old riders

[Ronald Long]

I'm wondering how many of you are in your 70s, and still fully active in Randonneuring - as it full SR series, maybe even a 1200km.

My riding "fell apart" around 2019, though a variety of factors, and never fully recovered. At this point I'm a "healthy 74", I'm consistently riding at least a 100km a month, putting lots of hours on an indoor trainer, but even a 200km is a rarity - I'm averaging 1-2 a year. 

I'm really struggling to get back to longer distances. I know that a good part of it is mental, but I'm also wondering how many folks well into their 70s are doing longer rides (200km and up).

Obviously at some point I'll be "too old", but I have no sense of where that point is, and this community is the best source of potential data I can think of.

ronald

Rusa 4915

[Gary DelNero]

I turn 70 in a few months and wonder the same thing. I quit doing the R12's as soon as I hit ten years in a row. I now find the Audax style rides particularly enjoyable. We did the 600k here in KS last year. Much easier than a solo ride. I do find it harder mentally to willingly expect difficult conditions, cold rain, excessive night riding, ditch naps.
I think as I get older I enjoy the camaraderie more than the biking.
Consider the Nebraska Sandhills bike week. Shorter days, more rest.
There are several riders in their 70's at PBP, so it's not impossible. I think the DNF rate rises with age, but you can't succeed without showing up.
Good luck

Gary DelNero Rusa 7468

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[Dan Driscoll]

Ronald, 

I wonder the same thing. As a fellow 70’s guy, I know Father Time will have his way and I will age out of Randonneuring, or maybe slowly phase out, but no idea or game plan on when that will be. 

I do not think that there is a magic number, everyone will be different, but 70 has been what I’ve seen as a start, although I know some in their mid 70’s that can still do 1,200km’s. Years ago I called a lot of Old Randos that were at the Tip Top of RUSA in terms of accomplishments, that now longer paid RUSA Dues to see what was up? The answer was mostly "I’m in my 70’s, can’t ride like I used to, the longer rides I used to enjoy are no longer as enjoyable/doable, so it was time to move on".  

I know some that plan their Rando Retirement strategically, one claiming that PBP 2027 will be his last Grand Randonnee. I know others that continue attempting Grand Randonnees accepting a higher DNF percentage Rate each year, and are OK with that. 

As Neil Young sings, is it better to burn out or fade away? I’m undecided at this point, but thinking about it. 

I've spent a huge percentage of my life riding and volunteering Rando for the last 30 years, so it will be a bitter sweet good buy. I suspect that the 1,200kms will come off the plate first and with them likely the 1,000kms. 

I have a few streaks going that I’d like to keep alive as long as possible, I’m at 28 consecutive ACP Super Randonneurs and hope to stretch that well past 30, I’m about to earn my 22nd R-12, and hope to keep that going as long as possible. I’m at 20 RUSA Cups, and hope I have a few more left in me?

When finishing a 200km within the time limits becomes difficult, I’m unsure if I’ll continue to find joy in chasing States and keeping a P-12 alive, but I hope so. The RUSA Awards have kept me motivated so far and I hope that does not wear off.  

Bottom line, predicting how much longer I’ll last is beyond me…… Surrounding yourself by good and positive people that enjoy Rando, may be the best advice to offer, to extend the joy and longevity, it’s worked for me.  

We all have our own definitions of Endurance, but for me it’s less about how far you do in a day and more about how far you go in a lifetime.   

DanD 

[Rob Hawks]

I'm months away from falling into your described category of 'in your 70s, having just passed the halfway point of my 70th trip around the sun.

I expect I'd get a lot younger if I gave up my RUSA duties and being an RBA, but then I'd have to figure out what to do with my time.

Yes, of course I've also wondered about recognizing when 'that time has come'. For now, I'm setting off tomorrow on the 600k puzzle piece for the SR series, planning to ride a 1000k later in the month and shooting for at least one more chance at a PBP finish.

There are very few if any riders on the brevets this year that I rode with in 2004 and 2005 when I first started. 

rob hawks

[Dragi Gasevski]

Rob, Ronald — your posts really resonated with me.

I’m now 72, and somehow the long distances still feel like home. Every year I’m logging 18,000 to 20,500 miles, with a couple of Super Randonneur series and plenty of unofficial long rides that fill in the gaps. Some years the body cooperates, some years it fights back, but the rhythm of the bike keeps pulling me forward.

I also know that many people my age don’t even want to drive their cars 600–1000 km anymore — meanwhile we’re out here riding those distances on two wheels. That alone says something about the kind of stubborn, slightly unreasonable people randonneurs tend to be.

