Vet... New to cross country

[old rider]

Hi there just wanted to know how fit you have to be for xc.
Im 53 and have not ridden for a long time and just wanted to get fit with a view to checking out xc.
I have an old 1992 Cannondale M2000 hardtail and have started riding 5 km a day on easy paths around Sth Wollongong.
My goal is to get to 15 - 20 km per day , maybe get a new bike and contact a few clubs nearby.
Would xc be to hard for someone like me ..... any advice would be appreciated
THANKS

 

[Wes/TRUCK]

Sound great to me just add a few extra ks every week just dont forget a bit of food for longer rides.Theres lots of great bikes around now so just find one in your budget at a shop close to you as youll alway get great service from what will become your local.I am mid 40s and only got back on a bike 6 months ago and I am about to buy a 6in travel dualy and maybe a 2nd hand Downhill bike.

 

[Nerf Herder]

Riding is only as hard as you want to make it.

To me XC is about how much ticker you have and for how long ... the trails themselves prolly aren't all that difficult (relatively speaking) so kinda depends on what you mean by "Hard"

My advice, try and find a couple of riding buddies ... always nicer to ride with people IMO ... share the experience, shits and giggles all that kinda stuff. There is always a natural peaking order whether its ring stinger, middle of the pack or spider pig out front, but once you find people with your same outlook, then happy days.

... best way is to organise your own rides (maybe in wateringhole or your local club), bit of trial and error with finding the right crew, but works out in the end.

Good luck with it ... and welcome to gear freaks anonymous.

 

[mittagongmtb]

Hi there just wanted to know how fit you have to be for xc.
Im 53 and have not ridden for a long time and just wanted to get fit with a view to checking out xc.
I have an old 1992 Cannondale M2000 hardtail and have started riding 5 km a day on easy paths around Sth Wollongong.
My goal is to get to 15 - 20 km per day , maybe get a new bike and contact a few clubs nearby.
Would xc be to hard for someone like me ..... any advice would be appreciated
THANKS

G'day

Would XC be too difficult? Absolutely not!

I'm a 54yo xc rider who started xc riding about 3 years ago (after nearly 40 years off a bike). I started out with a Trance 07 and just rode the local fireroads. (I was recovering from a long standing back issue ... vertebral canal stenosis) After a while I watched a few xc races at my local club where my son was riding and reckoned I could have a crack at racing. About 2 years ago I decided that I'd enter a xc race with the club. My first race was at fitzroy falls and I had to race 2 laps of a 7km course and it turned out to be a 36C day. I nearly killed myself and had to stop half - I had no idea about hydration etc. (After the race I overheard some other riders mention about the guy who looked pretty seedy during the race... that's me..) Long and short.. I started racing at D grade and was pooped after 2x7km laps.. after a while I had a go at a 6hr endurance race with Scum and managed it satisfactorily. I really didn't have a clue as to pacing, nutrition, fluid intake etc but somehow did reasonably well. Next challenge was to race at the Scott 24hr - solo ... ha ha, after 6 hrs I'd had it, but had some breaks, and did a few night laps and then a few day laps... I'd made it. I was hooked though and it helps to have a 14-15-16yo son who is my mentor and riding partner. So where am I now? Well have ridden heaps of tracks across Australia and Scotland, have ridden Bike Buller twice, each time achieving a podium in 50-60yo, have ridden several 6-8hr comps, have climbed into B grade at club level, rode the 100km dirtworks two w/es ago and came in first 25 for supermasters and in top 1/3 of all riders overall. Have ridden 3 xco at nat series level and 2 nationals at Adelaide - first was too hot for me but this year completed the 21km course in reasonable time. Together with my son we have races planned this year including - club races, 6-hrs, 100km Husky etc... maybe Cape to Cape...

My suggestion to you would be to spend some time getting reasonably fit on your local trails and then start developing your skills. You have 3 clubs in striking distance - Wollongong, SCUM at Nowra and Southern Highlands at Bowral etc. Some courses close include: Appin, the SCUM tracks in Nowra region, Wingello, Mt Annan.

Just get out there and ride! Have fun - I'm a kid again!

(Bikes - I ride a Trance X1 and Anthem 29er - tried an XTC 29er for a while but wasn't good for my back.... such is life at 54yo).

 

[harmonix1234]

Hey, if you get the chance, come down to Nowra for the day and I'll show you some good flat XC trails where you can have bags of fun without having to be a fitness freak.

They are smooth and flat and great for someone new to it. There are some fun simple loops that aren't too long so you can do as few or as many as you like.
I'd be more than happy to go for a spin some time.

XC would definitely not be too hard because you only ride as hard or as fast as you feel. And as long as you just ride to have fun then you will find that fitness is a natural bi-product.

I spent five years in the gong riding the bike tracks around the coast and they are great for getting yourself fitter and having a nice traffic-less ride. Perfect for getting started.

 

[old rider]

Thank You for all of your replies.
I might give it about a month before i contact some of the people in this forum and arrange to go for rides.
I HAVE TO GET FIT FIRST.
Would i be cheating if i bought a motorised mountain bike ..... that was a joke.
Seriously , many thanks for the input .......CYA Soon