Improving prformance in elderly.
Improving prformance in elderly.
It's become noticeable to me in recent years that I am going slower than my already dismal rate.
It became clear a few years back when I was riding 200k audaxes and was getting back not much inside the 15kph time limit.
Some organisers were not happy with this and in consequence I limited myself to 100k. I've also given up riding with my normal club group.
Looking at my speed now I'm only averaging 15kph and sometimes less.
Is there anything I can do to improve - bearing in mind my 79 years?
I was thinking of extending my rides ( usually about 30 miles) and incorporating more hills.
It became clear a few years back when I was riding 200k audaxes and was getting back not much inside the 15kph time limit.
Some organisers were not happy with this and in consequence I limited myself to 100k. I've also given up riding with my normal club group.
Looking at my speed now I'm only averaging 15kph and sometimes less.
Is there anything I can do to improve - bearing in mind my 79 years?
I was thinking of extending my rides ( usually about 30 miles) and incorporating more hills.
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
Time for investing in an e-bike. At 79 you should be pretty pleased with yourself that you are still getting out and about.
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
I think you are doing great.
Go for that ebike and stop worrying
Al
Go for that ebike and stop worrying
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
If its any help I have a cycling friend who enjoys doing offroad riding. At 72 ish he was getting despondent about keeping up with younger riding buddies, especially up the hills. Then he had a trial ride on an electric off road bike (owned by one of his buddies) and the following week cashed in a portion of his pension and get the same make and model bike for himself at a cost of £5K. I've never seen someone who looked like a kid in a sweetshop for a long time. His philosophy about spending 5k on a bike was that if he didn't he would just probably drink it anyway, and with the new bike he was enjoying his drink much more.
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
freeflow wrote:Time for investing in an e-bike. At 79 you should be pretty pleased with yourself that you are still getting out and about.
I agree an e-bike conversionto your existing bike(s) help enorously and you'll perhaps feel better after riding IMO
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
freeflow wrote:If its any help I have a cycling friend who enjoys doing offroad riding. At 72 ish he was getting despondent about keeping up with younger riding buddies, especially up the hills. Then he had a trial ride on an electric off road bike (owned by one of his buddies) and the following week cashed in a portion of his pension and get the same make and model bike for himself at a cost of £5K. I've never seen someone who looked like a kid in a sweetshop for a long time. His philosophy about spending 5k on a bike was that if he didn't he would just probably drink it anyway, and with the new bike he was enjoying his drink much more.
There's your answer
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
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- Posts: 3630
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Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
ANTONISH wrote:It's become noticeable to me in recent years that I am going slower than my already dismal rate.
It became clear a few years back when I was riding 200k audaxes and was getting back not much inside the 15kph time limit.
Some organisers were not happy with this and in consequence I limited myself to 100k. I've also given up riding with my normal club group.
Looking at my speed now I'm only averaging 15kph and sometimes less.
Is there anything I can do to improve - bearing in mind my 79 years?
I was thinking of extending my rides ( usually about 30 miles) and incorporating more hills.
My best guess is that you’re a life long cyclist whose years are catching up on him a bit. As I understand the facts you’re 79, still happy riding, usually doing 30 mile rides (out for 3 hours), happy to attempt longer rides with justified confidence of completion, averaging 10 mph. Basically I think that that is a pretty good place and that many younger people would be glad to be in it. Giving up riding with your old club might have logic to it but if you can team up with some people (old or young) of similar ability to yourself then I think that that would be a good way forward for you.
Sometimes you are better served by dwelling on what you have rather than what you would like. Accepting limitations but working with them can still lead to a lot of pleasure. Good luck and enjoy.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
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- Posts: 15215
- Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am
Re: Improving performance in elderly.
I couldnae thoyle an € - bike
Upgraded to a simple light fixie instead, to make cycling easier
I could thoyle moving to somewhere fairly flat, I did that, and accepting that one is getting a bit older and can not ride so far, so fast
Planning a 100 km ride this year, and 100 miles sometime
Upgraded to a simple light fixie instead, to make cycling easier
I could thoyle moving to somewhere fairly flat, I did that, and accepting that one is getting a bit older and can not ride so far, so fast
Planning a 100 km ride this year, and 100 miles sometime
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
Thank you all for the replies - most informative.
I suppose I have a psychological problem in that I feel if I go the e-bike route I'll never be able to go back to the unassisted bike.
That would mean I'd have to give up any audax rides - not more than 100k as it is.
al-yrpal we have had a interesting conversation about this on the touring thread - thanks for the input.
