The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Updated January 2026 🚴‍♂️ Quick Answer (Real Advice from the Road): Yes—cycling can make you more creative , especially steady, moderate rides. It boosts brain chemicals tied to learning and motivation, lowers stress, and gives your mind enough “quiet” to connect ideas you’d never link sitting at a desk. I’ve had rides where I started out annoyed, distracted, or stuck on a problem—and 30 minutes later, the solution felt obvious. That “mental reset” isn’t just motivational talk. The science behind cycling and creativity is surprisingly strong. In this post, I’ll break down why cycling helps creativity in plain language (with the real brain mechanisms underneath it), and I’ll show you how to ride in a way that reliably produces better ideas . What Creativity Really Means (Not Just Art) When people hear “creativity,” they think painting, music, or writing novels. But creativity is broader than that. It’s the ability to generate a new idea tha...

If cycling is such good exercise, why don’t most cyclists have a visible six-pack? I’ve seen this question for years, and I understand why it sticks in your head. You’ll see a few riders who look absolutely shredded, and then you’ll see plenty of strong cyclists who can climb for miles, ride for hours, and still don’t have “magazine cover” abs. Here’s the truth: most cyclists have strong abs . They just don’t always have visible abs. And that is not a problem—it’s often a sign they’re doing things the healthy, sustainable way. Strong Abs vs Visible Abs Cycling forces your core to work the entire time. Your abs stabilize your torso, keep your hips steady, help you breathe efficiently, and transfer power to the pedals—especially when you’re climbing, sprinting, or riding in a low position. But here’s the key distinction: Strong abs are common in cyclists. Visible abs usually require a lower body-fat level than mo...

Last Updated:  January 19, 2026 Most people picture “athletes” as 20-something pros with perfect VO 2 max scores and bulletproof knees. But if you ask me who the toughest riders on the road really are, I’ll point to the men and women who are still turning pedals in their seventies and beyond. I’m a 70-year-old long-distance cyclist with more than 155,000 miles in my legs. I’ve ridden through injuries, bad weather, surgeries, and plenty of people who thought I’d “age out” of cycling years ago. Quick Take: If you’re still riding a bike at 70+, you’re already performing at a level most people will never reach. Older cyclists train through pain, adapt to aging bodies, and show up week after week. That combination of grit, consistency, and heart makes 70+ riders the real super-athletes nobody talks about. Why “Super-Athlete” Actually Fits When you’re 70+, cycling isn’t just “going for a ride.” It’s strength training, cardio, balance work, mental therapy, a...

For years, I’ve trained on the road. Nothing beats the feeling of wind on your face and the hum of your tires on the pavement. But when I was training for my San Diego to Phoenix tour last year, winter hit harder than expected — cold, wet, and relentless. I’m not one to back down from a challenge, but there were simply too many days when riding outside wasn’t safe or feasible. My wife had been using our local gym for a while, but I always saw little reason to join her. After all, I’m addicted to cycling — not treadmills and weight machines. Quick Answer Indoor cycling isn’t just a winter substitute for outdoor riders. A simple indoor bike setup can preserve endurance, improve climbing strength through intervals, and keep your fitness from slipping when weather, injury, or mechanical problems stop outdoor rides. I’m not here to sell you “gym stuff.” I’m here to keep you riding. Below are a few indoor cycling tools I’ve personally used...

Last Updated: January 5, 2026 Quick Answer: If your chain is jammed behind the cassette (between the cassette and spokes), don’t yank it. Shift to the smallest cog, release rear-wheel tension, and “walk” the chain out while rotating the cassette backward. If it’s wedged hard, remove the rear wheel and pull the chain out from the cassette side. If you’ve never had this happen, it’s a special kind of panic. One second you’re pedaling, the next your rear wheel locks up and the chain is stuffed where it absolutely doesn’t belong — behind the cassette, right up against the spokes. It happened to me just 2 days ago. It is not fun but it can be fixed. Here’s the honest truth: most damage happens when people try to rip the chain out . Bent derailleur hangers, broken spokes, torn chain links… all from one “I’ll just yank it.” First: Stop Pedaling and Get Safe Pull off the road/path and flip your bike upside down or lean it against something stable. Do not force th...

Last Updated: January 7, 2026 Quick Answer: If you ride more than neighborhood loops—multiple times a week for fitness, longer routes, hotter days, or rides that require navigation—your phone will eventually let you down on the handlebars. Heat, battery drain, and screen dimming are real. A dedicated bike computer is built to run in sun and heat all ride long, track your heart rate and effort, and sync cleanly to Strava. I’m not talking about being a “serious” cyclist. I’m talking about the kind of rider most of us become once we start riding for fitness: You ride multiple times a week . You leave the neighborhood and do longer routes . You start caring about heart rate, pace, and progress . You want your ride data to show up in Strava without drama. If that’s you, a phone mount and a phone can work—until it doesn’t. And once it fails you mid-ride, you’ll understand why bike computers exist. 🔥 The Phone Problem: Heat Happe...

Last updated: January 7, 2026 Quickest Answer: If you only pedal around the neighborhood, your phone is fine to record the ride. For anything longer, hotter, hillier, or navigated? Use a dedicated GPS bike computer. The #1 reason: phones shut down on the handlebars from heat; bike computers are built to run there all day. I’ve been riding long distances for decades. I’ve cooked phones, drained batteries, lost GPS in the middle of nowhere, and had rides where everything went right only because my bike computer stayed rock-solid while my phone tapped out. Here’s the blunt truth from a 70-year-old cyclist: if you’re just looping the neighborhood, sure — your phone is enough. But once you add heat, distance, sun, hills, or navigation, your phone becomes the weak link. A dedicated GPS bike computer becomes the thing that keeps the day on track. Why a Phone on the Bars Is a Bad Idea for Long Rides Overheating & shutdowns: Dire...