Before we had children Sue and I used to ride a tandem. They are wicked fast on rollers and on descents they're like a runaway freight train. We had a lot of good times on that beast.View attachment 113352 These guys did something stupid to .
I resemble this at only age 55. I don't have anywhere near the peak power I used to, but I have more experience and better stamina. I hope and plan to be in your shape when I reach your age.
Nice... my wife and I have been riding the same Santana tandem for over 20 years. We used to do century rides back when we lived in CA (Holstein Hundred, Marin Century). As you know, 2 skilled riders on a tandem SMOKE single bikes in efficiency/speed and there's nothing like drafting off a tandem. On those long rides we used to collect a full gaggle of riders drafting behind us on the flats & rollers, and when we started the climb they'd all pass us one by one yelling out "thanks for the pull!" and then buy us a drink at the end of the ride. Great memories. For a while we had our daughter behind the tandem on her half-bike, so it was a 3-some on one bike! Over the years wifey tapered into more casual cycling. We still ride the tandem, but my serious cycling is on the single bikes, road or MTB.
Maybe if you're not getting enough, but supplements are typically overrated. A regular diet normally has plenty of protein for muscle strength. Maybe if they were a vegetarian and didn't get much protein, but otherwise there shouldn't be a need for it.
Agreed. Even vegans get enough protein. The body's protein needs are modest and we can get all the protein we need from vegetable starches. Not to mention legumes. Not getting enough protein is rare in people who eat enough calories. More people suffer from eating too much protein, than not enough. Maintaining muscle strength past middle age, delaying or offsetting sarcopenia, is mainly about getting proper exercise.
Corollary is, there is a reason maca rhymes with caca.
Sue and I had some great times on our tandem. She and I rode Marin 3 or 4 times on it. One time on a descent I hit 51 or 52 mph, which really angered her.
This -- getting off the streets -- is a contributing factor to the popularity of gravel bikes & riding. Since the 1980s when I started serious cycling, I don't think road riding is any more dangerous than it used to be. Maybe a bit safer now as more drivers are aware of cyclists, but maybe a bit more dangerous as more drivers are distracted "pixel zombies". I still get the occasional redneck pickup truck buzz and horn when riding in those kinds of areas. Very occasional, like once every couple thousand miles of riding or so. When that happens I just remember the license plate, vehicle type & color, and call it in to the police as reckless driving complaint.
Forgive my ignorance, but what are gravel bikes/riding? Mountain bikes designed for gravel roads? We have some old railroad lines converted to trails around here, and I've done them a few times, definitely a great alternative to street riding.
I've been riding bikes for about 50 of my 69 years. Both your body and mind learn and adapt to it. And like I said earlier, riding bikes is the only time I enjoy a complete Zen. So in that sense it makes it easy for me.
Since we're talking roads and all, here is a GoPro video of just a short segment of a ride I do 4 or 5 times a week (and realize, I had to climb to get up to this summit). As you can see, not only is it beautiful but there are virtually no cars - and this is one of the busier roads I ride when I'm riding in my side of town.
My wife and I used to ride motorbikes so she's not afraid to go fast or to lean in the turns. Tandems can reach crazy fast speeds on the downhills. We hit those kind of low 50s speeds on the tandem on any moderate size hill and we've hit low 60s once or twice on big steep hills. She doesn't mind. At high speeds the Santana feels as solid and planted as a motorcycle. That makes me sound like a crazy tandem captain but I'm actually quite conservative, only hitting these kinds of speeds when there is no traffic, no blind turns, no streets ahead opening into the road, etc. And making sure the bike, tires, brakes, etc. are always fresh and maintained in like-new condition.
