Cycling and Getting Older - Audax Training Ride
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- Опубликовано: 5 окт 2024
- One of may favourite local Pennine rides, getting ready for my second Audax. Reflecting a little on the ageing process and wondering out loud if I'm the only one!
What's your take on getting older and keeping on cycling? Drop me a comment and let me know.
Happy cycling folks!
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Getting old.. is better than the alternative! Happy cycling to you.
Thanks, Mike. That's very true!
I am now 62 and my take on fitness as we age is that it is all about maintaining what we have and paying close attention to minimize the possibility of injury. I completed LEJOG last year, road from San Diego to San Fransico on the Pacific Coastal Highway, and road to Malaysia from my house in the north of Thailand. This year I did my first 100-mile ride in over 40 years and I am getting ready to do a 200km ride next week. The point is that if you stay fit there are still plenty of adventures to be had and although I see my fittest days as behind me I am still fit enough to genuinely see my best adventures in front of me. Take care. Jay
Love your 'cycling resume', Jay. I think I'm with you on fittest days behind, best adventures ahead. Good luck in the upcoming 200!
Loved seeing the British countryside in your ride. In 1990 I was stationed in England for the second time--US Air Force. I was stationed at RAF Upwood and was big into running at that point in my life. I was part of the AC Hunts Running Club in St Ives. Would run around 60-80 miles a week. In 92 me and three others in the club decided to do LEJOG--not sure it was known by the acronym back then :-) We would do our training runs all week and then do a 100 miles bike ride once a week on Sunday. I had an old steel frame 10 speed road bike that was way too big for me. Anyway, I was 32 years old and in the best shape of my life. Was running 10k road races in 35 min, did the London Marathon in 2:44 min, and we did the LEJOG that year in 10 days. Didn't feel like it really taxed me at all. Anyway, my point is, my entire life up through my mid 40s I was a good athlete and very competitive. It took me a while to adjust my mindset from wanting to be fast, wanting to win, to wanting to be fit and to still do challenging things, but understand I'm not 30 any longer. A few years ago, at 58 I did the TransAm bike ride across the US. Two years ago I did the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Next year at 64 I'll be doing the TransAm again, 4,300 miles. I'm 63 now, feel good, try to keep in shape and have accepted that I am not as fast as I once was and I have aches and pains that I never had before 40. But, my goals now are to challenge myself. I want to be able to get on my bike at 70 and do the TransAm again, if I decide that's what I want to do. So, my advice is to accept that you will be slower, you will get injured more easily, you will have a tougher time getting down on the floor and then springing back up again, but don't stop. Keep challenging yourself. You can age, but don't let yourself get old....keep moving.
Fantastic to read this and really like that closing comment! Thanks for sharing and all the best for your 2024 TransAm! I've done a fair bit of globe trotting and lived and worked overseas for a few years but never got to the US. I know my first trip over will be with the bike (at some point, as yet unplanned) and I can't wait. How long are you giving yourself for the TransAM?
Keep going. I'm 72 and still bashing out the miles.
Yoga, weights, balance, cardio, nutrition, indoor rowing. Never stop.
Brilliant stuff, Pete. I need to add some of that other stuff into my exercising too. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
I was in mid-teens during the war years and cycle-mad with old fairly heavy machines, riding single fixed gear and only a front brake. My friend and I used to cover about 100 miles a week in winter and double in Summer when we did 70-120 mile day rides in the Yorkshire Dales and youth hostel trips. Later I turned also to cross-country running and then lots of walking with and without a dog! I am now 94 years old and frustrated with an arthritic knee and weak muscles following a spell in hospital last year. A walk round Tesco is about the limit! A physiotherapist recommended an exercise bike to help restore leg muscles, so here I am pedalling away while watching your youtube trip! After a few weeks I do about 30 minutes a day and can already feel the improvement getting up and down from a chair. Its much less boring watching cycling on youtube and one can also achieve a better rhythm!
