Cycling UK Forum

I'm 81 and cycle everyday. When younger I was competitive. Today I was passed by a youth on a rattling mountain bike. Wait for it! He was smoking a cigarette. I put on a little speed but he went away from me. Hard to come to terms with ageing!

A steam engine
I upgraded to kms not miles, can still do a hundred

If you're riding everyday and enjoying it that's great,the speed doesn't matter

Still riding at 81 i think you are bloody awesome and should be proud of your-self as i am proud of you. x

foxychick wrote:Still riding at 81 i think you are bloody awesome and should be proud of your-self as i am proud of you. x

+1

My target in life ...

Awesome is an overused word. But it applies here!

Like Cyril Haearn, I use km now. Sometimes inflation is good and I can kid myself that I am better than I actually am.

well when he gets to your age he will proably have some kind of lung issue and be over weight and barely able to walk

I'm 58. I've just bought a new bike after last one came to the end of its natural life after 25 years. If the new one lasts as long I'll still be cycling when I'm 83. I won't care how fast I'm going, I'll just be pleased to remain active

I am always reluctant to give my age but I am 3 years older than the OP. I confess to not cycling every day when at home as I have a large garden and today by the time I had finished the grass and some other chores in the veg patch I could not be bothered. Another point is that I live at the top of a steep climb and cannot face the indignity of getting off to walk. I know some fit youngsters find it a trial and one has found a route which cuts out the last steep bit. Longer but not so steep. Next week tho’ I am off to the mainland for a week where I expect to be out every day on quiet roads and good cyclepaths. There is also my new ( to me) tadpole trike which is difficult to use at home due to the high volume of traffic caused by overtourism. I have to get my recumbent legs up to strength before using it on single track roads. A catch 22 situation not being able to get enough exercise on it due to the road situation. I just plod on but can still average about 10 mph on my Brompton although I generally do not exceed 20 miles or so at any one time.

Being on this forum.

ambodach wrote:I am always reluctant to give my age but I am 3 years older than the OP. I confess to not cycling every day when at home as I have a large garden and today by the time I had finished the grass and some other chores in the veg patch I could not be bothered. Another point is that I live at the top of a steep climb and cannot face the indignity of getting off to walk. I know some fit youngsters find it a trial and one has found a route which cuts out the last steep bit. Longer but not so steep. Next week tho’ I am off to the mainland for a week where I expect to be out every day on quiet roads and good cyclepaths. There is also my new ( to me) tadpole trike which is difficult to use at home due to the high volume of traffic caused by overtourism. I have to get my recumbent legs up to strength before using it on single track roads. A catch 22 situation not being able to get enough exercise on it due to the road situation. I just plod on but can still average about 10 mph on my Brompton although I generally do not exceed 20 miles or so at any one time.

Hi Ambodach,
please just keep on plodding.
The main thing is that you want to get out and will do so when time constraints and other issues allow.
I've got several friends your age, who still ride regularly but one in particular is having trouble finding the enthusiasm to get out on his bike. Whereas he used to cycle everywhere, he now says he needs a purpose to do so, even though he's now got more time on his hands than ever.
I hope you have an enjoyable trip to the mainland. Hopefully the roads will be quieter with all these folk heading to the Islands these days.
And as for going over 20 mph, the only time I can do that is going downhill and I'm almost twenty years younger than you.

Hats off to the octogenarians here, I am hoping to join you in a very few years. I have had to get a Pedelec due to moving to an area with too many killer hills. Otherwise I just wouldnt be able to ride in the most rewarding scenic countryside. During the last month because I can only cycle for about 4 hours a week I have only covered about 200 miles but seen only a handful of other cyclists. The topography I cycle in is avoided by road Mamil types its just too tough.
Did a 250 metre hill today where even the Pedelec was struggling in the lowest gear. Because you can select the level of assistance the Pedelec gives you can still get a really decent workout. Towards the end of a long ride you can up the assistance level to supplement tired legs.
As you age theres nothing wrong with a bit of electrical help to stay on two wheels. Its fun too.

Al

al_yrpal wrote:Hats off to the octogenarians here..........
Al

Indeed,may you all keep on keeping on cycling

You've just given me some encouragement to keep on cycling. I'm 5 years younger and try to cycle everyday. Some days I don't feel like going but enjoy it when I push myself to go.
It has never been about speed or distance for me, it's getting out and seeing the countryside and getting exercise.

My signs of old age are:

Running out of breath and walking up steep hills.
Covering less miles in a day.
Not cycling in the rain or below 5 deg

bigjim wrote:Being on this forum.