I, love the T-shirt that states, "Never under estimate an old guy on a bike." Nearing 68 and having returned to cycling 6 years ago after a multi-decade long hiatus, I am amazed at how much my health, wellness, vigor and zest for life (not to mention my cycling abilities) have sky rocketed. Thanks for the salute to old guys on bikes!
I am grateful to be a member of this group. I was riding twice my age each of my last few birthdays. Had to skip the 140 miler this year of my 70th birthday because I was low on endurance, training for the Masters Track Nationals in Rock Hill, SC. Remember: you don't stop riding because you get old. You get old because you stop riding. Thank you all for the continued inspiration!
I'm 80, and I've been cycling or running just about all my life, except when the kids were growing up. Our winters are cold, so I do an indoor workout for about an hour most days, some strength exercises and mostly riding the indoor bike, until the weather warms up. My diet is pretty healthy - four meals a day, including plenty of fruit and veg, but no fast food. I'm not on any meds.
I'm 69 and I'm sort of the same as you when it comes to riding but I recently went to the dentist because I'm getting implants so I had to get a physical for the surgery. They found I have high blood pressure and an abnormality in my EKG. So the surgery has to wait but the thing that really upset me was the doctor said to stay off the bike for a while until they sort this out. That isn't going to happen. I rode 20 miles on the trainer last night and felt great afterwards. I thought I was more healthy than most people my age because I eat right, don't drink, and I exercise because who would have guessed this. What a Christmas present eh. I hope I can make it 80 and still ride.
Congrats ! I will try to follow you, I'm now 63. Mostly riding bike and then skiing/ski touring during winter, totally around 700 - 750 hours/year. This year rides 12400km. No meds, diet is getting better, more vegs ... problem is that I'm obsessed eating cinnamon rolls etc.
The reason I avoid group rides . . . they always turn into an underlying race! No thanks! My racing days are over & I love the freedom of doing whatever I want, in terms of pace! :)
I'm 76. I just completed 7600 mi this year. I wanted to ride my age. I've ridden my age for 6 years in a row. Two meds: Eliquis due to blood clot and 1-5mg Simvastatin. BP: 118/54. resting HR: 42. Welcome to my world!
@@MokaBoucha I was prescribed Eliquis for phlebitis a few years ago, but only for six weeks. The danger as explained to me was a crash where you hit your head, resulting in a brain bleed and you won't know it until you have big problems.
@mokaboucha Eliquis prevents your blood from clotting normally. So, if you forcefully hit your head (even while wearing a helmet), or a handlebar forcefully strikes your abdomen, you can suffer the consequences of an intracranial bleed or an intra-abdominal bleed, either of which might be severely debilitating or fatal. All it takes is a riding buddy overlapping a wheel, or a stone or a squirrel getting between you and the road. A wind trainer is a much safer alternative while you’re on Eliquis.
I am 93 and still riding my road bike - Lycra and all - and I am the weight I was at 21, but fit as I am I have been on BP meds for thirty years, and I developed Type 2 diabetes 15 years ago, so you can't always control these things.
I am 73 years old, and I rode 4,000 miles this year. I also go mountain biking. I am 6'4", 320lbs, and eat the worst foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat. I have bad knees, a bad back, two shoulder replacements, Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gout. I am on six medications per day. Without riding bicycles, I know my health would be worse. NOt only is cycling good for my physical health but it is good for my mental health. Cycling gives me tremendous joy.
Wow, just wow. I have been having terrible pains throughout my body, neck, face, arms, ankles, toes, and in particular my legs for years now and none of my doctors have managed to diagnose my issue. The cramps can be debilitating and extreme agony and once they have subsided, leaves my legs as though someone has hit them with a bat. It’s been terrible. They get more frequent the more I exercise. Now I know the symptoms are different to normal cramps so I can totally tell the difference. I believe you have hit the nail on the head, cramp fasciculation syndrome.
What an inspiring video. I got back on a bike at 62 just over 12 months ago after a 40 year gap. I could barely manage 5 miles, but now at 3 stone lighter I regularly ride 80-100 miles around the New Forest in the UK and knowing these guys have 10+ years on me gives me a genuine lift for the future. Thanks for posting and subscribed. Merry Christmas from Hampshire Uk Clay
Ref your opening comments. I'm 76. This year I restored my 1963 Young's racing bike from sixty years ago. I rode it. Then I rode the same route on my 2014 BH road bike... Total that day was 72 miles Last year I rode from London to near Poole on England's South coast. Total was 118 miles. The year before that I rode from near Poole to London. Total was 116 miles. Both London rides were with my son. I use my bikes to "run errands" rather than use my car whenever I can. I go on 25 to 49 mile rides for fun. I do not have to take prescription medicines. I do not have high cholesterol levels nor high blood pressure. My at rest heart rate is 56 bpm. 70 is not old.
One of the guys in our group is turning 80 December 30th, we all will ride the 80 miles with him. There is an 81 year old woman in our group shes still going strong and can smash it on the climbs!
Use it or lose it! Studies show the best thing one can do is keep moving. Nothing else works as well. I no longer count distance, just time. 1-3 hours each ride, 5-6 times a week. Nobody believes I'll be 70 next year :-)
In 1984 at age 27 I went out on a 3 mile run with my 60 yr uncle . I thought my cousin was joking to run with his dad. Half mile into the run he was gone and the light bulb went off . All distances of running up to marathon . All distances of triathlons up to 9 Ironmans . Went to Kona in 1995. Started Zwift 12/21/23 . 11,000 miles , over 750,000 ft of climbing, level 88 , 135 races CAT C and D . Now doing sprint Duathlons . Here in Clermont Fl. And when I ride outdoors, have two safe places to ride, state park with 10 mile loop. Half hilly and half flat. And the James Van Fleet bike trail , no cars . I have 2 friends hit and killed , so no open road riding since 2011 unless its a race with police covering the intersections . So at 67 I train not to be younger, but to keep from feeling older. And not to go fast, but to last . Fine line between fitness and health .
my group started riding 35 years ago, some have passed away, but most are still riding in their 70's and two in their 80's. amazing what the body will do if you ask it. I'm 68 and will keep it up as long as I can, staying away from mirrors helps.
