Would the Person You Were When You First Started Cycling Be Proud of the Cyclist You've Become?

"Every ride was quietly rewiring something. I didn't even know the word neuroplasticity until recently - but that's exactly what was happening. The brain adapts to repeated effort. It wasn't talent. It wasn't genetics. It was repetition. Riding when it was windy. Riding when it was hot. Riding when progress felt invisible."

"At 70, I care more about awareness and safety than I ever did at 40. I ride with a rear radar now - not because it's flashy, but because it works. The Garmin Varia alerts me when vehicles are approaching from behind long before I hear them. On open West Texas roads, with wind in your ears, that matters."

"If you stayed consistent, kept learning, embraced safety, and adapted instead of aging out - yes. The person you were when you started cycling would likely be proud."

A 70-year-old cyclist reflects on his 40-year journey from weighing 275 pounds and struggling to stay consistent to accumulating over 155,000 lifetime miles at 187 pounds. The transformation resulted not from natural talent or genetics, but from persistent repetition through challenging conditions—riding in wind, heat, and periods of invisible progress. The cyclist emphasizes that cycling fundamentally rewired his brain through neuroplasticity, changing him as a person beyond physical fitness. He credits staying open-minded and embracing modern safety technology, like radar tail lights, as key to longevity in the sport. The core lesson is that slow, consistent change compounds over time, and maintaining curiosity and adaptability prevents aging out of cycling.

Read at Theoldguybicycleblog