Thanks Marc, I'm quite happy with anything over 27 as an average these days. A long long time ago my average was more like 37-40 but 2 decades of ageing have taken their toll. Undulating, few steep pinches gentle uphill for the last 15klms.
I rode for 4 years in the Snowy Mountains so have really noticed the extra oxygen available at Canberra's altitude.
Cheers
That figures. Sounds like your fitness is well above average for your age. Cycling is probably the best exercise after rowing I reckon, but I like the rowing seat better these days.
Where is the challenge in that?
As I age I find joy in simpler things. One of the great pleasures of life is cycling from Jindabyne to Charlotte Pass and back (actually the return is the pleasure, the way up is pure lung-tearing torture)
You have to push yourself to get the true pleasures of life
Marc, I have to agree on rowing although my preference was sea kayaks and surfskis for paddling. I would also throw in Nordic Skiing as a great cardio workout, I returned to XC Skiing (skating style) 3 years ago after 30 years of downhill skiing and racing. I had not realised how poor my cardio fitness was until I did 25klms on the second morning.
I would also throw in Nordic Skiing as a great cardio workout, I returned to XC Skiing (skating style) 3 years ago after 30 years of downhill skiing and racing. I had not realised how poor my cardio fitness was until I did 25klms on the second morning.
I haven't got back on skis since I moved to Oz. I used to be on it all the time back home. Maybe when I retire I'll go to NZ where they have real mountains.
Well, we did it. 77kms of real mountain biking in cool but spotless weather. Borland Lodge to Doubtful Sound. Part of this route follows the Manapouri power lines. 2500 vertical metres climbed, 3 passes negotiated, tons of spectacular scenery admired. 12 hours total, 7.5 hours actual riding. This is an epic and no doubt a future NZ classic. It is the best ride I've enjoyed in this country so far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by speach
You all are mad what wrong with PETROL!
Funny you should say that. This particular trip consists of 76km dirt roads/ tracks & 1 km of bush travel & alpine hiking with your vehicle (choose wisely!) on your shoulder. Petrol engine is OK if you want to abandon your vehicle at km 47 and walk the remaining 30. So yeah.
Fantastic Mirko….speechless. Got a mate who has just about given up road bikes for mtb's , and he loves it, think I could too.
Only trouble is the minefield of bikes out there Haven't bought a bike for 6 years and that was easy….run out Giant OCR2 as a commuting bike, and the last one in the shop, but mtb's …..
Matt
Fantastic Mirko….speechless. Got a mate who has just about given up road bikes for mtb's , and he loves it, think I could too.
Only trouble is the minefield of bikes out there Haven't bought a bike for 6 years and that was easy….run out Giant OCR2 as a commuting bike, and the last one in the shop, but mtb's …..
Matt
Best to get a secondhand one Matt, there are many really nice bikes for less than half new prices that have hardly been ridden.
I bought my Marin Nail Trail in 2010, new from the shop but being a 2009 model they cut $1000 off the price.
I agree a second hand hard tail bike is one of the best options out there. Got mine from a lady on Trademe (NZ's ebay) & haven't looked back.
Re road vs mountain biking - no need to give up one for the other, or to sit on the fence. Because there is no fence. Horses for courses maybe. I found if I choose one exclusively it's only half the fun. Those who cannot (or don't want to) get 2 bikes, get a 28 hybrid.
Maybe I'll post a pic later but I ride ( purely for fun and fitness ) a Cannondale 29" MTB. 20-30 km is quite easy even with moderate hills along the way and a rather unusual pattern tyre lets me get off road a bit without too much bother. Don't think I'm quite up to 70 odd km rides at my age (65) but it's fun to explore places that are too far to walk to and\or inaccesible to cars.
Also got an Avanti Monza road machine downstairs but haven't used that in a while.
Skiing I had to give up years ago, my knees were too knackered. I ride because I can no longer run, impact wear & damage ... from skiing in my younger days. Hence I have to limit my lower joint stresses, hips, knees, ankles otherwise I am laid up on pain killers for a week or so.
65 the new 40 ? Have to tell my wife, she is about 19 years younger than me so this should be fun.
I'm planning to do a 1-day MTB trip somewhere in SE-NSW region over the holidays. Ideally, it would involve one or two climbs & corresponding descents of 1000m plus, but I realise this ain't NZ and the holidays are supposed to be relaxing . So alternatively, a nice ride could start and end at Thredbo Village, with a stop just below the summit of Kozzie, where bikes must be left behind and the last bit done on foot (that's what it was like when I rode up there from Charlotte Pass years ago).
Alas, there don't seem to be any actual rideable climbs out of Thredbo which are advertised as such (only lifts and downhills), and the tracks between the top of the ski slope and the big K are conspicuously labelled "walking track".
Any info on this area or alternative approaches would be appreciated.
No bikes from Thredbo to the top I'm afraid. Steelmesh walking tracks only.
Best rides at the top are Charlotte Pass to Rawson's Pass return and the Link Road from Smiggins to Guthega and return.
From the Thredbo side, you can go toward Dead Horse Gap and park the vehicle then ride down the Cascades Trail.
Other very nice rides can be found in the Brindabella Ranges, Namadgi National
Piccadilly Circus to Mt Coree
Piccadilly Circus to Mount Ginini or Mt Gingera.
No bikes from Thredbo to the top I'm afraid. Steelmesh walking tracks only.
Best rides at the top are Charlotte Pass to Rawson's Pass return and the Link Road from Smiggins to Guthega and return.
From the Thredbo side, you can go toward Dead Horse Gap and park the vehicle then ride down the Cascades Trail.
I can't WAIT til I can retire.....only 15+ years to go
Haven't bought an MTB yet...too busy working for a living. The up side....I ride 200+km's to work and back every week, which includes 2.5km of vertical climbing according to my computer....and save a small fortune in fuel
and walk the remaining 30. So yeah.
Haven't bought a bike for 6 years and that was easy….run out Giant OCR2 as a commuting bike, and the last one in the shop, but mtb's …..
on Trademe (NZ's ebay) & haven't looked back. 