Thanks so much for watching and sharing a bit of your own cycling experience here. Really hard to beat those long days out in the Dales and I can only imagine how much more traffic free it would have been for some of your formative rides. Keep peddling and thanks again for the comment!
I've managed somehow to reach 80. What do I think of ageing? For me I feel lucky to be still alive but hate the daily reminders that I'm not young anymore.
The idea of riding 100 miles is just not possible for me. I cycle every day, if I can, but short distances. Yesterday I managed 40 miles, the first ride that length since June. I felt OK but was pleased when I saw my house.
I've accepted I can't do what I used to but am not ready to give up yet.
Keep riding, you're still relatively young .😄
Thanks for the video
Thanks, Colin. Appreciate your comments and pretty inspiring they are too! I don't ride as much as I'd like at the moment but it's still a big part of my identity and definitely something I won't be giving up easily. Happy cycling!
Absolutely fantastic effort. I hope your rightly proud of yourself. Brilliant 👏 👏
I'm only 71, and feel good to be able to ride around 80 miles per week, usually in three or four rides. I'd ride more frequently (with cooperation of the weather), but my knees start getting cranky if I ride more than three days consecutively. Yeah, body constantly reminds me I'm old - much more than it did even ten years ago. Hope to keep riding, as it is great for both my heart and mind. Some 20 years ago I gave up on riding road bikes, as my neck and back can't handle the drop position more than an hour or so. I have a SWB recumbent, a crank forward semi--recumbent, and three mountain bikes - one a 20 year old Klein, and two recently purchased ones, a Transition full suspension and a Cannondale hardtail. I look not for speed, but for getting my heart rate up in relative comfort. Day at a time ...
Brilliant stuff, Curt. Thanks for sharing. Great collection of bikes there too!
Great video. I’m 62 and I am going to keep on until my body says no more. At least 20 to go 😊
Thanks. I'm gonna do the same, I think! Happy cycling!
I ride rail trails with a leisure bike and do lots of trail riding on my MTB, at 56 the one thing I make sure I do is wear elbow and knee pads every time I go into he woods.
I got to old for road riding at 65, I'm 77 now, I sold my road bike when I got a gravel bike, gravel is much safer here in Michigan, there are fewer vehicals on gravel, they still fly by, but there is a gap between them because the don't want a broken windshied, and that give them a better view of the bikers, we have more gravel roads then paved roads here too. I mostly ride mountain bikes, Fat bikes on trails in winter, gravel bikes year round, I've also taken up pump track riding this year, I work on MTB trails too. I'm retired the bikes keep me healthy, the Doc's say, "keep doing whatever it is your doing, you're one of very few seniors that takes no meds". Happy Trails ;) !!!
Great stuff! The US gravel network sounds amazing. Often we say gravel here in the UK but actually it's just hacking around on a gravel bike through horrible mud and/or easy mountain bike singletrack (which is its own kind of fun I suppose). I remember going to the doctors a few years back and them taking about meds within about 5 minutes - without even really asking any basic lifestyle/fitness/diet questions first - I was really shocked. Seems to be perceived wisdom that you just slip onto meds dependency as you get older. Fine of course if you need to but doesn't need to be the case for everyone. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling over there!
I always recall seeing "The old guys" cycling up and down the valley as a school kid and then into my mid twenties the same guys were still at it. I think that I am now one of them old guys, if you know what I mean. It just becomes a way of life !
I definitely know what you mean. Not a bad way of life though zipping around the hills on bikes (albeit increasingly slowly in my own case!).
I'm a young 65 yr old in biker and now an Ebiker from Burnley who now has a permanent smile on my face..😁 since upgrading. A couple of my Routes Converse at the Sharp Bend at the very Top of Backup Rd Climb. You couple go straight onwards onto the track and either go Left towards Deliverance Farm and through the yard and check out the 2 Big Dogs that look like Bears and onwards to Theiverley Pike and Crown Point Rd, or straight on through the Wind Farm and down a steep and loose stoney trail to Car Rd and turn Right to Todmorden Station, this is a good road for some speed..👍 Great Videos, Keep Up Your Cadence..
