gallybander

I'm 57.
Work part time, just back from trekking Mount Ararat. The training for that put a lot of my cycling on hold unfortunetly, but I'm back in the saddle and planning a 200 k (I'm from Ireland !) audax early August. Climb twice a week here in Eire and try to cycle other times.

rydabent

75 here. I am one of he blessed persons that really dont have many of the "old age" problems. I have never been in a hospital or had an operation. I still have all the body parts doctors like to take out or off, and have all 32 of my teeth. I dont have to get out of bed at nite to go tinkle, which seems to annoy my friends. I do have type 2 diabetes, but pills takes care of it, and in the summer when I ride a lot my a1c is almost normal. I have a few aches and pains, but I pretty much ignore them, and do just about anything I want to.

I ride approx 30 miles every other day, and hope to continue for a long time. I ride both a recumbent bike and trike, so I dont get beat up and or suffer pain. I figure that maybe in time 10 or so years from now, I might pretty much be just riding the trike.

As I have stated many times here before, keep on doing as much as you possibly can. If you set you rust, and start that long down hill slide to you know where. Im planning on making it to my ninetys at least. Then maybe they will find me pulled off the bike path sitting there gone with a slight recumbent smile on my face.

SammyJ 

59, working 40 hours a week. My wife is disabled, so I do house work, cook meal, cut grass, and ride 11 miles 3 to 4 time a week. Just exercise I can (and do enjoy). Some day I to do long rides.

I have gas/bloating problems, but not bad enough to keep me from riding! (just go slower cause I can't breath well!)

dbg

I have to admit I feel blessed. All 4 of my kids seem well adjusted and motivated towards a productive life (3 for 3 so far on jobs straight out of college, and #4 has by far best grades and test scores of all of them). I'd like to think I did that but kids are amazingly resilient and more likely look to do things differently than their parents --so maybe my bad examples have had the best influences.

I'm mostly still healthy but am noticing it seems much harder to get in shape (exercising now for our annual bike ride across WI --75 to 100 miles a day beginning 7/25). I worry a little bit when I'm slogging up a long hill pushing max on the heart rate, but I don't want to turn into a couch potato.

jimmuller 

After reading some of the responses here I have nothing much to add!

65, feeling about as well as I ever have, still healthy, weight down to about high school level. Can ride centuries (solo, unsupported) but never done a double or even a double metric. My sweetie and I have done about 5000 miles in 4 years, including a max of 72 miles on the tandem and any number of unsupported metrics, but never a century. Riding the tandem is a lot more work! Don't jog/run like we used to but I've probably ridden 2000 miles so far this year. Been doing 200 miles a week, mostly from commuting 30 miles round trip. We do some weight work at the gym and do yoga occasionally.

Life is good. Barring accident or serious illness I hope to be doing as well 10 years from now at least. I have several dreams which likely will never happen. One is riding the full PMC, Sturbridge to P-town. Another is doing a long distance solo tour. Both would mean leaving my sweetie at home, and that won't happen.

Steve B.

59, been riding since I was 33. I'm about 120 miles short of the 80,000 mile mark, so next 2 weeks.

Other then lower back bulged disk issues (tingling/loss of feeling in both feet) I was generally doing OK, then got a blood test in late Feb. that indicated CLL - Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. This is somewhat common in us older folks and is the "good" leukemia that can typically take 15-25 years before you need treatment. Unfortunately mine is a more aggressive version (ZAP70/CD38 positive) and have seen my white cell counts jumping since Feb. Just switched doctors this past Friday, the new one is better and picked up that I do not have the genetic markers that make this form of CLL hard to treat. So the outlook as of last week is much better. Possibly treatment needed in late fall, hopefully in remission for a few years, then we'll see. The reading I'm doing, as well as the info. from the doctors says the disease is responding to new chemicals that are being rapidly introduced (and have been available for the past 18 mos.) and they are actually talking of being able to cure it in the foreseeable future. This a result of the ability to DNA sequence, according to my sister, the retired nurse.

So a wait and see. The new Doc indicated that - Yes, the white cells are crowding out the red cells, so I'm starting to notice less energy and ability to produce hard efforts on the bike. A ride a week ago that I used to be able to maintain 20-21 over a roller, had me maxed at 17 and I was pretty tired afterward. My rides have averaged 15 mph or less this year. Part of this is psychological as I just haven't been wanting to do hard efforts with my triathlon buddies, as well have been riding less. I'm hoping to do 2 day commute this week (leave car at work, ride home, ride back the next day). Will see how that goes.