Back home in California, I used to ride with an older gentleman who owned a bike shop and still could hurt a 32-year-old man. Now I am the older one. Living in Australia now. Still riding and it helps. Keep rolling Fellas. Good for the body and the mind. Happy new years.
On the day of my 70th birthday I set out to tour the country riding south from Newak, DE to Yorktown, VA. From Yorktown I rode across the country to Astoria, OR. Then up to Anacortes, WA to ride back home to western MA. I successfully finished this tour arriving home seven months later in mid October. I averaged 58 miles per day riding a fully loaded bicycle, 60 pounds of gear at an average speed of 10mph. Five months of riding with two months of hiking, kayaking, and sightseeing. Never underestimate a seventy year old guy on a bicycle.
I'm 72 and still ride about 3000 miles a year. Amazingly the saying "I'm not as good as I was once...but I'm as good once as I ever was" seems to apply. I can be almost as fast on the local climb (Mt Ashland or one of our great local rides up around the lakes and back which is 53 miles and 5500 ft of climbing) as I was when I first moved here 27 years ago. What I find is the recovery time has lengthened. I'm convinced this sport indeed keeps you young, in shape (also do weights 3 or 4 days a week) and engaged. I do have to admit that in winter I now ride a lot of indoor stuff with smart trainer on Zwift or Rouvy but just too cold and wet outside!
At 72 no meds. Still riding 5 or so days(120-175 miles in summer) a week. Rarely do group rides. Still having fun & mostly Zone 2 with 1 or 2 fast pedal or threshold, or VO 2 Max if body allows. Ride Smarter not Harder😊💯👍👊
As a 72-year-old who averaged over 200K a week for 2024 I have achieved the opposite of LeMond's statement that It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster. Namely, it doesn't get any harder, you just go slower.
Enjoyed watching your video! I’m 62 and still ride about 8,000 miles a year. I hope to still be riding in my 70’s. You guys give me lots of confidence and motivation! I also like riding my age on my birthday!
I am over 70 and ride with several folks that are over 70. Some of us ride ebikes at times. Most of us don't ride in cold, winter weather and a few head south for the winter. The biggest problem I have in doing group rides with older folks is that many of them are hard of hearing! 😁
Hey! I resemble that! We traffic or have rear facing radar and/or mirrors…. We just can’t carry on a conversation, and hate when people try to talk to us:) What? Sorry? Say again?….
Come to Florida and you will find lots of 70+ riders in group rides. While our local group of twenty or more riders has some younger 55+ individuals we also have several 80+ riders. While the average speeds aren't the 23 - 25 mph average we acheived when we were all younger, we still manage 18- 20 mph. Most of the group gets in 5,000 miles annually but we have some over achiever's striving to ride 10,000 miles annually.
I also watch your other videos on health and longevity. At 55 yrs old, i moved from Canada to Spain and now 70yrs old, i try to bike ~10,000km/yr, the best place where roads are very good, little traffic lights where i live and respecful car drivers. Looking to live many more years without zero pills.
I needed to see this. Just turned 60, health is pretty good (no issues or meds), but I don't want to rest on luck of the draw. Just bought a new Trek and excited to get into riding in the spring (I live in Iowa, so the riding season has pretty much closed). To psych myself up I'm at the gym riding the stationary and lifting. I plan to do the RAGBRAI in July. Ultimate goal? Ride Northern Tier cross-country @ 65 right after retirement. Thanks for the inspiration!
It's my 60th birthday today and I'm riding my mountain bike up Skyline in Corona this morning. Starting the birthday off right... I do hate being cold first thing in the morning but like you said after 30 minutes it's all good. Merry Christmas everyone.
I’m a youngster at 64 😂 just passed 7300 miles and 550K of elevation this year. I feel like the bike is my fountain of youth! Cheers from down here in Laguna ! ✌️
Fun to ride with friends. I'm 74 and did Mt. Ventoux up to Chateau Renard last spring with some OGOB (old guys on bikes) friends. What a view! I had a rental Specialized road Creo Ebike. It was a great comfortable ride but too heavy to leg it the whole way up as it wouldn't shift into the lowest gear (set up that way by the dealer I later learned to keep the chain from falling off the ring ). We started at Villes sur Auzon, France. I legged it all the way to the town of Sault, but on the final few kilometers of ascent I had to use a few electrons. Perfect day in all other respects (44.1 mi +5151 ft / -5153 ft). On the way down was very grateful for disk brakes. Generally too cold to ride here in Pennsylvania from December until March-April. Thankfully my gym has indoor lap pools. We do some Nordic skiing when we have a chance. Keep moving.
Never, ever underestimate old people. We had a old guy 75 years of age join our rides from South Africa. Now I am in my early 60's and my bike is geared for the Cotswolds compact 50/34 front 11/34 back (11 speed), He come on his retro Lance Armstrong bike with 52/36 front 25/12 back (10 speed). He may have suffered on the climbs, by my god he still had the speed on the flats and down hills. The only thing that slowed him up was him pulling up and saying "Wow look at that view, I have to take a photo of that."
72 with a pacemaker (2018) and a repaired torn quadriceps tendon (2023). OK, most of my rides are e-assist now, but I still have a couple of bikes where it's soley down to me. Never been one for great distances - about 75 miles is my max but usually it's between 20 & 30. Still touring into Europe on a tandem and planning two such trips for 2025.
I am 73. I no longer ride outside because of eye problems. I do however ride Zwift three times each week. I would like to ride outside but I enjoy knowing I won’t crash because I no longer see adequately. The only meds I take is a very low dosage for cholesterol reduction, not age related. I have 2:50 needed that for thirty years. Also something for my prostate. That is old age I’m afraid. I ran for twenty five years and I have ridden for twenty seven years. Yes, fifty three years total.. Resting heart rate of fifty eight to sixty two. I live in San Diego. I don’t recognize the roads in the video.
