Hard to do around here where its up and no compact.

Suddenly, after a long struggle with slow recovery, something happened, don't know what. Suddenly I don't have to recover fully before hitting it again. Saturday went to the gym, worked to my limit. Sunday rode 23 miles on the tandem, Monday snowshoed 1200' of gain in 1.2 miles, just an up and back. Tuesday I took off. I'm feel OK to hit my rollers this evening, after vacuuming the house and scrubbing the kitchen floor, all before my wife got back with 2 week's groceries. She's like . . .organized! Haven't done this much in maybe 3 years? I think it's just the result of keeping after it. Finally, a result. I'm 79. but I tell folks my racing age is 80. :)

Ha! You and me both– got one-to-one gearing. By '23 on the rear,' I meant a 23 mm tire. The only downside is, the ischial tuberosities don't get more forgiving with age.

With five steel bikes in the shed (four vintage), and 65 looming right around the corner, I'm a little curious. Do you mean "a different ride feel" beyond just being carbon or aluminum?

Speaking of gearing, I recently dropped the low gear on my newest 2 x 12 road bike from 36 x 34 to 34 x 34. When I bought it not quite two years ago it was originally 36 x 30, but I swapped out the 11-30 cassette for a 12-34. I have absolutely no use for an 11T cassette sprocket anymore. I've since purchased a 1 x 12 gravel bike with an ever lower 40 x 44 low gear. I'm past wanting to stomp up hills out of the saddle.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7c75e4c73.jpeg
1959 - 2020
Handmade, small German builder was Hugo. As opposed to mass produced to spec, somewhere in the world.
Differences: frame is heavier and much stiffer in e-bike carbon. fork is stiffer, headset&stem stiffer, wheels are stiffer. 30lb bike (w pedals and 2 bottle cages) vs 22lb bike (only 1 cage, heavy Brooks saddle). Tires different but both 28mm - compliant VeloFlex on Rickert, heavier Michelin on Orbea (initially).

My ebike came from Spain and had a 20km/hr (13mph) limit on assist. So I compared them unassisted above 13mph. On flat or gently rolling hills = give me the Vintage. In big hills and mountains give me the ebike. Descending, the heavier/stiffer bike gripped corners more assuredly.

with new battery (and attached controller electronics) the USA standard now rides assisted to 20mph :eek:, the stiffer bike is appreciated and I switched to RHerse 38mm tires.

for me they are 2 different machines. My full carbon 19 lb Calfee Tetra would be the preferred high-speed bike for a flat 50 mi ride.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0b866ad61.jpeg
I keep a dozen dropbar roadies - friction thru 10 sp - ready to ride. 1 ebike. So there is a pressure (?) to ride traditional bikes. At 73, and living with big hills, the e-bike gets errand duty and the 18 mi trips to visit young grandkids where my endurance gets tested as well.

feel free to ask a specific question. :)

Ditto re 34 x 34 here too but w/ Shimano's 11-speed cassette that still has an 11T cog... which on their setup I believe, essentially serves the function of a lock nut but otherwise, it's probably a relic from the triple chain ring days when you might actually have a use for the 11T on a 5-speed free wheel with the middle or inner ring. Using 52 x 11 would probably never have been more than a downhill thing, just for sh*ts and giggles or you'd end up with condromalacia...

The only time I ever used a 52 x 11 or 53 x 11 was when I raced in the mountains and was going over 40 mph downhill. There are no mountains where I live, only gradual downhills, and I never go that fast. As to Shimano 11-speeds, they do make a Dura Ace 12 - 28 cassette, but no 12 - 34. However, I made a 12 - 34 12-speed cassette by removing the 11 tooth sprocket and adding a 16 tooth sprocket to a 11 - 34 cassette and using a larger lockring for 12 tooth sprocket instead of the original lockring for the 11 tooth sprocket. The 40 nm torque on the lockring is sufficient to keep the 12 tooth sprocket from slipping, since it does not contact the freehub splines and relies on friction between it and the next sprocket to transmit its torque to the freehub. The 11 tooth cog is not a locknut, which is a separate part. However, on Shimano 10, 11 and 12 speed cassettes, the outermost cog is keyed into the next cog to help transmit the torque. So, what I did is technically wrong, but I’ve found that in my particular case it works. This would not be advisable for a really powerful pro or large person.

