I'm 79 and have been cycling for over 40 years. Until a couple years ago I was doing about 100 mi/wk. Lately I'm doing 12-20 mi at a TT pace about 3 days a week. But, this year has been a total loss. In March I discovered I had an Inguinal Hernia. Surgery was scheduled for May. The May surgery was postponed until June 4th. In the meantime, no cycling, no gym, nothing. Surgery went well and sometime in July I started doing short, slow rides. Also back to the gym with low weights. Then a low back issue at L5. Bad enough that I was having trouble getting in my car, a Fiesta ST. I started on a car search and went to my Chiropractor 3 X wk. Eventually, somewhere in September, my back was about normal. Started going back to the gym and prepping to ride. But, wait! A tooth problem. Hydrocodone Acetaminophen and an extraction. The extraction was quick and easy. The recovery was not as good. Went off on a motorcycle trip to upstate NY. Came home and started getting pain in another tooth. What is going on? Back to the dentist for another extraction yesterday. Not as easy or pain free. There was an abscess. My dentist won't let me do any physical activity for a week. So, here I am.

"What is going on" is that you're getting old and things are starting to break down. At 79, you're riding a bike, going to the gym, driving a FiST and riding a motorcycle - so far outside the norm, you're practically on a different planet, but nothing lasts forever. I'm 62 and recently had my first tooth extraction in maybe 50 years. Not only was it unpleasant, but it was a reminder that, no matter how well you look after yourself, at some point you start fighting a rear guard action against time.

don't complain , you got farther down the road than most .........................................................and as an almost X moto guy I would say that the fact that you survived your moto years makes you one lucky _ _ _

r.e. bold -- Here your complaints and feel for you 'cause I've had numerous teeth extractions plus *Da Boys* due to Prostate Cancer and it made my cycling a lot more enjoyable.

Like many of us in our eighth decade, you are looking for not just life saving treatment, but quality of life saving treatment.
Perhaps checking out the Fifty Plus sub forum and the sticky for us oldsters, will help with advice and sympathy.

Just to be clear.......I am not expecting that life should go on as if I'm young. But, one thing after another in rapid succession? It's a bit much. Next week I'll be back in the gym and, hopefully, on the bike. It's been a bit overwhelming.

So sorry to hear of the consecutive ailments. Probably small consolation that you've been fortunate to be able to enjoy such an active life. Fingers crossed that you'll get through the latest setbacks and start enjoying the things you love to do again - even if at a slower pace.


I'm a few years behind you at 72 years old. Any time I get out for a ride or go on a hike, I'm grateful for the health to do so since we just don't know what tomorrow will bring.


Also grateful that my teeth are in pretty good shape "for my age". got my share of fillings and just got my third crown but, not to jinx myself, no need for extractions yet.


Hang in there and wishing you well.

Still in my fifth decade. I bike, ride motorcycles, and have always loved hot hatches. I want to be like you when I grow up.

Hope you get through this rough patch and find some clean air.

Like the phoenix, you too will rise above your temporary set backs.

I would think most people would be quite envious of your abilities, present issues excepted.

I used to be a cyclist I still am, but I used to, too.


^ inspired by Mitch Hedburg

Translation for anyone else who isn't a car buff: "hot hatches" evidently refers to high-performance hatchback cars. (I'm guessing "clean air" is another car guy secret handshake, but I don't care enough to investigate.)

On topic:

There's a reasonable chance this run of bad luck is nothing but a statistical anomaly and not worth worrying about.

Like flats. When I was young and had a spate of flats on my road bike---three in a two-week period---I conjectured that dark forces might be at work.

But then I had no flats for months---same tires, same bike, same everything.

Conclusion: that's the way the world works. If those flats had occurred in an orderly pattern over time---that's what would have been weird.

The blessing for almost all living things is that we don't really know when or how our 'end' will be (except for a few who, unfortunately will know...).
The blessing of youth is the awareness of that end is almost completely pushed well below consciousness.
The blessing of age is an increased awareness and appreciation of even the smallest things and goodness around us.
Time, and with it change, seems to accelerate with age. It's difficult to keep up.
For me, I've found that being 'persistent' has always stood me in good stead.
Do what you can and in such fashion to acknowledge your spirit.
Ride On
Yuri

I am 73, 2025 will be my lowest mileage and time on a bike since 2012. This is the 4th consecutive year of being off the bikes and physically limited for periods of at least 2 months.

