# Age or Ability for over 50’s?



## Bloodaxe (22 Jun 2018)

Hi Everyone 
I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club. The only problem is when I see the fit youngsters fly by and think “I can’t keep up with them”. 
Does anyone know of a group or club to break me in or do I jump in the deep end with the high flyers?


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## I like Skol (22 Jun 2018)

You are stuck between factions unfortunately, but there should be a group to cater to your needs. Whereabouts in the country are you, might help get you some specific advice.

Years ago I used to live next door to a pensioner in his 70s. His wife was wheelchair bound but once a week he would go out without her and take his bike in the back of his car to meet up with the geriatrics mid-week cycle run. They always headed over towards Cheshire and would start/finish at a garden centre or similar so they could park and get food and drink before or after a ride that was flattish and at a pace to suit. Even they would have fast and slow groups despite all being well stricken in years! 
The one thing they did have was retirement allowed them to ride mid-week when the roads and cafes weren't over run with lycra clad whippets, I guess you don't have that luxury, hence my comment about being stuck between the retired plodders and the weekend lycra warriors. Don't worry though, there WILL be a suitable group for you, even if it is less formal than the traditional cycling club structure (forums and facebook are pretty good at bringing these smaller less focused groups of cyclists together).


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## snorri (22 Jun 2018)

Bloodaxe said:


> I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club.


It possibly depends on what sort of fitness you are wanting to achieve. I got 'back on the road' at around 50, and built up my fitness with the help of a basic cycle computer, recording my daily mileage, setting myself targets for the week/month/year. I didn't have ready access to group/club cycling and didn't worry about times or speed, just got the miles in and became fitter beyond my expectations.


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## Ian H (22 Jun 2018)

You can do it. Ignore the aches and pains (or find a decent sports physio to deal with them for you). 

Joining a club might help. Riding with others can give you a better grasp of your fitness.


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## MartinQ (22 Jun 2018)

Where are you based?


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## Dave Davenport (22 Jun 2018)

We have loads of 50 somethings in our club (I'm 56) as I suspect most 'all round' clubs do. The group I was with last week ranged from 19 to 66 and it was the 19 year old we had to slow down for, so it's more a case of going with the right club/group than age range.


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## Ticktockmy (22 Jun 2018)

Bloodaxe said:


> Hi Everyone
> I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club. The only problem is when I see the fit youngsters fly by and think “I can’t keep up with them”.
> Does anyone know of a group or club to break me in or do I jump in the deep end with the high flyers?


If you live down south maybe the Forty Plus club might suit you. http://www.fortypluscc.co.uk/ or the Rough Stuff Fellowship might also be of interest. https://www.rsf.org.uk/ a also cycling UK was CTC have local groups https://www.cyclinguk.org/.


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## buzzy-beans (22 Jun 2018)

Try doing a search on Google, that's what I did and loads of clubs within a 50 mile radius of my home came up.

I am 69 and currently unable to ride as I have some severe breathing difficulties, but when I do get back into the saddle I will be building up my strength and speed until I can comfortably keep up with some of the younger members.


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## davidphilips (22 Jun 2018)

When in comes to cycling its your physical age thats a lot more important than your chronological age, join a club and start of with the slow group and move up if you can, (some slow groups are quite fast) , good luck and welcome back to cycling.


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## SkipdiverJohn (22 Jun 2018)

You don't need to join a club or ride with others to get fitter, all you have to do is jump on a bike, any sort of bike, and turn the pedals. Apart from a couple of close friends, I avoid riding with others. I like to choose my own pace, route, and make changes to either on the fly without having to stick to a route I don't fancy, or ride slower/faster than I feel like in order to keep up with or not leave behind, someone else. One of the best things about cycling is that it can be done in a manner to entirely suit yourself, without having to compromise it to suit someone else. You don't have to have some regimented or target-based approach either. If you ride regularly, even at a fairly relaxed pace, your fitness WILL improve from whatever base level you started out at.


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## Cycleops (22 Jun 2018)

Hello and welcome to the forum.

Why join a club? Unless you're a clubby sort of person I'd suggest riding solo or with friends who have similar goals for a while. In a club you may feel pressured so build your fitness until you can comfortably do 20/30 mikes and perhaps then look for a suitable club. Or never join one!

Good luck.