Like you said, Rob, very few riders from the 2004–2005 era are still showing up at brevets. But every time I line up for a 300, 400, 600, or 1000, I’m reminded that there are still riders in their 70s quietly doing the work, turning the pedals, and proving that “too old” is not a fixed point.

Ronald — you’re still riding, still training, still thinking about the long distances. That already puts you ahead of most people your age. Whether you get back to 200s, 300s, or beyond, only your body will decide, but the door isn’t closed just because the number 74 is printed on your driver’s license.

For me, as long as I can ride safely, enjoy the miles, and support the randonneuring community, I’m staying in the game.

Best,

Dragi

#13193

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Best,

Dragi

[Kerin Huber]

Hi Ronald and other Randos,

Here's some perspective from a female rando.  I think the aging thing hits us harder since we go through menopause and suddenly lose most of our anabolic hormones.  How I miss the power and the recovery ability I used to have.

I still love randonneuring, but as I've gotten older and slower, my criteria for evaluating what constitutes a "great" ride have changed.  It used to be that half the enjoyment came from completing a very long, difficult ride as fast as possible.  Now I couldn't care less about my finishing time or whether I'm the lanterne rouge.  What makes a ride enjoyable now is seeing beautiful scenery, riding with nice people, and finishing- no matter what my time.  

I have retired from doing 1200's and the like because they aren't fun for me anymore, and they just take such a toll on my body.  But I still love doing 100's, 200's, and the occasional 300k.  I will keep doing the shorter rando rides as long as I can.  But when I stop having fun on these rides, I see a future of doing short coffee shop rides with my local bike club.  I hope I will be able to ride my bike for many more years, one way or another.

Sincerely,

Kerin

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[Mike Hrast]

I’m moving on towards 72 and my body is breaking down. Recent back problems have kept me off the bike for several months. Whereas I’d like to try another PBP I don’t think it’s the cards. I’m getting forgetful these days so trying to coordinate any logistics for PBP would be harder. 

Radiation for cancer 10 years ago has left me with osteoporosis so taking a fall is a big risk. I do miss the comradery on the rides so I’m hoping to get back to 200-300k rides 

Mike

#3970

Sent from my iPhone

On May 1, 2026, at 9:32 AM, Ronald Long <ronal...@gmail.com> wrote:



[jeff.li...@gmail.com]

Hello Ron,

I'll turn 64 in a month. So I have not hit the big 7-0. But I have been a cycling enthusiast on and off most of my life and been a member of a couple of cycling clubs. My observations of those riding around me have lead me to believe age 70 is a big year for an avid cyclist if he or she is still riding at all. Maintenance of fitness at that age becomes quite an uphill battle, and most enthusiasts get fed up and throw the towel in. The ones that continue start to only ride with similarly aged individuals. The Princeton Freewheelers headquartered in Cranbury, NJ has a group of riders that go by two different names: Social Security Crew or Geriatrics Crowd. The last time I checked there was an 87 year old in the group. Most of their rides top off at 35 miles.

This past Tuesday I completed a 73 mile perm along the Delaware River in PA and NJ with a female randonneur who very recently turned 70. The route had 105k of "gravel" in it and we finished in 7h40m. I've been trying to impress on this woman the importance of resistance training and speed work on the bike at her age. She doesn't want to hear it. The days of just going out for a fun long ride just does not cut it after you turn 70 if you want to maintain your fitness level. Most people should be able to tackle an SR series and maybe a 1000k brevet as late as age 80. But they would have to be strategic about their training: 1. resistance training (weights), 2. speed work on the bike, and 3. peak for the long rides. The days of going long all year long don't exist after you turn 70.

You are doing well to consistently ride at least one metric century a month at age 74. I doubt there are many RUSA members your age doing that. There will be some certainly. But if you want to get back to doing an SR series you might want to consider limiting your rides longer than 40 miles to a four month window during the year. The other eight months would be when you focus on weight training, speed work on the bike, and possibly swimming to help you with mobility issues. Diet becomes critical after you turn 70. You can eat the wrong foods, but you will be sabotaging your training efforts.

I think as we age we should strive to remain vibrant/agile. Crawling across the finish line of a long bike ride isn't really something to be brag about. I'm a firm believer in quality of life, not quantity of life. Are you spending a lot of time on an indoor trainer because the weather is not good outside? Or is there some other reason? I hate riding an indoor trainer unless I have a HIIT workout to do.

Best of luck to you, -Jeff

Jeff Lippincott, RUSA #11633