Starting Cycling

[Roy Davis]

You are a fantastic inspiration, and I salute your steadfastness. My dad is 72 now and he is so bent by arthritis that sadly I am not able to do things like cycling with him. He did follow me on his quad bike the last time I rode on his farm. I beat him on the downhill sections. He beat me on the uphill bits.

 

hint hint, when you're passed by a young lady while you're going uphill, you may need to check your heart rate...

 

I am impressed by the strength you show at such a mature age in climbing hills. There is evidence that exercise is always good, no matter how late one starts. I would be willing to ride with you if you should ever do the Cape Town Cycle Tour again, and it would be a tremendous honour.

Thank you so much for your encouragement. Problem is that, at my age, when a sexy young lady passes me I could have a heart attack just watching her.

[Johnny Vee]

Nice topic this. Well done all.

[Roy Davis]

I too sold my MTB when I got a car at 18 and only started cycling again seriously 4 weeks ago.

 

Wise words above, I started with a couple of days of a 5k in the morning before work. (Short time in steel industry so only working 11h00 to 16h30 this month and this has helped me a lot to push into improving faster)

 

I am now up to doing a 18km ride Tue, Wed, Thu and doing a 25km on Sat and Sun for 2 weeks in a row.

 

its been 3 days in a row now of riding I did not get off and push up the one bastard hill.

 

Also finally clocked 10kg off on last week tuesday.

 

I wish I had picked up a bicycle years ago, so much wasted time.

 

I would advise ANYONE considering cycling and coming across this thread to do it, even if you can only afford a well used R1000 Nishiki or Haro from the 90's just start there.

I have pushed my bike up many a hill. Nothing to be shamed of. Keep pushing the boundaries and you won't be pushing up the hills any more but riding up them.

[Roy Davis]

I have pushed my bike up many a hill. Nothing to be shamed of. Keep pushing the boundaries and you won't be pushing up the hills any more but riding up them.

And nothing to be ashamed of in a sub-R1000 bike. It will have the same health benefits, maybe more, than a R100,000 bike. For financial reasons I had to go from a Cervelo SLC SL that won the Tour in 2008 to a Le Tortoise I bought for about R500 and built up from there again. Keep riding. There are lots of well-priced bikes on Bike Hub.

[Roy Davis]

You are a fantastic inspiration, and I salute your steadfastness. My dad is 72 now and he is so bent by arthritis that sadly I am not able to do things like cycling with him. He did follow me on his quad bike the last time I rode on his farm. I beat him on the downhill sections. He beat me on the uphill bits.

 

hint hint, when you're passed by a young lady while you're going uphill, you may need to check your heart rate...

 

I am impressed by the strength you show at such a mature age in climbing hills. There is evidence that exercise is always good, no matter how late one starts. I would be willing to ride with you if you should ever do the Cape Town Cycle Tour again, and it would be a tremendous honour.

So sorry to hear about your Dad's arthritis. I am fortunate not to be a sufferer but age affects everyone in some way. Had to have a stent put in, in April. Put on heavy blood thinners. Then I had to have my prostate removed about eight weeks ago. Suffered heavy bleeding but it is over now. Just as I was going to have my first ride again yesterday the wind blew my bike over damaging the derailleur hanger. Hoping to get it back tomorrow now rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday. I don't enjoy riding in the rain.

[Roy Davis]

So sorry to hear about your Dad's arthritis. I am fortunate not to be a sufferer but age affects everyone in some way. Had to have a stent put in, in April. Put on heavy blood thinners. Then I had to have my prostate removed about eight weeks ago. Suffered heavy bleeding but it is over now. Just as I was going to have my first ride again yesterday the wind blew my bike over damaging the derailleur hanger. Hoping to get it back tomorrow now rain is forecast for Sunday and Monday. I don't enjoy riding in the rain.

Tell your Dad to look up natural diy treatments, on the internet, for arthritis. Nature is a very powerful thing.

[RomP]

Great Post. I too stopped riding back in 1986 and only started riding again at 51 early this year with my 16 yr old son. Wish i had never stopped.

[Roy Davis]

I was heavily into MTB in my teenage years and only picked it up again in my early 30's.

I figured because I was a pretty good runner at the time that heading out with my fit mates would be ok...