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## cyberknight (22 Jun 2018)

As others have said there are plenty of 50+ riders in clubs holding their own and still beating the young un`s.The ride leader of the medium pace group i s going on 60 and he can still roll it well.
Any half decent club should have a group with a ride pace to suit you, not all clubs are about KOM hunting and aveage speeds, last week i had a ride with a new club in our area and it was a good time.


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## Phaeton (22 Jun 2018)

When I came back I joined a localish group they had green, blue, red & black rides with distances & average speeds set. You could choose which group you wanted to ride out with, go up a group if you felt you could, drop down a group if you were having a bad week, they had a rule that nobody ever got left behind, so no matter which group, there would always be somebody to come back with. I did hear though that the black group didn't always stick to it, but I would never reach those heady heights so it never worried me.


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## Phaeton (22 Jun 2018)

Dogtrousers said:


> I think we can assume that the OP _is _a "clubby sort of person" because they made a post asking for info about clubs.
> A bit like you can assume that someone posting in the "what bike" wants to to buy a bike.


bad day?


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## Sharky (22 Jun 2018)

I've been a "clubby" for most of my cycling life, sometimes dormant, sometimes active, but always there when I want to take part.

A bit intrigued by your user name - hope it has a happy origin.
Cheers


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## stuarttunstall (22 Jun 2018)

I am the same as you, started back to cycling a few weeks back, 54 in July and not been on a bike for 35 years plus.... 

I am in the process of getting myself fit and lose weight .. over the last few years I have lost 7 stone with about a stone in the last 8-9 weeks.... I used to go to the gym but stopped for about 6 months, now a member of Pure Gym and go 4 times a week, then the new bike gets used Saturday/Sunday... I am no way fit or even stable on the bike to venture busy roads but living on the Yorkshire Wolds have some quite lanes (although up and down lol) until I get better and fitter... do about 5-6 miles each day, so 10-12 extra miles exercise I could not have got...and I enjoy it!


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## Bloodaxe (22 Jun 2018)

I like Skol said:


> You are stuck between factions unfortunately, but there should be a group to cater to your needs. Whereabouts in the country are you, might help get you some specific advice.
> 
> Years ago I used to live next door to a pensioner in his 70s. His wife was wheelchair bound but once a week he would go out without her and take his bike in the back of his car to meet up with the geriatrics mid-week cycle run. They always headed over towards Cheshire and would start/finish at a garden centre or similar so they could park and get food and drink before or after a ride that was flattish and at a pace to suit. Even they would have fast and slow groups despite all being well stricken in years!
> The one thing they did have was retirement allowed them to ride mid-week when the roads and cafes weren't over run with lycra clad whippets, I guess you don't have that luxury, hence my comment about being stuck between the retired plodders and the weekend lycra warriors. Don't worry though, there WILL be a suitable group for you, even if it is less formal than the traditional cycling club structure (forums and facebook are pretty good at bringing these smaller less focused groups of cyclists together).


Thanks for the advice
I am in Rayleigh in Essex.


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## Bloodaxe (22 Jun 2018)

snorri said:


> It possibly depends on what sort of fitness you are wanting to achieve. I got 'back on the road' at around 50, and built up my fitness with the help of a basic cycle computer, recording my daily mileage, setting myself targets for the week/month/year. I didn't have ready access to group/club cycling and didn't worry about times or speed, just got the miles in and became fitter beyond my expectations.


Thanks Snorri


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## Bloodaxe (22 Jun 2018)

MartinQ said:


> Where are you based?


Hi Martin
Rayleigh in Essex


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## Pat "5mph" (22 Jun 2018)

Hi @Bloodaxe,  to CC!
I suggest don't pick your club only by the average age of members: some groups/clubs, like my local CTC one, average 70 years of age but keep a fast pace.


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## I like Skol (22 Jun 2018)

Pat "5mph" said:


> Hi @Bloodaxe,  to CC!
> I suggest don't pick your club only by the average age of members: some groups/clubs, like my local CTC one, average 70 years of age but keep a fast pace.


Try before you buy


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## DRM (23 Jun 2018)

I started riding again seriously at 49, was overweight, slow and could only do about 5 miles, however the weight started to drop off, 5 miles became 7, then 10, than 12 etc, I know now that I can go out and knock 50 miles out, just ride regularly & keep upping the distance and the fitness will increase, I would also worry about keeping up if I joined a club but surprised myself on holiday last year when I caught a French club run up one Sunday & found I could keep up as when they found out I was a visitor I got an invite to join them for a while, so just ride your bike regularly, push yourself a little as your fitness increases, find a club & enjoy the ride.


