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What keeps you engaged to cycling as an activity?

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Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

What keeps you engaged to cycling as an activity?

Old 03-01-19, 07:55 AM
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Keeps me away from doctors! I enjoy a good ride in some new place. Be 80 in May and still can turn out a Strava PB. Training for 100 mile ride in May and plan on finishing in under 8 hours. My biggest problem in keeping at it is lack of near my age riders that are fit enough to keep up. 70ish riders are typically much faster. There is nothing better than an car free paved trail, sunshine, light winds and no need to be home at a set time. I will be riding as long as my body will let me.
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Old 03-01-19, 08:02 AM
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Inspiring post, thank you. Gives me hope I may have a couple more decades of serious riding left in the tank.

I'm 57 now, and it riding around on my road bike feels pretty much identical to how it felt in my 20's and 30's. I grudgingly admit I'm not quite as fast as I was then, but the loss of strength and endurance I've experienced has been absolutely minimal. And my limitations have much more to do with the amount of time and effort I devote to riding, than they have to do with the actual aging process.
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Old 03-01-19, 09:37 AM
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Good weather, or even the lack of it, will often create a strong desire to ride.
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Old 03-01-19, 10:23 AM
  #54  
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Momentum, mostly.
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Old 03-01-19, 10:39 AM
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At the risk of sounding pretentiously zen, cycling is what keeps engaged with cycling.

SP
OC, OR
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Old 03-01-19, 06:23 PM
  #56  
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I have always loved biking. BMX, then mtb, then road/cx and now more road/commuter/exploring. I raced cc mtb decades ago, but decades of competing in multiple sports with impact and wear/tear injuries have taken a toll. I barely made it in the club (50s), but I am limited to biking, swimming and light weights. I want to tour or bikepack with my son, but he isn't quite ready. I commute when the family schedule permits because I need and enjoy exercise and env reasons coupled with limited free time. I bike with my border collie/heeler/jack russell mix because she needs an outlet. I squeeze in a fun ride on my cyclocross rig with mixed road/trail when I can because I love being out there on a bike.

On commutes I've seen many things that would go unnoticed: a 'grow' house in a trailor park, an owl hunting past dusk, hungry coyote pups calling for mom in the open space trails, how much people throw out on the street (especially glass ), a variety of birds including bald eagles and red tails picking off prarie dogs. There are also the other regulars (dog walkers, commuters, firemen on pt runs) to exchange a node/wave too. In summation, riding allows for a unique viewpoint and way to experience things.

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Old 03-01-19, 08:43 PM
  #57  
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Cycling isn't a hobby, it's an obsession. I live in Utah and I can't ride outdoors during the Winter, but I think about it all the time. If I wasn't a cyclist, I would be on the couch getting fat. I ride with a group that trains for a 140 mile charity ride. They are great people and I have a blast riding with them. I enjoy training, I enjoy testing my body and extending myself more than I thought I could.
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Old 03-02-19, 10:24 AM
  #58  
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All the above plus I often ride alone and it gives me time to think.

Then there is the fact that my father worked like a dog all of his life on the farm. When he quit farming he retired to his easy chair and rusted out and died at 68. Im 80 and in warm weather I ride anywhere from 20 to 35 miles every other day. No doubt about it cycling keeps you young.
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Old 03-02-19, 01:09 PM
  #59  
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The studies don't seem to bear this out as clearly as I've observed, but I think you're right on the money.

I personally suspect it can increase a person's natural lifespan, though I will entertain the possibility that it actually doesn't, it only keeps a person healthier, happier, and more alert, during the course of their more or less genetically predetermined life spans. I don't know for sure, but I'm gonna do my best to find out.

IIRC, the studies mostly show that it adds maybe 4-5 years at most, on average, but I would like to think it could add 10 or 20 years to some people's lives, under the right circumstances.
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Old 03-02-19, 03:12 PM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
The studies don't seem to bear this out as clearly as I've observed, but I think you're right on the money.

