Age limit for cycling?

catlike said:

I just (about a half year ago) joined cycling community, when I quit smoking and felt that i need to do some sport for improve my fitness. I am 31 year old, i do practice 3 to 4 times a week (i ride about 100 km a week), and for now i can ride 30 km trip on an avarage speed of 30 km/h, what I am satisfacted for now given my previous lifestyle (10 years smoker expirience and minimum phisical activity level), but I have set the goal for myself to reach the avarage speed of 35 km/h for 40 km ride in 3 years and try to reach the speed of 38 km/h for 40 km trip in 5 years ( I will be 36 years old then). Is it possible or my goals are too optimistic, as I have been told that after an age of 30 , the possibility to improve cycling performance (speed) is set to minimum. Is this true?
Maybe there are some people, who started cyclig late, and who can share their expirience?

P.S. sorry for my poor English, (I started English late as well)

I know many riders who started cycling much later than you who have gone on to race successfully and be able to ride at the speeds you are targeting.

All it takes is consistent and smart training - executing on a plan to improve. Good equipment and roads helps too!

Alex Simmons said:

...All it takes is consistent and smart training - executing on a plan to improve. Good equipment and roads helps too!

+1 on this post, Well said Alex!

Many very sucessful riders started later in life than you. Just stick with it and develop good training habits, also make sure you keep an eye on the big picture and take the long view as it doesn't happen right away.

-Dave

catlike said:

.......I have set the goal for myself to reach the avarage speed of 35 km/h for 40 km ride in 3 years and try to reach the speed of 38 km/h for 40 km trip in 5 years ( I will be 36 years old then). Is it possible or my goals are too optimistic.

Catlike,

You are 31. Increasing your average speed over a 40K distance from 30 km/h to 35 km/h in 3 years is a reasonable and reachable goal. In fact, you may surprise yourself and be riding 5 km/h faster in much less time than 3 years. I started riding 6-10 hours per week when I was 50 in 2005. Here are my 40K TT average speeds.

August 2005……. 32.4 km/h
September 2005… 32.8 km/h
June 2006……….. 35.4 km/h
August 2006…….. 36.7 km/h
May 2007………...37.1 km/h

I improved my average speed roughly 4.7 km/h in 2 years. A 5 km/h average speed increase over a 40K distance is well within the physiological capabilities of most 31 year olds. If your current average 40K speed was 39 km/h and you wanted to increase your average speed another 5 km/h then that wouldn't be as easy. So, yes, you can do this. In the speed ranges that you are trying to improve through you are making the transition from being a good recreational rider to someone who could get involved in the beginning categories of bike racing! 😎

Most 31 year olds are physiologically capable of riding 35-38 km/h for 40K but when you look around, most can't. It isn't because of their age or a prior history of smoking. People who are fast on their bikes in this range of speed are rare because it takes time that many people with pressing claims from jobs or families don't have. But in an absence of more pressing claims it also takes a kind of courage to turn off the TV, get off the couch and say no to other trivial distractions and instead faithfully ride your bike. Once you are out the door the splendor of riding takes over and this makes even difficult rides fun. But crossing that threshold, getting out of our comfortable homes, getting started, it's this getting on the bike in the first place that takes a fortitude that is rarer in people. So when I see someone who is good on their bike at the speeds you are aspiring to achieve, I don't see someone physiologically exceptional, but someone with an exceptional character………..(which is also physiological……).

Have you read through Tyson's Thread "Its Killing me but…" Tyson's thread and others in the Cycling Training and Power Training Forums help you think about the number, intensity and duration of your training rides so that you make steady progress towards your goals.

Good luck. Report back and let us hear about the progress you are making!

😎 Never, never is there an age too old....

We went on B-A-K (Biking Across Kansas) a couple of weeks ago.....800 cyclists, 500 miles covered in 7 days....

Our companion out to the Colorado border is 82 years old. The oldest is a neat lady who is 85...both active in our local bicycle club.

Did they set any speed records? No....
Did they have a blast getting to each destination? YES !!!

I don't know about the average speed goal, but I would ignor that aspect of cycling & just enjoy being out there....🙄

catlike said:

I just (about a half year ago) joined cycling community, when I quit smoking and felt that i need to do some sport for improve my fitness. I am 31 year old, i do practice 3 to 4 times a week (i ride about 100 km a week), and for now i can ride 30 km trip on an avarage speed of 30 km/h, what I am satisfacted for now given my previous lifestyle (10 years smoker expirience and minimum phisical activity level), but I have set the goal for myself to reach the avarage speed of 35 km/h for 40 km ride in 3 years and try to reach the speed of 38 km/h for 40 km trip in 5 years ( I will be 36 years old then). Is it possible or my goals are too optimistic, as I have been told that after an age of 30 , the possibility to improve cycling performance (speed) is set to minimum. Is this true?
Maybe there are some people, who started cyclig late, and who can share their expirience?

P.S. sorry for my poor English, (I started English late as well)

Catkike, I'm sorry to say this but, yes you're too old to see much improvement; enjoy life, take to the , go back to, start another hobby - maybe , spend as much time as possible in during the day, and at night go to a and the night away.

Bt the time you're 40 or 50, this guy

will be knocking on your door.

Too old !!!!!!!

TYSON

Age thirty is prime time for most athletes in most sports. If you were now trying to be world-class in a new sport, you'd have a problem. But for goals less lofty than that your current age is no impediment at all.

Pendejo said:

Age thirty is prime time for most athletes in most sports. If you were now trying to be world-class in a new sport, you'd have a problem. But for goals less lofty than that your current age is no impediment at all.