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## alicat (23 Jun 2018)

Try these guys if near enough.

My Cycling UK member group (used to be the CTC or Cyclists' Touring Club in the good old days) is very welcoming to returners and beginners and has some rides at very sedate speeds.


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## DRM (24 Jun 2018)

DRM said:


> I started riding again seriously at 49, was overweight, slow and could only do about 5 miles, however the weight started to drop off, 5 miles became 7, then 10, than 12 etc, I know now that I can go out and knock 50 miles out, just ride regularly & keep upping the distance and the fitness will increase, I would also worry about keeping up if I joined a club but surprised myself on holiday last year when I caught a French club run up one Sunday & found I could keep up as when they found out I was a visitor I got an invite to join them for a while, so just ride your bike regularly, push yourself a little as your fitness increases, find a club & enjoy the ride.


I would also add to this, if you need to rest part way up a hill,do it, you will find as time goes on you’ll get further up the hill, until one day you just keep going, learn how to intuitively change your bikes gears and use all of them as required, most importantly enjoy the ride & see how much more you notice around you when out on two wheels


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## Phaeton (24 Jun 2018)

DRM said:


> if you need to rest part way up a hill,do it,


Also there is no shame in walking, never mind what others say, if you need to you need to.


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## SkipdiverJohn (24 Jun 2018)

Phaeton said:


> Also there is no shame in walking, never mind what others say, if you need to you need to.



It's also a good injury avoidance strategy. Don't kill yourself and pull a muscle and then be unable to ride at all until it repairs itself. I've walked up the worst bits of several steep gradients, especially recently as I'm not as fit as I was 30 years ago! It gives your leg muscles some respite and allows you to get your breath back. By the time you're over the lumpy bit, you've recovered enough to be able to carry on at a decent pace, rather than struggling to the top of a gradient and ending up completely knackered and with your legs full of lactic acid. Trying to ride when getting off and walking for a bit instead would be more sensible, is plain dumb behaviour.


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## pangolin444 (26 Jun 2018)

Bloodaxe said:


> Hi Everyone
> I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club. The only problem is when I see the fit youngsters fly by and think “I can’t keep up with them”.
> Does anyone know of a group or club to break me in or do I jump in the deep end with the high flyers?


You're doing better than me! As a new member I haven't even found where to post an introduction! I thought "beginners" might be it ;-)


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## Heltor Chasca (26 Jun 2018)

I wish I had avoided Audax all together. The over 50s are all faster than the youngsters.


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## Freelanderuk (26 Jun 2018)

pangolin444 said:


> You're doing better than me! As a new member I haven't even found where to post an introduction! I thought "beginners" might be it ;-)


Try here

https://www.cyclechat.net/forums/new-member-introductions.14/


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## Alan O (29 Jun 2018)

Let's Ride does a lot of local guided and social rides, at various (usually slow) paces, and I regularly go on their longer rides. No membership or anything like that needed.

Cycling UK/CTC have various regional-specific groups too, and their rides tend to be a little longer/faster (in my area at least). You can go on up to 3 rides before you have to join (Merseyside group - don't know if they're all the same).

They vary around the country, but both might be worth checking out.


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## gbb (30 Jun 2018)

Bloodaxe said:


> Hi Everyone
> I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club. The only problem is when I see the fit youngsters fly by and think “I can’t keep up with them”.
> Does anyone know of a group or club to break me in or do I jump in the deep end with the high flyers?


A lot depends on whether you were a fit type before, cycled before, smoker etc etc .
I'm 60 and I've given up trying to keep up with younger guys...its pointless anyway because you don't know what level they're capable of. When I was at my fittest, once in a while guys pass you with ease and you think 'fer Chrissakes ' .
Be the fittest you can be, don't aim to take on the world ..yet 
You can easily be the fittest 55 year old in your circle of friends or colleagues once you get some miles on the bike.
I'd find out what kind of average speed I'm achieving then approach a club and fit in the most appropriate group .


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## Bobby Mhor (30 Jun 2018)

I came back to the bike after a 40 odd year break
Five years later?
in weeks, I reach pension age..

I'm out every day I can on my hybrid, in all weathers..
I cycle by myself as I can turn down this lane, this track, go off road and not having to 'do' what everyone else wants...