Wife (aged 56) was also diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis this past spring. That's a tough diagnosis as well, as she (and I) are still working and we need her income. She's a union scenic artist, works Broadway, TV and movies, so this is a potentially career threatening disease.

We are surprising positive, very supportive of each other and are coping pretty well. Getting on the bike is what keeps me going.

ModeratedUser150120149

Well....In 1976 I was told people in my situation had 5 years to live so enjoy while you can. In 1989 after a quack cardiologist pronounced my EKG abnormal, then did an angiogram and two echocardiograms that showed completely clean arteries he said I was "one step away from dying". To me doctors are just mechanics working on the most important machine I own. Some are dumb, some are smart. Some are worth listening to and some aren't. He wasn't.

Still here and trying to make a difference.

Oh yes, years later when I learned something of the art of reading EKGs I discovered mine was OK.

Jseis 

59. Ride 2500 miles a year and STP (back to back century) annually. Plan to be a better rider next year. Have GERD (Barrett's Syndrome ), aches and pains but I ride around them. The S.O. says my body form has improved in last 5 years by "reapportionment" which is nuts because I pretty much weigh the same (197 ). Rode myself right out of heart arrhythmia .

Phloom

55 here and commuting everyday to work, about 6 miles each way. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1995. I call myself a Windows 95 diabetic, not because I crash a lot but just the timing. Ony medications for high blood pressure. I started to commute this last spring. It has made a huge difference in my blood pressure. Normal with the meds instead of 140/100. I feel better. Other than diabetes, I don't have any other serious concerns. Except for a damaged rotator cuff, my bones and joints are fine. I just attended a part with a bunch of friends from high school. I had more hair and less fat than everyone else. And my health despite having diabetes was much better.

mapeiboy

56 here . I have been in good health , exercise and eat healthy , all my life and yet my body is breaking down fast in the last few years . I retired for almost 3 years with good pension . I really don't know what is going to happened to me 10 years from now . I hope to continue to ride the bike for as long as possible .

Steve B.

Spalding Grey called it the "Bermuda Triangle of the 50's", in that if nothing major medically happened to you by then, you were home free.

So true seemingly.

SB

SlowAndSlower

76 and have had too many hospital stays to recall all of them. Bypass, ablations, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, skin cancer, diabetes type 2, and probably other stuff I don't know about. Still, I managed to do a 2,000 mile Transam segment (Virginia-Colorado) fully loaded and solo at 75. I now ride every other day 20-30 miles on a DF bike.
Interestly there always seems to be someone older and better shape than me so I don't get feel a great sense of accomplishment.

Oldoarsman

Haven't posted in a while....I'll be 55 in two months....looking forward to celebrating 35 years with my wife in 2015 (five years dating and twenty five years married). Working more than full time based on multiple management RIF's in the groups that I cover.

Started working out again about a year before my 50th and arrived at that milestone fifty pounds lighter...then my wife was found to have Hep C...she successfully completed her eleven months worth of chemo treatments and has been Hep C free since late 2010.

2011 was my year...torn meniscus in left knee successfully repaired, then something gave in my left foot and my Ortho diagnosed me with a torn right rotator cuff...two surgeries and months of P/T later, shoulder and foot were repaired. Underwent additional procedures on both feet in 2013, and both are now much better...the good news, my wife and I have continued to watch my diet and I've kept at my riding and visits to the gym, so I am running about twenty miles a week (on an elliptical and cross trainer...per my doc's...minimal impact is best) and riding my recumbent whenever I can.

We have our quarterly blood tests and are both on Synthroid and Crestor. I also take a light dose of Vyvanse to help with my demanding job. Watching out for Type II diabetes as it runs in my mother's family.

We have two disabled sons (soon to be 22 and 20) and I have got to do all I can do to stay in shape so I can carry, lift, change and bathe my wheelchair bound soon to be twenty year old with CP. 22 year old has Down Syndrome and enjoys riding his bike with me.

When I was going through the surgeries, I was not able to help my wife with my guys...very depressing and demanding for her...but looking back, we've adapted to our recent tough times and are better for it and moving forward.

There's a lot of longevity on both sides of our families (80's and 90's) so I'll expect to be posting in 30 years!

Rich Gibson 

Just turned 72 a month ago. Last July I bought a Trek FX-7.6 and put 4200 miles on it. I bought a Fuji Rubaix 1.0 six weels ago and have 800 miles on it. Reached 5000 miles this past weekend. Before the Trek it had been 43 years since I was last on a bike.

