Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,753
Bikes: 1986 KHS Fiero, 1989 Trek 950, 1990 Trek 7000, 1991 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo, 1992 Trek 1400, 1997 Cannondale CAD2 R300, 1998 Cannondale CAD2 R200, 2002 Marin San Rafael, 2006 Cannondale CAAD8 R1000, 2010 Performance Access XCL9R
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58 year old Clyde... A lot more busted up than 30 years ago. But, 30 years ago on full rigid bikes I was doing the 4' drops. Weighed 220-230 at the time, and broke a lot of things. Suspension anything was out of my affordable ranges.
Left knee replaced a bit over 11 years ago, got me back on bikes. Mostly road, but a little dirt on a 91 Fisher HooKooEKoo with a suspension fork.
Not long after that I crashed on the road bike and have 2 rods and 10 screws in my Thoracic section for my troubles (45MPH downhill beating a younger friend...). But the knee was never even scratched... Took me three years to get back on a bike.
That bike (front suspension 29er) was a gift from a kid I got involved in cycling 30 years ago, and showed up at the time I needed a boost. That was almost 7 years ago. Still was a rough road getting back to the bike and being active...
The last year that 29er has been more fun as I've lost weight. From a high of 378 to my current 240ish. I've even been on a neighborhood BMX track with a 90 rigid MTB and caught a LITTLE air. But catching air just isn't as comfortable or fun as it used to be. Even if I move to a fatbike or full suspension bike.
At my age, and now with a second knee replacement, I'm a lot more cautious than I used to be. Doesn't mean I can't stretch that envelope a little, now and again.