Aging: 60 year olds - still hanging on the group climbs??

[thomas]

I turned 60 this year. After another group ride yesterday where I just could not hang on the climbs, I'm thinking my age is catching up to me. Other riders on the ride ranged from a few years older than me down to maybe 25, plus Josh, who's all of 14 and the next Contador. That's another story. I know I should do more squats and shorter intensity stuff, but I'm thinking I also need to just accept some decline in performance. I was never great on climbs with my 6-2, 180# carcass. The couple of guys around my age are smaller and lighter, so maybe that helps them.

But it's still very frustrating.

Thinking I need to be going to the gym year-round at this point, not just Nov-March.

Any secret gear out there, like Rotor rings, lightweight wheels, whatever, that an older (with more money than youth) rider should look at?

[holliscx]

Any secret gear out there, like Rotor rings, lightweight wheels, whatever, that an older (with more money than youth) rider should look at?

Climbing is the only way to get better at climbing; I bet your frustration has more to do with your training than your age.

Most 60 year-olds can't ride a bike around the block. You're getting dropped on hills. Seriously celebrate that - and ride more.

[MarkC]

We had a 74 year old guy who hung just fine for two hours yesterday. He's a pretty good rider though.

There are no secret parts to buy. Just need to ride to your strengths and enjoy the day.

Gym year round is a good health idea. Do it!

Mark

[Vlad Luskin]

Some 60-year olds are still hanging on group climbs, others find slower groups to hang with...

[bking]

I'm 58. 6'3" and 200. I love the idea of climbing. i even do it and enjoy it. but about two years ago i gave up the ghost of getting better and faster anywhere. I know there are guys who are older and faster. And for the past 10 years my goals always drove me to improve year to year. Two years ago that stopped. It would require more time and discipline than i'm willing to give to it. And i want to do it because it's pure fun, and keep it that way.

I'm slower now--not a lot, but enjoy it every bit as much. I get about 5K per year, and it keeps me smiling, interested, and in some kind of shape (round is a shape).

[David Tollefson]

I turned 60 this year. After another group ride yesterday where I just could not hang on the climbs, I'm thinking my age is catching up to me.

Clearly they've all found a new class of PED and are all juicing.

[fortitudine]

OK, only 56, here. I like to climb--grew up in Marin county at the base of Mount Tam. All interesting rides went up hill.

I am always looking to get better at climbing and I do think lightweight wheels help significantly. I switched out my 1550g mavic ksyriums for 1250g carbon tubulars. It does make a nice difference. Been getting lots of PRs after the switch.

Randy

[Bobqzz]

OK, only 56, here. I like to climb--grew up in Marin county at the base of Mount Tam. All interesting rides went up hill.

I am always looking to get better at climbing and I do think lightweight wheels help significantly. I switched out my 1550g mavic ksyriums for 1250g carbon tubulars. It does make a nice difference. Been getting lots of PRs after the switch.

Randy

2/3 of a pound can make a small difference on longer climbs- every bit helps

[teleguy57]

60 this past May. Never was a grimpeur, but I'm down a few more pounds this year and spent more time in the gym this winter, particularly doing Turkish get ups and swings with kettlebells. I find this season I am hanging longer on the climbs. When I did the Tour de Steamboat I did ok on the long steady stuff, but when it kicked up it was challenging. I did get compliments from those in my group on descending (big boys go downhill fast:)) and driving the group on the rollers (the name decal on my Hampsten says "Presque Rouleur").

I do ride Rotor Q-rings, but I got them more to save what's left of my knees rather than for performance. I find I do like how I climb with them, particularly while seated (that's how big boys climb, right?:))

[fortitudine]

Another consideration is having the proper gear for the grade. As we age our optimum rpm may change. I know that I have a certain rpm at which I seem to be most efficient. For example, I'm running 53/39 in front and 12-27 in back. This is fine for most climbs but not, for example, Jamison creek where the grade is 18% in places. If I did that regularly I would switch to compact and 11-28.

Randy

[Lionel]

Jamison creek sucks whether you are 20 or 70 ;-)

[Mark Kelly]

I'll cop flak for this but IMO a triple is a great thing for us old farts. 5 years younger but 5 kg heavier than you, I'm the strongest climber in my group ride bar one woman who is half my age and half my weight. Being able to sit and spin at 80+ when the grade gets steep is a major advantage.

You just have to learn to embrace the dork image: I ride with a rack on the back and occasionally leave a pannier on so there was never any hope for me.

[ldamelio]

Don't forget the obvious - more recovery. You can still ride tons of miles every day in your 60's, but it's hard to do the top end stuff (climbs, sprints) without more recovery than the younger guys. I'm slightly younger than you (55) and have noticed the need for more and better recovery creeping in over the last year or two. I'm riding less this fall (some of it involuntarily D/T work), but riding faster (and getting better race results) on about 6 hours a week - half of what I rode in the past. About the same volume of intensity, but less total miles. When the hammer goes down on the weekends, the legs are readier than they were the past couple of years. (BTW, I still suck, this year I just suck less).
If you're retired and can ride at will, save something for the big group ride or race. Or just continue to ride tons and accept that you won't have the same top end as you did in the past. Either way, you're faster and healthier than 99.9% of the population and that's superb.

[earlfoss]

No matter what the age, doing workouts like 5 min @ 105% of FTP, and 2 min intervals @ Z5-ish will go a long way towards being able to hang in the hills.

There are a few 60 year old guys here in Madison who do intervals on their own on a regular basis and are able to hang just fine until the younger guys start accelerating and decelerating on the climbs.

[savine]

Our team Sports Director s father is 60 and has just won the World Champs in St Johann for his age class. He trained loads in the past but this year changed his training.... got a SRM on his bike and done shorter quicker rides. Ok, he was racing Cat 1 elite at 50 against kids half his age and was one of Germany's top amateurs back in the day. But I reckon it's all down to training, doing hill intervals etc though the main thing is to enjoy.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Different story, but Kent Bostick still killing it. He is 62, still can sit in a P/1/2 crit and come outta the last corner going for broke. He will also try to break your legs any other ride of the week. He may not be the fastest going up, but you better have a big gap when the road goes over.