Cycling is a great pastime, especially once we get fit enough to ride for an hour or more in a bunch. Sadly, as we get older, our bones break more easily if we get in a crash... so we do have to be mindful of that.
It's me again your Saturday pace line on Santa Rosa. I'm also in my 70's and the first guy you rode with is a great friend of mine. Where is Wheeler Canyon.
So - I'm no athlete. I had my 50 year high school reunion last Summer. They have recently built some good bike paths in my home town. Prior to the trip to the reunion I suggested a bike ride on the path. No answer was received. I kind of wondered why. When I got to the reunion some of those folks were in bad shape. I may not be like the guys in the video, but I can still spin the crank and I should.
I'll be 73 (soon). I'm on my way back from a total hip replacement, and later, a torn psoas tendon. All likely caused by the wear and tear of racing on the velodrome until I was 70+. Keep moving! Man or woman, motion IS the fountain of youth!
I used to run. Like a lot of us got arthritis in one knee and had a replacement. Bought a $100. Bike on Craigslist a few years ago during Covid. Hadn’t ridden a bike in about 50 years ( I’m 68 now).Rode about a mile - cars made me a little nervous, but decided I needed to do something to relieve the boredom. 😊Did my age in October in Maine. Ride most days- in Florida for the winter. Too flat here - very boring. Only medication - heartburn meds because I drink too much iced coffee. I’ll be glad to get back to Maine in the spring where I feel like I am getting a real workout.
Very Inspiring. I am 78 and overweight, but I have 3 bikes. A Gravity MB, An old steel Kent RB and a 2 wheeled recumbent by Sun. I have motorized the last two with electric motors and really enjoy biking the trails here in Pennsylvania. Looking to buying a skinny tire bike like you have. The bike repair shop in Greensburg is owned by a guy probably over 70 and he uses his skinny tire bike on all the trails and often rides 40 miles.
I'm 73 and coldest ride was in 42F although in the next few days will break that record. Just got a new Specialized Diverge E5 Elite so will be riding it in the next few days when it warms up into the 30s. I'm not on any meds and been biking since 1990.
As a member of a masters racing club, we have many members who continue to race in their 60's, 70's 80's, and our oldest rider is 90. There is so much going for cycling in the latter years of life, not only the fitness and mental health benefits, but the social aspect is equally as important, and some members have lost spouses. Club racing keeps them in contact with a broader circle of like-minded friends. So important! Many of these older cyclists have been riding and racing all their lives and most of us are oblivious as to who they are and what they have achieved throughout their cycling careers. There is much we can learn from their cycling wisdom, experience and example.
Haha! You guys are riding where i cut my teeth in cycling and running! I grew up in Santa Paula and ran and rode those canyons delivering the Daily Chronicle!! I still ride daily and when I get back there I ride them to this day. I'm 72 now and would love to ride with you guys. Mostly I ride alone now! Keep the rubber side down and your feet on the pedals!
At 71 was quite pleased with my 1600 miles approx over last 8 months - but cannot compete with others who have posted to this thread. Kudos to them. Not So Fun fact from Netherlands - sadly cycling fatalities for over 70s have been increasing - prob due to ebikes.
At 76 I still ride 70 to 80 miles every Friday at just under 15.8 ave speed with mostly 3000 feet of climbing -two days on the peleton but also swim 10,000 yards per week and three days strength mobility core and stretching -and 20 miles per week running - the older the body gets the more work it takes to attain these goals but the harder it gets the luckier I think you get in life.
You can always tell the guys that have been riding for 30 to 40 years by their bright yellow or red jerseys. They know what it takes to survive through the decades by not being hit by a car. Still can’t understand why the millennials want to wear all black, no lights, completely invisible, and purposely try to piss off cars. New riders, If you get a chance, ride with these older guys and learn from them. They have lots of wisdom and can teach you how to survive through the years. Do whatever you can to reduce risk and let God sort the details out!
73 so cal rider, did my age ride in July - Torrance to the Wedge in Newport Beach and back, all solo rides now, all my riding buddies aged out or moved. put more miles on the bike than on my car this year, Keep moving and keep the drug companies from making bank on you.🤣 Spoiled southern californian, having a hard time with cold weather, but then seeing these septuagenarians doing winter rides in the midwest made me feel like a wuss. Getting some thick winter riding gloves made the whole difference. Winter is really a great time for riding once you conquer the cold.
I’m 72 and ride 20-30 miles daily on a recumbent racing Catrike 700. No e assist. I ride my birthday mileage every year and surpassed 10,000 miles this year. I ride with a group of men and women in their 60’s and 70’s and we do it every day. We have our aches and pains but get out there. No meds . Just a lifetime of good diet, exercise,good sleep and of course good luck.
I'm a Torontonian and have been riding since age 12, yes through our crappy winters, advanced into racing when I got older and now at 71 I'm hitting 9 to 12 thousand kms per year at a good clip, depending on the weather. Many say I'm in the 1% class for my age, too bad my bank account isn't . . . remember Just-Just-the-Bike!
There are some of US that have had ablations, inversions, demanded watchmen instead of dope, gave up parts of cancerous lungs, and live with AFIB. I gave up motorcycles. REFUSING the delusion of elec/motor assist "pedal bikes. @ 70 year old the knees are going away the mileage falls off every year since racing days are past. After a career in manual labor, Ironworker in heavy construction. I can't keep up with the life long office workers in my age group. But the bike goes the day after I die. Say hiya to an old guy when you pass him.
I would like to say, you were rather disparaging to those of us over 70. I’m north of 70, ride 2-300 miles a week. I live in HI, but was over in SoCal and rode with a lot of over 70’s and 80’s.
@@jayobannon5359 I was trying to be nice. In UA-camland, there’s always some that will get offended. Fortunately, the group I ride with has a great sense of humor about it.
76 here, yeah, I ride a bike some and walk some and lift light weights....some. Not to prove anything just trying to get some exercise and stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can. I picked up an old bike and put it on the bike trainer so I can peddle indoors and watch TV and youtube. Exercise, any exercise is a 1000 times better than no exercise and you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.