I also had my annual physical 7 July and nothing is out of norms. My triglyceride number (my toughest nut to crack) is finally below 170, first time since my thirties. I got my weight down from 220 to 180. Doctor said to stop taking Benicar, my only medication and keep up whatever I'm doing. Resting pulse is 51. Despite the normal issues of aging I'd say I'm in the best shape of my life...and i went to the Naval Academy between ages 18-22. Most encouraging news is reading in Google News today that exercise along with a good diet and mental challenges has been shown to stave off Alzheimers (three of seven of my mother's siblings died from it).

I expect to continue my daily riding (4 on, 1 off) for at least the next 10 years, possibly 15. After that, a recumbent if necessary.

Actually it isn't out of the question one day a long time from now for the police call my wife or family that they found me on the Ox road bypass lying next to my bike, dead. What a way to live one's life, being able to do the thing you love up to the very end!

Rich

Vefer

Denver, 1st of all I LOVE your posts and these questioners. PLEASE don't stop posting here!

Almost 59 and love my bikes. I love getting other folks interested in riding. Ride the bike, lose the pills, get in shape - Even if you only get a little bit better, Riding any amount is better than sitting on the couch.

+1 Going to the Dr for the annual check up is fun! They take your blood pressure and pulse, look at you funny and say "how old are you again"? then they run out of the room to get someone else to try it again.
Oh, my Dr is younger than me and he rides now too! He rides more than I do.

I better still be riding in ten years! I want to be like Denver when I grow up!
Thanks again! :-)

rdtompki

68+ here. Dropped 20 lbs since retirement; I'm sitting at a comfy 180 lbs at 6' tall. Not on any medication. Have had a few pre-cancerous skin things dealt with. Wouldn't mind a bit more cartilage in my left knee, but it doesn't interfere with my cycling. I'd like to get stronger until I hit 75 and then I'll settle for a downhill slide. Still can do hilly 100Ks, but there is some pain at the end.

I'm working part time just 'cause I can, but I must admit that my busy retirement schedule is interfering a bit with my cycling.

locolobo13 

58. Suffering some joint issues, golfers elbow (not from golf), knee issues, back issues. Taking thyroid medication. Eyesight no longer 20/20. Can't do a single pull-up anymore. None of that seems to affect my riding, yet. But I'm only doing about 50mi/wk, mostly commuting.

10yrs? 20yrs? Who knows? I hope I'm still riding, still relatively healthy, still interested.

fietsbob

My Hormones are in Remission.. now 67, still single, not dating in 10+ years doesn't Matter ..

chronic treatment is to keep my sight. (Glaucoma) VA is keeping that Up .

Biker395 

Interesting question. Health wise, so far so good. No medication yet, except an occasional IPA. The knees act up every once in a while, but not enough to stop me or slow me down. I still ride a lot. I still ski. I still backpack.

I kinda have a reputation in my family for being the crazy uncle that refuses to admit he's old and has physical limitations. My guess is that's not unusual for us 50+ subforum members.

I still dress like a beach bum ... shorts, T-shirts and flip flops. I'm just an older beach bum. Still prefer to stay at Mo6 instead of the Hilton ... Hiltons make me feel like a hillbilly. Still drive an older sub-compact. So far, my biggest struggle has been to pull away from my ludditian ways and accept and welcome new things with youthful enthusiasm instead of wisened suspicion.

But there is no denying it ... my warranty's run out. My 40 year () high school reunion was this weekend. It was a choice between attending that riding my bike in the Sierra with a bunch of good friends. I'm in pretty close contact with my good friends from high school, and the high school acquaintances I hardly remember. I chose to spend the weekend riding with friends.

I got a look at some of the pictures yesterday. Holy CRAP ... do we really look like that? Baggy skinned, overweight, bald grandfathers and grandmothers, padding around in sensible shoes with Big Lots readers hanging from their necks. And looking at those pictures, I got to thinking ... we'll all be 65+ at our next reunion and there is no doubt that many of us won't be there, or we'll be there with our conclusions in clear sight.

I have a habit of living my life as if there is no tomorrow, and that's not very smart either. Maybe I shoulda gone to the reunion after all.

In the mean time, I plan focus on following Einstein's advice:

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you have to keep moving."

I plan to keep moving and not think about it too much.

Walter S

54 years old. I've been cycling for all my adult life and a lot of the childhood. I feel better than I've ever felt, probably related to the fact that I bicycle more than ever. I work, and probably will for several years. I'm totally car free. My commute is 40 miles RT. I shop for me and my mother weekly, and haul a Croozer cargo trailer around that day. Vacations in recent years are always on the bicycle. Last fall I took three weeks and rode across North Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and visited the town where I grew up, and my family in Ms. This year I plan another fall vacation, where I'll ride the GAP and C&O Towpath. I'm really looking forward to that.