I note your suggestion of a single fixed wheel Cyril (can't bring myself to say fixie) , there are climbs in Kent that I wouldn't be able to ride on a practical single gear ratio.
3hrs at 17kph yesterday - still getting passed by everybody.
I suppose I have a psychological problem in that I feel if I go the e-bike route I'll never be able to go back to the unassisted bike.
That would mean I'd have to give up any audax rides - not more than 100k as it is.
al-yrpal we have had a interesting conversation about this on the touring thread - thanks for the input.
I note your suggestion of a single fixed wheel Cyril (can't bring myself to say fixie) , there are climbs in Kent that I wouldn't be able to ride on a practical single gear ratio.
3hrs at 17kph yesterday - still getting passed by everybody.
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
I've just had my 65th birthday and I could so easily have written this.
There are differences though, in that Im pretty sure a lot of my difficulties are in my head.
When I stopped doing Audax events, eventually I came to the conclusion that it's not the distance, it's not the speed, or even the company you've in, it's whether you're enjoying the ride.
To this end - I too will get a decent ebike when I can afford one. Until then, it's a slow plod, and an occasional walk up a hill!
There are differences though, in that Im pretty sure a lot of my difficulties are in my head.
When I stopped doing Audax events, eventually I came to the conclusion that it's not the distance, it's not the speed, or even the company you've in, it's whether you're enjoying the ride.
To this end - I too will get a decent ebike when I can afford one. Until then, it's a slow plod, and an occasional walk up a hill!
Leicester; Riding my Hetchins since 1971; Day rides on my Dawes; Going to the shops on a Decathlon Hoprider
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
I think that you need to assess your needs.
I was proud that in my late 50's I had never driven a car. However, family changes meant that a car became necessary and I now drive and own a car.
Equally, I find that touring holidays and camping are no longer possible as it takes me too long to get out of bed and to the loo (also more frequent as you get older. A B&B with ensuite is now de rigeur
I think that sometimes you need to accept that you have limitations and compensate accordingly
I was proud that in my late 50's I had never driven a car. However, family changes meant that a car became necessary and I now drive and own a car.
Equally, I find that touring holidays and camping are no longer possible as it takes me too long to get out of bed and to the loo (also more frequent as you get older. A B&B with ensuite is now de rigeur
I think that sometimes you need to accept that you have limitations and compensate accordingly
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
Cunobelin wrote: ......I think that sometimes you need to accept that you have limitations and compensate accordingly
In a nutshell.
At 67(still with the mind of a twentysomething)I'm asking myself.Where to from here?
My answer is,if I feel the need for an e-bike there'll be no hesitation and I won't worry myself about not going back to an unassisted bike because the need for e-assist will be self evident in the body's inability to live up to the mind's ambitions.
It really is that simply,the mind will have to comply with the body's limitations,which in reality it always has done it's just that mind and body were closer allied.
That isn't any kind of failure just a new chapter in light of present circumstances.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
My favourite description is that your mind is cashing cheques that your body can't meet
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
ANTONISH wrote:Thank you all for the replies - most informative.
I suppose I have a psychological problem in that I feel if I go the e-bike route I'll never be able to go back to the unassisted bike.
That would mean I'd have to give up any audax rides - not more than 100k as it is.
al-yrpal we have had a interesting conversation about this on the touring thread - thanks for the input.
I note your suggestion of a single fixed wheel Cyril (can't bring myself to say fixie) , there are climbs in Kent that I wouldn't be able to ride on a practical single gear ratio.
3hrs at 17kph yesterday - still getting passed by everybody.
I understand the fear of not being able to get back on an ordinary bike, particularly as you enjoy Audax. For me, the topography of the area that I recently moved to means that there are few routes that I can manage on an unassisted bike so I have had to practically give up on it. I keep the 3 unassisted bikes I have on the basis that I will take one with me if I am travelling to another flatter area. The thing about my Bosch powered bike is that it has 4 levels of assistance and of course one can switch assistance off. Its pretty heavy so its hard work when you do that even though you can always mitigate with the gears. I often switch it off so that I can extend my range and when it is assisting stick to the two minimum assistance levels only switching to maximum for real stinkers.
It has to be a personal decision for you. I must say that I enjoy the personal freedom the ebike gives me. I can go anywhere regardless of topography. On the flat main roads around here there are plenty of lycra clad roadies peddling along amongst the traffic. But where I go on the silent hilly back lanes you never see any other cyclists only tractors, peace and wonderful Devon vistas which to me are a real tonic in these difficult times.
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Re: Improving prformance in elderly.
Cunobelin wrote:My favourite description is that your mind is cashing cheques that your body can't meet
very true,I think I'm in overdraft
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden