Did you ride today?

[CruiserTrash]

Totally. 100%. I’m 51 with a very checkered (read: terrible) health history.

At 43 I really feel this haha. It's been years of abuse.

Especially if the rhythm was one of intense body exercise (me since 2023).

I can't for the life of me break into the "workout" or "health" scenes. What exercises do I start with? What equipment do I have to buy? How much exercise do I need? What are the results? The internet is rife with loads of misinformation, sham health gurus, and influencers, and while the city has lots of options to offer, all of them seem confusing and each workout place (gym, crossfit, etc) seem like cliquey scenes that are difficult to break into. I need to be healthier and have no idea where to begin. If I had a start my ADHD or whatever neurospicy thing I am will take over and the obsession will naturally proceed forth.

I want to live as long as I can in a state of decent health. I want to stop hurting my back picking up a pillow off the ground. I want to comfortably ride a century again and do some light bikepacking. I'm probably a 40-mile-day guy at max right now.

 

[ravewoofer]

Spanked out a great ride this morning. About 10.25 miles with 545 feet of climbing. Crisp, bluebird Fall like morning.

Going out again tomorrow to push this month close to 60 miles in the woods.

As an aside, I post here because I do like the on line community. It motivates me to hammer again. In real life, I ride solo. I used to have bike partners, but they have all moved on in life or location.

Solo, it is. I’ll be 64 this summer, but my goal is to keep mountain biking until 70. While I see some folks here use an E-bike, they’re just not for me.

Pedal power ‘til 70 or bust!

 

[jembourbe]

Community is what you can create as well; I caught up with a neighbour yesterday who had seen the partner of one of the other Dad's on Bikes and she said how much he'd enjoyed the ride - the neighbour must have said she'd heard he was out with us. This Dad thinks nothing of doing 100+km day rides, so a 15km ride with his son, a stop at the play park, chat with other Dads and then onto a coffee where we met some of the Mums is a bit of a difference.

Wife ran into the brother of one of the others, and he was saying how much his brother had enjoyed it.

I now need to keep an eye out for at least 1 more trailer, probably one Shotgun seat and other bits and pieces for a couple of others who have kids that are nearly old enough to join in!

I have an adult son who has no community. At all. I try to make it a point to ride with him a couple times a week. We do about a mile () each ride. He says he hates it. I have to argue with him to get him to saddle up. His arguments are hilarious. He says he's miserable while we ride. Honestly i think he enjoys both the arguments and the rides -- after all, he always somehow loses the argument, and we end up doing a stupid ride. Sometimes we get coffee.

To your point, these rides -- slow as flowing tar and short as a PFC's haircut -- are the ones I find myself enjoying the most.

 

[Specialeyes]

I can't for the life of me break into the "workout" or "health" scenes. What exercises do I start with? What equipment do I have to buy? How much exercise do I need? What are the results?

I would honestly just start simple. All the old school, tried and true methods still work for a reason. Go to a gym or get some weights at home and start picking them up and setting them down. Bench press, curls, rows, squats, lunges, and build from that. There are lots of simple routines online you can find to cover a typical upper body and lower body day. Even just walking daily helps out. I go for a mile walk every morning when I first get out of bed.

Eat a balanced diet. Cut down on the fast food and the processed stuff. (Anything that comes in a box) Drink lots of water and take a multi vitamin.

Cut down on the booze and smoking. (Quitting both was one of the best things I ever did for myself)

Hope I didn’t lay it on too thick, I’m just another internet stranger at the end of the day. Best of luck!

 

[Specialeyes]

To your point, these rides -- slow as flowing tar and short as a PFC's haircut -- are the ones I find myself enjoying the most.

I wish my dad was still here to go for a ride or do literally anything with. The cycling community has been filled with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. (Yes there are a few d bags sprinkled in but what’s they saying about not letting a bad apple spoil the whole bunch?)

I’ve enjoyed the big group rides where we’re out and back for 50+ miles, I’ve enjoyed standing on a box at the local short track races, I’ve enjoyed trying to best myself and others on Strava segments, but what I enjoy most are the rides where it’s just me exploring on my bike, whether that’s empty city streets in the morning or getting lost in some high alpine in the mountains.

 

[CruiserTrash]

I would honestly just start simple. All the old school, tried and true methods still work for a reason. Go to a gym or get some weights at home and start picking them up and setting them down. Bench press, curls, rows, squats, lunges, and build from that. There are lots of simple routines online you can find to cover a typical upper body and lower body day. Even just walking daily helps out. I go for a mile walk every morning when I first get out of bed.

I appreciate the tips! Even that level is intimidating to me though. With regard to the swamp of information on the web I guess I should just pick something and do it.

Eat a balanced diet. Cut down on the fast food and the processed stuff. (Anything that comes in a box) Drink lots of water and take a multi vitamin.

Mostly good here. We eat pretty healthy and I rarely get fast food. We might have a few Cheez-its around the house and I might eat cereal (which isn't great) for breakfast twice per week. Meals are usually whole foods or minimally processed stuff though. We always have fruits and veggies around for snacks, and my wife makes homemade hummus a lot. The perks of being married to a chef.