Funny this was recommended to me-I started riding a couple months ago at 22, and still am entirely unable to keep up with people apparently approaching 70. Rather humbling. Maybe I'll see you guys on the road! I'm from Oxnard, sometimes ride through Camarillo, but not too familiar with the routes yet.
@@tenebreonlabs We ride Saturday and Sunday starting at Starbucks on Las Posas near the freeway. Riding with a group is a good way to learn the secret areas of where to ride because a cycling community has already figured out the low-traffic and safe places to ride. Also you’ll get stronger over time.
Your second cycling life is just ahead . as soon as your mind says yes but your body says " oh hell no " you will have a good excuse to by an e-bike . i stopped riding at seventy , 79 now, because of multiple injuries and weak legs . i thought my cycling days were over until my wife bought me an e-bike. i still have pain but i can get up any hill with ease and the fun has returned., old age WILL happen to us all some point some earlier some later but it WILL happen. so swallow your pride and look forward to years more of riding .
You start cold on a ride? Think about athletes. Before their event they have on their warmups to raise the body temperature activating the muscles to function at full capacity. Maybe it is not considered the fashionable thing to do on a bike ride. Maybe the fashionista police frown on a biker riding the first 20 minutes and then the group takes a short break to put their warmup gear in a handlebar bag or a seat stem bag which spoils the aerodynamic look of bike fashion. I've been biking before a 70 year old would have been in kindergarten. When I'm out biking on a cold day (10F and no green trees with snow on the ground) I would never think about starting out cold. Life is not a race to the top of the hill. Yesterday I stopped to watch a flock of Canada geese sitting beside the trail. Stiff wind and wind chill around 20F the birds just sat with their back to the wind and paid no attention to me. Life is the ride not the destination. I still get out on self-contained tours, but today they are shorter and less often, since so many of my old group are now in the Book of Memory.
People "70" don't ride their bikes? Tell George, Frank, Paul, David and the rest of the guys who raced 70+ at CX Nets - and that was no club ride on your Pinner-nagos at 12mph.
@@isitrachelorj3953 we live near Leisure Village which is a retirement community. There are a lot of rocking chairs on the front porch. That’s more common. That’s what I was saying.
Why? I started biking this year at age 66. It gives me joy. I mostly use a local 16 mile path (no cars) but occasionally the streets early morning weekends. When I'm feeling ambitious I head for the hills with my MTB. I bike alone, I'm slow and 2 hours is enough for me. I have 4 bikes I alternate riding, one is e assist and it's a Godsend on windy days, when I'm not feeling spry or I go exploring far, the motor gets me home and flattens the hills.
I, love the T-shirt that states, "Never under estimate an old guy on a bike." Nearing 68 and having returned to cycling 6 years ago after a multi-decade long hiatus, I am amazed at how much my health, wellness, vigor and zest for life (not to mention my cycling abilities) have sky rocketed. Thanks for the salute to old guys on bikes!
It’s awesome to see so many older cyclists out there crushing it!
I am grateful to be a member of this group. I was riding twice my age each of my last few birthdays. Had to skip the 140 miler this year of my 70th birthday because I was low on endurance, training for the Masters Track Nationals in Rock Hill, SC. Remember: you don't stop riding because you get old. You get old because you stop riding. Thank you all for the continued inspiration!
I'm 74. I'm on my fourth case of cancer and I've had a stroke. I still ride my bike and I'm going to keep riding till I can't! Great video!
I'm 80, and I've been cycling or running just about all my life, except when the kids were growing up. Our winters are cold, so I do an indoor workout for about an hour most days, some strength exercises and mostly riding the indoor bike, until the weather warms up. My diet is pretty healthy - four meals a day, including plenty of fruit and veg, but no fast food. I'm not on any meds.
Fantastic!!!
I'm 69 and I'm sort of the same as you when it comes to riding but I recently went to the dentist because I'm getting implants so I had to get a physical for the surgery. They found I have high blood pressure and an abnormality in my EKG. So the surgery has to wait but the thing that really upset me was the doctor said to stay off the bike for a while until they sort this out. That isn't going to happen. I rode 20 miles on the trainer last night and felt great afterwards. I thought I was more healthy than most people my age because I eat right, don't drink, and I exercise because who would have guessed this. What a Christmas present eh. I hope I can make it 80 and still ride.
@@Raymond-FartsI’m sure you’ll be fine. Maybe your echo will be in your favor….
Congrats ! I will try to follow you, I'm now 63. Mostly riding bike and then skiing/ski touring during winter, totally around 700 - 750 hours/year. This year rides 12400km. No meds, diet is getting better, more vegs ... problem is that I'm obsessed eating cinnamon rolls etc.
@markkupu Eat more fermented foods and it helps reduce cravings for sweets. (Says Dr. Sean O'Mara).
The reason I avoid group rides . . . they always turn into an underlying race! No thanks! My racing days are over & I love the freedom of doing whatever I want, in terms of pace! :)
I'm 76. I just completed 7600 mi this year. I wanted to ride my age. I've ridden my age for 6 years in a row. Two meds: Eliquis due to blood clot and 1-5mg Simvastatin. BP: 118/54. resting HR: 42. Welcome to my world!
Right there with you, he was rather dismissive of us older riders.
You’re taking a real risk riding while on Eliquis. Your next crash could be your last crash. Good luck!
@@mustang99o1 why? Are you suggesting they can bleed to death?
@@MokaBoucha I was prescribed Eliquis for phlebitis a few years ago, but only for six weeks. The danger as explained to me was a crash where you hit your head, resulting in a brain bleed and you won't know it until you have big problems.
@mokaboucha Eliquis prevents your blood from clotting normally. So, if you forcefully hit your head (even while wearing a helmet), or a handlebar forcefully strikes your abdomen, you can suffer the consequences of an intracranial bleed or an intra-abdominal bleed, either of which might be severely debilitating or fatal. All it takes is a riding buddy overlapping a wheel, or a stone or a squirrel getting between you and the road. A wind trainer is a much safer alternative while you’re on Eliquis.
