Originally Posted by Iride01

Oldest son moved back to the area four years ago. He got interested in riding with dad. He was doing some dirt trail riding before that but not a lot. His 29'er bike was heavy and I could easily out do him on the road. He even did a metric century on it. However soon after that he realized he needed a real road bike.

He found a 2017 Trek Emonda ALR something with 10 speed 50/34 and 11-28 rear. Not really low enough gear for some of the hills frequented here. But it did allow him to beat dad on all straight and level and most hills. He of course can sustain max efforts longer than I can. However, long steady climbs I could still out do him. Also, he has had a knee problem since young and pulling high power a lot aggravated it. So I got him an 11-32 cassette for his bike against all his protests because he'd read that it's not what a true road biker will run. But after he used it a few times and was consistently beating dad with no knee issues, he was sold on it.

So for the next three years dad didn't win many impromptu sprints when we rode together. However I just got a new bike for my 62nd b'day that's five pounds lighter than my previous two bikes and I'm showing up my son on many climbs and able to hold a faster steady pace. He can still sustain a max effort longer, but that doesn't always get him to the top first.

Besides my lighter bike, he ate too well over the winter riding hiatus. And he's finally getting to the age where it's not so easy to lose weight anymore. Just one of many things fathers tell their sons and the sons ignore till it happens to them. Then for a few years they try to justify it as something different than the good advice dad was then telling them. <grin>

Hopefully I can tone it down a little so he doesn't get discouraged and not ride with me. It has been nice these last four years to have someone to go on long rides with.