I'm not fast, I get passed by all ages BUT I'm happy, I enjoy every minute even the steeper parts...

Get out there and enjoy, never mind about speed, distance etc...
Just be yourself


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## SkipdiverJohn (30 Jun 2018)

gbb said:


> A lot depends on whether you were a fit type before, cycled before, smoker etc etc .
> I'm 60 and I've given up trying to keep up with younger guys...its pointless anyway because you don't know what level they're capable of..



It's all relative isn't it?. There are a hell of a lot of seriously lardy people out there and the general level of fitness and lack of activity in the UK is pretty appalling, TBH. When I started riding again last year after doing hardly any cycling for years, I considered my fitness level to be mediocre - and compared to some of you who take training far more seriously than I do, it probably still is. However, compared to some people I know (some a lot younger than me), who couldn't climb a few flights of stairs without going red in the face, let alone riding 25-30 miles, my fitness has improved to the point where it isn't too bad after all. I'm not at all convinced that youngsters are automatically fitter and faster either, as a lot do sedentary jobs and live inactive lifestyles. I've never been a "sporty" person, but I have always done physical work and tend to walk a lot so I've been pleasantly surprised how my mileage before fatigue has crept up and losing a few pounds in weight is a bonus. Still got some way to go but it's going in the right direction. The best bit it's enjoyable riding - and not boring like I would find doing running.


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## Ian H (30 Jun 2018)

I may be an OAP, but I still have to route-check my 600k event this coming week.


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## Ajax Bay (3 Jul 2018)

Ian H said:


> I may be an OAP, but I still have to route-check my 600k event this coming week.


https://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-422/
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27585441
On fixed, I assume.
Well make sure you take a young acolyte with you, to look after you. Some of those A roads are pretty scary for old blokes (and pretty scary for young ones, too). Make sure you pack your Senior Railcard.
Oh, and good luck. Looks like you'll benefit from a head wind both ways.


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## Ian H (3 Jul 2018)

Ajax Bay said:


> On fixed, I assume.
> Well make sure you take a young acolyte with you, to look after you. Some of those A roads are pretty scary for old blokes (and pretty scary for young ones, too). Make sure you pack your Senior Railcard.
> Oh, and good luck. Looks like you'll benefit from a head wind both ways.



I've ridden once or twice on fixed, but not this time. I shall have a Cornish windbreak with me.


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## Edgy Dee (3 Jul 2018)

There is hope for us older guys (60 last Saturday). For decades I used to walk up the hills and freewheel down them. Then I joined Strava! Now I still can't quite compete with the serious boys, but I beat the weekend warriors easily. The secret? Daily commute - it's the most brutal, dog-eat-dog bike competition out there! (That guy in the Armani suit is eating your top ten place!) And it gets you fit and fast for the weekend sportive. But I get the inbetweenie thing. The serious group rides my way average 21mph plus (in hilly country) - still just a bit too hot for me. But the leisure group goes at 14mph - not sure I have a gear low enough now . CTC/cyclingUK organise a mixed programme so +1 for them if you're looking for non-competitive group. Another option is to find a buddy who shares your pace - you can train and improve together.


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## Racing roadkill (4 Jul 2018)

Are you trying to cycle more as a sport, or more as a pastime? If you want to do it more as a sport, find a ‘sporting’ cycle club in your locale, if you want to do it more as a pastime, join a CTC ( cycling UK) or British Cycling ‘Let’s ride’ group. Try not to set your sights / expectations impossibly high ( ‘taking on’ a bunch of cat1 racers, in their 20s or 30s) for example, as you’ll get your behind handed to you repeatedly, which would almost certainly demotivate you, which would lead to most people having a massive flounce, and selling their bike, and taking up fishing. Enjoy the riding and the benefits it brings, don’t worry about what every one else is doing. Listen to this song.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5giWfpANMac


Change some of the lyrics, to better suit cycling. It’s fun ( and strangely true ).


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## kingrollo (4 Jul 2018)

I got back on a bike at 50 after 3 years out with a hip/hamstring injury. At that time I was just grateful I could ride - I must have spent a year farting about at 12 mph. 
Then came the Birmingham velo - I thought you know what after coming close to quitting with that injury - I am going to do this. There were many set backs, niggling little injuries - but it all came good at the right time.
Just take it easy and pedal - make sure the club you join has a slower paced ride, and take it from there...


