[Closed] When to give up?

Give up doing silly things which result in you injuring yourself. Perfectly feasible to ride bikes without crashing, even if that does mean giving up trying to keep up with better riders.

Take some skills courses or do less extreme rides, but don't give up, oohh, don't give up.

Don't give up, rest up, heal take it easier when you get back riding.

Perhaps the Gravel thing might be a better fit for you ?

My thoughts for what they are worth and in no particular order...

1) skills course given your comments get your skills to match your confidence
2) if they're good riding mates chances are they won't mind waiting for a regroup at the top/bottom of a hill if you're easing off the gas a bit (the main group I ride with has a very mixed skill/fitness level but everyone's ok with that most of the time)
3) better to slow down than give up
4) slowing down a bit and focussing on technique and lines could allow you to build the speed back up without the crashes
5) don't give up - unless it's not fun any more

Power is nothing without control.

No need to give up if you don't go all silly.

You definitely do not want to break any part of your body at this age coz the healing time will be long ...

Second "don't give up".
I've suffered several injuries over the last 3 years. Last year I was told not to mtb anymore, gosh I was miserable.
After watching the amazing Martyn Ashton, I decided sod this for a game of soldiers.
Getting back on my mtb was utterly amazing.
I'm slow, unfit and have mega confidence issues, meaning I have to walk down descents I've ridden many times.
It doesn't matter. Just ride.

Find a new group to ride with. Go on a skills course (as mentioned above).
Ride because you love it and because you can.

Get a good physio.
Go see Jedi.
Get fitter and stronger.

Never give up. But the advice up there seems sound. Very wise words from bunnyhop.

Totally feel for you with a torn rotator cuff (am still recovering from a broken arm at the shoulder after a fall in September, may still need an op). Zwift and a static bike have helped me with recovery.

Try different cycling. I road ride and use off road as a rare treat. I don't try and shred the gnarr and like to keep my wheels on the ground. A drop off is what you do with the kids at a nursery 🙂 , I just enjoy every ride for what it is. Took my nephew out on his first red route today. Of course I could have gone faster harder etc... but on my sister old hardrock rigid, the satisfaction of getting him round safely was all I needed.

And I know how to hurt myself cycling. Recovery does take longer at our age.

I fractured my spine getting a 30 ft gap a bit wrong in May being off the bike was as cranky as I've ever been . Made it back for morzine end of August .changed my riding stayed away from the high risk lines park and features and found some wonderful riding with some of the best rides of my life . Change your riding limit the risk keep having fun

All good stuff thanks, I'm certainly going to attempt carry on. I've already backed off so when i crashed in June I was at BPW and had survived the day riding mostly blues with a couple of reds. I was feeling rubbish and had no flow so I was not pushing hard but a suspension failure on the access track back to the cafe was what caused my current injury.

Will probably do a skills course but I already know my limits are lower than 5 years ago, my riding buddies will tolerate me being slow and 30+ years of riding do mean I can be off the bike for a period and it doesn't take long (but does involve pain) to get back on the tail of the group. My 50th birthday year I was outpacing a 38 year old 'fitter' guy up and down our local (not super technical) trails but last year I had extra stuff going on at work and home which affected my riding.

Static trainer is coming in the New Year when I've decluttered my garage a bit!

Surgery is irritating because my, private, physio is ex orthopedics department physio and told them i needed surgery back in Sept but I had to go through a long process of assessment and reviews etc. Seeing surgeon on the 9th Jan so hoping to be back on the bike by April with an expectation of getting back to some fitness by June(ish).

Thanks all - I mostly just wanted positive thoughts saying "Don't give up!"

never ever give up cycling.

3 surgeries in 4 years. open heart surgery, fixed a hernia and a fused ankle now, learning to walk and cycle again at present.

when i die, i want to be riding up a nice gentle climb, in the afternoon sun, after a nice pint or 2.

keep on keeping on.

Do not give up but ride within your capabilities. As you get older your reactions get slower so you can't compensate for screw ups as quickly.

(This is 1st hand fact BTW) 🙄

Thanks all, @ton always expected to die on my bike but liking the image of doing so

riding up a nice gentle climb, in the afternoon sun

OP, same age and similar situation here. Currently recovering from 3rd bike related hospital ambulance trip in 4 years and friends are all saying same thing. For sure I am slowing up a bit, less time in air, more time enjoying it, probably walk down a few more of the scary bits. Even my GP asked me the other week if I would consider less risky pastimes !

New FS ordered yesterday, not stopping until I have to, but certainly doing it a bit differently. Had a skills course a few yrs back to get rid of demons after first face shape changing knockout crash..... definitely money well spent. Other crashes were less my skills shortage, more circumstances

I'm 51... - when should I give up?

Endurance is one of the last things you lose, maybe switch from the gnar to more XC/gravel events? Tons of fun, a new scene and excuse for N+1

Alternatively there are loads of masters road races, but those guys are super fit!