I am 93 and still riding my road bike - Lycra and all - and I am the weight I was at 21, but fit as I am I have been on BP meds for thirty years, and I developed Type 2 diabetes 15 years ago, so you can't always control these things.
I am 73 years old, and I rode 4,000 miles this year. I also go mountain biking. I am 6'4", 320lbs, and eat the worst foods that contain a lot of sugar and fat. I have bad knees, a bad back, two shoulder replacements, Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and gout. I am on six medications per day. Without riding bicycles, I know my health would be worse. NOt only is cycling good for my physical health but it is good for my mental health. Cycling gives me tremendous joy.
Wow, just wow. I have been having terrible pains throughout my body, neck, face, arms, ankles, toes, and in particular my legs for years now and none of my doctors have managed to diagnose my issue. The cramps can be debilitating and extreme agony and once they have subsided, leaves my legs as though someone has hit them with a bat. It’s been terrible. They get more frequent the more I exercise. Now I know the symptoms are different to normal cramps so I can totally tell the difference. I believe you have hit the nail on the head, cramp fasciculation syndrome.
What an inspiring video. I got back on a bike at 62 just over 12 months ago after a 40 year gap. I could barely manage 5 miles, but now at 3 stone lighter I regularly ride 80-100 miles around the New Forest in the UK and knowing these guys have 10+ years on me gives me a genuine lift for the future. Thanks for posting and subscribed.
Merry Christmas from Hampshire Uk
Clay
@@claytonjones5857 Merry Christmas!!
Ref your opening comments.
I'm 76. This year I restored my 1963 Young's racing bike from sixty years ago. I rode it. Then I rode the same route on my 2014 BH road bike... Total that day was 72 miles
Last year I rode from London to near Poole on England's South coast. Total was 118 miles. The year before that I rode from near Poole to London. Total was 116 miles. Both London rides were with my son.
I use my bikes to "run errands" rather than use my car whenever I can. I go on 25 to 49 mile rides for fun.
I do not have to take prescription medicines. I do not have high cholesterol levels nor high blood pressure. My at rest heart rate is 56 bpm.
70 is not old.
What kind of padding or bike seat do you have to stay on your bike for those long rides?
One of the guys in our group is turning 80 December 30th, we all will ride the 80 miles with him. There is an 81 year old woman in our group shes still going strong and can smash it on the climbs!
@@Rideurbikenkma awesome!!!
Something to look forward to. Don't smoke, drink, use illicit substances, eat right and you, too, can one day brag ;-)
Use it or lose it! Studies show the best thing one can do is keep moving. Nothing else works as well. I no longer count distance, just time. 1-3 hours each ride, 5-6 times a week. Nobody believes I'll be 70 next year :-)
In 1984 at age 27 I went out on a 3 mile run with my 60 yr uncle . I thought my cousin was joking to run with his dad. Half mile into the run he was gone and the light bulb went off . All distances of running up to marathon . All distances of triathlons up to 9 Ironmans . Went to Kona in 1995. Started Zwift 12/21/23 . 11,000 miles , over 750,000 ft of climbing, level 88 , 135 races CAT C and D . Now doing sprint Duathlons . Here in Clermont Fl. And when I ride outdoors, have two safe places to ride, state park with 10 mile loop. Half hilly and half flat. And the James Van Fleet bike trail , no cars . I have 2 friends hit and killed , so no open road riding since 2011 unless its a race with police covering the intersections . So at 67 I train not to be younger, but to keep from feeling older. And not to go fast, but to last . Fine line between fitness and health .
my group started riding 35 years ago, some have passed away, but most are still riding in their 70's and two in their 80's. amazing what the body will do if you ask it. I'm 68 and will keep it up as long as I can, staying away from mirrors helps.
Haha, mirrors help you to train areas that you should and have neglected. Never too late to do strength training.
@@CoolGrey7Man well, for me, I feel 18 till I look in a mirror.
Back home in California, I used to ride with an older gentleman who owned a bike shop and still could hurt a 32-year-old man. Now I am the older one. Living in Australia now. Still riding and it helps. Keep rolling Fellas. Good for the body and the mind. Happy new years.
@@Simonewhitesim-1music You too!!! Thanks
On the day of my 70th birthday I set out to tour the country riding south from Newak, DE to Yorktown, VA. From Yorktown I rode across the country to Astoria, OR. Then up to Anacortes, WA to ride back home to western MA. I successfully finished this tour arriving home seven months later in mid October. I averaged 58 miles per day riding a fully loaded bicycle, 60 pounds of gear at an average speed of 10mph. Five months of riding with two months of hiking, kayaking, and sightseeing. Never underestimate a seventy year old guy on a bicycle.
Incredible! What an amazing journey.
At 60, lemme just say I want to be you when I grow up 😇
I'm 72 and still ride about 3000 miles a year. Amazingly the saying "I'm not as good as I was once...but I'm as good once as I ever was" seems to apply. I can be almost as fast on the local climb (Mt Ashland or one of our great local rides up around the lakes and back which is 53 miles and 5500 ft of climbing) as I was when I first moved here 27 years ago. What I find is the recovery time has lengthened. I'm convinced this sport indeed keeps you young, in shape (also do weights 3 or 4 days a week) and engaged. I do have to admit that in winter I now ride a lot of indoor stuff with smart trainer on Zwift or Rouvy but just too cold and wet outside!
At 72 no meds. Still riding 5 or so days(120-175 miles in summer) a week. Rarely do group rides. Still having fun & mostly Zone 2 with 1 or 2 fast pedal or threshold, or VO 2 Max if body allows. Ride Smarter not Harder😊💯👍👊
I'm 77 do 200k per week in three rides one day apart at 25/26 kph average.
As a 72-year-old who averaged over 200K a week for 2024 I have achieved the opposite of LeMond's statement that It doesn't get any easier, you just go faster. Namely, it doesn't get any harder, you just go slower.
Military amputee at 77 you can find me and my riding partner on Strava😂🐸
Enjoyed watching your video! I’m 62 and still ride about 8,000 miles a year. I hope to still be riding in my 70’s. You guys give me lots of confidence and motivation! I also like riding my age on my birthday!