........I personally suspect it can increase a person's natural lifespan, though I will entertain the possibility that it actually doesn't, it only keeps a person healthier, happier, and more alert, during the course of their more or less genetically predetermined life spans. I don't know for sure, but I'm gonna do my best to find out.

.......IIRC, the studies mostly show that it adds maybe 4-5 years at most, on average, but I would like to think it could add 10 or 20 years to some people's lives, under the right circumstances.

Not too sure about the "life extension of 10 or 20 years" but studies show that exercise and a plant based diet with no meat, dairy, sugars should give me the best shot at extending the time remaining to be one of QUALITY as I live by test results every 3 months related to my PCa (Prostate Cancer). Bicycling is my primary form of exercise since the fun aspect of swimming is reduced due to my affinity to sink and my marathoning is now very limited due to bone on bone knees.

I used to take my appropriate turns leading the paceline but that has gone by the wayside for almost 4 years now. Solitary rides like today's have become the rule rather than the exception. Began today's ride at 10:13PM last night and finishing with 133.10 miles some 12:34:59 later but 8:26:06 being my actual moving time. Have to take those breaks because the strength and stamina just don't exist and also took one to watch the launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon at 2:49AM. A caveat with today's ride is that I met up with the LBS group and hung on for dear life for 20 miles. Brought back memories of the not too distant past.

NO MATTER what it is that keeps you engaged to cycling, please don't have a breakup resulting in a divorce, not good for you or the bike.
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Old 03-02-19, 03:29 PM
  #61  
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So if you are in a terrible toxic RS, stay in it? I dunno about that, THOSE can chop years off your life and ruin your health, IMO.

Impressed by your mileage, but I'm not convinced spending THAT much time on a bike is necessarily a good thing, but YMMV. I feel like I get most of the health benefits by the end of the second hour or so, about the time I need to start eating if I wanna keep riding. So maybe it's just my laziness talking. But anyway congrats on the miles.

So how many years do you think it's possible to add to your life by diet and exercise? Can you put a number range on it? I figure it's gotta be at least 5 or so.
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Old 03-02-19, 03:46 PM
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Years ago when I was X country ski racing, I had never seen so many old people active and mentally alert in one place (many places actually). That was what convinced me that exercise is the fountain of youth.
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Old 03-02-19, 03:54 PM
  #63  
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
So if you are in a terrible toxic RS, stay in it? I dunno about that, THOSE can chop years off your life and ruin your health, IMO.


Impressed by your mileage, but I'm not convinced spending THAT much time on a bike is necessarily a good thing, but YMMV. I feel like I get most of the health benefits by the end of the second hour or so, about the time I need to start eating if I wanna keep riding. So maybe it's just my laziness talking. But anyway congrats on the miles.


So how many years do you think it's possible to add to your life by diet and exercise? Can you put a number range on it? I figure it's gotta be at least 5 or so.

If referring to my previous post-----

My biking is no longer an all out slug fest like I did training for my IRONMAN races or riding with the guys. Those rides got my resting heart rate down to 32bpm and they were FUN but slow and easy is generally the way I ride now and the distances are no big deal.

Exercise and diet might extend the time frame before metastasizing of my PCa but could also be worthless. Have had a recurrence last year and next test is 2 weeks so it's a wait and see adventure. Diagnosed in 2015 but definitely had it before. They say 5 years is no problem, 10 years could be stretching with current high tech ($$$$) drugs adding months maybe years but quality possibly minimized. I have already decided that I'm not a Quantity of Years kind of guy so keeping the QUALITY of LIFE at the max is priority one.
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Old 03-02-19, 04:22 PM
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Well, I wish you the best of luck sir, knowing that gives me a different perspective than my own. I don't blame you one bit for putting in a lot of miles, who knows, I could be in the same boat some day, and I'd probably be doing the exact same thing. The human body does some amazing things sometimes recovery-wise, I'm sure you've heard the stories, don't give up hope.
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Old 03-05-19, 07:20 PM
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I can't run anymore and I have grown to hate lifting weights. cycling provides physical and mental outlet like I haven't had in years
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Old 03-07-19, 01:26 PM
  #66  
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RE: "...What keeps you engaged …" I got on bike at age 10. Small Town USA. Freedom, that. At 68, a constant companion. But Friend-O, I have the Dark Demon inside me. The only effective thing that beats The Demon* down [in the non-pharmaceutical] is to work myself to exhaustion four times a week. Elemental. Caveman stuff. But I'm easily bored. Cycling loops through gym, pool, back-country scrambling. By far, cycling is the tops. As witness, the basement full of bikes in various stages of restoration. Yeah...steel. [* - My oldest friend.]

