Any guys in there 50's mtb?
Discussion
Simply question really, how many of you guys mtb?
What type of riding do you do?
What bike do you ride?
I'm getting my Dad into mtb'ing and thinking of picking up the pace a bit in 2013, just wondering what you guys do...
Any events you take part in, for example.
Trail centre regulars?
Anyone ride with their son's?!
What type of riding do you do?
What bike do you ride?
I'm getting my Dad into mtb'ing and thinking of picking up the pace a bit in 2013, just wondering what you guys do...
Any events you take part in, for example.
Trail centre regulars?
Anyone ride with their son's?!
I'm in my mid 40's (not quite 50's but I feel old!) & have a son who is nearly 18... I have always ridden bikes, mainly off road (home built 'trackers' 1970s, bmx 1980s & mtb late 80's to today)
I regularly ride with my son, though it terrifies me to watch him ride some of the technical stuff I never previously gave a thought to. We have ridden trail centres together: Winlatter, Dalby, Hamsterley, Kielder, Newcastleton etc always Red & Black routes & enjoy each others company on these rides. I know my reactions & ability to bounce when I hit the floor are reduced at my age so I never really push as hard as I used to on the fast stuff. I think the combination of father son riding is good for both parties involved- although I have become some health & safety risk assesment kind of figure whilst my Son encourages me to continue caning it whilst riding the fun stuff I may otherwise have given up in favour of road & cyclocross riding which is easier on my dodgy back/knees/etc, so couldn't reccommend it enough... Full suss helps mask the pain a bit when you're older as does starting rides slowly & building up the speed gradually.
Go for it, what have you got to lose?
Edited for spelling!
I regularly ride with my son, though it terrifies me to watch him ride some of the technical stuff I never previously gave a thought to. We have ridden trail centres together: Winlatter, Dalby, Hamsterley, Kielder, Newcastleton etc always Red & Black routes & enjoy each others company on these rides. I know my reactions & ability to bounce when I hit the floor are reduced at my age so I never really push as hard as I used to on the fast stuff. I think the combination of father son riding is good for both parties involved- although I have become some health & safety risk assesment kind of figure whilst my Son encourages me to continue caning it whilst riding the fun stuff I may otherwise have given up in favour of road & cyclocross riding which is easier on my dodgy back/knees/etc, so couldn't reccommend it enough... Full suss helps mask the pain a bit when you're older as does starting rides slowly & building up the speed gradually.
Go for it, what have you got to lose?
Edited for spelling!
Edited by marc2 on Friday 21st December 04:58
I'm just 50 but my mate is mid 50's, we've both been keen MTB's for the past 15 years, we both ride full sus for comfort! We do trail riding most weeks, up to 30 miles is our max but usually do about 20. Fast downhills do not phase us and we can show some younger riders our dust if we want to! I do think we're more careful as we are getting older, you don't bounce as well in your 50's.
It's a great way of keeping fit, far less impact than running and more fun than the gym.
It's a great way of keeping fit, far less impact than running and more fun than the gym.
I have just turned 60 and still go out on the mtbs with my two sons. We have been to many of the trail centres in Scotland and the red runs, taken fairly slowly, are about my level.
I have been down the black run at Ben Bhraggie, Golspie a few times but end up walking half the run, so it dos'nt really count!
A great sport which takes you out into some fabulous scenery and keeps you pretty fit!
I have been down the black run at Ben Bhraggie, Golspie a few times but end up walking half the run, so it dos'nt really count!
A great sport which takes you out into some fabulous scenery and keeps you pretty fit!
I was 52 last week and ride a fair bit with my sons (21 and 16)
I have an Orange hard tail, the lads both have fairly decent hardtails.
We ride many of the 7 Stanes,Winlatter and Keilder. Red routes.
Also many routes in the Lake District and around home (bridleways/footpaths etc) near Hadrians Wall
A couple of years ago I used to wait for them at the top of hills........ now they wait for me!
However when I go out with friends in their 30's who don't cycle as frequently as us I still get to the top first.
I'm kidding myself that I'm just as fit as I ever was but my boys are getting fitter!
Yes I love the red routes but I am a bit wary of the big drop offs and some of the more technical stuff. As I get older I realise that when you fall off it hurts. The youngsters never believe that they will fall off.
I agree with most of what marc2 and megaphone say.
It's great to get out with my lads and do something together.