Sorry, Bacup Road..
70 next birthday and still doing those climbs you did. There is another road I use out of Bacup to Tod. it is parallel to the road you climbed. Its single track with no traffic, becomes a bit rough at the top. Todmorden old Road. It does get harder as we age, I'm much slower than I used to be and use very low gears. I need to look at my nutrition and do some strength training.
Awesome stuff, Ken! Just found Todmorden Old Road on the map (thanks for the heads up) and will check it out next time I'm up that way. I hear you on the gears - most of my bikes have a bigger cassette on the back these days and I'm glad of the easier gearing, especially with Pennines cycling. Strength training (particularly upper body and core) has been on my to-do list for ages. Just need to pull my finger out and actually do some. Happy cycling!
@@onemorecyclist By the way when I said it gets rough at the top, Its a rough gravel track but not for long.
57 in a couple of weeks, head says I'm early 20s and raving every weekend but body says nooooooo! A day at the football and a few beers knackers me now, a good night out means a day of recovery and 50 mile ride is my new 100 but I love it. It's the quality of life that counts, yeah we all slow down but that's our bodies telling us to enjoy the real stuff, not push for strava segment records etc, just enjoy the ride and yeah that's a nod towards life in general.
Keep riding. How you ride will change, but it’s all about the long run. I’m 44 and was laughing at hearing you talk. The same back stuff has happened to me as well. Thanks for the video.
Back pain is pretty next level, isn't it? I must admit the swear jar was overflowing for a few days! Agree it's about the long run. I think I'm conscious that over the next couple of years I need to fully get into the (good) habits that will help me continue this pastime I enjoy so much.
Some fine scenery on your ride. As to age I'm 65 and still do a minimum of 10,000km a year with a couple of overseas trips to the Alps/Pyrenees thrown in. I'm thankful that the full adoption of modern technology and structured exercise/rest has seen my annual overall average speed only drop marginally since turning 50 although the long continental climbs are more challenging. I'm envious..............you've got all those wonderful cycling years ahead of you so go out and enjoy them.
Thanks, Ian. Some good yearly mileage there which speaks of consistent weekly riding, very much the key I think. Appreciate the comment and happy cycling!
I'm 59 and take inspiration from the guys in my club who are still going strong into their early 70s. They can ride faster and climb better than me whilst sporting a range of false knees and hips. They've shown me what can be done, so its up to me to stay fit and healthy. I fully intend to enjoy riding through my 60s and to be as good as they are now once I'm into my 7th decade!
Definitely relate to that comment about seeing what can be done! I also find the veteran club riders (as they call themselves) pretty inspirational - and often impossible to keep up with! Feel like I need to really nail down the healthy habits to help carry me through the next 15-20 years. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
I was a keen cyclist from the age of 7 and would ride every day up the age of 15 when I left school. From the ages of 15 to 65 I didn't ride due to my work taking me overseas on a very regular basis. When I retired at the age of 65 I started to get fit by walking 10 miles in the morning and 10 miles in the evening, after a few months I developed gout in both feet. I bought a bike and found that gout wasn't an issue on a bike, I was able to cover my 2 x 10 mile walks in no time on the bike. Over the years I've increased my mileage on the bike up too around 40/50 miles a day. Now I'm in my 70's I feel fitter than I've ever been and the gout has gone. Not sure how many years I have left but I will continue to cycle for as long as I can.