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Old 03-12-19, 04:58 AM
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Cycling , for me , is about building or restoring and old racer and then getting the pleasure of riding the bikes I could only dream about as a teen. I like the feeling of a 30-40 mile ride , it seems to be just enough for me. Even though I tend to ride familiar routes , I also enjoy exploring other towns when I travel in my motorhome. I get up early and take the bike off the rack and find new adventures. This is always fun and I have found some interesting places when touring around different towns. Joe
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Old 03-12-19, 10:35 AM
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For me it is because it clicks on so many different levels and contexts:

1. I have wanderlust. No better way to wander than on a bike.
2. I hate traffic. Where I live, there is no better way to avoid it.
3. I'm a social animal. Cyclists are great people.
4. I love the outdoors. When I cycle I am immersed in it.
5. I'm addicted to endorphins. Cycling is my pharmacy.
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Old 03-12-19, 05:13 PM
  #69  
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Originally Posted by FrenchFit
Momentum, mostly.
Originally Posted by rando_couche
At the risk of sounding pretentiously zen, cycling is what keeps engaged with cycling.

SP
OC, OR
Yes to both of these.

Or to put it more cynically "I've been riding so long I wouldn't have any idea how to stop."
Brent
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Old 04-02-19, 09:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Barrettscv
I'm absolutely convinced that cycling is compatible with my personality. It combines several elements that keep me engaged. It helps me avoid periods of inactivity. It takes me outdoors. It provides an element of adventure and exploration. It has a techi element. It gives me a chance to use my hands to maintain, repair and upgrade. The list goes on. Ultimately, it's about maintaining and improving my health, but it's more than that.

What keeps you engaged?
All the above, but mostly how great I feel after a nice long ride immediately after a bicycle ride and the days following. Good for the soul.
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Old 04-02-19, 09:33 AM
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People have already covered almost all the high points, but for me, a combination of riding alone and riding in groups is key. I wouldn't ride as frequently and as far without group riding. But there are times when I love the solitude of a solo ride. And every once and a while, a really long solo ride. Mixing it up, for me, is key.
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Old 04-05-19, 03:13 PM
  #72  
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The group rides here in Austin are everywhere, everyday. It's fun meeting new people and I still get such a rush out of going fast and seeing myself getting stronger. I raced for ten years and then kids, work and moving around got me off the bike for years at a time. I just turned 59, and I know I have a finite time to be competitive and ride hard alongside 26-year-olds. I don't know if that's as much motivation as it is appreciation. I'm lucky I live in a place with a vibrant cycling community and friends who got me back on the bike a couple of years ago. I plan on being 90 and riding up one of the steep grades here in town. I might keel over for good at the end of it, but damn, I'll go happy.
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Old 04-09-19, 08:32 AM
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Truthfully, I keep cycling because I gave my son my car when I retired. My wife still has a car, so we're not carless. But she is constantly on the go, so if I want to go somewhere, I either have to coordinate with her schedule or bike there. That was my plan when I retired -- I know I'm a slug and will take any excuse to avoid work of any sort. But I enjoy it when I've tricked myself into doing it. It's the energy of activation that I need to finesse.
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Old 04-09-19, 10:16 AM
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I've grown to loath the gym. Its become a place for people to gather on the treadmills with soooooo much to talk about. Thank GOD winter is finally over.
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