I really like the cross country stuff, as does the 16 year old. When I was younger I did a lot of hill walking. Riding is so much better. If your Dad is new to bikes and not a speed/adrenaline junkie then this is what I would recommend (if he is just chuck him down the nearest downhill run!)
I've got a small gps device (garmin 201) which I fix to my handlebars. This will guide me around trails that I have created or downloaded.
Have a look at http://www.bikehike.co.uk
This is great and allows me to create all sorts of routes ( some real,some fantasy!) Which I can download and follow.
We are currently planning a week of biking on the Isle of Skye next Easter.Before we got into bikes there would have been no way that they would have wanted to go away to somewhere like that with their parents.
Cheers
Tim
I have an Orange hard tail, the lads both have fairly decent hardtails.
We ride many of the 7 Stanes,Winlatter and Keilder. Red routes.
Also many routes in the Lake District and around home (bridleways/footpaths etc) near Hadrians Wall
A couple of years ago I used to wait for them at the top of hills........ now they wait for me!
However when I go out with friends in their 30's who don't cycle as frequently as us I still get to the top first.
I'm kidding myself that I'm just as fit as I ever was but my boys are getting fitter!
Yes I love the red routes but I am a bit wary of the big drop offs and some of the more technical stuff. As I get older I realise that when you fall off it hurts. The youngsters never believe that they will fall off.
I agree with most of what marc2 and megaphone say.
It's great to get out with my lads and do something together.
I really like the cross country stuff, as does the 16 year old. When I was younger I did a lot of hill walking. Riding is so much better. If your Dad is new to bikes and not a speed/adrenaline junkie then this is what I would recommend (if he is just chuck him down the nearest downhill run!)
I've got a small gps device (garmin 201) which I fix to my handlebars. This will guide me around trails that I have created or downloaded.
Have a look at http://www.bikehike.co.uk
This is great and allows me to create all sorts of routes ( some real,some fantasy!) Which I can download and follow.
We are currently planning a week of biking on the Isle of Skye next Easter.Before we got into bikes there would have been no way that they would have wanted to go away to somewhere like that with their parents.
Cheers
Tim
Thanks for all the replys guys.
Truth is I've took a almost 5 year gap from regular mtbing.
Now aged 22 I'm into it big time and what to check a good few trail centres out next year.
My Dad's also starting riding regularly this year and bought his own bike for the 1st time since i've been alive!
It's a good quality old hardtail with modern hybrid-esk geo. He wants to get into it, but i don't think fully understands what's out there to ride, he's a pritty balls out rider and pushes himself massively at anything his does.
Until recently he used to jump/ride down a 10 large 10 odd 'step' set with half foot+ drops on the way to work (which he rides a few days a week) which he was proud of, until he fell of pritty bad... grazed his cheek.
How difficult and what do some of the 'red routes' include?
How big are the drop off's? Is over 100mm of travel advisable?
Truth is I've took a almost 5 year gap from regular mtbing.
Now aged 22 I'm into it big time and what to check a good few trail centres out next year.
My Dad's also starting riding regularly this year and bought his own bike for the 1st time since i've been alive!
It's a good quality old hardtail with modern hybrid-esk geo. He wants to get into it, but i don't think fully understands what's out there to ride, he's a pritty balls out rider and pushes himself massively at anything his does.
Until recently he used to jump/ride down a 10 large 10 odd 'step' set with half foot+ drops on the way to work (which he rides a few days a week) which he was proud of, until he fell of pritty bad... grazed his cheek.
How difficult and what do some of the 'red routes' include?
How big are the drop off's? Is over 100mm of travel advisable?
I'll be around Greater Manchester, I need to check Gisburn forest a.s.a.p, how difficult is the red routes there?
I know they've been doing a lot of expanding in recent years...
I visited lee quarry a few months ago, I know I wouldn't want to do that trail on the way out of there, on a bike with geo like my Dad's, god knows what that graded...
Thinking of rebuilding his bike with a second hand kona cilder cone frame name year... Might be a bit more aggressive?
Obviously we'll tackle a few blue routes at a few trail centres 1st...
I know they've been doing a lot of expanding in recent years...
I visited lee quarry a few months ago, I know I wouldn't want to do that trail on the way out of there, on a bike with geo like my Dad's, god knows what that graded...
Thinking of rebuilding his bike with a second hand kona cilder cone frame name year... Might be a bit more aggressive?