On the age thing, FWIW I'm only 46 but currently regularly inline/roller skating with a couple of over 50s. We haven't injured ourselves (yet), but there's certainly a risk of that and I'm sure most people would think it's the sort of mad thing people getting on a bit shouldn't be doing - as far as we're concerned it's what stops us getting old!

After about 8 months off work in the space of 2 years recovering from different crashes and operations i said to my gp that i should pack in the mtb. her reply was,we can mend bones easier than your heart and lungs, carry on, just try and stay on the bike a bit more often. 😀 49 years old

Start yet another group but a more mellow one. As I get older I tend to migrate from the faster mid week rides to the more mellow sat ones. Have just as much fun if not a bit more as I am no longer hanging grimly on at the back

Never stop

Don't give up doing daft stuff just because you're getting old. You get old because you stop doing daft stuff.

63 here and just got back from a beer fueled solo 8 mile off road night ride.

Just buy a new bike

No good riding mates ever mind waiting for a bit, chance to chat and slag each other off. I'd say try something different, maybe persuade your mates to race or do mountain mayhem. Same fun but different vibe.

It's a change of mindset. I took up mountain biking at 29, so thankfully the worst of my exuberance was behind me.

But even since then, I've changed my outlook somewhat - the need to constantly compete against myself, to take unwarranted risks has faded, to be replaced by something else - I love being outside on my bike. I get my hardcore workouts and endorphin fix at the gym.

I can still ride fast - faster than my nineteen year old, gym-addicted stepson - but there's something else other than pushing the envelope all the time that draws me back.

So, in summary, buy a new bike!

Ton is so right. Again 😀

I'm 53 and have no intention of giving up, damn it I only really started 10 years ago. I have no acl in either knee so God knows what a big big stack do. My riding tends to reflect that, bikes with good brakes and mates with paitience are required. I am generally on ibuprofen before a ride. Work on your rehab and physio, maybe wear a compression shirt with some padding (661?) or some other brace. Maybe slow down a bit ? XC or a bit of CX (slow though 😉 )

[img] [/img]

Might be time to buy a Five.
And some of those air-bag motorcyclist clothes from the Unilad Facebook videos.
I've grown my own.

BigJohn is being modest. He's actually 93.

But yeah, use it or lose it as the saying goes. Although I should apply that to my brain.....

As everyone else has said, keep going! Dial in your expectations a little bit more.

Read a short article on Ned Overend in another (lesser!?) MTB publication about riding in your 60's. Worth a peek maybe:

http://www.mbr.co.uk/publication/mountain-bike-rider/mbr-january-2017

I haven't fallen heavily in years. Still go as fast as I can uphill but dial things down a bit on the descents. Makes them last longer!

56 (today) with not enough skills, only started 10 years ago, and poor at learning them.
Been there after hurting myself again.
I have stopped doing any jumps or anything risky about 3 months ago, now more pootling in the woods gently.
Adjusting has been difficult. I might end up walking away from 2 wheels totally, and get my views and camaraderie walking.

Go see Jedi. Do not pass go, do not collect £200.

Even if you don't go faster, you'll be more confident and safer in the speeds you do now, and might avoid crashing in those hair raising situations we all find ourselves in now and again!

Go touring, nice and easy cycling and so satisfying in a completely different way.

Anyone who thinks of giving up cycling due to obstacles in their way I think should have to get permission from Martyn Ashton. If your excuse is good enough for him then its ok to walk away. I would pay good money for a 5 min ride with him, it'd stop me whining and making excuses like I do!

Would an ebike be classed as giving up? It will certainly keep you in the group up the hills, leaving you with more energy for the fun stuff going down. I found I made mistakes and crashed due to fatigue more than lack of skill.

We don't give up because we get old, we get old because we give up.

Or something.

her reply was,we can mend bones easier than your heart and lungs, carry on, just try and stay on the bike a bit more often.

(Wild applause)

Never give up.

You'll be dead soon enough, fancy the thought of a wasted life?

Hmm.. thought not.

First rule of MTB is ride within your limits.
To much emphasis is put on getting air and being rad. If you dial in your cornering, pumping and braking skills you will start to flow. To flow along a trail with good technique is very satisfying.
Don't worry about your mates, they are enjoying themselves which is what you should be doing.

Go see Jedi.

http://www.imbikemag.com/mountain-bike-news/2015/10/over-the-hill/
Two good quotes from the above clip.
"When I leave the house I make sensible decisions"
"Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional"

Motorcycle related, but I think this is relevant.

[url=

we ride[/url]

just got back from a beer fueled solo 8 mile off road night ride

The very best type of night riding.

My riding buddies are all saying don't but they go significantly faster without me even though I started our small village group around 10 years ago.

