The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last Updated: April 2026 Quick Take: At 19 years old, one brutal college bike race made me swear I would never ride a bike again. Decades later, cycling became one of the best parts of my life. Sometimes the thing that humbles you early becomes the thing that saves you later. As a kid, my bike was my freedom. I loved the independence, the ability to explore the neighborhood, and the feeling of wind in my face as I pedaled hard toward some imaginary finish line. A bicycle was not exercise back then. It was transportation, adventure, escape, and imagination all rolled into one. But like a lot of kids, my interests changed as I got older. Basketball became my world. I played through junior high, high school, and even earned a basketball scholarship to a small junior college. But after just one semester, I decided to give up the scholarship and the grind of competitive basketball. I still loved the game, but I did not feel the pull of chasing it as a career. So I shift...

Last Updated: March 2026 Most 70-Year-Olds Don’t Ride 5, 10, or 20 Miles — But Cyclists Still Do There’s something interesting about being a cyclist in your seventies. The world tends to assume people our age are slowing down. Retiring. Taking it easy. Spending more time sitting than moving. But then you roll past them on a bicycle. Helmet on. Legs turning. Maybe grinding up a hill or leaning into a headwind. And suddenly the assumptions don’t fit anymore. Because the truth is, most 70-year-olds can’t do what cyclists our age are still doing. Most 70-Year-Olds Don’t Ride 5, 10, or 20 Miles — Cyclists Do If you stop and think about it, riding 5, 10, 20 miles—or more on a bicycle is not a small thing. It means your heart can handle sustained effort. It means your balance is still sharp. It means your legs can keep pushing for miles. It means your lungs can keep up. It means your mind stays alert enough to ride safely. Most people in...

Last Updated: May 2026 Quick Take You don’t become a stronger cyclist first — you become someone who thinks differently first. At 70 years old and 155,000+ miles later, I’ve learned that the way you frame wind, hills, age, and pain determines the rider you become. That’s neuroplasticity in action — even if you’ve never heard the word. I’m 70. I’ve Ridden Over 155,000 Miles. And I Just Learned This Word. I’m 70 years old. I’ve ridden over 155,000 miles . I’ve trained through West Texas wind, 100-degree heat, doubt, weight loss, aging, and long empty highways where the only sound is your chain and your thoughts. And until yesterday, I had never heard the word neuroplasticity . Then it showed up twice in one day. First, I read an article about Olympic champion Eileen Gu. A reporter asked her if she thinks before she speaks. She said: “You can control what you think. And therefore you can co...

Last Updated: February 20, 2026 Quick Take: For this post, stacking means two rides in one day —morning and evening—so I practice riding when I’m not perfectly fresh. It prepares me for 7 straight days of touring without destroying myself in training. I’m training for a 7-day, 470-mile Mississippi River tour  where the real test isn’t day one—it’s day five. By then your legs have opinions, your energy fluctuates, and your mind starts negotiating. I’m 70. My base is solid. Now I’m preparing for the reality of long rides seven days in a row. The best method I’ve found is splitting one “tour day” into two separate rides —half in the morning and half in the evening. If you want the backstory behind this ride, read I Thought I Was Done With Solo Adventures. I Was Wrong. That post explains why I chose this Mississippi River tour and why it matters to me. What Stacking Means Here Ride 1 (morning): Controlled effort. Touring pace....

Updated June 20, 2026 with an update on how the ride went Last summer I tried to ride from San Diego to Las Cruces, New Mexico. I wrecked on day one. It was random. A freak accident. The kind of thing you can’t plan for and can’t really explain. But it stopped the tour before it even began. For the first time in my life, I didn’t finish a cycling tour. And that sticks with you. Why I’m Not Riding RAGBRAI For a while, I thought I’d pivot. Maybe I’d ride RAGBRAI. Maybe Oklahoma Freewheel. Maybe something organized. Structured. Safer. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something simple: I’m not a group rider. I don’t thrive in crowds, chaos, and “event energy.” I’m a plodder. I ride steady. I ride alone. I like long stretches of quiet road and the rhythm of my own cadence. That’s not rebellion — it’s temperament....