I am over 70 and ride with several folks that are over 70. Some of us ride ebikes at times. Most of us don't ride in cold, winter weather and a few head south for the winter. The biggest problem I have in doing group rides with older folks is that many of them are hard of hearing! 😁
LOL...being over 70 myself I've discovered that sometimes it is better to selectively be hard of hearing.
Hey! I resemble that! We traffic or have rear facing radar and/or mirrors…. We just can’t carry on a conversation, and hate when people try to talk to us:) What? Sorry? Say again?….
I’m 76 and finished the great divide mountain bike ride this last year 2024
@@ritachapman364 great job!!!
Come to Florida and you will find lots of 70+ riders in group rides. While our local group of twenty or more riders has some younger 55+ individuals we also have several 80+ riders. While the average speeds aren't the 23 - 25 mph average we acheived when we were all younger, we still manage 18- 20 mph. Most of the group gets in 5,000 miles annually but we have some over achiever's striving to ride 10,000 miles annually.
@@peterduthie1806 That’s Awesome!!!
I also watch your other videos on health and longevity. At 55 yrs old, i moved from Canada to Spain and now 70yrs old, i try to bike ~10,000km/yr, the best place where roads are very good, little traffic lights where i live and respecful car drivers. Looking to live many more years without zero pills.
I needed to see this.
Just turned 60, health is pretty good (no issues or meds), but I don't want to rest on luck of the draw. Just bought a new Trek and excited to get into riding in the spring (I live in Iowa, so the riding season has pretty much closed). To psych myself up I'm at the gym riding the stationary and lifting. I plan to do the RAGBRAI in July.
Ultimate goal? Ride Northern Tier cross-country @ 65 right after retirement.
Thanks for the inspiration!
@@xnihilo64 Cool. Nothing better than a new shiny bike to motivate you!!
Not 70 but 63 and just rode 2500 miles from Denver to LA. People told me I was « inspirational » now I understand it means « old » 😂😂😂
It's my 60th birthday today and I'm riding my mountain bike up Skyline in Corona this morning. Starting the birthday off right... I do hate being cold first thing in the morning but like you said after 30 minutes it's all good. Merry Christmas everyone.
I'm 69 and ride 3 times a week, for a total of between 150kms up to 200kms per week. Average from 26kph up to 28.5kph dependent on weather and route
A nice watch. I hope you guys appreciate the conditions you ride in! Respect from a dark wet cold Ireland.
Happy to average 8mph on a 15 mile ride 😊
I’m a youngster at 64 😂 just passed 7300 miles and 550K of elevation this year. I feel like the bike is my fountain of youth! Cheers from down here in Laguna ! ✌️
@@LagunaRider1961 that’s fantastic!!!!
Fun to ride with friends. I'm 74 and did Mt. Ventoux up to Chateau Renard last spring with some OGOB (old guys on bikes) friends. What a view! I had a rental Specialized road Creo Ebike. It was a great comfortable ride but too heavy to leg it the whole way up as it wouldn't shift into the lowest gear (set up that way by the dealer I later learned to keep the chain from falling off the ring ). We started at Villes sur Auzon, France. I legged it all the way to the town of Sault, but on the final few kilometers of ascent I had to use a few electrons. Perfect day in all other respects (44.1 mi +5151 ft / -5153 ft). On the way down was very grateful for disk brakes. Generally too cold to ride here in Pennsylvania from December until March-April. Thankfully my gym has indoor lap pools. We do some Nordic skiing when we have a chance. Keep moving.
@@davidglosser6301 that is incredible! Awesome!!!
@@cyclinginsoutherncalifornia Tons of fun. The Luberon region of Provence is a cycling paradise...especially in spring.
Never, ever underestimate old people. We had a old guy 75 years of age join our rides from South Africa. Now I am in my early 60's and my bike is geared for the Cotswolds compact 50/34 front 11/34 back (11 speed), He come on his retro Lance Armstrong bike with 52/36 front 25/12 back (10 speed). He may have suffered on the climbs, by my god he still had the speed on the flats and down hills. The only thing that slowed him up was him pulling up and saying "Wow look at that view, I have to take a photo of that."
Merry Christmas, thanks for the video it made this 67 year old cyclist feel good !
76 years old. Ride 3,500 miles per year. Average 17 mph over a non-stop 40 mile ride. Feel extremely fortunate.
That's a darn good average at 76 if solo.
68 here 9115 miles so far 😅 God is Good
72 with a pacemaker (2018) and a repaired torn quadriceps tendon (2023). OK, most of my rides are e-assist now, but I still have a couple of bikes where it's soley down to me. Never been one for great distances - about 75 miles is my max but usually it's between 20 & 30. Still touring into Europe on a tandem and planning two such trips for 2025.
I am 73. I no longer ride outside because of eye problems. I do however ride Zwift three times each week. I would like to ride outside but I enjoy knowing I won’t crash because I no longer see adequately. The only meds I take is a very low dosage for cholesterol reduction, not age related. I have 2:50 needed that for thirty years. Also something for my prostate. That is old age I’m afraid. I ran for twenty five years and I have ridden for twenty seven years. Yes, fifty three years total.. Resting heart rate of fifty eight to sixty two. I live in San Diego. I don’t recognize the roads in the video.
Awesome guys. Keep it up. I’m 65 and still riding hard.
Cycling is a great pastime, especially once we get fit enough to ride for an hour or more in a bunch. Sadly, as we get older, our bones break more easily if we get in a crash... so we do have to be mindful of that.
Its not so special in your seventies if you keep going. Do not stop.
It's me again your Saturday pace line on Santa Rosa. I'm also in my 70's and the first guy you rode with is a great friend of mine. Where is Wheeler Canyon.
So - I'm no athlete. I had my 50 year high school reunion last Summer. They have recently built some good bike paths in my home town. Prior to the trip to the reunion I suggested a bike ride on the path. No answer was received. I kind of wondered why. When I got to the reunion some of those folks were in bad shape. I may not be like the guys in the video, but I can still spin the crank and I should.