Brilliant stuff and that's quite the daily mileage too! Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
I've also have done a ride starting from Deanroyd Rd in Walsden and Climbed up to Gaddings Dam onto Warland Reservoir passed Rain Stone Carved Poem onto Blackstone Edge Reservoir. When Riding Down Halifax Rd from The White House the wind was so strong blowing up the Road I struggled to get passed 30mph without peddling hard.. I enjoy seeing places I've rode.. 👍
Hi Steve. Thanks for the comments and route descriptions. I don't have an eBike but I'm a fan of all the opportunities they open up (especially the cargo bikes these days). I know Crown Point Road from a couple of rides last summer and it's lovely riding over that way - keep meaning to stop and check out the singing tree but haven't as yet. I also enjoy seeing places I know well on other videos ... they always look a bit different when someone else is filming them. Happy cycling!
i started cycling at 37 and i'm 51 now, i don't have that punch i had when i started cycling but my engine did get bigger the last few years. i even got qualified for the world championship gran fondo(in my age category) , and did the complete tour the france( 1 day before the pro's) this year. so getting older is no excuse for not setting goals. so enjoy the ride and the best is yet to come, greetings from belgium
That's impressive stuff, David. Agreed, the best is yet to come. Happy cycling over there!
One thing I have noticed for getting older, at 60 now, is the feeling of being kind of beaten up at times in the legs from running, as opposed to cycling. Part of that I'm presuming is simply that it has only been a refreshed routine for a little while now, and not for that long. I actually had to drop any real riding today over it. They way they were feeling late afternoon on a utility ride demonstrated the folly of making the proper early morning ride today.
I have been riding since 1972. These days at 76 I find that I am running a little lower gear ratio than 10 years ago, now I seem to need a 34 X 19 to climb the hills of Southern Indiana in the US.
On a single speed I am either out of the saddle climbing or spinning like mad on the flats.
I raced in the 70's and 80's but now ride solo, so it's hard to compare my fitness with others.
In 2024 I want to do my third Hotter n Hell Hundred in Wichita Falls Texas.
My problem is falling asleep on the nearly 800 miles of driving from Indiana to Texas.
Keep up the good work, you are but a child and you continue to provide inspiration to me and I’m in my early 60s. Life is a challenge for us all, we all age, know you limitations but continue to push yourself and look ahead and keep moving forwards. It’s all about what you’re getting out of it and what it does for you👍
Thanks for the wise words and couldn't agree more. Limits change but pushing them is still rewarding. Although I keep promising myself a tour where I really drop the daily mileage, not because I can't do more but to fully soak up and enjoy the experience. Happy cycling!
I was born with a mild form of spina bifida , I'm 60 next month ,touch wood I haven't had back problems since a kungfu instructor friend picked up on my poor stance & taught me some basic stretching techniques.That was over ten years ago .I try to avoid lifting my bike over fences etc .
Thanks for the comment, Kevin. When I'm consistent and do a bit of stretching in the evenings it makes a massive difference on and off the bike. Sounds like a useful intervention by your instructor friend there. Happy cycling!
Thanks for your video... I'm 48 going on 49. Unfortunately i didn't get seriously into cycling until a few years ago. It sucks that i think i missed my prime ages, but still enjoying it every day.
It's a blessing to be able to enjoy being in the saddle regardless of distance or speed.
Great job bro...keep it up! 🤙
That's very true. Thanks for the comment and here's to many more years of cycling ahead of us!
@@onemorecyclist are you on Strava? It's always fun to cheer friends along...so if you are please let me know your ID/name and I'll add you so I can see your rides 😁
That looks like a great loop. Never done it all in one ride but going to have a blast round it. Getting old isn't good but my method is refuse to listen and try getting better each day. Im currently loosing weight and feel if everything goes to plan I'll be at a great fitness level. We need to meet top for a ride buddy when you're free
Thanks, Russ. Comes in at about 34 miles from Milnrow way. You feel like you've done a ride (at least I do) but can still get on with the rest of your day afterwards. Yeah be great to meet up for a pedal at some point when the weather improves!
