The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

My destination that night was Natchitoches, Louisiana. Just a few nights earlier, I’d been caught in one of the worst storms of my life while camping in a tent in Bowie, Texas. That night, the lightning was so close and the rain so sideways that I ended up calling the police to rescue me. You can read that full story here . So as I rode into Nacogdoches, I already had a little weather-related PTSD. I could see storms building on the radar and hear the thunder rumbling in the distance. I had originally planned to camp in the city park that night. But before heading over, I stopped at a Subway restaurant to grab dinner and think through my options. It was a newer Subway, located right next to a couple of hotels, including a brand-new Hampton Inn. I sat down to eat, watching the radar, trying to decide: Do I spend the money to stay somewhere dry and safe, or do I take my chances in the tent again and hope there's no lightning? I don’t mind rain. But lightning? Not anymore. As I ...

Absolutely—mixed-sport couples can work brilliantly. Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Last Updated: September 16, 2025 Yes: A cyclist–runner couple can thrive by respecting each other’s sport, syncing schedules, training side-by-side when possible (bike next to run), and using smart cross-training. Keep communication honest, celebrate each win, and choose a few shared routines so neither passion gets sidelined. Different sports, same team. Riding and running look different, but they’re powered by the same engine: movement, endurance, and the itch to get a little better each week. With a bit of planning (and some humility), you can build a partnership that’s stronger on and off the road. Tips for Making It Work 1) Respect Each Other’s Passion Learn the basics of your partner’s sport: fueling, pacing, recovery. Show up to big days and cheer like it matters—because...

Quick Take: Cycling is one of the few passions left untouched by politics. On the road, there are no sides — just sweat, freedom, and the shared joy of riding. Riding Away from the Noise When I throw a leg over my bicycle, I’m stepping out of a world that never stops shouting. Turn on the TV and the talking heads are screaming. Scroll social media and the divide is even louder. Everyone seems determined to slot people into neat little boxes: Christians on the far right, celebrities on the far left, blue-collar workers here, academics there. It feels like the whole country is playing a bad game of “pick your tribe.” But when I clip in and start pedaling, all of that vanishes. The noise fades, replaced by the steady hum of rubber on pavement, the cadence of my legs, and the rhythm of my breath. Politics? I don’t even want to think about it. Out here, there’s nothing but effort, fresh air, and the kind of peace you can’t get from any screen. Shared Roads, Not Divided Camps I l...

Quick Answer: On a long-distance bicycle tour, a broken spoke miles from help can turn into a nightmare — unless you have the right tools and a little luck. A multi-tool with a spoke wrench and a spare spoke or two can save the day, and sometimes, the kindness of strangers makes all the difference. My first day on a tour out to the city of Pensacola was brutal — over 100 miles in just under 100-degree weather. My destination that night was a tiny place called Guthrie, Texas, where I ended up sleeping in a football stadium restroom. The next morning, I rolled out early to beat the heat. I was headed for Seymour — only about 65 miles — where I had a serious upgrade waiting for me: a camper trailer instead of a concrete bathroom stall. I figured I’d arrive early, get some rest, and be ready for a longer ride to Bowie the next day. But the universe had other plans. Just five miles outside of Guthrie, I heard the unmistakable sound of a spoke snapping on my back wheel. I’ve al...

Last updated: September 22, 2025 Quick Answer: You don’t have to hammer every ride. Easy to moderate cycling most days—paired with honest food tracking—can absolutely lead to weight loss. Hard rides help, but consistency beats intensity over the long haul. Quick Gear Picks for Easier Weight Loss RENPHO Smart Scale — trend tracking keeps you honest. Check price Basic Heart Rate Monitor — keeps easy days truly easy. See Top Rated Monitor for Accuracy Simple Bike Computer — track minutes; minutes win. Compare Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Straight talk from a 69-year-old who’s tried both: I’ve done the white-knuckle, all-out sessions, and I’ve done easy spins where I could hold a conversation. The scale moved when my weekly total stayed...

Photo: The Old Guy Bicycle Blog Last updated: September 24, 2025 Quick Answer: These are the real cyclist-approved gifts for Christmas 2025—useful, durable, and actually ridden with. I’ve included budget, mid-range, and splurge picks for every rider on your list. Quick Picks: Budget • Mid • Splurge Budget: Reflective ankle bands , CO₂ inflator , chain lube , multi-tool w/ chain breaker . Mid-range: Garmin Varia rear radar , Giro Fixture MIPS II helmet , quality bib shorts . Splurge: Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT V3 / Garmin Edge 540 Solar , Wahoo KICKR Core trainer . 🎄 Top 10 Christmas 2025 Gifts for Cyclists (All on Amazon) Short list first, deeper notes under each pick: comfort, visibility, training data, and “I’ll use this every ride” gear. No gimmicks. 1) Smart GPS Bike Computer Why it lands: Mapping, turn...