~7 years of prior experience tells me – look forward to (knock on wood) ~120 rides and ~1,500 mi on the bike this year...
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c2a923ce2f.jpg

And may you be blessed with N+1s, and a thousand more miles.

Interesting. Article- e.g., 'Here’s the bottom line...

‘“You have to take a day off. You don’t get stronger unless you build up progressive resistance and then rest to recover,” Bengtson says. “If you don’t ever recover, you won’t get stronger—you’ll just get tired, which could cause you to get injured.”’

https://www.bicycling.com/training/a...-for-cyclists/

Thanks for the article. Seems like a bit more recovery time is in order at our age. Does anyone listen to podcasts by people like Peter Attia (The Drive) or Rhonda Patrick (Found My Fitness) - or others? I’ve found enough info specific to our age group to make it worth checking them out.

At 74 and dealing with the complication of an old knee injury and osteoarthritis this is my experience going on almost two years now. Thrilled to not have the down days recovering, cortisone shots, etc. However I did also give up mountain biking and sticking to the roads, some with real climbs at our summer place.

Basically gave up road rideing so I don’t have to deal with cars.

At the same time giving up MTBs I now do my 20+ miles every other day in our Airpark, not as interesting as my former routes though a nice retirement community with 5 and 6' bike lanes but I have dropped the number of cars that pass me from 100 and some days/times several 100 to 5 up to maybe 10 and the added benefit is all the neighbors wave. Massive reduction in risk feel good.

There's a MUT we ride in between MTN bike rides. Folsom to Sac. About 60 miles total. Only on weekdays though.

Here in SW Ohio, there's fantastic riding 30 minutes outside Cincinnati, in a few different areas. Smooth repaved roads, very light traffic, since the rural population is low. Interesting hills and creek valleys.
I lost my tolerance for busy roads during Covid lockdowns, when we explored farther out in the counties.

A small group is a lot safer than a solo ride, I think. We sometimes only see 1 vehicle every 5 minutes or so. Yeah!

In cold weather, Zwift has been really useful and fun. No more suffering with cold hands and feet and managing clothing layers.
An hour on Zwift, with essentially no coasting, is a nice workout. Outdoors, the rides are usually 3 hours or more.

A small group is absolutely safer. Just stick together and make it easy on the cager when he passes. We’ve been at it a very long time and never ride alone.

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Something finally clicked here (75)... recommending every 3 days (and, intermittent fasting 'til noon?)-- been struggling to get >12 mph over a 12+ mile stretch (mostly flattish out and back but recovering from a TKA revision in April) and Cateye said I hit 19.7 avg mph today... power and RPMs both came back over the last two rides seemingly out of the blue...?!

Addendum (2-27-25)
Everything after Cateye said is BS... changed battery cuz RPMs were cutting out and going intermittent and, after that...

I definitely agree small groups are safer than large groups. Especially the when the larger groups include those old runners who turned to cycling because they can't run anymore. OTOH.....the riders in any group are really critical. I love riding with my friends who once raced. They are safe. They know how to handle a bike and the situations we encounter. And, I learn something from them on every ride. When they are not available I love riding solo or with my wife. I also feel safe then.

Count me in
 

77 here and just getting back into cycling after a 25+ year break.
In cardiac rehab and the Therapist is an avid cyclist who has rekindled my interest.

I have officially joined the 65+ Club (last week).
Unfortunately, the only riding I've been doing is on the stationary bike due to the cold and snow outside....at least for another few weeks.

Bike ride today and if riding 4 years from now, may join ranks of 'SuperAgers'... another subgroup (e.g., cyclists aged 80-120)? Might be fun to have a stage in the TDF for riders over age 80 (performance drugs allowed).


https://www.bicycling.com/health-nut...or-superagers/

I’ll be joining you all in August, just getting back into riding after hanging up my wheels in 2015 when my knee replacement didn’t go well. I had a beach cruiser for a while but just didn’t like it, probably going with a comfort bike to start and then make changes as my fitness improves.

Winters Over Time to Ride
 

I for one am glad to see spring, it's been a long winter.
The only exercise I've done for the past four months is an indoor eliptical.
Last week on a 75 degree day I took the bike out rode 2 miles, and could hardly make it back. My legs were like rubber, and I couldn't catch my breath.
Oh to be young again LoL.
I guess the eliptical doesn't give near the cardeo workout that riding a bike does.
Today I'll try again a short ride.