Gulp!
03-09-15 | 08:07 PM
#26
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,037
Likes: 12
From: Eugene, Oregon
This year I have been hammered by various viruses. It seems I would just get back on the road riding for fun instead of just errands and I'd be hit by a new one. I'm okay with that, since the source is my adorable grand-daughters who come play with me twice a week while their mom is in class, but it has meant a ridiculously long time between tandem rides (my wife has had the same viruses).
Having finally recovered from what I hope is the last of these little bugs, today found my wife and I riding a trainer and rollers in the back yard in spite of the beautiful 70F sunshine. Baby steps are the way I prefer to restart things and painful experience has taught me to not push until all the joints agree the time has come. Even then I usually wait a bit longer.
If you've got nice places to take those baby steps outside, get going. If not, you can always get some rollers or a trainer and use it to get your legs back. The nice thing about training devices is they really make you appreciate the open road.
Having finally recovered from what I hope is the last of these little bugs, today found my wife and I riding a trainer and rollers in the back yard in spite of the beautiful 70F sunshine. Baby steps are the way I prefer to restart things and painful experience has taught me to not push until all the joints agree the time has come. Even then I usually wait a bit longer.
If you've got nice places to take those baby steps outside, get going. If not, you can always get some rollers or a trainer and use it to get your legs back. The nice thing about training devices is they really make you appreciate the open road.
03-09-15 | 08:43 PM
#27
rebmeM roineS
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,230
Likes: 363
From: Metro Indy, IN
Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
This is kinda like a Zombie 55+er thread except in a good way!
Welcome back and just ride a bike.....don't overdo it.
Nothing to add to previous good advice in this thread.
Welcome back and just ride a bike.....don't overdo it.
Nothing to add to previous good advice in this thread.
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
03-09-15 | 08:51 PM
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 17,196
Likes: 761
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 1980 Masi, 1984 Mondonico, 1984 Trek 610, 1980 Woodrup Giro, 2005 Mondonico Futura Leggera ELOS, 1967 PX10E, 1971 Peugeot UO-8
^^^^ This!
Deeg! I thought you quit us and we'd never see you again. So glad you're back!
So, yeah, just ride. I've put on weight as well, and don't like it, but I ride every chance I get; it will get me more healthy and fit and then my bike clothes won't be so tight.
The answers to most of life's problems it to ride your bike.
Deeg! I thought you quit us and we'd never see you again. So glad you're back!
So, yeah, just ride. I've put on weight as well, and don't like it, but I ride every chance I get; it will get me more healthy and fit and then my bike clothes won't be so tight.
The answers to most of life's problems it to ride your bike.
Deege and Red Rider, good to see you both!
03-09-15 | 09:10 PM
#29
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 39,897
Likes: 3,865
From: New Rochelle, NY
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Is it only too much time? or simply too much on your butt?
__________________
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
Chain-L site
An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
03-09-15 | 09:29 PM
#30
Senior member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,368
Likes: 888
From: Oakville Ontario
After a number of false starts, I think I'm ready to start riding again.
I moved to Reno in September, 2013. I brought my bikes with me, of course, but never quite got around to riding. Reno is much hillier than where I'd been, and a LOT was going on in my personal life as well, so cycling took a back seat.
10 months later, I found the house I now rent (which is fabulous to me). As the weather improved, I began to get the first hints that maybe I had the cycling bug again. So I took Mrs. Jones to a shop, and had her all tuned up, lubed, tires inflated (they'd gone flat), spokes tightened, the whole bit. When I picked her up she looked as good as new.
But honestly, I haven't been biking much in several years. And now that I'm thinking of doing it again, I'll be honest - there's a new fear factor which I didn't have before. I'm 64 now, not 55 (when I started). BOTH knees hurt much of the time, not just after a ride. I've put on weight.
And yet, and yet. There she is, and she seems to still want to hang with me. I need almost all new gear - bibs, helmet, jerseys, you name it. I have some, but they've shrunk (or I got fatter).
We're having unseasonably warm weather as well. Today it's probably 70 degrees. I want to be out riding!
I'm almost like a brand new cyclist. I'm wondering if I should get a simple "comfort bike" off Craigslist first, and get my sea legs back on it, and then take to the Masi?
I feel like a damn rookie. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I'm wondering if I still have the strength, the reflexes, and the chutzpah to be out on the road again.
Shout out to all the folks who've been on this forum for a few years. It will be great to reconnect!
I moved to Reno in September, 2013. I brought my bikes with me, of course, but never quite got around to riding. Reno is much hillier than where I'd been, and a LOT was going on in my personal life as well, so cycling took a back seat.
10 months later, I found the house I now rent (which is fabulous to me). As the weather improved, I began to get the first hints that maybe I had the cycling bug again. So I took Mrs. Jones to a shop, and had her all tuned up, lubed, tires inflated (they'd gone flat), spokes tightened, the whole bit. When I picked her up she looked as good as new.
But honestly, I haven't been biking much in several years. And now that I'm thinking of doing it again, I'll be honest - there's a new fear factor which I didn't have before. I'm 64 now, not 55 (when I started). BOTH knees hurt much of the time, not just after a ride. I've put on weight.