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## freiston (25 Jul 2018)

Alan O said:


> Let's Ride does a lot of local guided and social rides, at various (usually slow) paces, and I regularly go on their longer rides. No membership or anything like that needed.
> 
> Cycling UK/CTC have various regional-specific groups too, and their rides tend to be a little longer/faster (in my area at least). You can go on up to 3 rides before you have to join (Merseyside group - don't know if they're all the same).
> 
> They vary around the country, but both might be worth checking out.


I echo what Alan said. The Let's Ride webpage will have rides pitched at various levels/distances and on the ones that I've been on, they never leave anyone behind. In my area, they don't start as early in the morning as CTC/CUK - which is a big factor for me .

I took the liberty of searching their website for rides in the Rayleigh area:

Let's Ride search results

Most of the rides in that search seem to be 20 miles and run by the 'Windjammer Wheelìes'. In my area, there are plenty shorter and plenty longer.


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## Ian H (25 Jul 2018)

Ajax Bay said:


> https://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/18-422/
> https://ridewithgps.com/routes/27585441
> On fixed, I assume.
> Well make sure you take a young acolyte with you, to look after you. Some of those A roads are pretty scary for old blokes (and pretty scary for young ones, too). Make sure you pack your Senior Railcard.
> Oh, and good luck. Looks like you'll benefit from a head wind both ways.



The young acolyte (aka the Cornish windbreak) didn't last the course, having sprained an achilles somewhere en route. The promised headwinds were not too persistent. The weather was far too hot. Salisbury was still open for business. I finished with an hour to spare having managed 5hrs sleep at around 590k.

That's my first SR as an OAP (subject to confirmation).


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## Tracy (6 Aug 2018)

Hi all im a newbie , started cycling last summer and turning 52 next week have took it a bit more serious now than the odd tootle to the shops. Upgraded my bike and doing around 90 miles a week for fun and fitness. Have to say theres loads of youngens pass me but so long as im enjoying it im not too bothered. 
did a few steady rides with the letsride team but not ready for the more challenging ones yet till I build up to it.


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## grimme (8 Aug 2018)

I like Skol said:


> You are stuck between factions unfortunately, but there should be a group to cater to your needs. Whereabouts in the country are you, might help get you some specific advice.
> 
> Years ago I used to live next door to a pensioner in his 70s. His wife was wheelchair bound but once a week he would go out without her and take his bike in the back of his car to meet up with the geriatrics mid-week cycle run. They always headed over towards Cheshire and would start/finish at a garden centre or similar so they could park and get food and drink before or after a ride that was flattish and at a pace to suit. Even they would have fast and slow groups despite all being well stricken in years!
> The one thing they did have was retirement allowed them to ride mid-week when the roads and cafes weren't over run with lycra clad whippets, I guess you don't have that luxury, hence my comment about being stuck between the retired plodders and the weekend lycra warriors. Don't worry though, there WILL be a suitable group for you, even if it is less formal than the traditional cycling club structure (forums and facebook are pretty good at bringing these smaller less focused groups of cyclists together).


may i just point out that people are blessed by years not sticken by them?


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## youngoldbloke (9 Aug 2018)

grimme said:


> may i just point out that people are blessed by years not sticken by them?


- and being over 70 doesn't make you a 'geriatric' or a 'retired plodder'.


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## screenman (9 Aug 2018)

I did 3 personal bests in the pool this week at 62 years of age.


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## Alan O (10 Aug 2018)

Tracy said:


> Hi all im a newbie , started cycling last summer and turning 52 next week have took it a bit more serious now than the odd tootle to the shops. Upgraded my bike and doing around 90 miles a week for fun and fitness. Have to say theres loads of youngens pass me but so long as im enjoying it im not too bothered.
> did a few steady rides with the letsride team but not ready for the more challenging ones yet till I build up to it.


That's a pretty good start for just your first year of cycling - welcome to the oldies club!


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## Alan O (10 Aug 2018)

[QUOTE 5343068, member: 9609"]better looking too[/QUOTE]
As long as that avatar isn't a self-portrait....


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## GuyBoden (10 Aug 2018)

Bloodaxe said:


> Hi Everyone
> I am just getting back on the road and am now 55. I need to get fitter and would like to join a group/club. The only problem is when I see the fit youngsters fly by and think “I can’t keep up with them”.