@@onemorecyclist are you in milnrow ? Im only in Royton. Let’s make a plan to ride soon. Maybe over Christmas as I desperately want to do the Rapha festive 500. 34 was 11 years ago for me now. I’m a lot fitter than I was at 34 though
Yep, not too far from you. I should be about before New Years (and probably in desperate need of a bike ride!) so maybe drop me a message on IG if you're doing any 500 rides outdoors? My fitness has been sliding a bit the last couple of years but I'm fancying 2024 as a bit of a 'stop the rot' year.
@@onemorecyclist I'm 55 and aiming for CTS [Chase The Sun] 205 miler next year....it's great to set goals - it gives you motivation ! Long term aim is to do the Dragon Ride probably in 2025.
There’s always going to be people who are doing better than or worse than you in terms of health/wellbeing. From the impression I get from watching you, you’re doing great. Don’t dwell and just enjoy what you can achieve.
Thanks, Paul. Not quite where I want to be health and cycling fitness wise but with all the other plates spinning (family and work etc.) I really can't complain. Happy cycling!
@@onemorecyclist I’m in the same position myself with my daughter being unwell in hospital currently. We all have plates. Some you can’t keep spinning. Besides, family comes before anything else.
That it does. Best wishes!
Old man eyebrows make us look wise like owls. Bit more pruning required on the face as we age for sure. Have members of my club cycling at 80. Some warmth and sunshine would lift your spirits.
Ditto with my local club, brilliant role models! Warmth and sunshine ... nope, you've lost me there, sorry :). Thanks for the comment and happy cycling over there!
At 51, I definitely need longer to recover than in my 30's. But I still cycle around 10 hours a week and weight train twice a week. I've been consistently weight training since I was 34, and got to my strongest when I was 45. Then a few years ago I came the the realisation that even though i was strong, my cardio fitness was very poor so I started cycling. I now have an FTP of around 300, and I'm now fitter than I ever have been though not as physically strong. Got quite a few top 10's and KOM's on Strava, beating thousands of other riders on the same segments. I have a good balance of cardio fitness and muscular strength now. Definitely not too old.
Brilliant stuff, Mark.
51, no more winter riding. I hit the gym until the end of March, weights, running machine, cyxle, then rollers at home maybe twice a week. I cannot stand riding in that!
50 years old!!!! You’re Still young !
At 60 I have just finished an 800 mile tour with 23000 meters of climbing.
Go do Camino Frances from le puy to Porto
Wow, congrats on the tour. One of the trips on my to-do list is to take a ferry to Santander and do some riding in that region. What were you doing for accommodation?
In the Audax world don't let age or appearance be misleading. There are some ageless mountain goats that seem to go on forever and are inspirational.
I’m a 65 year old woman and it gets harder but I love riding my bianchi Xr4. I just keep going
Just keep going, indeed. A nice antidote to overthinking it. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
I ride eound bacup todmorden but off rd mountain bike... sorry maybe the dark side bit love it and I'm 65.....😅 Love that ride you did 42 mph down to Todmorden ...ive not grown up yet ... lol all the best Arthur
Thanks, Arthur. Dark side .... haha, love it! It's all cycling at the end of the day (is my view). Off-road options a plenty around these parts. I'm sure at some point has been talk of a dedicated MTB centre in Calderdale. I'm pretty sure that would be a massive hit of they ever did it!
@@onemorecyclist wow not heard about that excellent if that happens 👍
Good stuff - interesting questions.
When we're considering our 'best cycling days' it's important to make the distinction between absolute sporting performance and our ability to do the rides and projects which excite us.
Personally I can't compete with any of the metrics from my racing days - no amount of smart training can bridge that gap - but 18 months after restarting I can do all the routes and rides from 20-25 years ago, albeit 10-12 % slower on average. Last week's dales hundred took 6:40 on a freezing day whereas it would've been sub-6 in 2003... but I enjoy the rides and locations every bit as much as in the fast days. Probably more so because I'm not worried about the numbers.
If we're lucky in terms of general health then we can retain the ability-to-ride well into our 70s.
