The Old Guy Bicycle Blog

Last Updated: March 2026 Can You Really Buy a Quality Bike on Amazon? (An Honest Cyclist’s Answer) I’ve always been a supporter of local bike shops. A good shop can fit a bike properly, make sure it’s safe, and give you a place to go when something needs attention. But I also live in the real world. Some riders are mechanically confident and don’t need a shop for every little thing. And plenty of people don’t even have a solid bike shop nearby. For them, buying a bike online—including from Amazon—can absolutely make sense. So here’s the honest answer, from a 70-year-old cyclist with 155,000+ lifetime road miles: Quick Answer Yes —you can buy a quality bike on Amazon, if you choose the right bike type, avoid “too-cheap-to-be-true” builds, and buy from a brand with real support. Amazon isn’t the problem. Bad components, poor sizing choices, and bargain-bin bikes are the problem...

Last Updated:  March 2026 Quick Answer The best gifts for a 70-year-old cyclist aren’t flashy performance upgrades. They’re smart safety + comfort tools that say, “I support you riding — and I want you protected.” If you’ve read my post Is My Parent Too Old to Ride a Bike? How Age Affects Cycling Ability , you know where I stand: yes — if they ride smart. But I get the other side, too. When your 70-year-old parent rides on real roads, it can make you nervous. You don’t want to discourage them. You don’t want to sound controlling. You just want them safe. Here are gifts that help in the real world — the ones that reduce surprises, reduce stress, and keep them riding longer. The Right Mindset Before You Buy Anything Don’t give a gift that says, “Maybe you should slow down.” Give one that says, “I believe in you. Let’s make this safer.” 1) Rear-Facing Radar (The Biggest Safety Upgrade Available) I...

Updated March 2026 For those who ride, no explanation is needed. For those who don’t, no explanation is quite enough. But here’s my best attempt. When I get on my bike, the world opens up. The wind presses against my face, my legs find their rhythm, and my heart syncs with the steady hum of rubber on asphalt. It's not about speed or Strava segments. It’s about freedom . It’s about peace of mind . How Cycling Changed My Life I wasn’t always a cyclist. Like many people, my life revolved around work, traffic, and routine. I spent my days in classrooms, waiting rooms, and car lanes. Life felt boxed in — predictable, heavy. Then one day, I got back on a bicycle. I didn’t know it at the time, but I wasn’t just riding — I was returning. Returning to a version of myself I had forgotten. One that craved movement, exploration, and self-reliance. Reconnecting with the Joy of Riding The beginning was tough. My legs were weak, my lungs burned, and every hill felt impossible. But somethin...

Last Updated: February 25, 2026 There’s a version of me from years ago I think about sometimes. He didn’t know what a cadence sensor was. He didn’t track calories. He didn’t understand recovery. He didn’t look like a cyclist. He weighed over 275 pounds. He was just trying not to quit. Now I’m 70 years old. Over 155,000 lifetime miles . 187 pounds. Still riding into West Texas wind. Still stacking miles. Still learning. If that man could see me now… Would he be proud? Quick Answer If you stayed consistent, kept learning, embraced safety, and adapted instead of aging out — yes. The person you were when you started cycling would likely be proud. Back Then, I Thought Cycling Was About Fitness I thought it was about getting lean. About keeping up. About looking like I belonged. I didn’t realize it was about becoming someone dif...

Last Updated: February 27, 2026 Quick Take You don’t become a stronger cyclist first — you become someone who thinks differently first. At 70 years old and 155,000+ miles later, I’ve learned that the way you frame wind, hills, age, and pain determines the rider you become. That’s neuroplasticity in action — even if you’ve never heard the word. I’m 70. I’ve Ridden Over 155,000 Miles. And I Just Learned This Word. I’m 70 years old. I’ve ridden over 155,000 miles . I’ve trained through West Texas wind, 100-degree heat, doubt, weight loss, aging, and long empty highways where the only sound is your chain and your thoughts. And until yesterday, I had never heard the word neuroplasticity . Then it showed up twice in one day. First, I read an article about Olympic champion Eileen Gu. A reporter asked her if she thinks before she speaks. She said: “You can control what you think. And therefore y...

People ask me sometimes if I follow a strict cycling diet. The truth? Not even close. I eat what I want— I just count the calories . But here’s the unexpected twist: the more I rode, the more I started caring about what went into my food. Not in a clean-eating, green-smoothie kind of way—but in a comfort and creativity kind of way. I began to notice how cooking, like cycling, is about rhythm, timing, and slowing down. When I started riding seriously, I was over 275 pounds. I didn’t overhaul my diet but after a long process of not seeing the results I wanted, I just created a small calorie deficit and kept pedaling. Over time, I dropped the weight. Now I’m 187 and can ride for as long and as far as I want. And along the way, I also learned that cooking—even with “normal” ingredients—could be its own kind of therapy. The Simple Tools That Helped Me Reach 187 lbs at 70 I didn’t follow a strict cycling diet. I created a small calorie deficit, kept riding, and used a few practical to...

Last Updated: February 20, 2026 Quick Take: For this post, stacking means two rides in one day —morning and evening—so I practice riding when I’m not perfectly fresh. It prepares me for 7 straight days of touring without destroying myself in training. I’m training for a 7-day, 470-mile Mississippi River tour  where the real test isn’t day one—it’s day five. By then your legs have opinions, your energy fluctuates, and your mind starts negotiating. I’m 70. My base is solid. Now I’m preparing for the reality of long rides seven days in a row. The best method I’ve found is splitting one “tour day” into two separate rides —half in the morning and half in the evening. If you want the backstory behind this ride, read I Thought I Was Done With Solo Adventures. I Was Wrong. That post explains why I chose this Mississippi River tour and why it matters to me. What Stacking Means Here Ride 1 (morning): Controlled effort. Touring pace....