I don't have predictions of what things will be like in 10, 20, 30 years. Like they say, predictions are hard, especially about the future. But I expect to be active until I can't be. I make a practice to find older people that I can model myself after. If I meet an old person that's living a life I aspire to, I try to learn everything I can from them and then think like them. The older I get, the rarer these individuals are. Eventually I might find that I'm my only inspiration

My only prediction is that I plan to ride my bicycle home from work today!

Walter S

Yeah, me too. But I'm not afraid to admit that I'm getting older. I have limitations related to my age. And I'll have more in the future. But I think most of the world confuses problems that result from years of inactivity, poor nutrition, lack of sleep, etc. with problems that result from age. It's easy to confused the two. They both take years to become problems and they both keep getting worse over time. But they're not the same thing!

I try to go inside myself and find out what my body needs every day. Some parts need a rest. Others need a challenge. I find benefit in practicing yoga. It teaches me how to nourish my body. There's a level of activity that can make you stronger the next day, and another level that will make you weaker. The difference takes a lifetime to learn. I'm finding that I can stay strong and limber as I age. I work hard to stay that way, and it takes more work than it did when I was younger. The biggest thing I can say about aging is that you need more exercise when you get older. Unfortunately most of the world do the exact opposite of that.

FrankHudson

Current age is 60-69

So, how goes it right now (bicycling wise and otherwise)?
OK, which is how most people will answer this question. I'm in poor athletic condition and overweight, but then except for about 15 years in my 20s and 30s, I always was. Of course being in poor condition and overweight is a different experience at my age than at 16. However, bicycling doesn't require one to be an athlete. I have a young child and childcare duties, a fulltime job, and time consuming hobbies other than bicycling, so my time on the bike is limited and tends to be based around utilitarian things (shopping, breakfast runs, picking up my kid from school). I wish I lived close enough to commute in reasonable time frames.

Long trips for me are 20 miles-ish, but routine is mostly 2 to 10 mile trips. In my 20s and 30s I rode year-round in Minnesota, and last winter (which was worse than average, and average in MN is considerable!) I started riding throughout the winter again. That helps, as the long MN winter layoff makes it much harder to get going in the spring.

Without planning it, or riding the characteristic bike, I seem to be a sort of Dutch bicyclist.

And in 10 years? I tell myself every year I can ride is a blessing. If my health holds up I might be able to ride more in the upcoming decade than I did in the past 10 years.

And in 20 years? I won't push my luck with predicting that. If I can ride I hope I can. I tell my wife if my vision gets worse that we're converting the tandem that my 9 year old is stoker on now for my use as a stoker.

And in 30 years? Actuary tables say that there are few debates about proper sit bone seat fit when you in fact only bones.

Hermes

I do not like to tempt fate and do not open flat tire threads and etc. I opened this thread solely to see what Dudelsack would say. Makes sense...I am satisfied.

Yardbent

73 here
always lead an active life - athletics at Grammar School, baseball [yes - in the UK.] as a young teen, then Time Trials for many years. XC Skiing in Vancouver. Overseas life was active too, then scuba-diving back in the UK

30 years ago survived cancer thanks to a superb UK surgeon

past 20 years living a solitary celibate life on a remote farm in Scotland
no complaints - but what got me annoyed is i developed asthma - cancelling the diving, and now making it hard to cycle more than 20miles in an afternoon

BUT HERE'S THE THING......I'm still doing it. Old bones and old joints complain every day - but if i was confined indoors i would seriously end it all.

10 years .? hopefully still riding, and then drinking a fine Merlot watching the sunset

after that ... no thanks - i would appreciate if by then we could have the choice to terminate a life as we require and not when disease takes it's course

to all those who are ill, or care for those who are --- God Bless

peter_d

I'm in the 60 to 69 age bracket.
My normal ride is between 32 and 50km, at least four times a week if possible. I can still maintain a pretty steady 30kph average as long as the wind isn't too strong. Endurance is still good but I don't have the power to push hard against strong winds anymore.
The biggest difference I see is that when you're young, you start each season with the expectation that if you train hard you can improve. At my age I begin each season with the hope that if I train hard I won't be too much worse than last year.
I'm lucky in that my knees seem to be holding up ok so I plan to ride as hard as I can for as long as I can.