@@daniellarson3068 it’s all a sliding scale…
I'll be 73 (soon). I'm on my way back from a total hip replacement, and later, a torn psoas tendon. All likely caused by the wear and tear of racing on the velodrome until I was 70+. Keep moving! Man or woman, motion IS the fountain of youth!
I used to run. Like a lot of us got arthritis in one knee and had a replacement. Bought a $100. Bike on Craigslist a few years ago during Covid. Hadn’t ridden a bike in about 50 years ( I’m 68 now).Rode about a mile - cars made me a little nervous, but decided I needed to do something to relieve the boredom. 😊Did my age in October in Maine. Ride most days- in Florida for the winter. Too flat
here - very boring. Only medication - heartburn meds because I drink too much iced coffee. I’ll be glad to get back to Maine in the spring where I feel like I am getting a real workout.
The guy I ride with is 76 and I am 68. He smokes me when we rode. We usually ride around 40 miles at a time.
Very Inspiring. I am 78 and overweight, but I have 3 bikes. A Gravity MB, An old steel Kent RB and a 2 wheeled recumbent by Sun. I have motorized the last two with electric motors and really enjoy biking the trails here in Pennsylvania. Looking to buying a skinny tire bike like you have. The bike repair shop in Greensburg is owned by a guy probably over 70 and he uses his skinny tire bike on all the trails and often rides 40 miles.
I'm a 66 years young woman and ride around 12,000 kilometers every year on my road bike. I love it.
@@bejo-108 awesome!!!
I'm 73 and coldest ride was in 42F although in the next few days will break that record. Just got a new Specialized Diverge E5 Elite so will be riding it in the next few days when it warms up into the 30s. I'm not on any meds and been biking since 1990.
@@chrismaxny4066 awesome !!!!🙂
Envision a family vehicle: a recumbent sidecar for grandma with an e-bike motor that hauls ass.
@@sativagirl1885 Ha ha!!! Awesome!!!
As a member of a masters racing club, we have many members who continue to race in their 60's, 70's 80's, and our oldest rider is 90. There is so much going for cycling in the latter years of life, not only the fitness and mental health benefits, but the social aspect is equally as important, and some members have lost spouses. Club racing keeps them in contact with a broader circle of like-minded friends. So important!
Many of these older cyclists have been riding and racing all their lives and most of us are oblivious as to who they are and what they have achieved throughout their cycling careers. There is much we can learn from their cycling wisdom, experience and example.
@@davidkennedy4845 That’s great! We live in a retirement area and these riders are the exception not the rule around here. Thanks for commenting!
Haha! You guys are riding where i cut my teeth in cycling and running! I grew up in Santa Paula and ran and rode those canyons delivering the Daily Chronicle!! I still ride daily and when I get back there I ride them to this day. I'm 72 now and would love to ride with you guys. Mostly I ride alone now! Keep the rubber side down and your feet on the pedals!
At 71 was quite pleased with my 1600 miles approx over last 8 months - but cannot compete with others who have posted to this thread. Kudos to them.
Not So Fun fact from Netherlands - sadly cycling fatalities for over 70s have been increasing - prob due to ebikes.
@@john-r-edge that’s 1600 miles farther than most people do in a lifetime on a bike.
At 76 I still ride 70 to 80 miles every Friday at just under 15.8 ave speed with mostly 3000 feet of climbing -two days on the peleton but also swim 10,000 yards per week and three days strength mobility core and stretching -and 20 miles per week running - the older the body gets the more work it takes to attain these goals but the harder it gets the luckier I think you get in life.
Very inspiring ! Ride on ! 🚴🏼🤙🏽
Thank you!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. May you get what you wished for( new chain, etc)
62 still going strong myself
@@davelinfoot7616 awesome!!
I am as well, just turned 60 a few months ago and I am in my best shape since my Army days.
I’m a 74.(2 months away ftom75) and I’m a female. I still ride in a peloton with youngsters.
You can always tell the guys that have been riding for 30 to 40 years by their bright yellow or red jerseys. They know what it takes to survive through the decades by not being hit by a car. Still can’t understand why the millennials want to wear all black, no lights, completely invisible, and purposely try to piss off cars. New riders, If you get a chance, ride with these older guys and learn from them. They have lots of wisdom and can teach you how to survive through the years. Do whatever you can to reduce risk and let God sort the details out!
My guys do and we are all over 65 with many over 70 ..and we did 76 on one birthday . and a bunch of 70s..
73 so cal rider, did my age ride in July - Torrance to the Wedge in Newport Beach and back, all solo rides now, all my riding buddies aged out or moved. put more miles on the bike than on my car this year,
Keep moving and keep the drug companies from making bank on you.🤣
Spoiled southern californian, having a hard time with cold weather, but then seeing these septuagenarians doing winter rides in the midwest made me feel like a wuss. Getting some thick winter riding gloves made the whole difference. Winter is really a great time for riding once you conquer the cold.
@@robertsimpson8752 we complain about the weather because it’s “Southern California” cold (it’s all relative)
I’m 72 and ride 20-30 miles daily on a recumbent racing Catrike 700. No e assist. I ride my birthday mileage every year and surpassed 10,000 miles this year. I ride with a group of men and women in their 60’s and 70’s and we do it every day. We have our aches and pains but get out there. No meds . Just a lifetime of good diet, exercise,good sleep and of course good luck.
@@markfeldman6509 wow. Awesome!!
Well Done all The old Guys .I hope you have a Merry Christmas.
@@jamesherd9132 you too dude!!
I'm a Torontonian and have been riding since age 12, yes through our crappy winters, advanced into racing when I got older and now at 71 I'm hitting 9 to 12 thousand kms per year at a good clip, depending on the weather. Many say I'm in the 1% class for my age, too bad my bank account isn't . . . remember Just-Just-the-Bike!
@@CoolGrey7Man that’s fantastic. You are in the one percent of your age group. Keep it up as long as you can.
