[Closed] calling it a day.

Gravel is the new mtb hope you can find the enjoyment in just being out in the country on a bike

Sorry to hear that, ton. I hope you find something else equivalent, and maybe the painful bits will settle down.

If it ain't fun don't do it. Still plenty of adventures out there

Ton

You've done bloody well from what I've read of your threads over the years I've been on here. I'm not sure I'd have toughed it out as long

Now might just be the time for some interesting tours and seeing of new places?

Will not be the same without you crashing 🙁 sorry to hear Tony at least your still riding 🙂

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3200/2877226414_6acdb95aa9_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3200/2877226414_6acdb95aa9_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5ofxaY ]DSC01187[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/nzrich/ ]Richard Munro[/url], on Flickr

Never say 'never' matey! We work with people of varying levels of physical ability, helping them to access activities that they often think may to be beyond them, including cycling. If you have a working limb, there will be an option

Where there are wheels and a will, there is always a way!

Ever thought about handbikes? They are great fun!

remotely rough had me scared to death, thinking about damaging my hip if i fell off

That new hip is made of solid titanium. You are definitely not gonna be breaking that in hurry!!

Sorry to hear that Ton,but it's a hobby not a career,if your not enjoying it then it's time for a change.

You must have some good memories from 33 years mountain biking,treasure them.

I enjoyed that South west Scotland weekend back in 2015,good to meet you & the other forumites.

In 2015 I had a week at Les Arcs,got a bit concussed & had whiplash for a couple of months,I couldn't even ride the road bike as I'd damaged a nerve & struggled to use the shifter. As a result I decided that's it,no more Gnarr crap I'm getting to old for this stuff.Last years Alps holiday was walking the TMB circuit..

I've not been on the mountain bike since last June,ride the road bike in summer & the 'Gravel bike' the rest of the year,I'm just as happy going down the backroads & Bridleways to the beach as I was getting out on the mountain bike,& I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as much.

Anyways Ton all the best with the gravel & touring,just enjoy it!

Mark

You'll still be riding and having more adventures and if the new type of riding results in less worry and more fun, its all good my friend!! 🙂

Shit that’s really tough.

Would an ebike be less strain on your wonky joints? Keeps you outside and having fun.

Sorry to hear this ton, but any riding is good riding and there are plenty of other hobbies to have a go at. I hope you find something else that can bring you as much enjoyment as mountain biking has.

It also sounds like a great excuse for buying a new gravel or touring bike. We all know how much you love buying new bikes 👍🏼

Ton,

SLightly different but i was told how difficult it is to break my replacement femur back in the day. Since then, i've crash motorbikes 15-20 times on track and never damaged the replacement limb.  Despite breaking many other bones too. I've then gone on and crashed MTBs countless times, again, sometimes breaking bones, but never the femur.

Doesn't help with your pain issues. But honestly, you'll struggle to break the bit they've repaired.

Think about trips to Scotland and Wales on sunny day exploring the lake paths.. That's still got to be nice ! Good luck.

I definitely think it’s a good time to change the focus if you’re not enjoying yourself. Personally I’d be thinking of long, steady days in the saddle, road touring the coast of Scotland with a friend. Now that’d be a goal to look forward to.

Old age is the bummer 🙁  it's the time it takes to heal that gets me these days... even just a simple off with a bit of bruising is 2-3 weeks off the bike due to pain even on road bike every bump is ouch ouch ouch (doped up on pain killer too!) So I'm amazed your still riding Ton at all !

Sorry to hear that ton. It might be worth speaking with your GP or consultant and telling them about the pain and your worries. As mentioned above a big bouncy ebike might help.

Sorry to hear that Tony as will a lot of people who enjoy buying your cast offs lol 😉 nothing wrong with Touring mate actually I think you could class my mtb riding as touring as it goes. Do whatever makes you smile mate life's too short

Hey ton, sorry to hear that.

I know you will keep riding/walking/visiting wild places - I've seen the joy in your posts over the years. And keep posting those pics.

You'be been through a lot health wise. At least your still riding a bicycle. One of my biggest joys is the simple act of turning the pedals and propelling myself along, doesn't matter about the surface, my local canal puts a grin on my face. Keep on cycling. 👍

Wot the others say - plenty of good non hardcore riding out there.  Its maybe time to change from mountainbiking to "wanderingaroundthescenerybiking"  which can take you to places like this:

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3213/2533150443_490cc6cd39_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3213/2533150443_490cc6cd39_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/4RR4nD ]20 Camping at Carrour[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr

I assure you no gnarr was shredded get here

I also feel your pain.  I have developing arthritis in my hands and its beginning to restrict what I can do.

Sorry to hear that ton, but I think you’re doing the right thing, if you’re unable to go rad then reign it in and do something else.

