not many oldies do mountain biking?

[Machoman121]

Was at the lysterfield car park and noticed mostly youngish 30s and 40s riders - I never saw anyone i thought was over 50 or worse. I don't see a lot of older riders riding off-road. Is there an obvious reason for this? Do older off-road riders just stop riding off-road? Are off road too demanding (bad?) for oldies

[A_P]

Probably the increased risk of fractures and lacerations from simple falls

[trailgumby]

That's because the 40s riders you are looking at are actually 50+ or even 60+.

Fountain of youth is mountain biking

Take me for example. I frequently get mistaken for someone 10 years younger.

Mind you, when I find him, I'll be demanding he give me my face back. Cheeky bugger, appropriating my good looks!

[Machoman121]

Probably the increased risk of fractures and lacerations from simple falls

Lysterfield trails are mainly XC (albeit there are some very technical bits here and there) so age should not be a hindrance. And falls...provided you avoid jumps or bomb downhill mindlessly i think a rider can control the risks taken. Unlike road riding - where the risk decision is made by the vehicle (driver) behind you.

I'm in my 50s now - although i feel 30s - and I hope to be able to have many many more years of being able to ride. I often wish i could be 20 years younger - not so that i could court younger girls, or build a more sustainable muscular body - but simply so that i will have more riding days ahead. Sadly i'm feeling the count down is on.

[trailgumby]

At Glenrock last weekend at the Rocky Trail/Shimano Grand Prix there were more entries in the 50-59 class than 30-39.

I entered in the 30-39yo pairs class because that was my team-mate's age, but I couldn't help noting the Super Masters category was actually more competitive. We would not have done as well.

[trailgumby]

That said, I am more conservative as to the difficulty of obstacles that I am prepared to tackle as I have gotten older. The recovery takes longer since turning 50.

If it's any consolation and inspiration my late cousin was still riding and racing D grade at his local club and would come mountain biking with me whenever I came to visit up until his sudden passing at 73. His enthusiasm for anything on two wheels was infectious.

I miss him.

[silentbutdeadly]

Our 2015 clubman of the year is in his mid 60s and only started MTB a couple of years back because he thought bike paths were dull. Sure he races in our C grade but he showed at every event and went as hard as he could over everything he could...big ups to Lenny!! He's back this year for more...

[DarrylH]

I'm 74 and still get out on the MTB at least once a week, but my preference is for exploring fire-trails rather than riding around in an MTB park. I can ride from home (in Canberra) and do a 30km ride, largely on dirt and meet my wife for coffee at the Museum (she runs) so I don't see any great need to go to one of the MTB parks (they don't have coffee shops).
Did a 68km (94 from door to door) charity ride last weekend on the roadie and an 82yr old rider on the 30km ride died, so a few oldies are probably a bit worried about that outcome!!

[TrikeTragic]

I'm probably an oldie by the OP's definition......"Graduated" from my last MTB about 8 years ago...so at a not so young 54 (!) No particular reason, it's still in the shed actually, used as the "spare-spare" if I need it. Moved to a roadie, then a recumbent trike (weekends) and folder (commuter).

The steel framed Trek MTB was fantastic for where I lived 1994-2015 - Diamond Creek, outer NE Melbourne, decent dirt roads and tracks in easy reach. Great rides, occasionally shared with random but fascinating wildlife and other cyclists! Some / many tracks sealed now....Other side of town from Lysterfield, so I was never going to ride there in any case.

I look at 29-er MTBs with disc brakes with more than a little interest....N+1 never quite goes away!

Cheers

Alan
(Maybe an oldie but hopefully still good )

[Bentnose]

I do MTBO and see plenty of older riders, the biggest class is usually 50+.

[bychosis]

i remeber in the early 90s when it was a young mans game, 20-30s were the core of the riders. They had enough money for a bike, and not too many responsilbilities. Jump forward to now and those that had grown up in it are 40s and 50s and still loving it, just slowing down a bit due to fear of injuries and how long they take to heal. I'm in 40s and have noticed it seems to take longer to heal.

I suspect the average age of riders is only going to increase.

[Machoman121]

I also think there's definitely less mountain-bikers than roadies - maybe a ratio of 50 : 1 mtbr- a lot of roadies will not go off-road - an often heard comment is that it's too slow and they feel they are riding through glue. Mountain biking is hard work - really hard work most of the time - there's never an easy day off-road. But i've known joy off-roading that was very hard to attain in riding road - the scenery, the terrain, the feedback from the bike.....it's simply intoxicating.

[bychosis]

But i've known joy off-roading that was very hard to attain in riding road - the scenery, the terrain, the feedback from the bike.....it's simply intoxicating.

Plus one. Roadie is for business:training or transport. MTB is where it's at for enjoyment. Nothing beats hitting a bit of sweet single track, hopping over a few obstacles, skittering of leaves, the closeness of the trees on the trail side. You just can't get that on a roadie. Closest I've enjoyed on the road is flat out down a hill, and that gets better on the dirt with the added adrenalin rush of limited traction.

