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Getting Back on the Bike: Road Cycling Tips for Older Cyclists

05.28.2024 by Scott Jangro // 1 Comment

Spring is here, though I’m no spring chicken! Getting older is filled with its own unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to staying active and healthy. As someone who recently decided to hop back on the bike after a few years off, I can tell you firsthand that it’s no easy feat. Throw in the fact that I’m cycling at an altitude of 6600 feet, and the difficulties compound even further. But with the right approach and mindset, it’s absolutely possible to overcome these obstacles and rediscover the joy of road cycling.

When I decided to get back into cycling, I was excited but also a bit apprehensive. It had been years since I last rode regularly, and I knew I was in for a challenge. The first few rides were rough. My legs felt like lead, my lungs were burning, and I struggled with balance and coordination. It was disheartening, to say the least. But I reminded myself that progress takes time, and each ride would get a little bit easier.

Living and cycling at 6600 feet above sea level adds another layer of complexity. The thinner air at higher altitudes means there’s less oxygen available, which makes every pedal stroke feel harder. I noticed that my heart rate was higher than usual, and I had to take more frequent breaks to catch my breath. Hydration also became crucial, as the dry air can lead to quicker dehydration.

Tips for Building Endurance and Stamina

  1. Start Slow and Steady: Don’t expect to ride long distances right away. Begin with shorter rides and gradually increase your distance and intensity. This approach helps build endurance without overexerting yourself.
  2. Incorporate Intervals: Adding interval training to your rides can improve your stamina. Try alternating between periods of high intensity and recovery. This method can help your body adapt to the demands of cycling at altitude.
  3. Stay Consistent: Consistency is key. Aim to ride regularly, even if it’s just for a short duration. The more you ride, the more your body will adjust and improve.

Managing Joint Pain and Muscle Soreness

As we age, joint pain and muscle soreness can become more prevalent. Here are some strategies that have helped me manage these issues:

  1. Proper Bike Fit: Ensuring your bike is properly fitted to your body can make a significant difference. Consider getting a professional bike fitting to adjust the saddle height, handlebar position, and other components.
  2. Warm-Up and Cool Down: Always start your rides with a proper warm-up to get your muscles ready and end with a cool-down to prevent stiffness and soreness. Warm-ups are not something I’ve ever really done as I never really felt any benefits. I tend to warm-up live, and just start out a bit slower rather than just go hard.
  3. Stretch Regularly: Incorporating regular stretching into your routine can improve flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Focus on areas that tend to get tight, like the hamstrings, calves, and lower back. Also something that I’ve neglected in my younger days, I find that this helps as I get older.

Leveraging Other Activities to Supplement Fitness

While cycling is my main passion, I’ve found that incorporating other forms of exercise into my routine helps keep me active and balanced. One of my favorite supplements is using my Hydrow rower. It’s nowhere near as solid a workout as cycling, but it keeps me active when I can’t make the time to get on the bike. Rowing offers a fantastic full-body workout and helps maintain cardiovascular fitness.

Additionally, running and even walking can be excellent ways to stay fit. Running builds cardiovascular endurance and strengthens the legs, while walking is a low-impact exercise that can be easily incorporated into daily routines. These activities are particularly useful during off-seasons or when the weather isn’t conducive to cycling. If I’m ever feeling like I’m in shape, I can always rely on a 2 mile run to put me back in my place!

Staying Motivated

Finding the motivation to keep riding can be tough, especially when progress seems slow. Here’s what has worked for me:

  1. Set Realistic Goals: Setting achievable goals can provide a sense of accomplishment and keep you motivated. Start with small targets and gradually increase them as you improve.
  2. Join a Community: Riding with a group or participating in local cycling events can provide camaraderie and encouragement. It’s always more fun to ride with others who share your passion.
  3. Celebrate Milestones: Take time to celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Each milestone is a step towards better health and fitness.

Getting back on the bike as an older cyclist is undoubtedly challenging. But with patience, persistence, and the right strategies, it’s possible to overcome these challenges and enjoy the many benefits of cycling. Remember, every ride is a victory, and the journey itself is the reward. So, gear up, stay hydrated, and hit the road with confidence.

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Categories // cycling, fitness

Cyclist Log October 2020

10.18.2020 by Scott Jangro // Leave a Comment

I’m back on the trainer.

Life has prevented me from getting outdoors on the bike, which is sad in and of itself, but also sad because I got fat. I maxed out in August at 199.9 lbs — It didn’t actually reach 200 — and we started changing how we eat.

My wife is a life coach, and she turned that on ourselves. We stopped eating poorly. We stopped eating all sugar and flour to break our sugar addictions.

The pounds started coming off, and late last month, I plateaued in the low 180’s. Dropping 15-18 lbs in 8 weeks was rewarding and encouraging, but I couldn’t continue the progress without getting more active.

Well, I have a Wahoo Kickr in the basement, so what’s my excuse?

