I'll assume all togged up in my bike gear, possibly I look like maybe I went semi fast at some point. On a bike trail yesterday, out of the blue, a twenty something queried if I'm up for a race. His buddy is behind us, and he says he'll make some kind of feeble effort at which point we're both amused at his optimism as we're passed. I'd like a little more warm up time before an effort so I hope we'll ride a little while before the hammer is dropped, but then the sprint is on and I'm slightly surprised at his sudden speed and wonder what kind of race he's planned. I sprint to catch him and when I do he says: "You were flying!" I said "So were you!" I noticed he was panting a bit and maybe he was beginning to realize he'd bit off more than he could chew. I settled into a fast pace I could handle for a few miles and never saw him again. He made an error in victim selection.

Get Off My Lawn

Old age and treachery always overcomes youth and skill………

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:
Old age and treachery always overcomes youth and skill………

Not to mention that when your advancing on 70 yrs. if you fall you die.

Wait.

What happened to his buddy?

quote:

Originally posted by ridgerat:
Wait.

What happened to his buddy?

He was bantha fodder.

Kicked his ass!

a ha ha ha. The older the bull, the stiffer the horn

On the same topic, do you mind telling us about your bike, training regimen, average speed, typical terrain?

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
On the same topic, do you mind telling us about your bike, training regimen, average speed, typical terrain?

I ride about 5 days a week, usual route is 18 miles when on my fixed gear bike. It is a 531 Reynolds 1980 Trek Pro Race 750, with Phil Wood hubs and bottom bracket, Mavic Open Pro rims, Dura Ace seat post, and a Selle Anatomica saddle, Stronglight crank, 49x17 gearing, Conti Grand Prix tires.

I have several geared bikes which I ride mainly when I have to, when it's windy, or if I ride with others. The one I was riding is a 1983 Performance bike shop steel frame with Tange #1 tubing, and a Suntour Superbe group, friction shifting 12 speed. Have three nice geared bikes, two nine speed Campagnolo. one on a custom steel frame, the other on a Canadian made Marinoni, and a 10 speed Shimano on an aluminum frame. I'm mainly into vintage steel frame racing bikes.

I think I can do my 18 mile fixed route if I warmed up first, and on a good day in a bit over an hour. I think I could also do 20 miles in an hour on one of my geared bikes on a good day.

Western Missouri terrain has some decent hills, and long flats are not normal. My fixed gear route is chosen to minimize hills but has some challenging ones anyway. I live part time in Madison, Wisconsin, and that was where I was when challenged to a race. It is mostly flat here. Particularly on the rails to trails path I was on.

I've been riding road bikes sine 1975, and have done a few races and sprint triathalons.

Great story! I am over 50 and regularly ride with folks in their 60s and 70s that I really have to work to keep up with and quite a few that can leave me in the dust. They are my heroes.

pbslinger, thanks for the breakdown and info on your rides. Much of it went way over my head, but I'm impressed by the intensity you give to the sport and your fitness. I'm more than a casual rider and approaching 63, I wonder how I compare to others getting up there.

Because of my unusual work schedule, I ride maybe 3 times a week and my typical route takes me on a bike path about 16.5 miles. I complete that in a little over an hour with a typical average speed of 12.5 - 13 MPH. Unfortunately, there are several roads I have to slow down for and cross. I'm still riding my old Miyata sport bike, 21 gears with early index shifting and steel frame. Heavy these days, but offers good fitness. Once I retire, sometime in the next six months, I hope to up my riding to 4-5 days with walking/jogging the other days.

Keep up the good work!

quote:

I settled into a fast pace I could handle for a few miles and never saw him again

You dropped him like a bad habit!

Pb, I think I met one of your relatives when I was in college. He was a dried up little old man everyone called coach.
He invited me to play badminton with him one day. I’m not sure he ever moved his feet; I was too busy running and trying to return his shots.

quote:

pbslinger, thanks for the breakdown and info on your rides. Much of it went way over my head, but I'm impressed by the intensity you give to the sport and your fitness. I'm more than a casual rider and approaching 63, I wonder how I compare to others getting up there.

6guns - As far as my riding intensity, I've backed off a bit as I've aged just because I don't think max efforts are good for my body, and particularly my heart. I've read threads on a cycling forum about older cyclists monitoring heart rate and their cardiologists giving them limiting thresholds. I don't do sustained max efforts anymore, or intense interval training. I've also kind of stopped dreaming of racing or time trialing, and quit doing the cycling leg of sprint triathalon relays.

I mix cycling pretty well with ice skating and still cycle in the winter down to about freezing. I skate a lot and did over 80 days last winter. This summer my cycling has been more limited since I returned to competing in water ski tournaments after a 30 year layoff. I just met a goal to ski at the US National Championships in three event skiing, which combines slalom skiing, trick skiing, and ski jumping.

When I used to ride mountain bikes more often, I just enjoyed the heck out of any opportunity to ride with new people. And if I got the opportunity to stomp on a couple of the younger guys during the ride, all the better.

quote:

Originally posted by Sportshooter:
Pb, I think I met one of your relatives when I was in college. He was a dried up little old man everyone called coach.
He invited me to play badminton with him one day. I’m not sure he ever moved his feet; I was too busy running and trying to return his shots.

That is hilarious and mirrors an experience I had. I played tennis with an older guy called Coach who didn't move his feet and played well and had a knack for hitting the ball where you weren't. If it was the same guy, he hadn't dried up too much yet and wasn't very little.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
When I used to ride mountain bikes more often, I just enjoyed the heck out of any opportunity to ride with new people. And if I got the opportunity to stomp on a couple of the younger guys during the ride, all the better.

But they got stomped without asking for it. This guy requested it, but with dreams of some glory.

quote:

Originally posted by pbslinger:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
When I used to ride mountain bikes more often, I just enjoyed the heck out of any opportunity to ride with new people. And if I got the opportunity to stomp on a couple of the younger guys during the ride, all the better.

But they got stomped without asking for it. This guy requested it, but with dreams of some glory.

Which is even better.