The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Quick Answer: Long rides aren’t about escaping boredom—they’re about finding space to think. The rhythm, the solitude, the sound of the tires—cycling gives your mind room to breathe, reflect, and reset. What Cyclists Really Think About on Long Rides People ask me sometimes, “What do you think about out there?”—usually with a curious look, as if pedaling for hours must feel like watching paint dry. But it’s not like that at all. The longer the ride, the more my mind opens up. The road doesn’t bore me—it speaks to me. It quiets the noise of everyday life and lets the thoughts that matter most rise to the surface. The Warm-Up Thoughts At first, it’s all about the basics: breathing, cadence, terrain, and weather. How do the legs feel today? What’s the wind up to? Those are the mental check-ins every cyclist knows well. But once the rhythm sets in, those practical thoughts fade into the background. The road becomes a moving meditation. The Journey Back Through Time That’s when m...

 Cycling Gear I Recommend: Real picks from 150,000+ miles of riding. I choose gear for safety, comfort, and durability—not hype. If you buy through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Safety & Visibility Helmet: Giro Fixture MIPS II — reliable fit and protection. See options Rear Radar: Garmin Varia — game-changer in traffic. Check availability Lights: High-lumen front + daytime-flash rear. Front lights | Rear lights Reflective Ankle Bands: Cheap, light, very visible. My go-to style Comfort & Contact Points Bib Shorts: #1 comfort upgrade for long rides. Men | Women Ergonomic Saddle: Pick shape that matches your sit bones. Popular choices Suspension Seatpost: Smooths rough chip-seal. Solid options Gloves: Gel padding + proper fit to prevent numbness. Shop gloves Data, Training & Navigation ...

Quick Take: Age isn’t the stop sign. With steady miles, a dash of intensity, and honest recovery, cyclists are pushing strong into their 80s and 90s. Last Updated: November 4, 2025 Age Is No Limit: How Cyclists Are Defying Time and Pedaling Into Their 90s Let’s cut the fluff. Yes, VO 2 max drifts down over time. Recovery takes longer. Muscle doesn’t hang around for free. But cyclists who keep showing up—riding often, sprinkling in smart intensity, and actually recovering—are staying shockingly strong well past 70. A growing number are still turning pedals in their 80s and even 90s. Not unicorns—just consistent riders who refuse to hand the keys to the calendar. What the Evidence (and Real Riders) Actually Show Use it, don’t lose it: Aerobic capacity and strength decline mostly when you stop training. Keep riding and you preserve a surprising amount of top-end. Immune & independence benefits: Regular cycling is linked with more robust immune markers ...

Quick Take: Planning gives structure. Spontaneity gives joy. The best cyclists do both—track miles when it matters and wander when it feels right. Last Updated: November 1, 2025 A cyclist looking at a map—choosing between structure and freedom. Every cyclist has a rhythm. Some riders map every turn. Others roll wherever the wind—or the legs—say go. I’m somewhere in between. When I’m training for an event, I want a handle on mileage and effort. But my favorite days are the ones that just unfold—no fixed destination, just the road and a hunch. That freedom is part of what makes cycling special. The Case for Planning Your Ride Structure works—especially if you’re building endurance or getting ready for a long-distance tour. Planning keeps you honest and makes your progress visible. Hit weekly mileage, tempo, and climbing goals Balance hard days with real recovery Track event readiness with data you trust Explore new areas with fewer wrong turns I’ll often ...

Last updated: October 16, 2025 Pumpkin Spice and Pedals: Embracing Fall Rides Quick Take: Fall might be the best season to ride—cooler temps, golden views, and simple layers. With bright lights, a little extra tire grip, and a pocket snack, autumn rides are pure joy. There’s something magical about cycling in the fall. The blazing heat of summer fades away, the air turns crisp, and the trees begin their slow-motion fireworks show of red, gold, and orange. It’s when the road quiets, your jersey finally breathes, and every mile feels like a deep inhale. Why Fall Rides Hit Different Cooler temps = longer rides. Less sweat, less sunburn, and more comfort in the saddle. Nature is peaking. Leaf tunnels, morning mist, and golden-hour light make even easy miles feel cinematic. Coffee stops are elite. That first hot sip with slightly cold gloves? Perfect. Good headspace. Ideal for long thinking rides, short resets, or the last training block before winter. ...

Quick Answer: You don’t need fancy training plans to get better. Ride often, keep most rides easy, and stack them—one on top of another—so adaptation compounds. Last Updated: October 26, 2025 “Stacking rides” is simple: you add frequent, repeatable rides so your body adapts before those gains fade. It’s momentum, not masochism. A five-mile spin becomes ten. Two rides a week become four. Before long you’re stronger, leaner, and calmer on the bike—without white-knuckle training blocks. What Stacking Really Means Stacking isn’t grinding yourself into dust. It’s controlled consistency. Each ride lightly stresses muscles, lungs, and heart; riding again (before the effect disappears) tells your body to build back a little better. Skip too long between rides and the effect resets. Keep the rhythm and the gains compound. Why It Works (and Beats Occasional “Hero” Rides) Consistency > intensity: A week of steady, easy rides usually outperforms o...

Last updated: October 22, 2025 Quick Answer: Some days the wind just won’t quit. But after enough miles and conditioning, it stops being the enemy. The key isn’t chasing speed—it’s learning to stay steady when the wind hits from every direction. Cycling in Windy Conditions: What Years of Riding Taught Me Today’s ride was twenty-five miles—my next-to-last before heading to Albuquerque for the Day of the Tread. The weather couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. Somewhere between cool and warm, with that strange, swirling kind of Lubbock wind that refuses to pick a direction. North? South? No—just everywhere at once. It was one of those rides where you keep your head down and just pedal. You’re never really getting a tailwind, but you don’t stop to complain either. Every turn, it shifts again. It’s not dramatic—it’s just relentless. A test of patience more than power. Years ago, I used to dread this. I’d look outside, see the trees bending, and think, “Forget it.” But not any...