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The Hidden Danger Of Your Cycling Midlife Crisis

Global Cycling Network

390,135 views

Over the last few years, more and more people in middle age have been bitten by the cycling bug, but is it just a midlife crisis or something much more meaningful? We explore the origins of the "MAMIL," speak to experts about the health benefits and risks for your heart, and find out why cycling has replaced golf as the ultimate networking and social tool. Join Dan Lloyd as he investigates why middle-aged cyclists are spending more on tech than ever and whether it’s actually the best decision you can make for your health.

Huge thanks to our contributors:

Doug Baker
https://www.shiftactivemedia.com/
https://riderresearchhub.com/

Prof. Dan Augustine
https://www.sportscardiology.co.uk/

Michael Oliver
https://www.mintel.com/

Chapters: ⏱️
00:00 - Is Cycling The New Midlife Crisis?
01:10 - Defining The Midlife Window
02:08 - The Origin Of The "MAMIL"
03:45 - Why The Sudden Boom?
06:20 - Is Cycling The New Golf?
08:28 - Buying Performance: Tech & Bling
10:49 - Heart Health: Risks For Older Cyclists
14:46 - Monitoring Your Heart Rate
15:13 - The Data Behind Middle-Age Cycling
24:51 - Rider Research Hub - Shift Active Media
19:40 - Final Thoughts: Midlife Crisis Or Lifestyle?

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Are you a "MAMIL" or did you start cycling later in life? We want to hear your story! What was the main reason you picked up the bike, and do you think it’s been the best decision for your health and social life? Let us know in the comments! 👇

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📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sirotti Images

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20 Comments

@gcn Creator 4 months ago Pinned

Are you a "MAMIL" or did you start cycling later in life? We want to hear your story!
What was the main reason you picked up the bike, and do you think it’s been the best decision for your health and social life?

@markbezzy 4 months ago

47 ,smoked since 13,had a heart attack last year,started cycling mid january on a carbon road bike ,then after 6wks sold that & got an old steel tourer ,fitted racks n luggage ,bought a tent & camping gear,now gone from doing 15mls feeling exhausted to being able to do 80 miles with 20kg of gear & camping out ,done nearly 1500 miles now & love it ,I think intially there was a defineteley and element of seeing how hard I could go & prove I was still "fit" but after a few instances of pushing too hard & feeling unwell I calmed down & now instead of doing 20 miles as fast as possile I do 50 miles nice & steady & just enjoy the views & whole expirence of risding in the countryside its a fantastic way to get outdoors & enjoy fresh air/exrcise/destress.

@gbart981 4 months ago

At 74 I find cycling is the only thing I can do that makes me feel young.
I just wish I could feel as good off the bike as I do when I'm on it.
Keep it fun folks!

@InsideAlps 4 months ago

For me, I just love cycling. At 50+ it gives me the same sensation of freedom I felt as a 10-year old boy riding around the villages.

@bjedg6253 4 months ago

I hope GCN will take note here. Every time there's a video related to aging (middle age and up) the comment section is full of older riders but relatively little of GCN's content is really aimed at us. I'm 63, a subscriber and would love to see more content NOT mainly about speed and racing. Dan reported it--we older riders more often have the time and the money. Why not address that market more directly?

@lloyddarbon5034 4 months ago

I'm 52. Returned to cycling 3 months ago. 15 miles a day. Started off needing countless breaks and walking up the steep hills. Now powering up those hills in 2nd and looking good at the office! 😉

@toddderbish2875 4 months ago

I loved cycling as a child because it allowed my to get away from arguing parents and tense family dynamics. During my teenage years to mid twenties, I lost touch with my love for riding. I have now been riding consistently for 35 years and still feel that rush when I am pedaling in a beautiful area. I plan on riding until my legs no longer allow me to!😊

@GGori_99 4 months ago

That scream was pure from the bottom of the heart Dan 😅

@m6johnson 4 months ago

Shortly after my 58th birthday, I stepped on a scale and it very nearly hit 290lbs. I thought, "You're going to be 60 and weigh 300lbs and then you'll be in real trouble." So that spring I bought a bike and started riding. I enjoyed it so much that I bought a better road bike and started seriously regulating my diet. I lost 100lbs in a year and I've kept it off. That was 9 years ago and I've averaged 5200 miles a year since then. I also love the tech/data side of it and regulalry keep track of it. I now own 4 bikes (down from 6). I also have a rowing machine and a gym membership, but cycling is the only exercise I do daily because I enjoy more than the others.

