Cycling trips—how old is too old? (page 3 of 10)

Why are you putting your bike away for the winter? It’ll rust, and so will you…

Hi there, “youngster of 66” Raynaud’s syndrome means my fingers turn white and numb as soon as it gets cold—I can’t even hold the handlebars. If anyone knows a remedy, I’m all ears. Of course I’ll be following your blog faithfully. A 70-year-old (who’s really struggling to get back in shape this early in the season, but I’ll keep at it)

hey JULES

SMALL TIP http://www.neroliane.com/blog/huiles-essentielles-pour-la-maladie-de-raynaud

good luck getting back in shape

Hi Bernard,

I’ve been using aromatherapy for 35 years now—one of Dr. Valnet’s early book pioneers—and I’ve never heard of this treatment. You’re never too old to learn, so thanks! I’ll definitely give it a try, even if *Helycrisum italicum* S.I. costs an arm and a leg. I’ve been using it successfully for bruises and contusions.

This condition is really a nightmare for those who suffer from it. I’m actually thinking of starting a blog to share experiences.

Thanks again for your input!

As for fitness, when the first nice days roll around, I always feel like I’ll never get back in shape. But by the 3rd or 4th ride, things are rolling much smoother.

Daniel

Why do you put your bike away in winter? It’ll rust, and so will you…

Hello, “young thing of 66” Raynaud’s syndrome means my fingers turn white and go numb as soon as it gets cold—I can’t even hold the handlebars. If anyone knows a remedy, I’m all ears. Of course I’ll follow your blog faithfully. A little old guy of 70 (who’s really struggling to get back in shape this early in the season, but I’ll keep at it)

To the grand old guy of 70:

Yes, I’ve got a remedy—I have a very rare myopathy that causes (among other things) paralysis in the cold. I manage by layering up, which has the bonus of cushioning falls but the downside of getting laughed at when I’m dressed like the Michelin Man in 20 °C or warmer. It also means I have to keep a huge wardrobe since this condition doesn’t stop me sweating. The worst is when my tongue freezes and I can’t speak, or my hands freeze and I can’t brake. Now I have hydraulic-assist brakes—absolute bliss. My bike is custom-made with the lowest possible frame because when my muscles are tired, I struggle to lift my leg.

Everyone deals with their own stuff in their own way.

Sometimes life throws real challenges our way… http://www.frannycyclo.com/j41-galere-galere-galere-ou-pluie-froid-les-2-ensemble/

Hang in there Cyclamities Françoise

hi Jules hi everyone!

I’m over 70 now—I don’t even know the exact number because it changes every year... a die-hard cyclist and former racer (track and road), I’d love to share my experiences so anyone who’s doubting their abilities can stay optimistic.

Physio, osteo—phew! After 15 years in Africa, I got back in the saddle... and nearly blew my turbo (aka my heart)! The verdict: most of my coronary arteries were blocked (hereditary cholesterol). The result: 5 stents fitted, plus another after a restenosis! And of course, all the meds that go with it—5 pills a day for the past 12 years... Plus a heart that only works at 60% capacity. Thanks to them, though, it’s stabilized.

Despite these setbacks (hip replacement, operated disc herniation, prostate issues, etc.), every day in my beloved Brittany, I’d ride 30–40 km, always listening to my body. No problems—just regular check-ups, a healthy diet, and my meds, which, unfortunately, give me muscle cramps.

If this story can encourage anyone who’s hesitant, that’s great!

Right now, I live in Cambodia, and cycling here in 35°C+ shade temps would be madness for me (same goes for extreme cold with heart conditions!). But this summer, back home, I can’t wait to get back on my bike!

So, hop on—after a good check-up! !

Hi,

A centenarian just set an hour record on the track (we can’t really say he "beat" it since he had no predecessor). What’s more, he’s been taking part in the Ardéchoise cycling tour for years—one of the cols was even named after him in his honor.

Anything’s possible, and I wish you many more kilometers ahead!

Hey 178jules, I’ll try to come back to this discussion in about a dozen years. For now, at 58.5 years old, after starting to cycle past 50 (needed to save some € and lose a few kg) to commute every day, all year round (almost 15 km)... and now for all my trips... after my last occupational health check-up, it seems my physiological age is just over 40 😎. And last year, I easily completed my first 200 km brevet (with my touring bike, but no luggage).

So, could cycling—a "supported" physical activity that’s easy on the joints and good for the heart and lungs—actually make you younger? For a future seniors’ club, we’d better stick to the age on our ID!