Last Updated: June 2026 Quick Take: Some cyclists keep riding strong into their 70s, 80s, and even 90s. They are not magic. They stay consistent, ride within themselves, recover better, and never fully give up the habit of moving. I used to think cycling had an expiration date. Not officially, of course. Nobody hands you a letter when you turn 70 that says, “Please turn in your bike shoes and report to the recliner.” But somewhere in the back of my mind, I probably believed there would come a day when long rides, bicycle tours, and big cycling dreams would just fade away. Then I got older. And instead of quitting, I kept riding. A few weeks ago, at 70 years old, I finished a 366-mile bicycle tour along the Mississippi River. I was not fast. I was not trying to impress anyone. Some days I felt strong, and some days I felt every one of those 70 years. But I finished it. And more than that, I enjoyed it. That ride reminded me of something I’ve seen ...

How Cycling Keeps Me Young at 70 SNIPPET: I turn 70 on November 24th, and I’m celebrating the only way I know how—by riding 70 miles. Not to be fast, not to prove anything, but because cycling still makes me feel alive. This is why I’m still riding strong after decades on the bike. I’m a little over a month away from my 70th birthday, and while most people are slowing down, I’m getting ready to ride 70 miles—one mile for every year I’ve been alive. Not because I’m the fastest or the strongest, but because cycling still gives me freedom, purpose, and joy. I’ve already ridden over 5,000 miles this year alone. All summer long, I trained for single-day events—30 miles, 25 miles, 35 miles, 47 miles. My focus was on shorter, faster rides to stay sharp. But after I ride the Day of the Tread in Albuquerque next Sunday (just a 25-mile ride), everything shifts. My training is about to change. No more chasing speed. It’s time to go long again. On November 24th—my 70th birthday—I’ll ...

Last Updated: October 6, 2025 Quick Take: Riding 100 miles a week doesn’t guarantee weight loss. You can out-eat any ride if you’re not tracking calories. Hydration, intensity, and recovery habits all play a pretty big role — but the real key is maintaining a consistent calorie deficit. I get this question a lot: “I’m putting in serious miles every week. How come the scale isn’t moving?” I’ve been there. During one of my highest-mileage months, I was riding almost every day — yet my weight barely changed. The truth is, endurance cycling burns calories, but it also boosts appetite and efficiency. If you don’t track both sides of the equation, the deficit disappears fast. 1. You’re Eating Back What You Burn Even moderate rides can torch 500–1,000 calories, but it’s shockingly easy to replace that with an extra snack or two. Cyclists often reward themselves post-ride — a “recovery” meal that can be twice what’s needed. The fix? Track what you eat, at least for a week, and c...

Last Updated: August 20, 2025 Recovering From Long Bicycle Rides as a Senior Rider The ride is done. The miles are behind you. Your legs might feel heavy, your back a little stiff, and you’re probably wondering: How do I bounce back faster? I’ve ridden dozens of 50+ mile rides in my 60s, and I can guarantee you that recovery now is not as easy as it used to be. But here’s the good news—if you follow a few smart steps, you’ll make recovery smoother, avoid setbacks, and be ready for your next ride. 🚴 Recovery isn’t about being young—it’s about being smart. Here’s how senior cyclists can bounce back strong after long rides. 1. Cool Down With Intention Don’t stop cold the second you hit your driveway. I always spin my legs easy for the last 5–10 minutes. This keeps blood moving, flushes out some of the fatigue, and keeps my muscles from tightening up the moment I step off the bike. 2. Rehydrate and Refuel Water comes first—always. Then I make sure to ...

Updated March 2026 That's me in the canyon Two weeks before the Hotter’N Hell 100, where I will be doing the half,   I decided to test myself with a 50-mile ride in one of Texas’ toughest places to cycle — Palo Duro Canyon . I knew it would be hot. I knew it would be hilly. But I didn’t know that the final six miles would turn into a fight just to stay upright. The Base That Made This Possible I’ve ridden over 6,000 miles in the last 12 months , much of it challenging and in the Texas heat. Living in Lubbock , I’m used to triple-digit summer rides. I would never have attempted this canyon ride without that base. Even so, this day proved that sometimes, even with years of experience, you still get humbled. My goal wasn’t to ride in extreme heat. I got there early enough that I expected to finish when temps were in the mid-90s. The morning was pleasant. But when things started going wrong mid-ride, my stops stretched the day, and by the end, it was 100–101°F. I neve...