MAMIL
Since taking up mountain biking nine years ago, I’ve spent my weekends exploring miles of singletrack, bridleways or trail centres. I’ve now got three bikes built to suit different disciplines within the sport and can now probably rebuild a bike with my eyes shut.

However, in spite of my somewhat conservative riding style I’ve also clocked up five visits to Casualty, four x-rays, a minor concussion, three ruptured shoulder ligaments and a resulting operation to fix, two black eyes, two broken ribs, a disc rotor burn to my left calf and numerous lacerations to fingers as a result of bodged maintenance and collisions with thorny flora.

It’s rapidly beginning to occur to me that I’m not actually very good at it. But even as I head rapidly toward my fifth decade (now only two years away) on the planet I still cannot bear the thought of hanging up my (baggy) shorts just yet.

Should I just take up gardening and be done with it?
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Wed 13 Jun 2012, 16:10, 3 replies)

Definitely not
The look on some road-biker's face when you catch up and start chatting to them on an uphill while riding your mud spattered bike with full knobblies *and being fortysomething* is worth every faceplant, bruise and laceration.
( Fronds are waving gently on, Wed 13 Jun 2012, 18:41, closed)

Certainly not.
As you were, Sir.
( Jabberwoc misses D.R. and Quinch, Wed 13 Jun 2012, 19:59, closed)

compromise. take up trail building. folding spade, secateurs and a folding woodsaw. then ride what you've cleared.
also- disc rotor burn to calf- fucking OWCH.
(UppityDamnPrimate LET'S OPEN THIS F*CKING PIT UP, Thu 14 Jun 2012, 10:27, closed)