The replies are pouring in—let’s start a club and show those youngsters a thing or two! 😏

Hi everyone,

Without going as far as starting a club, we could share our travel plans with like-minded "colleagues" who might be interested. At our age—I’m 68—we’re retired, we have time, and our pension comes in every month, which is very different from young people who’ve had to save for years to fund long trips on 10 € a day (I’ve met plenty of them in South America).

I’ve got a project for 2015, but I’d love to find some partners for it. It’s the "Great Divide"—crossing the U.S. from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. It’s the longest off-road cycling route in the world, 4,700 km, following the Continental Divide. Michael McCoy wrote a guide: *Cycling the Great Divide*, which you can find on Amazon for 11 €, and it suggests planning for 62 days.

Hope this interests some of you.

The replies are pouring in—let’s start a club and show those youngsters a thing or two!!

A blog might do the trick for projects and trip reports—anyone interested? Minimum age requirement??? Through these discussions, there’s a lot of encouragement from younger folks, but the group seems to close up around 70–72 years old. The example of the record-breaking centenarian is inspiring, but it’s not the same vibe. Recently, I joined the sports retirement club in Beauvais and got closer to the cycling section: First observation: pretty much everyone has a high-end bike worth 3,000–4,000 €, decked out like pros—carbon everything, with the latest gear and jerseys. Then, when I mentioned traveling with luggage, they looked at me like I was an alien. The group that started the discussion (15–20 people) quickly thinned out, and I ended up finishing the conversation with just the cycling group leader (he’s very polite). Cycling, yes—but different styles. But I’m noticing more and more travelers with bikes + panniers, especially since this spring. And a lot on busy roads—it seems like planning a route on small roads and sticking to it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea? To be continued

Hi Daniel, Your message raises a ton of questions about age, different cycling practices, routes, and more. I can just picture the faces of the members of a cycling club when you talk to them about bike travel with panniers—it’s usually a completely different mindset. The day cyclist is all about physical effort, whether for fitness or performance, while the touring cyclist with panniers is all about the journey and travel, even if they don’t mind pushing hard on the pedals at times and tackling endless climbs. Age-wise, I thought as long as you’re healthy, there’s no age limit, and you can keep going. But in this post, I discovered that even when people aren’t doing so well (by our medical standards) or have serious disabilities, some still keep riding. Yesterday, I saw an interesting documentary on the *Montagne* channel about cycling in the cols. Of course, it was all about road bikes or racing bikes, even old clunkers, and day trips by amateurs—some of whom weren’t exactly well-trained. Clearly, what they described in response to journalists’ questions at the top of the Galibier, Ventoux, or other cols is something every long-distance traveler feels. The only difference is that the traveler goes a little further—once at the top of the col, instead of coasting down to their holiday spot or putting the bike on the car roof, they’re faced with the question of what comes next: where will they sleep tonight, on the spot or nearby if the weather looks good, or maybe they’ll have time to tackle the next climb? In that documentary, aside from the guy who smoked like a chimney and whose wife dragged him up the slopes of the Ventoux (even though cycling wasn’t his thing), they showed a 45-year-old man with cystic fibrosis since childhood who, though a bit slower than his friends, still climbed the big cols. I realize that, even though I’m a "young oldie" at nearly 62, I don’t necessarily travel the same way when I’m with people my age—who, like me, are lucky enough not to have financial struggles. Even though our panniers are packed with gear for comfortable bivouacking in nature (a little MSR tent and all the rest), we quickly give in to the temptation of hotels. And even if we make a point of sleeping outside sometimes, maybe once a week at most, I sometimes think we’d be better off traveling light with super carbon bikes. But no, I’m keeping my panniers because we identify more with one group than another. On the other hand, when I’m with younger people, they have higher expectations and maybe (definitely) a little less arthritis, and for them, there’s no salvation without sleeping under the stars—so it keeps me young to push myself a bit. This summer, to really put this to the test, I’m heading off with my 24-year-old nephew to tackle the cols of Germany, Austria, Italy, and Switzerland in a 3,000–3,500 km loop starting from the Vosges. I’m sure I won’t let myself get lulled by the tempting comfort of hotels because Maxime will remind me of the harsh law of the bike vagabond. As for routes, it’s true that sometimes we study maps to plan beautiful routes far from main roads, but once we’re on the road, a million good or bad reasons push us to take the shortest and fastest way—and suddenly we’re on major roads in the middle of cars, trucks, and buses. My most recent experience with this was crossing Bilbao in pouring rain in the middle of the afternoon. Once out of the city, we continued on a national road that felt like a highway, with no hard shoulder at times. It left me with memories I’d rank alongside cycling through Bangkok or Quito—yet the Spanish (sorry, the Basques) are very considerate of cyclists. I’d already noticed that in my various bike trips in Spain. That’s what your post inspired in me, and the little dig at the "young’uns" from your "rather young’uns" had me laughing. Luc