And yet, and yet. There she is, and she seems to still want to hang with me. I need almost all new gear - bibs, helmet, jerseys, you name it. I have some, but they've shrunk (or I got fatter).
We're having unseasonably warm weather as well. Today it's probably 70 degrees. I want to be out riding!
I'm almost like a brand new cyclist. I'm wondering if I should get a simple "comfort bike" off Craigslist first, and get my sea legs back on it, and then take to the Masi?
I feel like a damn rookie. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But I'm wondering if I still have the strength, the reflexes, and the chutzpah to be out on the road again.
Shout out to all the folks who've been on this forum for a few years. It will be great to reconnect!
I can relate to the whole, life getting in the way of riding thing. I would dearly love to spend much more time riding the bikes, and my goal is to arrange that in the near future.
So meanwhile, enjoy getting back on the bike, and we look forward to reading your ride reports.
03-09-15 | 09:36 PM
#31
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 6,748
Likes: 5,369
From: Minneapolis
Bikes: 2022 Salsa Beargrease Carbon Deore 11, 2020 Salsa Warbird GRX 600, 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX disc 9.0 Di2, 2020 Catrike Eola, 2016 Masi cxgr, 2011, Felt F3 Ltd, 2010 Trek 2.1, 2009 KHS Flite 220
It's interesting to me how many of us 50+ers have to deal with long lay offs and coming back. No matter how much we love to ride, life and health can get in the way. I'm sure that younger riders have their conditioning interrupted by things, but it's that much harder for older bodies to overcome the deconditioning/conditioning cycle.
I've had to do this a lot. I'm on my way back (I hope) for the 3rd time in about 4 years. Good luck to all who are doing it - it takes patience, but it's worth it.
I've had to do this a lot. I'm on my way back (I hope) for the 3rd time in about 4 years. Good luck to all who are doing it - it takes patience, but it's worth it.
03-09-15 | 09:45 PM
#32
Galveston County Texas
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 33,335
Likes: 1,285
From: In The Wind
Bikes: 02 GTO, 2011 Magnum
Welcome back DG,
I lost a year do to a bike crash.
Give you three weeks and you will back to normal with a bike.
Spin and keep it fun.
I lost a year do to a bike crash.
Give you three weeks and you will back to normal with a bike.
Spin and keep it fun.
__________________
Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
03-10-15 | 07:54 AM
#33
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 30,225
Likes: 649
From: St Peters, Missouri
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
For me I don't know how long the lay off has been. I think that it's been 7 or 8 years. It's not that I haven't ridden at all in that much time, it just hasn't been the same. In my case, I know that it's all mental. I think that it's PTSD from when I broke my elbows. I've tried visits with a psychologist and I've definitely made some progress but I've had a couple of pretty serious setbacks too.
Deege, I hope that everything goes well for you. Please keep in touch whether the news is good or bad.
Deege, I hope that everything goes well for you. Please keep in touch whether the news is good or bad.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
03-10-15 | 08:19 AM
#34
Zip tie Karen
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,005
Likes: 1,546
From: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100
DG-
Have you thought about finding a riding group of like-minded folks? The group encouragement and, um, peer pressure might be just what you need. Dive in, the water's fine...
Have you thought about finding a riding group of like-minded folks? The group encouragement and, um, peer pressure might be just what you need. Dive in, the water's fine...
03-10-15 | 09:55 AM
#35
Thread Starter
I need more cowbell.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,182
Likes: 0
From: Reno, Nevada
Bikes: 2015 Specialized Sirrus Elite
I was pleasantly surprised to find that my new local bike store has rides throughout the week of varying intensity. On Sundays they offer an "easy" ride of 13-15 miles and I saw that group - they looked like a lot of 50 Plussers. OTOH, one of the rides is a 65 mile "intermediate" ride up a Very Long Hill (10-15 miles, at least) to Virginia City and back. I do think once I get my sea legs I'll try the Sunday rides.
__________________
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
03-10-15 | 09:56 AM
#36
Thread Starter
I need more cowbell.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,182
Likes: 0
From: Reno, Nevada
Bikes: 2015 Specialized Sirrus Elite
For me I don't know how long the lay off has been. I think that it's been 7 or 8 years. It's not that I haven't ridden at all in that much time, it just hasn't been the same. In my case, I know that it's all mental. I think that it's PTSD from when I broke my elbows. I've tried visits with a psychologist and I've definitely made some progress but I've had a couple of pretty serious setbacks too.
Deege, I hope that everything goes well for you. Please keep in touch whether the news is good or bad.
Deege, I hope that everything goes well for you. Please keep in touch whether the news is good or bad.
__________________
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
03-10-15 | 09:58 AM
#37
Thread Starter
I need more cowbell.
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 8,182
Likes: 0
From: Reno, Nevada
Bikes: 2015 Specialized Sirrus Elite
This is so wise! Thanks!
__________________
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
2015 Sirrus Elite
Proud member of the original Club Tombay
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