Category Archives: e-bikes

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Retired Fitness

Retired strong man John Casuccio and his daughter Haley.

I am kind of transitioning my posts from the spring/summer mountain bike, outdoor related posts to the winter activity and ski related posts. But in the meantime, I just wanted to make some commentary on two subjects before I make the switch. First is how absolutely magnificent this fall has been with regards to temperature and the brilliance of the fall foliage. I had the opportunity to hike and ride mountain bikes around Western Pa, West Virginia and State College and got to see peak fall foliage in all three areas. I have to say that it has been a long time since I have seen the leaves so brilliant and the weather this pleasant. Great for anything we do outdoors.

View from Mt. Nittany

View of Cheat River from Cooper’s Rock, West Virginia Overlook

But the second thing where I want to make a commentary is what I call retired fitness. I ride with a lot of guys who have already retired ,and they are in amazing shape- especially this time of year. The fitness level increases exponentially over the summer and peaks in the fall right before the time change. Younger guys comment on the fitness of these guys and I always say….” retired fitness.” Most retired guys ride every day or at least 4-5 days a week at their convenience and eventually this consistency yields incredible fitness for these older athletes. I look forward to that experience in the spring when I retire, but in the meantime, I try to get my rides in after work, and on weekends. There is always that pressure to get moving after work and race to the ride venue or get there early on Saturday. Sundays are reserved for rails to trails with Janet.

Lots of retired strongmen and women in this group.
Some winter retired strongmen.

One of the things that rachet things up a bit for the retired set is the acquisition of E-Bikes. Nothing wrong with going with E-Bikes but it makes it tough for the rest of us on regular or “analog” bikes to keep up. These guys try to slow down but it is hard to do on an E-Bike. Riding this past weekend with some retired guys down in West Virginia, I struggled to keep up on the climbs because several of them had E-Bikes. They were nice and tried to slow down for us “analog” guys, but it was hard. They all said what a game changer E-Bikes are and I am sure that they are fun and that peddle assist is great. I suppose I will get there someday but I can’t get it out of my head that I use a mountain bike for exercise and wonder if that will be compromised with an E-Bike? However, the fun factor cannot be denied. Younger guys like them so they can get up the hills fast to ride more downhills. Some guys just have admitted they can’t ride with the younger, fit guys without one. And lastly, some guys like to have both so that after a hard day, they can pull out the E-Bike and have a less stressful recovery day. Believe me, I get it. But I am still on a regular bike trying to keep up with the “retired fitness” guys who are also riding regular bikes.

Pete and Shark- two fit retired guys. Smart too. Retired early.
Nothing like riding MTB in the fall. Cool and scenic.
Some strong retired guys here. All over 60 and me over 70. All on “analog”” or regular mountain bikes. No E-Bikes on this ride in Marlinton, West Virginia.

So again, no beef with E-Bikes. I get it. But the amazing thing to me is how fit some of my retired friends are on regular bikes. I am impressed to say the least. Retired fitness. I will get there someday even though the years are adding up.

One more comment. I saw a You Tube video with Otis Guy – who is a retired firefighter and one of the original mountain bike designers. He is my age. When the reporter asked him what his secret was to his fitness in his 70’s, he said simply….” keep moving.” No great, specified weight program, although he does lift some weights. He basically rides road and mountain bikes. But he is always busy. He says the couch is his worst enemy. I believe it.

Thinking about the upcoming ski season, I just want to click in and keep moving. Thinking my fitness from riding a mountain bike has kept me in shape to make the most out of my ski days. I don’t feel any different and hope that when I make that first turn, I can say to myself…….” I got this.” Thanks for reading and keep moving.

Follow the blog on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com It helps me.

“Clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”- Colossians 3:12

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Chasing the E-Bike

There has been a lot written about e-bikes, pro and con, but I am here to tell you that they are flying off the racks at bike shops and manufacturers. So much so that they are the leading category of bicycles sold today. People love riding them, they are fun, and they help a lot of people who would perhaps not be able to keep up on group rides because of age, conditioning, or other health considerations. Two friends of mine who are older than me recently purchased top of the line e- mountain bikes and love them. Chip says that with the app on his phone, he can alter the amount of assist he needs or wants on his bike. He adjusts it with enough electric assist to get him up and over the tough grunts on the trails, otherwise, at 72, he would not be able to keep up with the group of younger riders he is used to riding with.

I recently saw a program on You Tube (” Syd and Macky”) which chronicles the lives of a married couple who mountain bike race all over the country. Macky is a strong, expert class mountain bike racer and Category 1-2 Road racer. He recently challenged his 75 year old dad to a 25 mile race on the road. Macky had his road bike and his dad rode an e-mountain bike with full suspension. The e-bike is governed to 20 MPH and although Macky tried his best to ride downhills and flats as quickly as he could to over come the e-bike, his dad crushed him in the race. Say what you want about the pros and cons, I am not here to debate that. But I will tell you a story about my recent rides with my other friend who purchased the top of the line Specialized “S” Works e- mountain bike.

Bob- the Lord of Lumens, ( named so for his expertise in mountain bike lighting systems), loves his e-bike. Bob is a really fit rider who recently turned 70 and on a regular bike, could still handle a lot of riders half his age with his expert skill and conditioning. But since he went to the e-bike, he is having more fun than he has had in years. I have seen the smile on his face and his positive comments on rides around these parts. But there is a definite protocol to riding an e-bike with a group of riders who are on regular mountain bikes. Bob is aware of that protocol and usually makes me the governor who sits right behind him in line on the rides. The reason I do that is to keep Bob in check because he does not realize how fast he goes uphill. If Bob doesn’t look back and check how the group is doing on a climb, he could easily leave most riders in the dust with the e-bike. He doesn’t want to do that and thus- I am the guy who keeps him in sight and lets him know if he is riding up the trail too quickly.

The dynamics of e-bikes and regular bikes is interesting on a ride. I have noticed that if I don’t keep the group in check, and allow faster riders to pass me and get right on Bob’s wheel, he instinctively rides faster trying to stay ahead of the thundering herd of faster, stronger, riders. Then the group tends to split in half. The fact of the matter is that no matter how strong a rider you are, you are not keeping up with an e-bike and the rides can become disjointed if certain protocols are not followed.

I ride a mountain bike because it is good exercise and it is fun. Riding over roots and rocks is a challenge and I always say it is like skiing in the summer. But I ride mostly for exercise. If an e-bike flattens out the tough climbs there is the thought that you are not getting the exercise, only the fun. But Chip assures me that he does indeed pedal and makes sure that he programs his assist only enough to get him up over the really tough climbs. I can see that for sure especially as I get older. I can tell you this, one of these bikes is in my future but not just yet. I took Chip’s bike for a spin and was amazed at the boost that you get as you pedal. I think the technology will change in the next few years and the large batteries will become smaller and more efficient and you probably will not recognize much difference in a regular mountain bike and an e-mountain bike in the future. And the bikes will be lighter. But in the meantime, I will see the smile on Bob and Chip’s faces as they smoothly pedal ahead in the distance, looking back to see if we are still there. Try one out. They are pretty neat. Thanks for reading.