[Mulger bill]

But i've known joy off-roading that was very hard to attain in riding road - the scenery, the terrain, the feedback from the bike.....it's simply intoxicating.

Plus one. Roadie is for business:training or transport. MTB is where it's at for enjoyment. Nothing beats hitting a bit of sweet single track, hopping over a few obstacles, skittering of leaves, the closeness of the trees on the trail side. You just can't get that on a roadie. Closest I've enjoyed on the road is flat out down a hill, and that gets better on the dirt with the added adrenalin rush of limited traction.

Tried Fixed on the road?

[Machoman121]

But i've known joy off-roading that was very hard to attain in riding road - the scenery, the terrain, the feedback from the bike.....it's simply intoxicating.

Plus one. Roadie is for business:training or transport. MTB is where it's at for enjoyment. Nothing beats hitting a bit of sweet single track, hopping over a few obstacles, skittering of leaves, the closeness of the trees on the trail side. You just can't get that on a roadie. Closest I've enjoyed on the road is flat out down a hill, and that gets better on the dirt with the added adrenalin rush of limited traction.

Yes - totally agree. Road riding is pretty much about grinding the miles away. There's really very little feedback from the bike most of the time. That's why off-roading is fun - there's feedback.

[trailgumby]

I also think there's definitely less mountain-bikers than roadies - maybe a ratio of 50 : 1 mtbr- a lot of roadies will not go off-road - an often heard comment is that it's too slow and they feel they are riding through glue. Mountain biking is hard work - really hard work most of the time - there's never an easy day off-road. But i've known joy off-roading that was very hard to attain in riding road - the scenery, the terrain, the feedback from the bike.....it's simply intoxicating.

Definitely not the easy speed you get from a good roadie. My 26er hardtail MTB that I've been commuting on in the wet weather this week feels like a slug! But it does make me work harder, and that's not a bad thing. It would proably be better if the damper in the shock worked instead of pogoing like a manic frog!

But hopping off and up kerbs is always good fun.

[Bentnose]

One thing about riding off road through some sweet single track is there is absolutely no worry about cars, just ride.

[trailgumby]

True. But the Ozemite-coloured wallabies around the trails up around Dick Smith's digs at Terrey Hills can be a bit of a worry at night - very hard to see until they hit you. They've taken two of my riding mates out at different times. Random motion generators for brains, those things.

Apart from that, I agree pretty much all the risk is within your own ability to manage... unlike road riding.

[cp123]

Cheeky bugger, appropriating my good looks!

he must have stolen your modesty genes as well....

[cp123]

I'm 74 and still get out on the MTB at least once a week, but my preference is for exploring fire-trails rather than riding around in an MTB park. I can ride from home (in Canberra) and do a 30km ride, largely on dirt and meet my wife for coffee at the Museum (she runs) so I don't see any great need to go to one of the MTB parks (they don't have coffee shops).
Did a 68km (94 from door to door) charity ride last weekend on the roadie and an 82yr old rider on the 30km ride died, so a few oldies are probably a bit worried about that outcome!!

gosh daryl - I'm a local - you're not referring to the AGF ride? I hadn't heard that news... very sad.

[DarrylH]

I saw that on an e-mail from AGF after the ride but can't find any other info. Probably a good way to go - better than curled up in bed in a nursing home in pain as my father was. Now for the six peaks (-2)!!

[antigee]

Sun Mar 13, 2016 11:23 am

Was at the lysterfield car park and noticed mostly youngish 30s and 40s riders - I never saw anyone i thought was over 50

Weekend?

late fifties and riding at Lysterfield this morning (Tuesday) - didn't see a lot of other riders but those I did see I'd put in the 40-60+ bracket

Some of us oldies have the luck of being able to ride midweek and choose the option of quieter times

[WarrenH]

Machoman121, G'day Mate.

Riding on circuits is only one of the forms of mountain biking. You'll discover this more fully, when you are older and have out-grown your local MTB trails.

I feel my old age fully, on Mt Stromlo, close to my home but I feel young and sprightly when I'm out on the BNT ... far from home.

Come and join we old folks on the BNT! But, you might find it hard to regress into repetitious MTB park rides, after taking on something truly awesome.

The BNT is around here somewhere. IN Vic, NSW, ACT and Qld.












Get with the programme.

Warren.

[DrShifty]

I'm probably an oldie by the OP's definition......"Graduated" from my last MTB about 8 years ago...so at a not so young 54 (!)

I look at 29-er MTBs with disc brakes with more than a little interest....N+1 never quite goes away!

At 66 I've just bought my first traily - very nice 29er. I'm happy to blame those hydraulic disk brakes.

[eldavo]

I saw that on an e-mail from AGF after the ride but can't find any other info. Probably a good way to go - better than curled up in bed in a nursing home in pain as my father was. Now for the six peaks (-2)!!

That's what I thought. A male riding into his 80s is a good life. Sad is spending end of days in a nursing home.