The Midlife Cyclist: The Road Map for the +40 Rider Who Wants to Train Hard, Ride Fast and Stay Healthy

I have been riding my bike for 7 years, I started from cero, I have learned at lot during this 7 years but after reading this book I need to rethink everything over, there is too much information out there that is not accurate. I am 60 and I am planning to ride for many more years. Thank Phil for writing this book, is like a life manual for cyclist.

Some other readers complained that the book was too technical. But as a serious bicycle rider, I found this book to be a great synthesis of many ideas and knowledge that we cyclists already know, except now, it's all in one place. The book is easy to read and it's written both for those who know a ting or two about cycling and those who don't. I wish it were illustrated and a bit more technical because it would be even more helpful, more interesting and informative to the readers.

As an avid eighty year old cyclist, am always wondering how far and how fast to go. This book has the answer!

I’ve been having a bit of a crisis recently, my performance is falling and nothing that I do seems to work. So when I saw this book, I knew that I had a duty to read it.Some parts of the book were difficult to work through, they seemed too detailed, too technical, though looking back now, it all seems so simple. I now understand cycling—the interaction of a person and an ‘antiquated, Victorian contraption’ like never before. But the book just got better and better. The final two chapters are stunning, if you’re a coach, you need to read this. You see, sport is as much mental as it is FTP or VO2 max. Learn this and learn that it’s OK to ‘feel’ crap, to have bad days, to ‘fail’ and you will still be riding your bike, twenty years from now.In all honesty, I have read so many books about cycling but this is the first that has really helped and has left me feeling a debt of gratitude to it’s author. Thank you Phil.

Well written but not intended for us amateurs. This is from the perspective of someone who has ridden in competition. Way to much jargon for the everyday casual rider. Also what I read of it centered around Europe or possibly Britain. None of the points of reference meant anything to me having only lived in the United States. I was looking for something directed to the novice rider and this was definitely not that.

I have always sought out a book for moderate cycling. Unfortunately, as the author states, most midlife cycling books are geared towards competitive cycling. But what about the rest of us? This books provides practical advice for moderate cyclists and those trying to go a notch or two above- but not necessarily competitive race level. Also, the level of detail was just enough to recommend targets and boundaries without having to rely on overly specific measurements like lactate threshold etc. -which most of us neither have the time, sophistication or tools to measure. I ride 60-80miles a week and found this book helpful for riding within this limit and/or going a bit above safely.

Material delivers on the title and then some. Lots of information to digest on multiple aspects of your enjoyment and performance on the bike and health in general. Last couple of chapters wrap it all up nicely. Great read! Thanks for writing this, truly enjoyed.

I'm a former racer looking to get back into doing Centuries and Gran Fondo's etc. after a long hiatus. This book really didn't work for me. Half of the book is a discourse on physiology, Evolution 101 and a long chapter on "Will I die". Not really looking for any of that in a cycling training book!

Just another must read book !Thanks again,Michel

The only book I gave come across that focuses on the ageing athlete of any sport. It is not just for cyclists.

This book arrived whilst I was being checked for what were thought to be long Covid impacts on my heart which transpired to be coronary disease which pre dated Covid.This book looks widely and informatively at the impacts of cycling on the health of mid life cyclists and although there is nothing to suggest my condition is cycling related, the book’s discussions on the heart , was incredibly useful in understanding my own position. It provides sensible guidance on training and for those of us in the U.K, on utilising the strengths of the NHS should we have an accident on our bikes or other wise. The author puts himself in our shoes as he talks to the relevant health experts and condenses their advice to make it relevant and easy to understand My one caveat is that an underlying theme in the book is that we are the first generation where life expectancy is beyond 50 so we are doing things our predecessors did not do. The life expectancy thing is a red herring as life expectancy has always been close to ‘three score and ten ‘ if one survived childhood. However, his key point that we are the first generation to keenly exercise in later years is entirely valid, as his suggestion that the impact of ‘serious’ cycling in later life on our health is still uncharted.A really good read, and gives one much to think about.

I have wandered around a lot of physio/medical approaches to just cycling and this is by far the most illuminating

interesting + amusing to readwell written, not too "stodgy"