There’s no age limit for bikes! Last time I came across a cyclist who was 86 and still crushing those climbs! The key is finding a comfortable position, the right bike, the right saddle, and not pushing too hard!

... And with so much traffic on major roads, it seems that planning a route on smaller roads and sticking to it isn’t something everyone can manage? To be continued

It’s true that avoiding busy main roads:

means cycling a bit slower: slightly more elevation, roads not always in as good condition (→ not for those who like to "cruise" at a steady average speed)

and requires: preparing a detailed route sheet, with TOP100 IGN-style maps handy for navigation (on multi-day trips, this can add up in weight and bulk)or using a GPS, which means:plotting a route on mapping/routing software (www.calculitinéraires.fr, www.openrunner.com, etc.)planning power for the GPS—the best option is a dynamo hub with a buffer battery to avoid running out of juice

Could be, but luckily, it isn’t. Freedom’s at the end of the pedal. IGN map—I agree, but after that, it’s all about the vibe. You shouldn’t plan everything, or it’s a killer.

Hi everyone, At 62, I travel by bike with or without my dog in a trailer—no athletic feat, just the joy of travel, camping, etc. About fitness, I just read a book about very elderly, highly trained women who run marathons (70 and over). *Older, Faster, Stronger* by Margaret Webb. The idea is that with intensive training, you can extend your athletic performance age much further, and endurance can improve. What I take from it is that even if the training intensity isn’t that high, you should still be able to do sports—cycling, in this case—for a very long time. Anyway, I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I’d love to read blogs and chat with other "older" cyclists. How do we do that? Should we ask VoyageForum to create a new category? My blogs: http://enselle1.blogspot.fr http://enselle2.blogspot.fr http://renaclarochelle.blogspot.fr Enjoy your day! Catherine

I read your blogs—have you read mine? http://botanique-a-velo.over-blog.com/

We could ask VoyageForum to open an extra section, but I doubt they’d accept it. Or we could start a blog and give access to cyclists who fit the category. Maybe a better idea???? To be continued…

😏We’re not in a special category. Just wellness enthusiasts. If I’m doing a bit less bike touring these days, it doesn’t mean I’m giving up cycling altogether. Just that I’ve got other irons in the fire right now. Rushing to the other side of the planet doesn’t require super training, just a bit of quick thinking—the kind that lets you do it on foot or by bike too.

Hello everyone, I’m a kid who’s just turned 60. This weekend, I was happy to get my first “senior” discount when I took the train with our bikes. We traveled from the Lille metro area to Boulogne-sur-Mer by train + bike (50 km by train and 80 km by bike). We took the lovely LF1 (the North Sea route) between Watten-Eperlecques and Wimereux. We returned two days later in the opposite direction. So far, so good for me. Long may it last! ! ! ! During the summer holidays, I’ve got a week planned on the Véloscénie with my bike and tent, between Alençon and Mont Saint-Michel, and back. LONG LIVE EVERYONE.

hi there,

A few years back, we cycled part of South America to mark Bruno’s retirement. When we reached Ushuaia, we were as proud as punch (Coluche’s expression).

At the guest house, there was a photo of two guys with white beards: they’d cycled from Alaska at 82 and arrived in Ushuaia two years later!!!!

It really blew us away.

So you see, as long as you’re in good health, don’t set limits for yourself. Hats off to Frannycyclo on that note.

Happy pedaling to all.

True, for some people age doesn’t matter much:

Check out this “young 84-year-old” from Gaspésie (Canada) in this link:

http://www.hebdorivenord.com/Sports/2008-07-21/article-1078108/A-84-ans-Albert-Leblanc-enfourche-son-velo-pour-ses-12es-Jeux-olympiques/1

Hey everyone, I’ve been super optimistic up until now, but at 66 I’ve gone and broken a lumbar vertebra. Forced to admit the old bod just isn’t keeping up anymore... Happy trails to all, Françoise