 

The buggers didnt tell me it was a 65km ride with mostly long slog hills because they were training for a race.

I cramped a lot, I suffered even more. I made it in the end but I very nearly sold my bike after that!!

 

Starting slowly and within your limits is very sounds advice.

Had a bike at 16 started again at 69. Don't sell your bike. Keep at it. 

[Roy Davis]

Had a bike at 16 started again at 69. Don't sell your bike. Keep at it. 

I am a banana boy although born in Cape Town. Lived in Mouille Point. used to walk to to school where the stadium is now. Who could have imagined?

Being a Durban boy for the last fifty odd years, at 73 (now 78), I decided I should ride the Argus, renamed The Cape Cycle Tour that very year, just once in my life. Got into a discussion with Capetonian cyclist in my group while we were waiting to start. He had done the Amashova and was complaining that 'they told me it was all downhill'. Having done it twice my answer was 'yes, like H..ll'. Which is the more difficult? Who knows or cares. They are both good fun. In the Amashova the beginning is more difficult. There are five hills just out of Pietermaritzburg. Some 'riders' are walking and pushing already. In one a faster rider came through and took out my front wheel and I came down. Fortunately no one came down with me. I was very worried about the fellows behind me. I had to ride 95 kms with blood running down my hand.

In the CCT there is no doubt Chapmans and Suiker Bossie are the big ones. Tough climbs. So towards the end the Cape Race is tougher and the Amashova at the beginning.

[Roy Davis]

Wonderful. It is not just about riding. It is also about apprreciating the wonders of nature.

You are giving him the basics for good health for the rest of his life.

At the 75 I was still a strong boy.

y. The taxi drivers etc. didn't mess with me. Unfortunately, extreme stress over a house sale caused my health to nosedive but I am getting my health back.

Sadly I have had to give up cycling. Had a bad crash on Wednesday. It's not that I can't ride it is the  medication I am taking for heart problems. They cause dizziness, uncontrolled movement and loss of coordination. It is dangerous to continue.

[Guest]

Sorry to hear Roy. All the best. Keep your positive spirit going

[The Ouzo]

Sadly I have had to give up cycling. Had a bad crash on Wednesday. It's not that I can't ride it is the  medication I am taking for heart problems. They cause dizziness, uncontrolled movement and loss of coordination. It is dangerous to continue.

Cant they find alternative meds ?

[Duane_Bosch]

Thank you so much for your encouragement. Problem is that, at my age, when a sexy young lady passes me I could have a heart attack just watching her.

A motor doesn't seize when it gets revved. It seizes when it's covered in a cloth and stored in a garage doing nothing.

 

Maybe you can get on a trainer in the meantime?

Edited September 14, 2020 by Duane_Bosch

[ChrisF]

Sadly I have had to give up cycling. Had a bad crash on Wednesday. It's not that I can't ride it is the  medication I am taking for heart problems. They cause dizziness, uncontrolled movement and loss of coordination. It is dangerous to continue.

 

Ouch ....

 

Roy do consider a chat with your doctor.  Surely there must be options ....

 

 

I have a friend that sometimes ride with me, who have had a couple of hart attacks.  He uses a hart rate monitor with a loud audible alarm to warn him when his hart rate goes too high.  Keeping track of his hart rate he can still ride.

 

Given the number of hills in your area, you might want to consider an urban ebike  - https://www.takealot.com/venture-gear-500-watt-fat-tyre-e-bike/PLID69205807?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhMLuzN_o6wIVGLd3Ch1kQApCEAQYAiABEgJdU_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

 

You can then decide how high you want to push your hart rate .... 

[Roy Davis]

Cant they find alternative meds ?

I had a stent put in my heart in about May and it is these are the meds causing the problem as well as excessive bleeding. I will ask the cardiologist but all of this stuff is basically poison and each one has side effects. I haven't been feeling too stable on the bike since my prostate op. May just be that I have only ridden about half a dozen times the last two years.  My wife and tried to staunch the bleeding but no luck so I went down to the nurse at the local pharmacy and she has all the right dressings. Got to have it checked tomorrow. The family is worried though.

[ChrisF]

Roy really hope you get a good Doc that can help you to stay "active" ...

 

 

Yes, that word certainly has different meaning for different people ... with any luck it includes cycling for you