Limit of human potential does not necessarily equate with individual functionality.

Regarding asking why post achievements in the first place (other posters than chasm), it's sometimes hard to find peers who even understand what it was. When I get home from a bike ride for example, I might say "Hey, I knocked 15 minutes off my metric today" and I realize that all anyone actually "hears" is "Dad went for another bike ride." It would be even sillier with co-workers ... so I can see how the forum can be a good outlet for that.

No, of course not. I was merely pointing out that in cycling, the best-ever performance by a sixty year-old is only 10% worse than the best-ever at any age. Quite encouraging, in my view...

I should read more carefully then. I believe that I, or most of us, can still become the best we've ever been. The potential is surely less than it was decades ago, but those potentials then or now are much greater than we tend to realize.

Absolutely, i'm sorry if I wasn't clear. I am certainly a stronger cyclist now than at any previous time of my life, and have no doubt that I can continue to improve for some years.

And, of course, this applies to other things. On the basis of the stats, and of my family history, I have a decent chance of living another thirty years. In that context I often reflect on the fact that Professors of astrophysics (and of anything else, actually) are typically appointed in their thirties and only started taking a serious interest in their subject in their teens. Ten years is plenty of time to get very, very good at something, if one is motivated. Plenty of time yet for most of us to grow.

I put on two posts of enjoyable rides I took last month in upstate New York and went to the trouble of posting pictures. No response. I put on a thread about the weather or about telling people my age and I get 20 or 30 responses. Go figure.

One reason not to reveal one's age (at least to my mind) is that when you do it offers you a handicap; an excuse to do a little less well; to confine yourself to limits of what has been done. Who needs a handicap? It's debilitating.

Thanks, but a view and comment count shows that "achievement" threads get WAY more interest. It takes about 30+ minutes to put a ride thread together with pics, and, really, why bother? Mostly I just send the link to family.

I have no idea what this thread is about. I pay attention to threads that will help me show a bit of improvement in performance every few weeks. If a thread is about something other than this, for the most part it is irrelevant. Well, I do enjoy some of the goofy threads.

Good summary!!

I'm SO tried of this, your only 50, which is the new 30, BS, some of us 50 year olds have medical problems and we are just happy with being able to RIDE at all! Not everyone is a poster child of perfect health that rides a bicycle, hell I ride a bicycle cause with two types of odd arthritis's I don't walk fast and FORGET running!! If I think someone deserves a "atta boy", then I'll give it, why not there's LOTS of 50+ers that could ride me into the ground and leave me for dead! I just get a bit tired of hearing, Oh am 70 and I can do a Century ride in 6 hours, BIG WOOPED DO, I'm happy for you, a Century ride would take me 12+ hours but IF I do one, (the last one was 1984), then if someone want's to give me a, "atta boy", it will be appreciated. Have a most excellent day!

I have not done a comparative view and response count analysis and I don't intend to, but I read and respond to many interesting ride stories and enjoy the pictures. I post some of those myself. What you are saying may be true, but I have not noticed it.

I am not saying that folks SHOULD read my ride threads - that is their own choice. I am just saying that I think just a few do, and I am not going to post any more as it just isn't worthwhile - sort of a cost/benefit analysis.

Perhaps they like your ride threads better than mine. And, that is OK, also.

Absolutely not. Let 'em give up. More health care for the rest of us.

Nice try, but they are going to be expensive as they deteriorate and need MORE health care.

You have a excellent point, and well said. I too like to see what others are doing and what their stats are. Some people don't care about a garmin or any info it says and some live by it and its info. Some people are somewhere in-between. We are all different and like different stuff. Why is it wrong to do one thing and not another? Its not. Just different.

Pretty much what I was thinking. Thanks. Having been a scholarship college football/baseball player I totally get the feeling of competition (even if it's just with myself) and yet I enjoy the laid back pleasures of cycling as well. Different pursuits at different times and as long as I'm doing what feels good it's all good. Sometimes the numbers are important and sometimes they are irrelevant.

Thanks - nice to know, and I appreciate your post. When we had the pro cycling challenge last year, the British announcer/color guy kept going on and on that we had trains over 100 cars long. Evidently they don't have this across the pond??

Interestingly, with my non-cycling peers (church, singing group, neighbors), age is a worthwhile topic. I have several neighbors in their 60's who have started bicycling off of the example my wife and I have set.

Incidentally, I believe that my wife, at almost 75yo, is the oldest female member of this forum who bikes. I do think that kind of info is interesting and informative to others. She doesn't post much - maybe a couple of times a year, but she has been a member a long time - since 04-04-06.

And, we are headed out the door for a brief morning ride.

Yeah, both Kevin Nealon and I, that's what we're saying.