What My Bike Has Taught Me About Getting Older
I don’t ride like I did in my 30s. I’m slower. I recover a little differently. I warm up a little longer. But here’s the thing: I feel the same. The same ambition still burns. The same grit still shows up. And I’m still out here riding—maybe not racing the clock, but definitely not backing down.
My bike has taught me a lot over the years, but maybe the most important lesson is this: getting older doesn’t mean giving up who you are. You just learn to meet the road differently.
In my younger years, I was all speed and fire—push harder, go faster, prove something. Now, I ride longer, think deeper, and savor the miles more. I don’t have to prove anything anymore. That doesn’t mean I don’t push myself; I just do it with more patience, more wisdom, and a whole lot more gratitude.
What the Saddle Taught Me
- Patience: Strength takes time.
- Pacing: Burn too hot early and you’ve got nothing for the hills ahead.
- Humility: Some days the body says “no.” Respect it and live to ride tomorrow.
- Resilience: Keep showing up anyway.
Somewhere along the line, I stopped comparing myself to younger riders. My ride is my own. The fact that I’m out there—riding hills, chasing horizons, sweating through headwinds—that’s what matters.
I know I’ve got fewer miles ahead than behind. That’s reality. It doesn’t weigh me down; it fuels me. I ride with more appreciation now. Each ride is a gift. And when I’m turning the pedals, I don’t feel like an old man—I feel like the same guy who started riding decades ago. A little slower, a little wiser, same fire in the belly.
The world loves to box people in as they age: slow down, take it easy, act your age. My bike argues otherwise. Every time I throw a leg over the frame, I’m reminded: age is a number, not a verdict.
Bottom Line
I’ll keep riding. As long as my legs turn the cranks and my heart stirs at the sight of an open road, I’ll be out there. Slower, maybe—but no less determined. Because grit doesn’t age.
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