IMHO, too many younger road bike riders (mainly male) don't seem to know how to enjoy cycling, they think it's a competition and try to get past every rider on the road. With a bit of age and experience, hopefully they'll learn to enjoy cycling a bit more.


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## GuyBoden (10 Aug 2018)

This is my kind of cycling:


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## mikeymustard (10 Aug 2018)

GuyBoden said:


> This is my kind of cycling:


I think they rode past me yesterday!


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## screenman (10 Aug 2018)

GuyBoden said:


> IMHO, too many younger road bike riders (mainly male) don't seem to know how to enjoy cycling, they think it's a competition and try to get past every rider on the road. With a bit of age and experience, hopefully they'll learn to enjoy cycling a bit more.



Perhaps they enjoy competition, I do that is certain.


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## suzeworld (22 Aug 2018)

Who cares who passes you?
Being out there getting the air is the critical point.
I’ve been cycling for 30 years now. Had to ease off a bit during cancer treatments in my 50s but I tried to keep going, just a few miles along a canal, whatever. There’s always something easy you can do. Then off the back of that illness I learned to love climbing.

I sometimes pass a few folk. I usually don’t - but I just got back off my holibobs which included several rides up/down and around Mont Ventoux. In fact getting up there to see the sunrise was my 60th birthday pressie to myself. Awesome.

Any of us who ride regularly are doing better than anyone our age who only lounges around, and there sure are plenty of them.

There are some good tips here, but the best one is: just do it.


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## dave r (22 Aug 2018)

youngoldbloke said:


> - and being over 70 doesn't make you a 'geriatric' or a 'retired plodder'.



Yes, a few years ago I got seriously smoked by a group of 70 year olds, they were using the same cafe as I was so we had a chat when I rolled in, I think the youngest was 74.


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## simongt (22 Aug 2018)

suzeworld said:


> but the best one is: just do it.


Exactly the point. Regardless of one's age & ability, it doesn't matter one tot what speed or distance you're doing, who passes you or whatever. As long as you are enjoying the ride, that's all that matters.
I tend to ride solo. Thus I'm free to choose where I go, often changing my mind part way / what speed I do / stopping whenever it takes my fancy or to look at something interesting / taking as long as I like / etc., etc.. If I'm tootling along at 10mph or stopping every couple of miles, so what - ? That's my choice and I'm happy with that - !


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## Ticktockmy (22 Aug 2018)

The local forty plus club section around here seems to have a average age of 72, and those guys and gals can really get a move on. its fitness not age that matters, yesterday a rode passed a guy pushing his cycle up the hill, and he must have been 30 years younger than me.


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## Illaveago (26 Aug 2018)

Ticktockmy said:


> The local forty plus club section around here seems to have a average age of 72, and those guys and gals can really get a move on. its fitness not age that matters, yesterday a rode passed a guy pushing his cycle up the hill, and he must have been 30 years younger than me.


I thought you were talking about me for a moment.


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## Illaveago (26 Aug 2018)

What you must remember is that people looked a lot older in the old days. They were actually teenagers in the film !


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## dave r (26 Aug 2018)

Illaveago said:


> What you must remember is that people looked a lot older in the old days. They were actually teenagers in the film !



Yes, it seems that we age slower these days.


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## Illaveago (26 Aug 2018)

dave r said:


> Yes, it seems that we age slower these days.


It must be all those preservatives !


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## bigjim (26 Aug 2018)

The regular ride leader on my local club is 73. Little powerhouse. 70 or 100 mile runs make no difference to him ,though he does moan a fair old bit. We regularly come across a 93 year old on his Dawes Galaxy, He has two ladies riding with him. They are well into their 80s.


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## dave r (26 Aug 2018)

Illaveago said:


> It must be all those preservatives !



Possibly we are better fed and housed these days, have better medical care and do less manual labour..


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## snorri (26 Aug 2018)

Ticktockmy said:


> , yesterday a rode passed a guy pushing his cycle up the hill, and he must have been 30 years younger than me.


Have you considered the possibility he might have a finer collection of "handy things picked up along the road side and verges" than you have?


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## sheddy (26 Aug 2018)

has anyone mentioned the 40+ ?
http://www.fortypluscc.co.uk/

Southend group
Leave from the top of Crown Hill, Rayleigh at 9:30 am Tuesdays and Thursdays for a ride


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