Nearing the double-30 now, I don't feel to old to ride at all....just too old to crash🙂

I am 38 and I just did a 32.6 mile (54 km) ride last Saturday and averaged 20.3 MPH (33.8 KMH) Yes this is tha fastest I have gone on this ride as it is hilly but 31 is young and new! Your speed will increase to faster than you think you can go just this season. Keep at it and you will impress yourself.🙂

I ride with a guy whos pushing 60 years old and can blow me away without trying. He can pull around 48kph for a few miles at a time and shoots me off the back of his wheel. I'm 18, and I ride more often than him.

ToffoIsMe said:

I ride with a guy whos pushing 60 years old and can blow me away without trying. He can pull around 48kph for a few miles at a time and shoots me off the back of his wheel. I'm 18, and I ride more often than him.

That's pretty impressive, yesterday I was doing 40kph on the flat solo. (first time ever) I wasn't flat out but I'm sure I couldn't do 46kph for very long without drafting. Maybe this time next year eh.😉
Hold on - I'll be pushing 66 then.🙁 Tyson

I,m 36 years old and just started this year. I've never done a TT and doubt if I ever will, but you never know. I started 6 weeks ago on a roadbike after 3 weeks on a hybrid. My first major ride was 60k with an average of 22.5km/h. My last ride was 90km with an average of 26.9km/h. Have done 50 with an average of 28.1km/h. This isn't on the hillest terrain in the world but not flat our average ride will have about 1200-1600m in elevation it is rather hilly in areas with some 10-14% grades. I would say you are well on your way.

Sillyoldtwit said:

Catkike, I'm sorry to say this but, yes you're too old to see much improvement; enjoy life, take to the , go back to, start another hobby - maybe , spend as much time as possible in during the day, and at night go to a and the night away.

Bt the time you're 40 or 50, this guy

will be knocking on your door.

Too old !!!!!!!

TYSON

I know i can go back to smoking any time I want and do a lot of things other than cycling, But I have to disapoint You- I enjoy every second on bike so much, that I would not change a minute of time on bike for a cigarete or even for a minute near computer🙂.Yes, i began to ride the bike because i needed to practice some sport after i quit smoking, but, I did not knew before that cycling coud be so exciting. I feel like addicted to cycling now (in good meaning) and with every day i get more involved in this sport.

curlew said:

Good luck. Report back and let us hear about the progress you are making!

This weekend for the first time I did participated in local event. There are my results:
10km TT ride 17:03:37 ~= 35.18 km/h
45km group race 1:25:37 ~=31.5 km/h

I have to say that I was clearly the slowest racer of event- but i was riding for the first time (yet I was training for a half year), and my bike was bad as i was compared to others- a lot of racers had specific TT bikes for 10km distance. So, overall i am satisfacted with result.
Only exeption is the group race- in first steep hill i lost the concentration for a seconds- i just coud not hold the pace of others during that climb and it was it- i lost the group- they fly away. The rest of the distance- 35 km i rode alone- i was 9 minutes behind everybody. I guess my time coud be better if only I could climb faster that hill and stay with the group at least a half of distance.
Now i have a good reference point to see how much there is room for improvement in my age.

I have friend that is in his 60's, although he doesn't look it. He can humilitate most 20 year olds on a climb unless they are very very good.
You are just baby so get off your a** and kick some.

jhuskey said:

I have friend that is in his 60's, although he doesn't look it. He can humilitate most 20 year olds on a climb unless they are very very good.
You are just baby so get off your a** and kick some.

I know there are a lot of people in 60s who can beat 20years old ones, but i think that most of them who are trully good, they were cycling in their youth, and developed and maintained the skills untill their current age.

P.S. i forgot to mention, that event i took part in- it was seniors event, most of racers were 35 to 65 years old (and the winner was the 65 or so- but he is cycling on high level since youth)

catlike said:

I know there are a lot of people in 60s who can beat 20years old ones, but i think that most of them who are trully good, they were cycling in their youth, and developed and maintained the skills untill their current age.

P.S. i forgot to mention, that event i took part in- it was seniors event, most of racers were 35 to 65 years old (and the winner was the 65 or so- but he is cycling on high level since youth)

Yes he has been at it for a long time and has a good weight to muscle ratio and he trains a lot in the Alps.
Still being 30-ish should present no problem as long as you are patient and dedicated.
Don't get discouraged!

Your first goal is too easy. The second is much harder (going from 20-22 is FAR easier than 22 to close to 24 for that distance--a real, solid, fast speed), but still attainable at your age certainly, if you want. Look up a local triathlon and look at the bike splits of people at olympic distance (25 mi/40 km) races and if you pick a flat course you'll see what people can do. Your goals are most definitely attainable. Age hurts, but training makes up for an awful lot of it (and 30's isn't even old, not even close for endurance sports--the best triathletes in the world are typically 30+ as are many pro cyclists in their early 30's). I'm 30 and in the last two sprint distance triathlons I've done i've won my age group and yet I'm still beaten by a local 62 year old who's truly wholloping almost everybody, regardless of their age!

Quoted post said:

I know there are a lot of people in 60s who can beat 20years old ones, but i think that most of them who are trully good, they were cycling in their youth, and developed and maintained the skills untill their current age.

This is correct. A 60 year old couch potato will have a hard time ever being really fast (but I bet it's been done). However, I know a guy who's 40 and when he was 36 and grossly out of shape and fat he started running. At the age of 39 he was down to sub 20 minute 5ks and more significantly a 3:05 marathon. That is fast for anybody's age, but to be doing it at 39 with only 2-3 years of running shows that his body was more than ready to accept and positively adapt from serious training.

A big question is how much training can the body take. As we're older we are mor injury prone. The advantage of cycling is that that injury limit is generally higher than with running, so if you're doing ok in that arena, just throw more miles in each week and watch the fitness come!