Do you ever have second thoughts about cycling...

[Nate]

yep. A mere mortal like a run of the mill city slicker would have died by now

 

won't catch me dying

 

buncha quitters is what they are

 

they'll have to kill me before I die

[Indy]

... after hearing about bad crashes like Bosox just had?  

 

I do.  Cycling in traffic is an intrinsically dangerous activity.  I'm not sure it is worth the risk anymore.

 

There isn't any cars on the MTB trails.

[Dirtyhip]

 run of the mill city slicker would have died by now

 

You need to get a new line.  This one is getting boring.

[UglyBob]

There isn't any cars on the MTB trails.

No, but I've had a couple close calls with boneheads on ATVs running trails they are not supposed to be anywhere near.

As far as road riding goes, I never see myself giving it up. Cycling, and bikes in general, is too much a part of who I am. If I ever have to give it up it will be because I am no longer physically able... or my wife gets too freaked out about it.

[Chopped Liver]

There isn't any cars on the MTB trails.

I've seen some motorcycles on a few though.

[Nate]

I'll tell you all something...I had to quit riding trails in my late 30s. I enjoy it, I always have a good time, but I always crash. I just don't heal up as fast as I used to , so I had to give it up. I have my old diamondback hardtail, but I use it now out on the game lands and to go fishing and stuff. Off road, but not really MTB riding. there's a difference.

 

but that feeling of being out on an empty road... I love that

 

DH, I'm sorry if you're offended by me saying that a city slicker would have been dead by now, but its true. If there was a city slicker out on my land, I'd a shot him by now, so I was just telling the truth

[Dirtyhip]

I'll tell you all something...I had to quit riding trails in my late 30s. I enjoy it, I always have a good time, but I always crash. I just don't heal up as fast as I used to , so I had to give it up.

 

Well, stop crashing then.  I didn't think that country boys were quitters.

[Nate]

you couldn't get my goat if you had an electrified goat getting machine

 

there's being a quitter and then there is coming to terms with getting older.

[team scooter]

I've seen some motorcycles on a few though.

Ahhh, darn it! I think I would have said something different.

[Dirtyhip]

you couldn't get my goat if you had an electrified goat getting machine

 

there's being a quitter and then there is coming to terms with getting older.

 

I guess this city girl is tougher than you.  I am much older than you and I still grip the MTB handlebars and bomb down the hills.

[Nate]

I never knew you were in your 50s

[Dirtyhip]

I never knew you were in your 50s

 

Sorry, I worded that wrong.  You gave it up in your 30's and I am heading on late 40's, so tougher than the country boy in terms of mountainbiking.  

[az_cyclist]

As far as road riding goes, I never see myself giving it up. Cycling, and bikes in general, is too much a part of who I am. If I ever have to give it up it will be because I am no longer physically able... or my wife gets too freaked out about it.

 

this sums up road riding for me as well.  Most of the roads and streets I ride on in north Phoenix have bike lanes or wide shoulders.  If they dont, they are lightly traveled.

[Nate]

well, DH, I admit that I'm a good yardstick for toughness

 

I once defeated my own body weight in wild caterpillars, so if you can outdo me, you have accomplished something

[Dirtyhip]

well, DH, I admit that I'm a good yardstick for toughness

 

I once defeated my own body weight in wild caterpillars, so if you can outdo me, you have accomplished something

 

HAHA!  

[Nate]

bet you don't feel so tough now!

 

that's just what the caterpillars said when I got through with them!

[Dirtyhip]

bet you don't feel so tough now!

 

that's just what the caterpillars said when I got through with them!

 

I just have to give you crap for all your shit talking.

[Nate]

every one of my stories are at least 95% true

[Dirtyhip]

I want to race you, Nate.  

[Nate]

if you got out here, I'd race you, but you'd hate it

 

I'd drag your ass all over 3 counties and then when you looked worn out, that's when I'd hit it

 

I'd sit on your wheel all afternoon until I saw the tell tale signs of fatigue...and then I'd POUNCE!

[Olas Nah]

No. I don't ride in city traffic. Never really have. I typically ride country roads only.

 

My biggest concern is getting into a car accident honestly. I don't have a long commute anymore, but I am in city traffic more often now than I was.

[Dirtyhip]

if you got out here, I'd race you, but you'd hate it

 

I'd drag your ass all over 3 counties and then when you looked worn out, that's when I'd hit it

 

I'd sit on your wheel all afternoon until I saw the tell tale signs of fatigue...and then I'd POUNCE!

 

That is assuming you could stay on my wheel and not get gapped.

[Nate]

you keep telling yourself that

 

you ever heard the expression "begging for more?"

 

well, you'd be begging for less

[Road Runner]

I'd drag your ass all over 3 counties and then when you looked worn out, that's when I'd hit it!

 

[Dirtyhip]

Some problems with your plan:

 

My ride miles exceed yours.

The elevation I live and train at is much higher than PA.

and I do far more climbing than you do.

 

But, you can keep on kidding yourself.  