What is the name of your other you tube channel
There are some of US that have had ablations, inversions, demanded watchmen instead of dope, gave up parts of cancerous lungs, and live with AFIB. I gave up motorcycles. REFUSING the delusion of elec/motor assist "pedal bikes. @ 70 year old the knees are going away the mileage falls off every year since racing days are past. After a career in manual labor, Ironworker in heavy construction. I can't keep up with the life long office workers in my age group. But the bike goes the day after I die. Say hiya to an old guy when you pass him.
Excellent video. Inspiring
@@jamesmckinnon6333 fun guys (and girl) to ride with!
I’m 72 and ride quite a bit, made a 1200 mile trip in 2021 and trip from NC to South Dakota in 2022 with my wife. But we go slow 😂😂😂
@@theoilingchief awesome!!!
I turn 70 in August & ride in a B group weekly and gaining. Started cycling again at 60 after not having not done much of anything for over 30 years.
@@randy3907 great job!!!!
Turned 70 on Pearl Harbor Day and average about 4500 miles per year on my road bike. This headline pertains to people who are not very active.
Motivated me to ride again👍👍@65.
Would you allow recumbent bicycles in your group rides??
@@dougmaverick3287 yes
I would like to say, you were rather disparaging to those of us over 70. I’m north of 70, ride 2-300 miles a week. I live in HI, but was over in SoCal and rode with a lot of over 70’s and 80’s.
@@jayobannon5359 I was trying to be nice. In UA-camland, there’s always some that will get offended. Fortunately, the group I ride with has a great sense of humor about it.
Amazing..strong..surely many are jealous..70?? Wow..
76 here, yeah, I ride a bike some and walk some and lift light weights....some. Not to prove anything just trying to get some exercise and stay as healthy as I can for as long as I can. I picked up an old bike and put it on the bike trainer so I can peddle indoors and watch TV and youtube. Exercise, any exercise is a 1000 times better than no exercise and you can't exercise your way out of a bad diet.
77 and 4,200 miles this year had a quadruple 6 years ago. Dr said use it or lose it😱
coolishness perhaps, but that ain't winter..
Merry Christmas!
@@RoyImahara You too man!!!
I never judge in cycling. I have been dropped by a 73 year old and I'm an avid cyclist in my 40's
@@chokhou Yep. Some of them can be brutally strong.
Funny this was recommended to me-I started riding a couple months ago at 22, and still am entirely unable to keep up with people apparently approaching 70. Rather humbling.
Maybe I'll see you guys on the road! I'm from Oxnard, sometimes ride through Camarillo, but not too familiar with the routes yet.
@@tenebreonlabs We ride Saturday and Sunday starting at Starbucks on Las Posas near the freeway. Riding with a group is a good way to learn the secret areas of where to ride because a cycling community has already figured out the low-traffic and safe places to ride. Also you’ll get stronger over time.
Your second cycling life is just ahead . as soon as your mind says yes but your body says " oh hell no " you will have a good excuse to by an e-bike . i stopped riding at seventy , 79 now, because of multiple injuries and weak legs . i thought my cycling days were over until my wife bought me an e-bike.
i still have pain but i can get up any hill with ease and the fun has returned.,
old age WILL happen to us all some point some earlier some later but it WILL happen. so swallow your pride and look forward to years more of riding .
I'm 71 and I ride a Giant Fathom 29er - looking at some other comments guess you will have to eat your words
Inspiring given that I'm months away from the big 7-0!
Gee! I'm 73 and on heart medication and I ride almost every day rain or shine. I also know how to dress for cold weather.
Another 70+ rider. I do about 50-60 kilometers every day. On trips, I'll go twice that. I'll die on my bike.
Just to clarify. The guy who took the climb was also 70?
There's a group of geezers ride near me. I'm 66 and they're all older. I can barely keep up
@@peterbedford2610 amazing huh?
u gotta pay the price.. now or later.....your gonna pay....
You start cold on a ride? Think about athletes. Before their event they have on their warmups to raise the body temperature activating the muscles to function at full capacity. Maybe it is not considered the fashionable thing to do on a bike ride. Maybe the fashionista police frown on a biker riding the first 20 minutes and then the group takes a short break to put their warmup gear in a handlebar bag or a seat stem bag which spoils the aerodynamic look of bike fashion. I've been biking before a 70 year old would have been in kindergarten. When I'm out biking on a cold day (10F and no green trees with snow on the ground) I would never think about starting out cold. Life is not a race to the top of the hill. Yesterday I stopped to watch a flock of Canada geese sitting beside the trail. Stiff wind and wind chill around 20F the birds just sat with their back to the wind and paid no attention to me. Life is the ride not the destination. I still get out on self-contained tours, but today they are shorter and less often, since so many of my old group are now in the Book of Memory.
People "70" don't ride their bikes? Tell George, Frank, Paul, David and the rest of the guys who raced 70+ at CX Nets - and that was no club ride on your Pinner-nagos at 12mph.
@@isitrachelorj3953 we live near Leisure Village which is a retirement community. There are a lot of rocking chairs on the front porch. That’s more common. That’s what I was saying.
🙏⚔️🇺🇸🚴
That's aload of rubbish for starters 70 and people don't ride their bikes ..average age of a bike rider you see mid week around here is 70 +
@@SteveThompson-qt8wi not here. Most 70 year olds spend their whole days at the doctor.
I thought riding was supposed to be fun?
Ironically athletes get old faster
@@54andBored huh? These guys were pretty fast.
What?? Over 70 don't ride? I guess youare in a cave dude, classic Californian
I wouldn't bike after 60 😮
@@54andBored why not? That would mean I’d have to quit pretty soon?
Why? I started biking this year at age 66. It gives me joy. I mostly use a local 16 mile path (no cars) but occasionally the streets early morning weekends. When I'm feeling ambitious I head for the hills with my MTB. I bike alone, I'm slow and 2 hours is enough for me. I have 4 bikes I alternate riding, one is e assist and it's a Godsend on windy days, when I'm not feeling spry or I go exploring far, the motor gets me home and flattens the hills.