The worst was a bike crash last year. I am still recovering from that, due to my right shoulder being replaced 7/24/25. The arm and shoulder have good mobility now, but the shoulder is very weak. If I can get it back to 75-80%, I would be at the recovery target.

I started getting in more miles this week. I need 10 miles today to get 100 in 5 days. I am riding in slow and easy manner, most of the time. I kick up the speed for short stretches, no aggressive cornering or acceleration.

It is great to be back to 2 wheeling. I very much miss it when the layoffs happen. All my bikes have been modified to make the set up more relaxed and comfortable, no drop bars. I do still like the thrill of speed and aggressive cornering, but only occasionally, in the proper situation. I have no issues with having slowed down, or the compromises made for comfort. I still enjoy riding and maintaining my bikes.
For years, I have told others that if I attain 80 years of age, I would like to still be riding, preferabbly, with my leg power. Seven years does not seem so distant.
Keep on rolling.

may God bless. good luck. stay strong

RATS! I am a few years behind you and for sure I am realizing what my GrandPa told me as a kid...

Getting Old Is Only For The Strong!

I am in the same boat. I have come to the identity that I am no longer a Cyclist. And I am no longer a Hiker, Climber, Speleologist, and heaven forbid no jumping out of airplanes either.

My pattern is to ride at least every day but that actually come out to about 5 days a week. How far? Ha, 5 to 10 miles at best. Sometimes I get ready to ride and then don't. Whats that ship all about?

Yes, I still consider myself a cyclist. What kind of cyclist? Ok, yep, I am a poser now days, but I still ride!

My Boy's want to get me an E-Bike. I have emphatically told them,

Not Yet!

"Clean air" is not a car guy term, but it is a sailor's term.

It means sailing in the air that is not disrupted by the turbulence caused by the boats ahead of you and other obstructions. It is the easy path.

Mrs RSbob’s ID4 is a hot hatch EV - albeit a 4 door, with a sub 5 second zero to 60 and that’s not in sport mode. Probably more like 4.5 seconds. All I know is that when she is driving and takes off on the local state highway, she just about gives me whiplash. I enjoy stomping on it too. So much faster than anything I have owned.

"I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good as I'll ever be". - Toby Keith

I had a few medicals that knocked me down for a few months each time starting about 55 y.o. Just get back into it slowly, find a comfortable level, and you should be OK. The only negative is I seemed to have gained a bit of weight each time and its a bugger to lose it.

I have to admit that my Triumph Street Triple is not helping. That bike makes it all too easy to twist the throttle and be up to 90 mph in no time. But, once this tooth recovery is complete I WILL get back on my Aeroad. Slowly and consistently. As we used to say when I was playing college football, "You have to play within yourself."

I feel for you. You have about a decade and a half on me but by now I've been hit with three eye surgeries, a slipped disk (fortunately, physical therapy was enough for it, though it took a couple of months), and various smaller maladies. And that's on top of the type 1 diabetes which makes riding and maintaining a good blood glucose level challenging.

Sounds like you still are, and will be, a cyclist for a good bit to come. Hitting 75 around Christmas and counting myself very lucky. I've been blessed with excellent health (knocking on wood) in spite of a lifestyle when I was younger that could have done me in. I just hope if (or when) a major setback hits that I'll be able to handle it as well as some who have gone through them. Hang in there, sounds like you're determined to persevere. Might not be tomorrow, but no doubt you'll be riding again sooner than later!

I think your type of experience is pretty normal for your cohort. My experience at a year or 2 older than you is that taking time to recover is the key to staying active. That, and good luck....

You will be a cyclist in a week.

Tell the dentist that it's the feet that need to bite the pedals, not the teeth.

Damn. I hope things improve quickly. Good luck

My father used to say, it is no good getting old. I am now 79.
Ten years ago I had knee surgery. Not feeling well, the next day I had quadruple bypass surgery. The surgery went well and I have been feeling well. For the last month or so I have been feeling weak. I had a headache and felt dizzy. My last 20 mile bike ride really tired me out. I went to the ER. My heart checked out OK. They did a cat scan of my head and a chest X Ray. They found a granuloma in my lung. They treated me for atypical pneumonia. At my age I never know for sure if I will wake up in the morning. What frightens me the most is leaving my wife alone. Several years ago we lost our son.