[Nate]

out of context, that does look like quite a proposition there

[Nate]

here's some problems with your assessment:

 

1. I'm stronger than you

 

2. I can strait up ride faster than you

 

3. I'm prettier than you

 

 

see? you haven't got a chance, so you should just save the plane fare and stay out west

[Dirtyhip]

here's some problems with your assessment:

 

1. I'm stronger than you

 

2. I can strait up ride faster than you

 

3. I'm prettier than you

 

 

see? you haven't got a chance, so you should just save the plane fare and stay out west

 

You may be prettier, but the rest is pure speculation.

 

I heard you were all talk and no show.  Huffin and puffin up the hill.  

[Nate]

that's a lie

 

I live around steep hills

 

but its all conjecture with you out there and me over here

[UglyBob]

Ok, this us a race I've got to see. I volunteer to drive SAG. I know I can't gang with either of you... B)

[Former member]

This thread is becoming epic.

[Mr. Silly]

here's some problems with your assessment:

 

1. I'm stronger than you

 

2. I can strait up ride faster than you

 

3. I'm prettier than you

 

 

see? you haven't got a chance, so you should just save the plane fare and stay out west

 

I'd put my money on Hip.  I'd choose her when picking a dodge-ball team before you too.

[Nate]

secretly, I'd have my money on the hippy, too

 

but if we were on my roads about 8 weeks into the spring she'd know she was racing somebody

[Dirtyhip]

I would love the chance, Nate.  I do realize you are man with man muscle.  

 

But, I think I have a good chance.  HAHA!  I would train at Crater Lake, until I got over to you.  

[az_cyclist]

I miss the Helen Mirren thread....

 

in 17 days I will ride the spring Solvang Double Century.  That ride is beautiful, but most of it is on country roads.  There is risk, but you must stay alert.

[Former member]

I would love the chance, Nate. I do realize you are man with man muscle.

But, I think I have a good chance. HAHA! I would train at Crater Lake, until I got over to you.

The best part of you two racing, is that it's a race that Nate would have very little chance of winning something to brag about, but would never hear the end of his epic loss.

[Nate]

hey, I don't remember chasing girls being any trouble

 

of course when I was younger I didn't have to make up a minute over the next 5 miles, but chasing girls can't be all that different now than it was back then

[Former member]

hey, I don't remember chasing girls being any trouble

of course when I was younger I didn't have to make up a minute over the next 5 miles, but chasing girls can't be all that different now than it was back then

You two are about 10 years apart in age, and she's fighting MS.

A win isn't much for you to boast about, but a loss would make you like a little bitch.

[Nate]

well, I'm older than she is, but bike racing is a sport

 

something isn't a sport if a chick can beat you at it

[Dirtyhip]

The best part of you two racing, is that it's a race that Nate would have very little chance of winning something to brag about, but would never hear the end of his epic loss.

You got this so right.  I would brag about it FOREVER!!!!

[Zealot]

DH, you and Nate get together out here (I don't live that far from him) and I'll ride along. I'll teach both if you a thing or two about completion. Oooooooh yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhh!!

[Zealot]

Nate, I agree with much if your assessment. Gonna die somehow. Can't say I want to die biking, but I don't want to ever quit biking because I fear death. Make sense ?

[Dirtyhip]

HAHA!

[questrider]

so here's how I look at it, and I've been hit 7 times.....

 

everybody is going to die. dying of old age,  too weak to take care of yourself, outlived your mind, outlived you body....like my grandma did...THAT scares me whole lot more than getting killed out on the road. If I die out there, I get spared the suffering of that. Dying hurts no matter how you do it.

 

Then you think that when you die is in your control??? fuck no. You can wear a helmet and put on a seat belt, but that is only fooling yourself

 

when its your time, its your time and when its not your time, its not your time

 

and that's all there is to it

 

every time you throw your leg over a bike you can end up bloody. It can happen to you, and then it can happen to you again

 

so the next time its 75 degrees and beautiful out and you have the afternoon free you ask yourself what is best in life

 

and maybe I'll see you out on the road

Well said Nate. I'm watching my mom, who's mind is gone, slipping into death without knowing who her own CHILDREN are. I do not want to go out like that. I'd rather buy it while riding.

[Road Runner]

Nate, I agree with much if your assessment. Gonna die somehow. Can't say I want to die biking, but I don't want to ever quit biking because I fear death.

 

It's not death that I fear as a result of cycling.  It's the possibility of turning myself into an invalid of some type that alarms me.

 

In 2010, I tore up my right leg and knee pretty bad.  I had two operations on my leg and the surgeon told me he thought I would probably be able to walk again.  That was a shock to hear!!!

 

It was the idea of possibly being restricted to a wheelchair or on crutches for the rest of my life that made me think twice about getting back on the bike, not the fear of death. Of course, you could be injured in all sorts of ways that might prove to be a poor bargain for continuing road cycling, such as say, spending the rest of your life drooling on yourself.

 

I know that most cyclists are pretty tough people that enjoy life and would not want to think about backing away from cycling from fear.  I don't either.  But for me, it's a decision I make every year that I continue to ride and every time that I get on the bike.  And it's not a decision I make in fear.  It's based on what I hope is good common sense.

