I’m 72, and just restarted riding last year. I got I’ll last summer and could ride until this spring.

After a winter riding the stationary bike in the gym, I didn’t have muscle pain when I started riding, but I had endurance issues for distance and speed. I’d gotten into a pattern of taking a short 5.5 mile ride every other day, weather permitting. But I wasn’t really improving. I have a younger riding buddy who pushed me to take longer rides, but it wasn’t any fun and I needed several days off to recuperate.

I’d been thinking about the issue for a while and decided to examine ebikes. But the ones that made sense were all to heavy. (Sense meaning fast enough so I felt safe when I had to ride in the street and enough range for me to grow to my goal of a 40+ mile ride I’d done in several stages stationing a car and doing the stages over several weeks.

So, my buddy and I took our longest ride of the year, a very taxing for me 10 miles, and stopped at a LBS, test rode and boig(t the newly released Specialized Vado 4 SL. It’s light, fast (peddled), and provides the amount of assist I need. Now my pattern is that 5.5 ride then after skipping a day doing a 16 mile ride that has a really good place to rest at the turn. Smoothies, snacks, park benches, beer. Vitamins for the soul. The a day off and another 5.5.

My riding buddy still works so he can’t join me on the 16, but occasionally can do the 5.5 during his lunch break (he works from home). When the weekend comes he want to do a long ride and we’ve done a 20 and a 30. The latter is my longest ride ever.

And though I’m a bit sore the next day, I can do non riding things.

I suppose spring weather helps. In the past week we’ve had temps in the 90’s, the 70’s and several days of rain. I’d rather not ride when the temperature is in the mid 90’s with high humidity. And I definitely don’t think riding in the rain is fun. So I am getting the breaks I need. The result is riding longer at higher cadence often enough to keep it going.

We’ll see where I’m at in October.