I've been coaching the last couple of days which isn't unusual and doesn't really make you think ... but the chap I've been coaching was 74 (he lied when he contacted me and said he was 65 for fear that I wouldn't coach him). Anyway, aside from his age which does make you think a bit, was the fact that 5 years ago he was on an IC ward for 4 months, he was told that he'd never ride a bike again (took up road cycling at 65) but here he was displaying all the excitement and determination of someone 50 years younger ... and why did he want mountain bike coaching? Because he wants to go bikepacking

That is all ... sorry if it's a bit random.

brilliant stuff, hope I'm still around and doing this in twenty odd years time

I met three old boys at a cafe yesterday, 78, 80 and 81, been riding together since their youth, still meet every week and talk the same old same old, inspiring stuff indeed

The guy in this short film, Roger is in our running club. He's in his seventies.

https://vimeo.com/52222410

Its fantastic things like this, shows if the spirit is there you cant go far wrong!

I was out on my road bike the other day for a brief spin and chatted and cycled a little way with an old gent on his bike, going very well, turned out he was 80 next month!

That's pretty darn cool.

I remember to my local roadies cyclist cafe when I was a young lad and some old bloke took me to the bike shed to show me something (cue his mates laughing at him and my dad taking the mickey out of me!).

He had just spent his pension money on a new frame and then he asked me how old I thought he was (71 was my guess) and he told me was 84!

My Dad did the CTC with me when he was 70 .

My dad is 76 and still gets out on his modern mtb (KHS which he changed to sram 1x10 drivetrain etc) and his old steel mtb in singlespeed guise.

My mate Dennis rode LEJOG at the age of 80. He asked me to find out if he was the oldest guy to do it. So far I think he maybe but I told him that no doubt somebody would pop out of the woodwork having done it older. Dennis replied:-

"If they do, can you tell me their age and I'll bloody well go back and do it again a year after I reach it"

I rode with an old bloke at the weekend. He was pretty handy actually

Apparently, I have to go back and do the exact same route in 12 years time to see if I can do it quicker than he did..


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Seriously though; most will know of John Lloyd, who runs the MTB Marathons. He's 60 something and still bloody quick.

I think the thing is to just keep doing it. Don't let the body get used to not riding.

I regularly road ride with a guy in his mid 60's. He's British track champion or something. He's a fantastic road racer as he has a talent for being in the right place in a group at the right time. And he looks 15 years younger!

I rode with an old bloke at the weekend. He was pretty handy actually

I had a ride out with an old bloke midweek, he was okay but kept 'dabbing' on sections I could easily bunny hop and insisted on long periods of pushing the bike across unridable terrain.