My dad was riding the circuit in the video until he was 79 - he gained a second lease of climbing life when compact chainsets became readily available - but he'd avoid the Pennines at winter because of the windchill and bronchial implications
Thanks, Gordon. Appreciate the wisdom of your experience, particularly coming from a performance-focused and rich cycling background. Your rides these days are still pretty mind-blowing for us mortals, inspiring stuff! :). That distinction is spot on. I'm never bothered these days by faster riders, being overtaken etc., and don't especially pine for the fitness of my youth - I mean I wouldn't say no if it were magically offered back to me! - but I do wonder from time to time if I can stay fit and strong enough to get some of my 'bucket list' cycling projects done. Healthier living and fingers crossed (is the plan)!
I must try stretching, can't add any more mirrors to my bike.
Iv just got back ,in to cycling about a month ago.i haven't ridden since 2015 at the age of 45 .
As you can imagine my cardio is non existent so I'm puffing an blowing like a good un.only done some short rides but noticed my legs fatiqueing very quickly just on small inclines so iv yet to conquer 20 miles yet without thinking yep that was enough.i am enjoying it though and that's what it's about.im riding a Vitus zenium which wasn't expensive and probably on the heavy side compared to other bikes.im sticking with it and gradually up the distance a bit at a time .
Id like to think iv got my best rides are yet to come.
Wild eyebrows are definitely an aging thing 😅.
Great to hear this, Giles. Haven't come across anyone who ever regrets getting back into cycling. Cycling media would have you believe 20 miles is nothing but that's still a fair old way in my book, and it will get easier and easier with consistency. Couldn't agree more, enjoying the rides is what counts! Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
Cheers Martin.all the best.
A lot of what you said resonates with me. I turned 40 and literally a week later my back went putting my wallet in my bag. Sadly, not a reflection on how heavy my wallet was.
That was over five years ago. In my head I feel young and I’m sure I can keep up with those skinny 20-somethings still! I still try to get out on the bike, but with a full time job and two Primary School age girls that is difficult. Saturday club rides out - combination of commuter bike and Zwift keep my base fitness in check but hard to get motivated sometimes. I have made a point of booking a few sportives for next year so I have something to work towards. I would definitely benefit from a consistent strength and conditioning regime, but again it’s finding the time. Going back to bed with a cup of tea always seems very appealing 😂
Thanks for the comment. I hear you on the finding time front and with family the bike is not always anywhere near top priority (rightly so), but sounds like a smart move to get a few things in the diary for next year. I had a good run of about 10 years (up to 2021) when I was daily commuting and for me that was perfect as I didn't have to give exercising any thought, it was taken care of just getting to work and back. Early night and a cup of tea ... also a fan. If our younger selves could hear us now! :) Happy cycling!
Good vid and interesting thoughts. Been cycling 20 plus yrs and just hit 60. For me the desire 2 push myself hard has gone probably completely. I used 2 attack every climb now I don't want or feel need 3 hurt myself.
Enjoy not endure..
Thanks for the comment, Mark. Interesting and definitely agree with your sentiment of 'enjoy not endure'. I think I (still) have a fairly good tolerance for suffering on a bike but these days it has to be within the context of an overall enjoyable ride or tour.
@onemorecyclist absolutely yes. My need 2 punish myself 😁 on the hard sportives I did in past has completely gone!
I gave up riding outside in 2016. 5 year hiatus and now I ride EVERY day indoors (Zwift).
Never been fitter but I have no goals, am not competitive and just embrace cycling for what it is. Daily exercise.
Don't get me wrong I miss the outdoors and true gradients. I don't miss bonking 20 miles from home and limping back.
Keep it up, I'm 60 and sometimes I forget that, normally at the start of a climb when I think I'm still 25😂.
That aside why do so many cyclists wear all black? I know there are drivers out there who aren't as focused as they should be so I always wear hi-vis tops/jackets. I guess it helps me also as I have to accept that at 60 my reactions aren't as sharp as they were and it's important my errors, if made, can be seen by motorists.