I started scheduling myself daily workouts at 5:30 am. (Another life coach suggestion — schedule everything) and I’ve been at it now for about 3-4 weeks of almost daily riding.

I’m really enjoying it, and I’m trying to learn from my past “failure to launch”es by setting myself up for success. I know from the past that the things that keep me from getting on the bike are stupid:

  • not having workout clothes ready
  • technology not working (heart rate monitor, cadence meter, batteries, riding app, etc.)
  • piling too much on top of the activity like streaming
  • not scheduling sessions
  • complicated riding programs
  • too difficult of a training regimen
  • guilt from stealing time from family or work

Any one of these things can knock you out of a ride. I’ve addressed each and every one of these, and now I’m set to roll out of bed. Grab coffee and/or an energy drink, and I’m on my way with zero mental and physical friction.

A week ago, I transitioned from just some basic rides using the Wahoo Kickr app, and got into Sufferfest. That app has seriously grown up, and it was apparently purchased by Wahoo. So the integration is great.

Sufferfest was my first love when riding on a dumb trainer. Downward spiral remains some of my best and worst cycle training memories from almost ten years ago.

I’m now down another 10 lbs, progressing steadily toward my goal of sub-170 lbs and solid physical and mental fitness.

I’m starting a not-too-aggressive training program in Sufferfest for the next three months, ending just around Christmas.

Watch here for more logs of my progress.

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Categories // fitness, logs, training

Is the FitBit Versa Good for Cycling?

05.09.2018 by Scott Jangro // 2 Comments

I’m sporting a new FitBit Versa smartwatch. While I didn’t get it for tracking cycling (because I have a dedicated cycling computer), here’s my experience with it as a fitness watch.

Cycling Tracking

First of all, it doesn’t have GPS like the FitBit Ionic. It needs your Android or iOS smartphone to connect with for the entire ride. This could put strain on your smartphone’s battery, but otherwise I suspect most of us take our phones with us. It acts as a decent screen so you don’t need to have your phone out with the display on, which puts even more strain on your phone’s battery.

It does have a cycling mode in the Exercise app and will do a great job tracking your ride, or run, or swim. Hello Triathletes.

Real Time Cycling Stats

The Versa activates automatically when you turn your wrist, which isn’t an ideal action when you’re pedaling, and it tracks a number of stats for you like speed, distance, average speed, and heartrate but due to the small screen you need to swipe through them to see the different stats. You can probably find a screen that has the information that you use most and leave it there.

If you’re a stats junky while you’re riding, you may not be satisfied with the form factor of a watch, but if you’re ok with set it and go and see what happened at the end, it’s great. For in-ride visuals, you’ll get so much more out of a dedicated cycling computer like the Wahoo Elemnt or Garmin Edge.

A nice feature is that it will optionally automatically detect a workout and start it for you. How many times have you forgotten to start your ride on other apps?

The watch will track your route, heartrate, and all the stats and store it to the FitBit app like any other tracking app.

Syncing with other apps

Plain and simple, FitBit doesn’t link very well to other third party apps. Though it does automatically sync with Strava, so that’s a relief for me. Otherwise, it seems FitBit isn’t interested in playing nice with others. I didn’t think about this much before purchasing and it was a bit of a surprise.

Not only does it not sync with many apps, it doesn’t work directly with other smartphone apps that may use the heartrate monitor.

And most frustrating is that it does not support the iPhone Health app as a source, which just seems to be another business decision that FitBit has made as there’s no technical reason why it isn’t possible.

However, there are many iPhone apps in the app store that will sync your fitbit data with the iOS Health app, though even those have limitations as FitBit doesn’t make intraday data available. There are free and paid options, and currently myFitnessSync seems to be the most liked. Though it’s pricey at $4.99.

For syncing to other web-based apps, I’ve essentially been using Strava as an intermediary. Strava will pick up workouts automatically, and the other apps I use will pick up workouts from Strava. The delays can be anywhere from minutes to hours.

The good news here is that the FitBit iOS app is very robust and has all the tracking that you could really want. I primarily got it for the sleep tracking, which I’ll write about separately. The community features are great too, which can have you competing with your friends on steps.

Battery Life

The FitBit Versa has very good battery life. I’ve used it for a few days without a recharge, and it feels like it’ll go the advertised 4-5 days. This was one thing that kept me from pulling the trigger on an apple watch, as I felt like I’d have it charging when I wanted to be wearing it (like to track sleep AND workouts).

This is a pretty big deal. There’s nothing that kills my motivation for a long ride or run like one of my battery powered devices being low on juice.

Price

I’ve struggled for a long time with the decision to get a smart watch, and while the apple watch is finally there with features that make me want one, the price is a bit much. The FitBit Versa goes for $199 most places, like here at Amazon (that’s an affiliate link) and you may be able to find it on sale if you’re patient. Unlike me.

 

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