Cut down on the booze and smoking. (Quitting both was one of the best things I ever did for myself)

Quit booze in 2016, also a great choice for me. The only vice I have left are cigarettes and man they're hard to quit. I've kicked far worse but stopping smoking still intimidates me to no end.

Hope I didn’t lay it on too thick, I’m just another internet stranger at the end of the day. Best of luck!

Nah, all of this is good to hear.

 

[Specialeyes]

@CruiserTrash Sounds like you're already doing a lot of good things! Maybe just start with daily walks and some push ups. You'll figure it out. Happy to help share what's worked for me if you ever have any questions.

 

[fireflyr]

 

[Paddler Ed]

Riding to work most days at the moment, and my little helper is always keen to help. Snaffles my helmet, cap, and gloves at the first opportunity, and tonight just wanted to wear my cap

Having already collected the helmet and gloves...

She also loves all the bags for my bikes, and will carry them around or unpack and repack them for me...

 

[ravewoofer]

Went out again this morning. So, for the week, one spin, two bike rides. Another spin Friday, but no more trails ‘til next Tuesday.

8.3 miles and pushing it. Felt great, weather helped as it was 50*F and cloudy. Cool and no shadows in the woods.

Only weird thing I saw was a Motorcycle cop heading into the woods on the main trail. Can’t imagine what he was looking for. So maybe just a nap time in the woods.

 

[TCEd]

Spanked out a great ride this morning. About 10.25 miles with 545 feet of climbing. Crisp, bluebird Fall like morning.

Going out again tomorrow to push this month close to 60 miles in the woods.

As an aside, I post here because I do like the on line community. It motivates me to hammer again. In real life, I ride solo. I used to have bike partners, but they have all moved on in life or location.

Solo, it is. I’ll be 64 this summer, but my goal is to keep mountain biking until 70. While I see some folks here use an E-bike, they’re just not for me.

Pedal power ‘til 70 or bust!

View attachment 4130855

Good thing is once you turn 70 they'll still be making ebikes.

 

[jlm43]

Work brought me to south Jersey and the bike was able to tag along. Nice 14 mile loop after a long couple days. I haven’t spent much time in southern NJ and this was surprisingly good.

 

[CarloniousFunk]

Love all the bike support around here! Don't forget it's not how much you ride that makes you a cyclist. It's all just about the love for two wheels!

First ride in a week for me. Had some oral surgery work done and it's been raining/snowing so other than a couple light runs, have been taking it easy
13.4 miles +2400'

Back wheel felt a little wobbly when I got home and when I went to tighten it, the thru-axle was broken at the threads!

 

[ravewoofer]

Love all the bike support around here! Don't forget it's not how much you ride that makes you a cyclist. It's all just about the love for two wheels!

First ride in a week for me. Had some oral surgery work done and it's been raining/snowing so other than a couple light runs, have been taking it easy
13.4 miles +2400'
View attachment 4131787
Back wheel felt a little wobbly when I got home and when I went to tighten it, the thru-axle was broken at the threads!

So, single speed, maybe fixie, and 2400 feet of climbing? That’s pretty awesome.

 

[CarloniousFunk]

So, single speed, maybe fixie, and 2400 feet of climbing? That’s pretty awesome.

Yup Singlespeed, not quite savage enough to try fixed gear mountain biking! Joys of living at the base of a ski resort, is all the trails have tons of climbing

 

[CarloniousFunk]

Double ride day today. 15 miles with the gf to check out some trail conditions, found a nice mile long stretch of snowy hike a bike. I slapped on the 27.5 2.2 wheelset on the gravel bike for the 1/3 of the ride that was on singletrack but it was a nice mix of bikepath, gravel, and singletrack.

Then I got a couple boxes of parts delivered today for my Singlespeed and setup my new wheelset (WTB kom tough i35 w/Paul hubs) with cushcore and new sealant, put on a 32 tooth oval chainring and the 22 tooth White Ind freehub, and went out for a 12 mile ride with a buddy that came up from the foothills. The 32ovalx22 gearing felt pretty perfect, cleared a couple climbs I haven't been able to before, and the White Industries freehub is buttery smooth. the cushcore made a huge difference in ride quality on the rigid bike, added a lot of dampening to the 29 2.6 wheels. Still going to play around with tire pressure but very impressed with the difference.

 

[OGBeno]

Full moon ride in Tucson.

 

[jlm43]

No pictures for this one. We got lucky and were able to avoid rain for most of it.
14.2 mile ride with the LBS group ride.

 

[Specialeyes]

Seen a BIG ol’ snek on the trail today. Didn’t stop to take a photo. First trail ride in a couple of months, bike handling was in the toilet.

 

[ravewoofer]

Hell yeah! F’n cranked it this morning! 11 miler, about 600 feet of climbing. Don’t know if it was a slightly different breakfast, or switching to shorts from winter tights, but whatever, I just pounded the ride. No fatigue
riding up some steep hills, no slowing down!

Rest tomorrow, spin Thursday, then the same course Friday. Next week, longer rides.