Search
Notices
"The 33"-Road Bike Racing We set this forum up for our members to discuss their experiences in either pro or amateur racing, whether they are the big races, or even the small backyard races. Don't forget to update all the members with your own race results.

What age?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-11-06, 09:48 AM
  #1  
It is fantastic.
Thread Starter
 
voltman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The OC
Posts: 7,977

Bikes: 05 Specialized Allez Elite; 06 Fuji Team Pro

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
What age?

What's the oldest newcomer you've seen racing? Is it ever too late to start?
voltman is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 09:53 AM
  #2  
I'm fine.
 
Cromulent's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 2,263

Bikes: Specialized Allez Sport, IRO Rob Roy

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Me. My race age last year was 34 when I started. I'd like to race well into my fifties or sixties if possible (and if I'm lucky). So there's still a chance I might get better than blah. I'm having fun, though.
Cromulent is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 10:01 AM
  #3  
Aluminium Crusader :-)
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 10,048
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Liked 10 Times in 7 Posts
If you're talking about club level, it really doesn't matter. There was a US pro named Michael Engleman, who started his pro career at 29, after being a marathon runner his whole life prior! He retired at 40

https://www.navpro.com/news-1998/pr_034.asp
531Aussie is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 10:12 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
c4s6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 226
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I started this year at 45.
__________________
Things now are more like they have been than they ever were before.
c4s6 is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 10:19 AM
  #5  
Cat WTF
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,296
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I started last year at 34.
cat4ever is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 12:17 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Scandinavia
Posts: 141
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Not exactly same topic, but Ekimov is 40 or 41 and is on his 15th Tour de France I believe.
2 more years and he'll break Zootemelks record.
ScandiHo is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 12:29 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times in 1,417 Posts
Three years ago at 36.
caloso is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 12:39 PM
  #8  
Señor Member
 
USAZorro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hardy, VA
Posts: 17,923

Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs

Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1491 Post(s)
Liked 1,090 Times in 638 Posts
I'll start this year at 47, or next year at 48. I'll get my head handed to me, but so what?
__________________
In search of what to search for.
USAZorro is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 02:08 PM
  #9  
Dude who rides bike
 
BikeInMN's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: U S of A
Posts: 642
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I met a guy at his first race (time trial) who was 68 years old. It turns out his daughter is a one of the Trek regional pros in our area. Super nice guy.
BikeInMN is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 02:24 PM
  #10  
My Name is Nobody
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Europe
Posts: 314

Bikes: Marin, Peugeot, My Grandmother's Bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Portuguese Joaquim Agostinho became a professional at 26, won his first Tour de France stage same year (1969), came twice third in the Tour after being 36, and died aged 41 during the Tour of Algarve, wearing the yellow jersey.
adamastor is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 02:44 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Collierville, TN
Posts: 55

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I started this year at 50. Have a 6th place finish and a couple of 9ths as well as a few way down the field. Never last though!
sep999 is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 03:10 PM
  #12  
Racing iS my Training
 
Pizza Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,263

Bikes: 07 Bianchi San Jose, 08 Tarmac SL2, 05 Cervelo P3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
Pizza Man is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 03:59 PM
  #13  
Used to be a climber..
 
GuitarWizard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Santa Clarita, CA
Posts: 6,849

Bikes: 2016 Ridley Fenix SL, 2020 Trek Emonda ALR (rim brake)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Originally Posted by Pizza Man
I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
You're insane....too bad you didn't discover cycling like 15 years ago
GuitarWizard is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 10:05 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Stallionforce's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Victoria
Posts: 1,372

Bikes: 05 Norco CRR Team Carbon Dura Ace, 06 Cervelo P2C TT Dura Ace, 88 Olmo Steelie w. Campy Mirage, Cypress CX w. 105

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Pizza Man
I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
That's nuts. Congratulations. I started at 34 last year.
Stallionforce is offline  
Old 07-11-06, 10:20 PM
  #15  
Veni, Vidi, Vomiti
 
SteveE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Bend, OR
Posts: 3,583

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti, Pivot Vault, Salsa Spearfish

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
I started racing two years ago at 54. Did enough races earlier this year to become Cat 4 and have 6 top 10 finishes this year, including two 2nd place finishes. ('Course we're not talking huge field sizes here! )
SteveE is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 12:35 AM
  #16  
Now Racer Ex
 
Vinokurtov's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,709
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
46, started at 44.. Began the year as a Cat5 and am a Cat 3 now, got points in everything from Elite 4's to 35 4/5 to 45 1/5 races. Chasing Pizza Man into the twos...after that I'm field fodder. What's been interesting is that I'm at an age where I can race a bunch of different 1/2/3 races. The 35 and 45 classes a very close in speed, the easiest thing I race now is the E3 against the college kids.

The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
Vinokurtov is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 07:20 AM
  #17  
Royal Grand Exalted Pooba
 
smoke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Eight Miles High
Posts: 1,361

Bikes: Time VXR ProTeam, Look 695, Pinarello Paris Carbon, Ridley Dean, Time ZXRS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
started riding at 41, started racing last year (except for the odd TT in a duathlon) at 51
smoke is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 03:53 PM
  #18  
Gios my baby
 
hiromian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,135

Bikes: Gios 96, Mercier 72, Peugeot 74 X 2, Sears full suspension High rise banana seat, Kona 94, CCM Rambler 70s.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
45 for me. I started this summer and have had one 5th place finish. The rest in the pack and one last.(tactical error) I have raced 6 races, one a cat 1 climb on my 24 lb bike. It's fun beating the racers which are young enouph to be my kid.
hiromian is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 05:35 PM
  #19  
Racing iS my Training
 
Pizza Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,263

Bikes: 07 Bianchi San Jose, 08 Tarmac SL2, 05 Cervelo P3

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Vinokurtov
46, started at 44.. Began the year as a Cat5 and am a Cat 3 now, got points in everything from Elite 4's to 35 4/5 to 45 1/5 races. Chasing Pizza Man into the twos...after that I'm field fodder. What's been interesting is that I'm at an age where I can race a bunch of different 1/2/3 races. The 35 and 45 classes a very close in speed, the easiest thing I race now is the E3 against the college kids.

The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
Vino, you should do Cougar Mtn. this Saturday. So far there are only 12 of us entered in Cat 3, and the prizes are 10 deep. I'd say those are pretty good odds (though the field is still too small to earn any upgrade points). Even though I have the points, I'm going to do a few more races in Cat 3 before I upgrade to Cat 2 for the last few races this season. I hope to see you in a few 35+ crits later this summer.
Pizza Man is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 06:05 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
curiouskid55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SoCal Baby
Posts: 2,137

Bikes: o5 Specilized roubaix Comp, 06 Tequilo

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Started this year at 50 in cat 5 routinely getting my ass handed too me but having a blast (outside of crash mid-season, "Classic face plant Dude!"said the EMT. After brutal West LA college race youngsters consoled my sorry performance by saying " Man this is Southern California, you'd be kicking ass in cat 1 in Kansas." Doubt it seriously but was nice to hear. participating even at entrty level is just a total blast .
curiouskid55 is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 08:16 PM
  #21  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Erie, CO
Posts: 142

Bikes: 2004 Trek 1500, 200? Diamond Back Topanga

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Started this year at 34....getting my ass handed too me on a regular basis here in Cat 4 in Colorado. Hey, wait, if I keep getting my ass handed to me, you'd think it would be getting smaller so I could ride faster....
Chezhoff is offline  
Old 07-12-06, 08:58 PM
  #22  
DocRay
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
Originally Posted by voltman
Is it ever too late to start?
No.
And its never a good age to finish
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.