I’ve never met you, but you always come across on here as a thoroughly sound bloke.

i get just as much enjoyment riding a rigid bike over ‘slightly’ rough terrain as i ever did on anything else tbh. Best of luck to ya bud.

Now then big lad, dont be too hard on yourself. You set high standards. Its probably just more realistic to lower them a little. Instead of throwing yourself down rock stuff, pick easier routes. A nice smooth dales ride round Settle for example, plenty of miles and climbing but no rough stuff.

Dont compare yourself with others either, ride how YOU want, when you want and with who you want. Give me a shout if you ever fancy a slow pootle mate. Always happy to see you.

And, as others have said, still plenty of riding left in you. You just need to look for it.

Chin up!

What Lowey said. Best of luck big fella*

*Just don't call it gravel, it's just not you 🙂

Ton, been reading your threads for years, sad news. But, maybe you need to just pick more suitable routes now, take it easy, don't give up on mountain biking completely and maybe things will improve in a year or so. We can't do what we used to be able to do when we were 25, or even 40! I had a crash about 5 months ago and I'm still getting aches and stiffness from that, we just don't recover as well, so I take I easy. I also know a 90 year old who was on his death bed 2 years ago, he was in tears as he couldn't ride his bike - he loved going up a local trail to the SDW to see the view, saw him out on his bike 2 weekends ago, halfway along the bridleway talking to some walkers, I was nearly in tears, so good to see him out. Anyway, keep going Ton.

ton, there's a ton of great riding in the Dales that doesn't involve much gnarr or crashing risk. Most of what I do, in fact. I'm no fan of falling off.

Chin up Ton. It’s not an end of anything your riding is just evolving. We all do it all the time. Just keep on enjoying the things you can enjoy and don’t sweat the stuff you can’t. Oh and keep posting 🙂

Big travel , full sus ebike?

Same as what the others have said, especially Lowey's bit.

Just so long as you're turning pedals and enjoying the fresh air, it really doesn't matter where and what you're riding.

Sorry to hear Ton, lots of great suggestions and advice above.

Keep on truckin no matter what you choose.

"Big travel , full sus ebike?"

My thoughts exactly. I believe Orange make one! 😉

cheers all.  feeling a bit fed up with myself. but like you say, I can still ride. would be far worse if I couldn't ride.

So true - I thought from your thread title that riding any sort of bike was over for good!

This is a sobering read:  https://www.pinkbike.com/news/girl-interrupted-lorraine-truong-head-injury-bmc-bikes.html

Road / gravel with café stops is the new face of Gnar Tech.

What they all said.

Time for another Trucker build?

And how about something like this for kicks?

Colin Appleyards are a dealer, not too far from you....

Chin up Ton. At least you can still get out on the Gravel Bike.

Hi Ton,

i recently came to the same end point as you have.

However, I have bought an ebike commuter for road riding , and a Marin hardtail with Lauf forks for my once a week off road ride.

The Marin is fine on fire roads and beginner type single track, I really enjoy being out on the mtb, just take the camera with me and ride very steady.

the ebike commuter still lets me get out on the road, and helps enormously with just getting out and riding.

Hope this helps, I too was contemplating giving up altogether, but the above has worked for me.

Sorry to hear that you're giving up the MTB riding ton... it's hard to accept the changes that come with age and body damage - I'm fighting with arthritis in my knees, restricting how far I can walk / stand.  And I know I've got the same decision to make as you have some point down the line.

As has been said, enjoy the things you can do, and don't ponder on the things you can't.

Tony,

I too have considered packing it all in over the last couple of years and gave myself until this summer (when I’ll be 66) to either do something that I considered worthwhile or else call it a day. Things haven’t gone to plan, for all sorts of reasons, I’d planned to build another Liteville 301 up, send it out to Greece and do some epic, technical rides this summer and autumn because, as an ex trials rider, I love technical stuff.

But I haven’t had the time or the motivation and anyway, I’m hardly riding the one that I’ve got here on the Isle of Man. In that Greece I have no one to ride with anyway and, I suppose understandably, my wife is less than happy about me disappearing for the day into big mountains alone.....

What I’m getting to though is that basically what’s revived my riding enjoyment here is the same thing that did it 7or 8 years ago - riding a rigid singlespeed. I can get that up pretty much anywhere that I can get on anything else, I’m not bothered about speed anymore and it’s ace for slow, techy descents - basically I’m loving riding again. Something about it must suit whatever meagre talent I have, because the few mates that I ever ride with reckon I ride it far better than I do anything else.

