Old age dirt jumpers

FLOYD1

Likes Dirt
I was just wondering if there are any older gents like my self who dirt jump? I started last year in November ( aged 44) and loving it that I have up graded to my third DJ bike. I kinda feel like the old man at the local trail rocking up padded in all my protection gear ( we don't bounce as well as we used to ).

Hope to hear from the seniors,

Deano
 

mxracer92

Likes Dirt
i feel im getting old too , about mid 30's .. only just been getting into mtb'ing in general , and really wanna get more into jumping and dirt jumping ..
i already feel out of place heading down to local dirt jump park and watching teenagers bust a move.

good to see im not the only one ticking the years off and feeling like they wanna be a teenager again and hang out at local bike parks doing jumps n stunts .. and yes the fear of not bouncing back , 2-3 mortages , jobs , and brittle bones .. plus all the joint pain involved .. does take it toll . ( i got Rheumatoid arthritis , so who knows how many years the body can keep going b4 im a cripple )

throw up some pics of ya dirt jump efforts always good to see some airtime !
 

unitec

Likes Dirt
Dunc. He's 50 and jumps better than most people half his age. Legend says he can never be killed.


View attachment 275604
Thanks Matt, The photo looks alright but I am really a bit of a Kook. Didn't start riding anything until I was 40 plus so I am missing a lot of the basic skills.
BTW. you also failed to mention my growing injury list. lol
I think that there are some lessons to learn about interacting with our younger riding homies.
 

faulko

Likes Dirt
37 here and new to anything mtb/bmx

I was a agile rider 23yrs ago but a lot has changed. I'm loving the challenges thou!

I refuse to be the larger bloke watching YouTube clips.

I will be out and about having a go.
 

Flint

Likes Dirt
39 here and took up DH racing this year, been riding XC for 12 years. While my DH riding in general is ok my jumping is all over the place, some days I nail it others I am sketchy and cant seem to do anything right.

The problem is I only get to DH maybe 1 day per month so that is not enough to improve. But there are club built dirt jumps less than 1KM from my house. So my cunning plan is to get a DJ / BMX bike and ride these a few days per week for fun and in the hopes it will improve my DH jumping as well.

Yesterday I borrowed my next door neighbours kids BMX, Giant Method 02, and took it to the Kambah BMX track for a few laps (nearly killed me, such hard work!) and then on the way home stopped the local DJ's for a few runs. Seemed to go ok, no stacks but I didn't go high, took the B line of jumps.

So now I am on the hunt for a cheap 2nd hand BMX / DJ bike ;-)

Cheers
 

gruntrider651

Likes Dirt
562310_10201512102818005_1700747841_n.jpgSnapshot 4 (15-10-2013 2-19 PM).jpgSnapshot 6 (15-10-2013 2-22 PM).jpgSnapshot 1 (25-08-2013 10-32 PM).jpgSnapshot 5 (25-08-2013 10-37 PM).jpg

Just turned 33. Still riding dirt, back into DH. Not many pics of me riding DJ's, but here is a couple from my GoPro. Also threw one of the DH bike, one of the few older guys to hit all the jumps at Stromlo
 

RainbowofDETH

Likes Dirt
This thread just gives me hope that I can still ride for another 40 or so years.. unless I cripple or kill myself, which is surprising that it hasn't happened yet.
 

skube

Cannon Fodder
37 and wanting to jump

im 37 and just got back into racing ,keen to try some new dirtjumps but i only know of a few places in melb if anyone can pm me a couple locations so i can come down and meet the local diggers and riders i wouldnt mind putting in a bit of time on the shovel .
 

LJG

Likes Bikes
This thread just gives me hope that I can still ride for another 40 or so years.. unless I cripple or kill myself, which is surprising that it hasn't happened yet.
I'm 62 and still go for all day cross country rides. My son who rides is 30 and he won't even come with me because I ride too far. You can keep riding as long as you keep yourself fit. Mind you, getting up after a monumental stack takes me a while these days haha
 

Flint

Likes Dirt
Had a nice stack at the Gungahlin DJ's last night, feeling the pain today lol.

In other news yesterday at lunch I swung by the Queanbeyan DJ park and took a quick vid, no riders just a pan over the whole area for people to see what its like or get an idea of the current state of the park.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naH9gLV_U20

Cheers
 

bikesarefun

Likes Bikes and Dirt
was it difficult for you interacting with them, I mean being accepted?

Nice thing about dirt jumping is that being acceptance is pretty strongly linked with willingness to pick up a shovel and do some hard work. At that level, age becomes a bit of a moot point.
 

unitec

Likes Dirt
was it difficult for you interacting with them, I mean being accepted?
I guess there were a few awkwardmoments in the beginning. (Some of the younger kids looked at me like I wassome kind of paedophile) Others that went to school with my kids (now in there20's) also found it a bit awkward at first. Now it is all good though
I learned very quickly that ifyou don't want your age to be a problem try keeping to a couple of simple rules-
1. When the conversation is aboutriding age is irrelevant.
The one thing you have in commonwith your younger riding buddies is riding so while ever you are talking aboutriding you are on an equal footing.
If the conversation wanders awayfrom riding (i.e sex, drugs, alcohol etc.) shut your mouth & avoid the urgeto share your wisdom.
2. Don't expect respect.
Respect must be earned, either byyour riding ability or your digging & if you aren't much good at either beprepared to pay more respect than you receive. (If in doubt be humble & as Matt said diga lot).
 

CrazyM

Likes Dirt
31yo here

aye all!!

Haven't posted in awhile, seen this thread and had to jump in say suP!

GO Dunc and Flint, it flies aye..

Me, well 32 real soon, can't believe how times just shoot by so dame quick.

I started as most probably did, BMX, hitting the jumps at my local track, on occasions we would find or make a few jumps here or there on the Gold Coast.
Haven't been on a bike or more to the point a BMX in years, as I'm older now a 20" just feels to small... so I stepped it up to a 26" and mann... best thing I could of done, get to ride when not working sometimes, been to both the Nerang and Ashmore bmx tracks to hit some dirt and scoot thru as well but...

- where's all us older dudes mann. Haven't really got anyone to ride with, would be good to be able to catch up with a few of you on the Gold Coast when where free and get more into it again... seems now life's all about god dame work and not much riding like it used to be hahahhaha

anyway hope to catch up with a few of you if ur around, my skill level need work but i'm hella keen to get into like old times gents!

riding a NS bike now with pretty much everything upgrade, with the good old profile cranks that i couldn;t afford in early years hahha , looking to upgrade to a new frame in the coming weeks when i decide on which way i go..

Whats every riding??



peace Marko
 

FLOYD1

Likes Dirt
old man ramblings

Yeah its tough being 45 and hangin with the teenies, I am polite and freindly and I just let my riding do the talking. if they want some pointer i am happy to share buit if they are advanced more than I am keen to take pointers from them

After alot of research i have purchased a Polygon DXP chromoly that i bought last week, So nice to have a new bike and not worry about breakages, also riding a new Santra Cruz heckler that i made up in April. love riding new bikes, tight and worry free.

Deano
 
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