Fifty Plus (50+) - Do you, as a 50+'r, have a bike you can just jump on and ride, and do you?

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever - and do you do that?

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?

sort of. I have a couple of those bikes I need to repair.

That's all I have. It's an '88 Bridgestone T700. Ride.
Don't go for speed,distance or anything. Just a ride.

I do now, my two Sun Recumbents, don't need "padded" shorts or jerseys and since I use old style road pedals and Power Straps, even plain Tennis Shoes work GREAT!! :)
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_GW75NWraW4E/TVF-6c3wXVI/AAAAAAAADgU/FLT-NmXTzLQ/s640/2010SunEZSportRecumbent.jpg:thumb::love::D

A couple of 90s Mountain bikes with platform pedals. I also ride to the post office and bank as well.

Yep, although it has been a little lonely the last couple weeks. Has a nice big basket and it's build like a tank. I weighed it for fun- weighs 34.5 pounds without the basket. Disk brakes are flawless. I went to the garage and patted it today. It's a great bike. He even has a big giant mirror and a bell- ding, ding! :)

I use it to run to the store for stuff and plan to use it when I need to go somewhere and leave the bike locked, but unattended.
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b17/outwest5/IMG_1558.jpg

Actually, for short errands I frequently dispense with the helmet and gloves, but I slip on my Keen Commuters and clip into my Jamis Sputnik. I have an old Trek 830 that I recently set up with a trailer, and I plan to add a rack, etc. and put more miles on that.

I have two - my Windsor Leeds road bike set up with panniers, two front lights and tail blinker and toe clamps I use only to keep my tennis shoes in the right place, and a Specialized Rock Hopper, also with panniers and two front lights and rear blinkie, with just platform pedals. I frequently ride in just regular nylon type athletic shorts and a t shirt or sweat shirt with a wind breaker.

I use them for erands, grocery shopping, to go to the rec center, and for up to 20 mile rides.

I like not having to go through the ritual of special bike clothes, shoes, etc., but I do that if I want to go for a "real" ride on my Lemond with clipins, bibs, jersey, etc.

I have two: an old GF Tassajara that's my usual commuter/grocery getter with a rack, panniers and platform pedals, and an 80's Takara with a small handlebar bag and platform pedals. I'll grab a backpack if I'm getting anything bigger than the bar bag will hold.
Wrap a strap around the right pants leg, throw on the helmet and gloves, turn on the blinkies and go.
I need to get some pics!

That's all I have.

+1

...for now, at least. :)

Most of my bikes have SPD pedals, but I think they still meet your criteria. At home I almost never wear shoes so as I step out the door I either step into my MTB-style shoes or my tennis shoes. If just going to the store for something I don't bother with any special shorts, gloves, helmet, etc. and my touring bike always has lights, lock, and at least one bag attached so I usually don't have to change anything on it before riding off.

I have most of the parts, including a frame, laying around waiting for me to build up such a bike. I've been hoping for a 27" fork to come along for cheap or, better yet, for free.

Gina has a hybrid that she can jump on at any minute. She's done some trail rides on it (40 milers), and some around the neighborhood rides for funzies. I had a hybrid years ago and sold it to a friend that wouldn't quit begging me to sell it. Now I wish I hadn't. I do have my MTB that I used as a jump and ride bike. We'd stroll the through the park to stretch out the day after a long ride. But now that I've been using it more inthe dirt, I hate to tear up the new knobbies on the pavement so I haven't been using it as a jump and ride.

If I get another hyrid, which I've been thinking of doing, we'd do more rides to eat breakfast, convenince stores etc.:thumb:


Ginas hybrid
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/gulpxtreme/SA%20River%20Trail%20Ride/hybrid.jpg

I have on numerous occasions jumped on my Ciocc (sans helmet/gloves/shorts/jersey) wearing an old tee-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes for short rides up-and-down our long driveway with my daughter. Riding on clipless pedals in tennis shoes isn't very efficient, but for this type of riding who cares?

I have pump, patch kit, mini tool on my other bike, so I don't have to worry about gathering that stuff before a ride.

I have pump, patch kit, mini tool on my other bike, so I don't have to worry about gathering that stuff before a ride.