Option i) Slow down and smell the roses
Option ii) E-Bike

Thanks all - I mostly just wanted positive thoughts saying "Don't give up!"

Cheers Will!

OK, maybe I look it.

Started MTB at 49,the first year was carnage,it crossed my mind many times to throw in the towel.
Glad i persevered,going in to my 4th year and getting faster every year.
Getting fitter has been the key for me,with regards to crashing,i used to be worn out after the climbs,then out of synch and not fully concentrated on the downs.
Stepping i up for 2017,need to defend my Welsh DH title,so i've taken up running,that's proving very beneficial,in that my average heart rate has dropped around 10 beats on my regular segments,leaving me less tired and more focused.
I've also found that if i'm out of sorts or slightly tired,i'll ride my 29er instead of the 650,i find that i get away with a few more mistakes on the 29 er.
I've done a few courses as well,Jedi and Alex Bond coaching.

Don't give up!

So shoulder surgery in 6 weeks time, 6 weeks of no driving as the surgery will fix 3 problems in one go! After that I'm looking at ~4 months before I can ride off road but having got into Zwift I can continue on the turbo after 2 weeks.

Starting to feel better and now wondering why i ever thought of giving MTB riding up 🙂

Date now through instead of ~8 week wait it's been prioritised and I'm going in on Tues 28th March! So 18 days from surgeon deciding a "full job" needs doing to getting it done! 9 months since the injury!

Great news, not long now. 🙂

Now over a year since i tore something in the nethers. No cycling since last Aug as it just re-injured it. Tried a paltry seven mile (slow road) bimble last week (half of it downhill) and it set me back at least three months. This misery cannot stand. Pretty sure it looks like surgery, so could be another year off the bikes but it won't stop me. I feel your pain, keep the rehab slow and steady, all in time.

I started riding mtbin 1987, on a muddy fox, these bikes were well known for having weak forks and they couldn't handle jumping (SNAP)
This encouraged me to always keep both wheels on the ground, something I still do.
I have only broken two pairs of forks in the last 30yrs, one set was on the muddy fox (brake cable snapped, the straddle wire then got pulled down into the rotating tyre at 30mph, fork bent)
The other i broke at laggan going over a jump.
Ive had plenty of fun over that time, im faster than some, slower than some, but I've never wanted to stop.
Adjust your riding to suit your skills, but only stop when you aren't enjoying it.
I don't get out as often as id like, but when i do I always feel better.
Ebike is actually a pretty good call, perhaps try and have a proper go on one first, will let you save energy on climbs and be fresher for the downs. I have one, for me its the difference between getting out or not.
I will echo what many others have said above, don't stop

Good luck dude , 2009 I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis , had a crushed vertebrae in my spine . Specialist told me to never ride off road again , take up jogging instead that will help load your bones ! Got a 2nd opinion from my GP he said carry on just go careful , the next year I spent the Summer in Whistler ! Obviously not loony tune stuff , I was told it's better to chicken out ride 80% of stuff at least you'll still be able to ride tomorrow .

I think you need to give up....

On Crashing that is. It does none of us any favours.

I sometimes wonder with full susser bikes whether we tend to ride faster than we used to in the past...which is great whilst you are riding like a God, but a bit of pain when you come off as it tends to be at higher speeds.

I'm 42, but recently made the decision to start working out a bit more and building up a bit more muscle mass. Does help a bit when you come off....As I discovered Tuesday night.

Took a smack to my head (cracked the helmet), face, stretched my neck a bit and managed to trap my shin between the twisted bars and frame.
To be fare I thought I was gonna be in a bit of trouble, but I think the gym sessions and general flexibility exercises paid off.

....Plus I get to buy another fancy lid without feeling guilty!!

Good luck with the surgery.

I just go more careful these days. And that includes not going out when it's wet 😆
Used to crash a lot, but pushing the limits is a thing of the past. Bruises and grazes take long enough to heal now, let alone a break or dislocation!
No way I'll be giving up (or getting an eBike (same thing) 😉 )

I would also reiterate the mantra 'know your limits'. At your age you should have accumulated enough experience to know how far you can push things. I very rarely crash these days and then only when the conditions are extreme (ice etc) but I am not slow by any means. Just turned 48.

recovery time and my ineptitude has meant i no longer live by the mantra if you dont crash you are not trying hard enough

This runs the risk of being a self-indulgent ramble, so I'll start out by saying don't give up on it, biking's ace!

One month before turning 40, I broke my neck (fractured C2 vertebra) by flying over the bars when riding a local trail feature that had been "modified" since I last rode it. I spent the next 3 months with a cage screwed into my face and being reminded regularly how lucky I am that I can still walk. I also damaged my arm/shoulder in the fall.

This was 18 months ago.