Last Updated: September 5, 2025 Quick Take: On a scorching ride home, a friendly neighbor turned his garden hose on me as I passed. That unexpected rush of cold water lifted my spirits and made the last miles easier. Yes, There Are Angels Out on the Road Sometimes I’ve been out on some long, brutal training rides before. You know the kind—heat pressing down, legs dead, every mile heavier than the last. By the time I hit the neighborhoods closer to home, I’m usually counting the pedal strokes and wishing for a breeze. One day stands out clear in my memory. It was a scorcher, and I was cooked. I turned a corner and spotted a man in his front yard, garden hose in hand as he washed his car. He saw me coming, grinned, and without a word turned that hose on me as I rolled by. What a rush of refreshment. Cold water, right when I needed it most. My spirits lifted instantly, and suddenly the last few miles didn’t feel impossible anymore. It’s moments like th...

Foam Rollers for Endurance Athletes: Why Cyclists, Runners, and Triathletes Should Roll (From a 30-Mile Day Legs Feel Like Mine) Last Updated: September 17, 2025 Quick Take: After hard miles, your legs don’t just feel tight—they are. A foam roller boosts circulation, loosens stuck fascia, and helps you move better tomorrow. I pushed a 30-mile ride today and the roller turned “stiff and creaky” into “okay, I can train again.” Endurance sport is a bargain you make with your body: you get the joy of long days, but you owe it recovery. I rode 30 miles today and pushed it. Quads and calves lit up, hips cranky. Ten focused minutes on a foam roller didn’t make me brand-new—but it flipped the next-day script from hobble to ready . If you ride, run, swim, hike, or stack bricks of training, this simple tool belongs in your kit. Why Foam Rolling Helps (Plain English) More blood in, junk out: Light pressure + movement improves local circulation. That helps shuttle nut...

Quick Take: Endurance isn’t a heart-rate number—it’s a decision. Build it with consistent rides, smart hydration, flexible pacing, and the humility to adapt when heat, wind, or storms show up. You don’t have to be fast to be tough. Last Updated: September 10, 2025 Cycling and Endurance: A Perfect Pair If you ride long enough, you learn this the hard way: endurance isn’t just VO 2 max, quads, or what your cycling app says. It’s how you respond when your legs say, “We’re done,” and your mind answers, “Not yet.” Cycling and endurance feed each other—the more you ride, the more your capacity grows, in body and in head. Story #1 — The Day the “Easy Flats” Broke Bad (Kerrville → Hondo, 2020) I’d just crawled out of the brutal hills between Menard and Kerrville on my ride from the Oklahoma border down to South Padre Island in 2020—some of the meanest climbs I’ve faced. The next day should’ve been a victory lap. Flatter terrain, fewer rollers. Easier, rig...

Why I Chose the Giro Fixture MIPS II — and How It Stacks Up Against $200 Helmets Last updated: August 26, 2025 Quick Take: I wear the Giro Fixture MIPS II helmet. At around $75, it delivers real safety without the premium price tag. Higher-end helmets ($150–$200) offer lighter weight, better ventilation, and sleeker features — but not necessarily better protection. One thing I will not cover here: budget helmets with no modern safety system. I will not wear one, and I don’t recommend you do either. That is me wearing my Giro Fixture  MIPS II Helmet on a training ride. Helmets are not optional gear. They’re survival gear. And in my case, I ride with the Giro Fixture MIPS II . It’s the helmet you’ll see on my head in nearly every ride photo on this blog. Why this model? Because at around $75 it gives me modern MIPS protection , good ventilation, and a fit system I can trust — all without breaking the bank. But there’s a question I hear often: “If your helmet has MIPS I...

Quick Answer: Cyclists can get shin splints from overtraining, poor bike fit, or cleat setup. Backing off intensity, adjusting your fit, and adding recovery tools like compression sleeves can help you ride pain-free. Cycling and Shin Splints: Why They Happen and How to Stop Them Cycling is supposed to be low-impact — and most of the time it is. But every now and then, I’ve felt a dull ache creep up the front of my shins, especially during heavier training weeks. The first time it happened, I thought shin splints were just a “runner’s thing.” Turns out, cyclists aren’t immune. My Experience With Shin Splints on the Bike Every so often, when I get into a groove and push the miles or intensity a little too hard, my shins let me know. That sharp, nagging discomfort tells me I’ve crossed the line into overtraining. These days, when I feel it start, I immediately back off — fewer hills, easier cadence, maybe even an extra rest day. Within a few days, the pain usually eases up. It’s a...