza. Me, plant based mostly but I get my meat in nice meals from "Everytable" which we have here in Compton, CA now. Compton is changing, little by little for the better and it's now quiet most nights here, despite the movie and the hype about the city. I love being able to ride a bicycle at my age...timeless energy and exercise keeps you alive. No doubt. Eat right...oh one final point. I now weigh 188 pounds, took nearly 3 years to lose from my high of 306 pounds US..138kg I once was, and miserable. So I got busy and started walking, watching what and when I ate and kept at it. Now I can wear size 36 slacks and it just tickles me now, buying off the rack so easily. Sleep's better too, due to physical activities I enjoy. God is so Good as we age gracefully, rather than simply sit, eat and rot away. Everyone I see now is obese and I feel like I won the lotto by achieving a set goal. Not much else seems impossible now. I like 85 kg a whole lot now. First you see it in your head, find the motivation and just go outside and go...
Cycle until you can Cycle no more! It is man’s second most useful invention in History. The First placed invention is down to your personal choice :-) Great video , thank you ....
Best... news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Thank you for explain to us why our metabolism is changing, I'm 54, began with a pawn shop bike fro, Big W, Wherever brand bike/ I ride with a friend a distance I'm yet impressed with that bike. Now I'riding an XC H brand I bought used and I'm restoring to a rid-able statue..
The truth is that riding have changed my life. I feel younger and healthier,
Perhaps tomorrow I can"t read this, but today, I'm alive.
PEACE
Hi Herman, really great to hear that you are enjoying your cycling and it has had such a positive effect on your life. Ride on!
I am now 73 and just purchased a Giant Bike. I have never developed leg muscles but am in fairly good shape considering I have diabetes and have had TB..I am going to stick with this.appreciate your site
Best of luck.
I just turned 50, and I am not as fast as I was when I was young, but I am close enough! Cycling is a great sport that you can do well at a variety of ages! You're doing great Leonard!
I have lost 75 pounds/ 35 kilos in the last 2 years or so, and it becomes self motivating, because the gains you make in your cycling are huge. At first just cycling and mostly eating the same worked, but as I got leaner I needed to make changes for the better in my diet, but I was motivated by how much my cycling was improving from it.
Sounds like you are doing great, Len.
At 62, I'm cycling 6 days a week / 20 miles a day.
And it's almost effortless, after a week or so into the plan (to lose some significant, unhealthy weight: approx. 10 kg)
I also do 1.5 hours (daily) in the gym and don't leave till I've burned 800-1000 cals. (Rower and X-Trainer)
After just 1 week at this regime, I lost 3kg.
And I feel just Fantastic.
Endorphins are good!
This is a secondary consideration, however:
Cycling is about getting out there, and wallowing in air, and light, and space, safe in the knowledge that every moment spent pushing pedals endows a positive health benefit.
When I stop biking..... I will probably be dead!
Best resource ever. End Of.
Sounds like you are doing pretty well. Enjoy the endorphins!
Thanks Leonard! I'll be 60 in NOV. That was an encouraging video.
Ron Bell a
50 this year and I'm the strongest and fittest I've ever been. We've had this conversation before I know, but you need to head for the hills and do it at least two or three times a week and believe me the weight will fall off! I rode 105km in hilly terrain only last week and nothing to recover from. No aches or pains the next day either. Burn more calories than you eat, it's that simple!
+adriboff1 I was 50 in August so we are a very similar age. My cycling has slowed a little but that is only because I have not put the same time and effort in to it that I have done in the past. I plan on correcting that by doing a lot more hills this year, especially as I have my trip to Mallorca coming up in September.
All the best with that! Genuinely, I have seen my weight creep back up when riding only the flats and shorter distances. As soon as I increase things and hit the hills, things turn around again. Exercise (cycling) needs to be a way of life if you really want to lose weight which is where most people fall! 50 this August! Nice video! Very inspiring for us older ones. ^^
Thanks. I really looking forward to the trip. Getting fitter and lighter for it is a great motivator. Hitting the hills certainly raises my heart rate above my usual flat rides so that is definitely a major consideration. Mind you, 50 is still young these days!
Dead right.
@@Kitiwake Good job I am an old age warrior at 60 then, therefore no damage lol. Beats worrying about heart failure, whilst sat on a couch getting fatter.
It really helps to have a bunch of old guys to ride with. Solo riding is better than no riding but it takes a bit more mental effort to do it consistently by your self. Nothing like a bunch of buff geezers to keep you motivated. We had 16 guys on today's ride. We often have 25 or more on our Wednesday 40 mile loop. I'm second senior at 76 but the big dog just turned 82. We did an 80 mile group ride for his 80th two years ago. The UA-cam video Celebrating Cycling w/Dr. Jim Mullen 80@80 Event is still up if anyone would like to see typical riding in Orange County, Southern California.
Buff old geezers can certainly ride in my humble experience,
My wife and I are 67 and 68 and have four bikes each..a Brompton a Moulton a Mountain Bike and a Dutch delivery bike...sounds a little ocd but they all serve a purpose.Cycling is great for mental and physical health and it’s good for sleep.Ive had a knee replacement 9 years ago and cycling outs very little strain on the knee.Rather than sit on a couch becoming depressed,over weight and a burden on others we exercise everyday as we are gym members too.We often take our fold up bikes,on the Eurostar to,Paris,get off at the Gard du Nord and cycle to an Airbnb and then spend days cycling around the nicer parts of Paris..not near the Eiffel Tower etc!!!If you want a new life get a bike and stick with it
Sensible, well presented and even funny! Now there's a Jolly Good Velo! Keep it up and even go downhill once in a while! :-)
+Jakob W Thank you. I do like a nice downhill.
Got back into MTBg 3 years ago. Ride about 2000 miles per year mainly trail and gravel.
Find myself in the top 1/3 on Strava for my local trails. So not bad for a decrepit 62 year old. Oh and just did the Whole Enchilada in Utah.
You're as old as you want to be.
Great motivational videos. Keep it up.
71 here. Been riding competitively for over 40 years, and still do fast group rides 2 to 3 times a week, with a day or so easy spin. While it's a huge contrast from what I was able to do in my younger years I still get satisfaction of being quite fast for my age.
Great vid - thx for making it!!! A few months of Ketogenic diet and you’d be a lean mean climbing machine !!! I’ve done 10 months of Keto / Carnivore with a few breaks - and am now very lean and as strong and fit cycling / climbing / skiing / snowboarding / +++ as ever. Good Luck with everything and Keep Pedaling brother :-)
I’m still 38..
But cardio is very important to me..
So i ride my roadbike everyday, to maintain a healthy life & good cardio..
Everyday i rode 1 hour, with approximate speed 20-30 kph, cycling approximate 25 km per day, 150 km per week, 7500 km per year..
And it makes my body fit & always in good health..
Exercise is important, have at least 30 minutes a day, to do exercise..
It helps our health & fitness a lot..
Out of all the sports, cycling is the best for an aging athlete. I see guys 20 years older than me still giving me the work. It’s a great sport with many benefits. Nothing better than a long ride.
You will see my grinning, rotting skeleton blazing through the streets. SCREW AGE!!!!!
I know this is an old vid but I'm just getting into this whole bike thing again. I just turned 50 and in the last year have lost 70+ pounds. Still at 245 I am now actually able to be active again. Long story short I'm buying my first bike since my teens and this vid is a real kick in the seat to get on with it. All that to say this, thanks for the inspiration and confirmation that I'm not completely out of my mind lol