Last year was frustrating. I wanted to crack on with Running/Biking/Swimming like I did before, but my body and brain weren't ready. I started out on the road bike, but it was pretty uncomfortable for any length of time (head position and arm).
I adjusted bar positions, rode the MTB on the road, and tried various other things to increase comfort, but the pain and the loss of fitness was pretty demotivating. I had a fair amount of physio on my neck and my shoulder but my arm barely improved. In the end I practically stopped biking regularly, having previously been a 3-4 times a week rider.

Towards the end of the year I started riding every other week with a mate who was happy to take it at my pace, and we'd mix on-road and (gentle) off-road. However, my confidence was shot on anything remotely technical or loose and my loss of pace continued to be a disappointment. Most of the winter was spent forcing myself to get out there again and I didn't especially enjoy it.

About a 6 weeks ago something clicked and I suddenly "remembered" how to ride again and I'm loving it! I'm not as quick as I was but I'm gradually getting quicker and I'm getting out a couple of times a week. This last few weeks the pain in my arm has eased off quite a bit (still not perfect, but massive improvement from even a month ago), and my neck has been pretty good for a while now.

Since I started enjoying it more I bought a few nice new bits to shiney-up the aging single-speed a bit (under the guise of making it comfier).

Last night was the icing on the cake; we were out on practically dusty trails (in March?!?!) with the temp in double figures (just), covered 30-odd miles at a 12mph avg, saw tonnes of wild-life and came back smiling from ear-to-ear.

Hope the op goes well and don't give up on it!

OP...first things first...get your shoulder fixed first...see a good physio and take it form there.
once your injuries have healed then theres no reason you cant carry on riding...you just need to be more careful.
a bike crash caused a compression of my L4 and L5 vertebrae in my mid 20s...it comes and goes now and all i can do is manage it...i've been asked the "should it not be time for you to stop cycling" question by various family members. they know my injury record and how long i've been riding for and how much ive invested into it...but every time they expect me to just give up...but i refuse to
the wife hasnt asked me yet which is a good thing...but then my oldest is nearly 10 and the youngest is nearly 3...ideally i still want to be riding so i can take the kids out on their bikes too

i might be on an e-bike by then so keeping up shouldnt be an issue

Never give up

In the grand scheme of things we are all incredibly privileged to have the opportunity and the means to ride nice bikes around beautiful countryside. I try never to take that for granted.

With regard to being able to keep up with riding partners, there is more to it than just whether mates ride faster on the downhills (and have better technical skills or simply take greater risks).

It may be more productive to seek to increase cardiovascular fitness to ride faster on the uphills and flat sections. Time permitting, training and improving cardiovascular fitness - however you do it (turbo, road rides, running, heart rate zone training on the MTB etc.) - is safely within your control and achievable, whereas pushing your skills to the limit and taking possibly too much risk to get to the bottom more quickly is likely to end up in further crashes, more time off the bike and loss of fitness (a vicious cycle).

Improved cardiovascular fitness would probably make your rides more fun: you can relax and enjoy the downhills at the pace you want to ride them, knowing that you can easily catch everyone else up when the trail flattens or goes uphill. Improved general physical fitness should also help improve downhill performance, since you will have better stamina and be less tired and more relaxed when going downhill, and so better able to concentrate, reducing the risk of crashes. The longer the ride, the more this physical advantage will tell.

Obviously improved skills - by getting tuition - and improved cardiovascular fitness are not mutually exclusive, but for some people improved cardiovascular fitness may be more easily achievable or offer a better payback for the investment of time/money.

I broke my collarbone 6 weeks ago and only now its starting to feel better. 6 weeks of no driving as well.

I'm looking forward to getting back out in the next few weeks thoigh.

I'm hitting 50 later this year, so have promised myself a new bike.
I've had quite a few offs in the last few years, nothing serious fortunately. I've always fancied an Orange 5, so was toying with the idea of getting one for my birthday, but actually I think a bike with less travel might be more suited to my future riding habits.

51 here and more than my fair share of bad crashes. Have definitely made a positive decision to ride well within my limits in recent months. My shiny new Anthem isn't being stretched as it could be....

Roter Stern - Member

I would also reiterate the mantra 'know your limits'. At your age you should have accumulated enough experience to know how far you can push things

Junkyard - lazarus

recovery time and my ineptitude has meant i no longer live by the mantra if you dont crash you are not trying hard enough

[i]Dunno about anyone else but at 41...[/i]

Well, yeah... To be 41 again.. 😕

I'd give up when i started posting in the wrong forum.

Dunno about anyone else but at 41 I'm still trying to go further / higher / faster, otherwise how do you challenge yourself and keep thimgs interesting?

Never give up! Just don't be as daft as you used to be. I've adopted this philosophy.

Never give up, the bad thing about injuries really is that they stop you biking (unless your job requires broken bits not to be broken).
People that don't do sport won't understand.
And your riding mates won't mind waiting!