@yurakis1 4 months ago

Ukrainian here. Moved to Bavaria in 2023. Going through depression and home sickness. Bought a gravel bike few months ago. Cycling is one of very few things which put smile on my face these days.

@S_marengo 7 minutes ago

my midlife crisis started in college at 22...

@Busfeet90 4 months ago

The social side of it is huge. It's much harder to make new friends once you get into your 40s and beyond. You join a cycling club and suddenly you've got cycling buddies. When you're out on a ride together for hours you get a sense of cameraderie and fun that you don't get in life usually. Going on rides together for hours and having little adventures, out in the countryside really brings people together and deep friendships are made.

@tomlicha 4 months ago

This video will probably be underrated, but the learnings and the advice this cardiologist is giving are absolute gold. In modern days where accessing healthcare and specialists is getting harder and harder, this is very useful. Thank you Dan for the topics you bring to this channel and thank you all the other nerds in the background

@MuppetShepherd 4 months ago

57 year-old recently-minted MAMIL here. As a kid growing up in New York City I always sensed I was good on a bike. But I never got serious about it. Now I live in rural, hilly Western Massachusetts (the Berkshires), a gorgeous area full of bike-friendly roads that I’’d never taken advantage of. Last winter I bought a good used entry-level road bike (Specialized Allez), and then some lycra, zero tech to date. I don’t push myself to the point where anything feels feels risky or “strange”; but I don’t hesitate to attack those hills, and I don’t shy away from 35-mile rides. It’s tripled the time I spent outdoors and deepened my love of nature — and life. It’s even helped me to cope with the grief of a recent family tragedy. There is true and simple joy in hopping onto the saddle on a bluebird day, having an adventure and getting someplace new on one’s own power!

@ChristopherGronlund 4 months ago

I'm 57 at the end of the month, and I ride by heart rate vs. wattage...at least for now. Since my early 20s, I KNEW something was up with my heart. Several cardiologists, and: "You have nothing wrong...good blood pressure, no other issues. Probably panic attacks 'cause your heart is solid, and its rate couldn't be over 220 bpm like you claim..."

Last year, a stress test. 229 bpm out of nowhere. Techs panicking, and me happy that it was FINALLY caught (the most common arrhythmia). A trip to the cath lab, and two of the tiniest stents they make at the bottom of my heart where there's an electrical node. Surgeon: "No idea if it was a defect, 'cause everything else was clear and good, but you're clear to get back to living..."

I can't say thank you enough to the GCN crew (and GTN crew, even though they ride those weird bikes and swim). This past year has been life-changing, and you all (y'all in Texan) have been a big part of that recovery. I'm still big, but getting smaller...and slowing climbing better. So, thanks! If you ever wonder if what you do matters, it does in so many ways😀

@timmyg7236 4 months ago

I love how as he says “pure joy of getting out for a ride” you cut to a clip of Si

@AMomcilo1 4 months ago

I’m 42 and got back into cycling during COVID lockdowns in 2022. The tech and gear is just icing on the cake. I’m fortunate enough to have two motorcycles and two bicycles and I do race both. If it’s nice out then I gravitate towards my bicycles more these days.

@misha4422 4 months ago

At 79, I am well past middle aged and have been physically active since my three year stint in the Army eroded my aerobic fitness level. So, for the past 60 years, I have hiked, backpacked, run, biked, mountain climbed, kayaked. At 79, my Garmin cyclometer thinks my “achievable fitness age is 59.5.” With age, I limit myself to walking, hiking and biking for fitness and general health.

@All_Things_DIY_NJ 4 months ago

I cycled with quality road bikes from ages 14-22. Started again at age 59. Totally into it now. I don’t consider myself a new cyclist, but rather someone who has come back to cycling.

@carlyuen4360 4 months ago

I turn 51 in 2 and a half weeks - five years ago I was the chairman of one of the most prestigious classic car clubs - i've picked up cycling big time - because (1) I'd like this planet to be here when my kids grow up, (2) driving in london is such a nightmare, and (3) GCN is so awesomely inspiring.