Obviously we'll tackle a few blue routes at a few trail centres 1st...
Am 'only' 46 and mtb in the peak district every weekend. It is starting to hurt a lot when I come off. Am spending a lot of time and money with the osteopath. Falling off (Twice) on the ice the other weekend meant lots of work to sort shoulder, hips and back! Cant give it up presently albeit friends and wife think I should stop.
Last year at the age of 57, and having some serious illness in the past I started Track riding at Newport Velodrome, now spend winter season on the boards once a month, nice and warm and dry , same again for 2013, thats until the TT season starts in the spring. & tons more fun than turbo-trainer
Or888t said:
Thanks for all the replys guys.
Truth is I've took a almost 5 year gap from regular mtbing.
Now aged 22 I'm into it big time and what to check a good few trail centres out next year.
My Dad's also starting riding regularly this year and bought his own bike for the 1st time since i've been alive!
It's a good quality old hardtail with modern hybrid-esk geo. He wants to get into it, but i don't think fully understands what's out there to ride, he's a pritty balls out rider and pushes himself massively at anything his does.
Until recently he used to jump/ride down a 10 large 10 odd 'step' set with half foot+ drops on the way to work (which he rides a few days a week) which he was proud of, until he fell of pritty bad... grazed his cheek.
How difficult and what do some of the 'red routes' include?
How big are the drop off's? Is over 100mm of travel advisable?
Knocking on 50 in a year or two... ride an Orange 5. Truth is I've took a almost 5 year gap from regular mtbing.
Now aged 22 I'm into it big time and what to check a good few trail centres out next year.
My Dad's also starting riding regularly this year and bought his own bike for the 1st time since i've been alive!
It's a good quality old hardtail with modern hybrid-esk geo. He wants to get into it, but i don't think fully understands what's out there to ride, he's a pritty balls out rider and pushes himself massively at anything his does.
Until recently he used to jump/ride down a 10 large 10 odd 'step' set with half foot+ drops on the way to work (which he rides a few days a week) which he was proud of, until he fell of pritty bad... grazed his cheek.
How difficult and what do some of the 'red routes' include?
How big are the drop off's? Is over 100mm of travel advisable?
Have at least one 'off' a year which hurts a bit (normally ribs).
Do the trial centres, and the bottom line is, with a decent hardtail, or full susser and committment, you're normally fine. Fell off earlier in the year because I made mistake of braking on rocky decent, and scrubbed off two much speed to get over the next 'lump' - school boy error.
And there is such variety of trials, the choice is fantastic! Red routes may involve jumps, but invariably they also include a 'chicken run' round the side of the jump as well. Maybe some rocky decents, etc, but its all very rideable.
As to what to advise on the travel, 140 seems the 'norm', however we see all sorts on the trials, from singlespeed (Skyline at Afan), to rigid, hard tails and full-sus.
Or888t said:
I'll be around Greater Manchester, I need to check Gisburn forest a.s.a.p, how difficult is the red routes there?
I know they've been doing a lot of expanding in recent years...
I visited lee quarry a few months ago, I know I wouldn't want to do that trail on the way out of there, on a bike with geo like my Dad's, god knows what that graded...
Thinking of rebuilding his bike with a second hand kona cilder cone frame name year... Might be a bit more aggressive?
Obviously we'll tackle a few blue routes at a few trail centres 1st...
Gisburn? Gisburn is part up and down fire-road and part singletrack. The singletrack is being added to all the time. A lot of it is pretty tight through trees and the track surfaces are very rocky in places - can be tricky when it's wet and or dark. A lot of it isn't particularly 'flowing' unless you're an expert (or maybe it's easy for most riders and I'm below par...) Some good downhill runs available too. The good thing about Gisburn is that it's easy to do a short loop in an hour, or add in an extra loop if you have more time etc.I know they've been doing a lot of expanding in recent years...
I visited lee quarry a few months ago, I know I wouldn't want to do that trail on the way out of there, on a bike with geo like my Dad's, god knows what that graded...
Thinking of rebuilding his bike with a second hand kona cilder cone frame name year... Might be a bit more aggressive?
Obviously we'll tackle a few blue routes at a few trail centres 1st...
BTW I'm a 45 year old LBK amputee and ride there on an Orange Evo 9 hard tail or an old Kona Hahanna.
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