So, I’m not suggesting that you get one, Tony but what I mean I suppose is that we all have something that plays to our strengths and the secret, I reckon, is discovering that, making the very most of it and not giving a toss about fashion, the next new thing, longness and slackness, whatever. I’m just riding for me now, to be out in the places that I love and throwing a little bit of doing the stuff I most enjoy into the mix. As long as I can clean a few nice climbs and descents I’m happy. I won’t be able to keep doing it forever so I treasure every moment.

Sorry for rambling on.......

You've given up mountain biking?

Well at least you'll finally fit in around here.

Keep riding and posting, mate.

Just so long as you’re turning pedals and enjoying the fresh air, it really doesn’t matter where and what you’re riding.

Couldn’t have put it better than this.

21 years ago, I did enough damage to my body that I was forced to give up playing rugby.  In the 2 seasons prior my form had come on and I was looking good to start challenging 1st team places.   For though that know of or are involved in Rugby, being in a Rugby team or club is very inclusive.  You've loads of mates, people to help and a community to rely on.

Hence, within a month of quitting I was very alone.  I lived alone then, and only saw my future as a lonely 25yo with a house stretching my finances and a penchant for a beer or 3 in the evenings watch Eastenders.  I thought my world had ended and all my mates had gone.

Then, the physio I was seeing suggested trying cycling to help me exercise my knees.   21 years later although I'm not an amazing cyclist I'm 3 stone lighter and pushing top 20 regional vets MTB and have had some amazing experiences and met some special people on my bikes.

My point is, its a new chapter Ton, there's light in the tunnel and you'll find some peace and joy on the gravel or road wherever you journeys may take you.  I wish you the best of luck on your endeavours and hope you'll post us a smily face thumbs up pic on the adventure of your choice one day.  Good luck with it 🙂

The fear of ****ing the new hip fades mate.

Those who ride with me will vouch for the fact I'm now far quicker n brace now I'm used to it.

Your 1st accident will help....

Tony man, you've done more offroading in your sleep than the vast majority of people on here have in real life. It's just another direction your'e heading to, & don't panic, cos I'm heading the same way!

Turning pedals is turning pedals...

Once you're one of us you never get out.

Don't know you Ton, but reading your stuff on here over the last few years has made me less fearful about the 'what ifs' of my cycling future (especially when I had an irregular heartbeat scare a few years back)...

Dirt, gravel or tarmac - keep on rolling. More power to your hip and heart.

The hammering over rough stuff long ago lost its draw for me. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the couple of days a year we spend at BPW, but I’m as happy as a pig in muck riding my singlespeed Puffin. Doesn’t have to be anything technical, it’s just being on a bike that I enjoy.

Your persistence to ride MTB for this long with the issues you’ve had - bloody amazing.  It’s not a defeat to change your riding to something you will still be able to enjoy.  Just getting out there is enough - pushing the pedals and riding along a trail.  The nature of the trail doesn’t matter as long as you still feel great when you get home.

Best of luck and keep those wheels rolling.

Time for n+1 ! Adapt and keep getting out fella.

Hello Ton ..

I don't know you at all I'm fairly new on here but have frequented " other " bike forums for years and have in excess of twenty years mountain biking under my belt..the thought of being where you are in terms of contemplating giving up quite frankly scares the shit out of me ..others have mentioned it and I have always been a fan of them but ebikes would seem to be the way forward ?

I don't know your age but I've just turned 61 and still riding a " normal " bike which I'm paying for on 0% finance but when that finishes my next bike will be electric .

The oldest member of our group is 73 and made the switch last year and it's given him a new lease of life ..we are not just talking gentle pootling either..but even on an eco mode it's hard to keep in touch on sustained climbs !

I have hired on occasion..the last one being a Haibike fat six hardtail a year or so back which I took into Thrunton Woods ( Northumberland ) for the day ..Ive never had as much fun on a bike ..or even been able to clear as much technical stuff on a climb as I did that day ..and that stuck with me .

Don't believe the bullshit about not getting as much of a work out on an ebike ..its total crap ..I was as knackered that day as any other as I was able to tackle a level of technical terrain that is still beyond me on an ordinary bike ..but still required as much if not more effort to achieve ...

Anyway ..this is not meant to be anything other than a post to encourage you to explore every avenue before hanging your spuds / flatties up ..

I wish you all the best ..

Looking forward to reading your gravel and touring adventures. I’m a believer that cycling is what you want it to be.

all very encouraging responses everyone. really fantastic.  mood has lifted a fair bit to be honest, this post has helped, as posting stuff on here always does.

went for a nice 24 mile green lane ride yesterday. was great. whilst riding, i had a good think. things is, i ride about 100 miles each week commuting. i was thinking that giving in the normal mtb and going for a e bike was a cop out, but now realise it aint. i will still keep riding 100 miles commuting, i will use the e bike purely for fun.

so that may be the way forward.