"A knee replacement from eleven years ago has started to complain. Skin cancer cut from my leg left a scar that isn't just cosmetic. And earlier this year, colon trouble led to three colonoscopies in seven months-one a five-hour ordeal where the Plan B was removing part of my colon and waking up with a bag. I got lucky. It worked. But it was sobering."
"When I was in my early fifties, I was crawling up a brutal canyon climb. Near the top, a wiry older man eased alongside me. He said he rode that canyon three times a week. He was eighty-three. He wasn't chasing youth-he was honoring what he still had. Over the years I've met men and women in their seventies and eighties still doing centuries, tours, or daily park loops. Slower? Sure. Purposeful? Absolutely."
"Balance or reflex red flags: wobbles at slow speed, trouble looking over a shoulder, frequent foot dabs. Shift to flatter routes, wider tires, and practice parking-lot drills. Pain that lingers: if soreness outlasts the joy, shorten rides, add rest days, and address fit issues (saddle, reach, gearing). Vision or hearing changes: daylight routes, bigger taillights, reflective ankle bands, and known roads help."
A 70-year-old cyclist continues extensive riding and long-distance touring, with weight reduced and fitness improved compared with younger decades. Age brings reminders: a complaining knee replacement, skin-cancer scarring, and serious colon issues that required multiple colonoscopies and a near-surgical outcome. Aging creates tension between physical limits and desire to continue. Examples exist of octogenarians riding regularly and purposefully. Practical advice recommends scaling back rather than quitting: watch balance and reflexes, shorten or flatten rides, address lingering pain, adjust bike fit, accommodate vision or hearing changes, and respect medical events. Continue riding while benefits exceed risks; stop when that balance reverses.
Read at Theoldguybicycleblog
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