I know what you mean about starting hill climbs thinking you're still 25 ... and quickly realising you're not! If I'm tempted by a decent bit of clothing and it's black I look for at least a couple of really good reflective strips but you're right it does seem a bit strange so many cyclists wear black. Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
What is that flapping around at your back. It's like pulling a parachute behind you. Great video. I know the area.
Thanks, John. I know, not very aero having your gilet flapping around. Fully zipped up for the Blackstone Edge descent though as that one was pretty chilly.
you dont look old at all. As years go, it's just that maybe you don't feel the need to compete or to be the best anymore. Cadence is also very important as you age. Even more for people with heart conditions. Even on the easiest gears, a low cadence means more strength coming from your legs, so your heart rests, so eating carbs and so on is necessary to feed your legs which use glucose as fuel. On the contrary, high cadence means that your heart rate increases while your legs rest a lot more, like when using very easy gears and certain terrains. For those with a medical condition low cadence is better even on easy gears.
What I find annoying of most road or gravel bikes nowadays is that the gears seem to be made for 20 years olds which produce 500W for hours. Got a road bike street fighter style (with flat bars featuring bar ends for comfort, as I prefer it to drop bars) and a MTB, and I initialy wanted a gravel bike to have something between the two but I recently found out about trekking bikes for long distance travelling, something along the lines of the Riverside 920 or the gorgeous Canyon Roadlie 6, and some of those are light and usually have 1X drivetrains (my fav) and have gear ratios like MTBs, something along the lines of 11-46T or 11-51T., which is much better for any terrain that the gear ratios of road bikes and most gravel bikes. Cheers!
Interesting stuff about cadence there and I know what you mean about gearing being a bit optimistic for 'normal riders', especially if you're somewhere hilly. I have GRX and an 11-40T on one of my road bikes (gravel set up at the moment) and it's definitely a 'fear no hills' bike as a result. Appreciate you following along and happy cycling!
@@onemorecyclist indeed cadence is very important, and cycling is beneficial for the cardiovascular system. Low cadence uses your legs more so your heart can rest, so in that sense it's better to grind than spinning, but yeah, it uses more glucose so you gotta keep your legs fuelled.
As for the gears, if you are on the road all the time my 34/34 (easiest gear) road bike might be okay for most people, although I live in a very hilly region with constant "legs-breaking" ups and downs, and some nasty gradients, plus it's a rural region with lots of paths, and while I got a road bike and a MTB, given that the roads are okay, a trekking bike with easy gears for long distance travelling or just having fun might be a wise choice here. A difficult one, still undecided, but gravel bikes use drop bars most of them, plus the gearing is in many cases similar to road bikes, but trekking bikes look as graceful and gorgeous as a road bike and can be like the better of both worlds, at least in my case. Cheers and happy cycling to you too
Wait till you get to seventy eight, will notice it then.
I'll keep going as long as I can. Happy cycling!
Having only started seriously cycling in middle age I agree the best cycling is ahead. What frustrates me is that when we get an injury (and we do) it takes so much longer to recover, reducing fitness and motivation.
Nice ride again, I did part of that one last week, climbing up out of Bacup, but was on the gravel bike so went over the moors to Todmorden. ruclips.net/user/shortspHfWpxoDOCM
That looked like a fun route, Jon. Spoilt for choice around these parts, aren't we? I'll occasionally potter down the valley on the towpath and do that section between Littleborough and Tod (and on to Hebden). Nice option when the legs are shot! Thanks for the comment and happy cycling!
It’s one of my favourites, having a couple of good climbs that currently challenge me, out of Bacup and out of Norden. Hebden is a goal for me at the minute.
I hope this comment is welcome on your site here but when you are experiencing the bleak Moorland, (that I love so well myself) and the thoughts you are having re ageing there could be an untapped vein of Spirituality in that...There is far more to Christianity than the vast majority of people alive today in the UK would ever credit, or even give a passing thought to.