Re:
velo I seem to remember waiting for you a couple of times at Pitmedden, aye OK I was catching my breath but at least it looked like I was waiting......... :mrgreen:
You might find that your bike has a lot to do with it. I was still using 20 y.o. bikes, my Cannondale F800 with 100mm Lefty and before that a Marin Wolf Ridge with 130mm front, 120mm rear travel but realised a few months ago that I was near ending myself trying to keep up with Keith and Kenny down trails on their modern hardtails, Cotics, that had way better forks than the 20y.o. 100mm Lefty and bigger/fatter/grippier tyres.
I'm a kick in the baws away from 67, in July, so I thought "what do I need with a modern bike", it wouldn't make a difference, I was wrong.
So I bought a brand new modern geometry 650b+ hardtail with a 150mm fork, jeez it's just no contest with what I was riding. The bike is faster and most of all the comfort of fat tyres and decent suspension has made a big difference to how I feel on a ride and more importantly afterwards. I don't feel as battered tae feck even though I've found I'm faster down some trails which had bits I used to bottle out, now I can ride them. Not saying I'm near keeping up with Keith and Kenny, I'm still probably just as slow uphill as I was, but I can enjoy going faster down the way than I did with the old bikes.
OK just going out and buying a new bike is easy for me to say, OTT even, they are not cheap but try and find a used bike/frame that was at least designed in the 21st century with a good fork and clearance for fatter tyres, you NEED comfort.