[Nate]

back on the subject of whether or not cycling is too dangerous, of course its dangerous. Risks are always risks.

 

But there are things you can do to minimize risks like ride on low traffic roads, ride alone, one thing I think about is minimizing the time I have to spend in a dangerous situation. Like when you are coming to the crest of a hill or a blind corner and you have a car coming up behind you. I'll ride hard, put in a little more effort, and get through there as quickly as I can because the less time you are exposed, the less the chances of things going south on you.

 

but if you ride a  lot of miles over a long time your number is going to come up

 

So I lift weights so that I'm strong enough to take the beating the next time I crash

[Mr. Silly]

There's a gentleman who is probably in his mid 80's who rides through my neighborhood every evening when the weather is reasonable.  His top speed somewhere between 5 and 10 mph and he can barely make the turn around the corner in front of my house.  He's an inspiration.  

 

I'm 50.  I am at an age where I am seeing how my mother, step dad, their friends  and other family members age.  The pattern is pretty clear.  The ones who are active after they finish working are the ones that are happiest and have richest lives.  The ones who hibernate are more miserable.  During the summer my 87 y.o. step dad still golfs 3 or 4 days a week (although he rides the cart now), when the weather is bad he's walks three miles at a nearby mall.  He had a heart attack around Christmas and his doctors said the only reason he lived was because he was so active.

 

My mother in her mid 70's is healthy happy plays golf with her friends when the weather is good walks the mall when the weather is bad.  She also has a Zumba once a week.  She gets around without any problems and is on no medications.

 

In contrast, my step dad's sister is in her mid 70's and stayed in her condo all the time and is an ornery bitch.  My step dad and mother recently had to help her move into assisted living.  

 

There will be a point when my body starts breaking down.  Staying active doesn't make you immortal but it does make the time you have more enjoyable.  I like bicycling.  Unlike running, a bike can take you places.  It is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon spending 4 or 5 hours riding through the nearby countryside. But cycling also a great way to spend an hour riding around my neighborhood, peeking into my neighbors yards and spying on their gardens.  

 

Cycling is also great for the heart.  A couple years ago I had to have test on my heart, I forget the name but they described it as being like a ultrasound for the heart.  The technicians said they needed to get my rate up to 180 which would be close to my Zone 4.  I was put on a tread mill to get my rate up.  I was pissing technicians off because even at a mid speed trot, my heart rate wouldn't get out of the 160's.  

 

Bosox's accident is terrible and my heart is with him.  The benefits of stay active outweigh the risks and in my opinion there is no more enjoyable activity than cycling.  Like the guy who putts through my neighborhood, I am planning on doing it well into my 80's.

[Zealot]

It's not death that I fear as a result of cycling. It's the possibility of turning myself into an invalid of some type that alarms me.

In 2010, I tore up my right leg and knee pretty bad. I had two operations on my leg and the surgeon told me he thought I would probably be able to walk again. That was a shock to hear!!!

It was the idea of possibly being restricted to a wheelchair or on crutches for the rest of my life that made me think twice about getting back on the bike, not the fear of death. Of course, you could be injured in all sorts of ways that might prove to be a poor bargain for continuing road cycling, such as say, spending the rest of your life drooling on yourself.

I know that most cyclists are pretty tough people that enjoy life and would not want to think about backing away from cycling from fear. I don't either. But for me, it's a decision I make every year that I continue to ride and every time that I get on the bike. And it's not a decision I make in fear. It's based on what I hope is good common sense.

I hear you. I think it would be horrible to be completely incapacitated as you describe, and certainly the risk of such a thing is always present. We try to mitigate risk. We weigh the Benefits versus the risks in some way with pretty much every endeavor we undertake. I'm certainly not as much if a thrill seeker as I once was, but I still enjoy the love of cycling. Cycling meant freedom for me as a kid. Nothing before and nothing since has opened the world up to me for exploration and excitement with the same degree of freedom and joy. It has been a lifelong love for me. I still feel the joy every time I throw my leg over a bike and start a ride. It takes me back in my heart and propels me forward into the unknown. And I love every minute of it.

My wife and I ride two weekends ago and went on a back road we'd never ever seen. It had beautiful views and a couple good climbs. When I got to the top of the highest, I was ecstatic! The air was crisp and the effort to get to the top was such a rush for me. When my wife got to the top she saw the joy in my face and exclaimed, "you're a sick, sick man!"

But that's what a bike does for me. Freedom! And I pray that freedom remains for me ever worth the risks.
Peace.

[Nate]

is there anything that makes you feel more like a kid than riding a bike down to a convenience store in the summer?

 

maybe eating cotton candy at the circus, but you get the idea

[Dirtyhip]

is there anything that makes you feel more like a kid than riding a bike down to a convenience store in the summer?

 

maybe eating cotton candy at the circus, but you get the idea

 

We rode our bikes to the truck stop for ice cream last Summer.  I do admit that was very fun.