Good idea. All my wife and my bikes that we generally ride (5) have tools, pumps, tubes, water bottles, patch kits, etc. - ready to go from that perspective. That makes it really convenient.

My everyday commuter is my go to bike for short trips to the store, a casual ride with kids in the neighborhood, a run to the post office, etc. It has platform pedals, racks, and fenders. I ride it in everyday street clothes, and my commute to work is short enough I don't need to wear anything other than the clothes I wear at work. The bike is a nine speed/triple drive train with touring geometry and drop handlebars. It has one rear panier on it at all times with patch kit, CO3 inflator, bike lock, and depending on the weather, an extra jacket/rain jacket.

One of the reasons I asked the question about a "go to" bike is that I recently read in a thread here about an individual complaining that it took him 15 minutes to get ready to go for a ride (padded shorts, special shoes, jersey, special socks, etc.) - and that was discouraging him from riding - and I was wondering if he (and others) ever considered that some folks just jump on and ride as they are. Heck, that is what kids do all the time. None of the kids in my neighborhood wear padded shorts or jerseys or anything like that. And that is what the hundreds of thousands of folks in countries like the Netherlands do - wearing even nightgowns, business dresses suits, etc. - regularly. Interesting how our western American society has identified that in order to "ride" one must go through a lengthy preparation process prior to the "ride."

One of the reasons I asked the question about a "go to" bike is that I recently read in a thread here about an individual complaining that it took him 15 minutes to get ready to go for a ride (padded shorts, special shoes, jersey, special socks, etc.) - and that was discouraging him from riding - and I was wondering if he (and others) ever considered that some folks just jump on and ride as they are. Heck, that is what kids do all the time. None of the kids in my neighborhood wear padded shorts or jerseys or anything like that. And that is what the hundreds of thousands of folks in countries like the Netherlands do - wearing even nightgowns, business dresses suits, etc. - regularly. Interesting how our western American society has identified that in order to "ride" one must go through a lengthy preparation process prior to the "ride."

Denver: I was smitten with the cycling culture in the Netherlands when we visited last summer. It is indeed as you say. We saw folks in business suits (men & women), people in casual wear, a Domino's pizza delivery bike, you name it we saw it.... Except, we didn't see a single rider in Lycra cycling shorts with a helmet and typical 3 rear pocket cycling jersey. But, I think the big difference is that cycling there is a major form of transportation. Here in the USA, it's only transportation for a small percentage of those who ride. For the rest, self included, the ride is more about fitness and recreation. I tend to straddle both worlds. I commute to work by bike and wear street clothes. I also ride for fitness and recreation and wear dedicated cycling clothes. I kind of like the mix. Getting ready to ride in the summer on a recreation/fitness ride is no real time consumer for me. The winter...., well, that's another story. It's include taking a few minutes to determine what the weather will be at the start of the day (for the commute to work) and what it will be at the end of the day. Then making sure I've enough of the right layers. It does take longer, but I think it's worth it. Like Eugene Delacroix the French painter said, "We work not only to produce, but to give meaning to time." I look at the prep for a ride as just another way to give meaning to time. It's purposeful, and to me that's a far cry better than sitting in front of a TV or a half-dozen other things I can think of.

Here in the USA, it's only transportation for a small percentage of those who ride. For the rest, self included, the ride is more about fitness and recreation. I tend to straddle both worlds. I commute to work by bike and wear street clothes. I also ride for fitness and recreation and wear dedicated cycling clothes. I kind of like the mix. Getting ready to ride in the summer on a recreation/fitness ride is no real time consumer for me. The winter....

I like a mix of the two, also, and enjoy both. I am so glad that I CAN and DO just jump on a bike and ride to the bank or the store - a lot. I also like a more "formal" ride with all the getup and paraphernalia. Thanks for the comment.

....individual complaining that it took him 15 minutes to get ready to go for a ride (padded shorts, special shoes, jersey, special socks, etc.) - and that was giving him a feeble excuse to not go riding.....

Fixed that for you.....

I'll be able to kit up for a ride faster than 15 minutes 2 weeks after I've died.

For god sakes........

I don't have sex naked though......it's just to much effort to get undressed.

Fixed that for you.....

I'll be able to kit up for a ride faster than 15 minutes 2 weeks after I've died.

For god sakes........

I don't have sex naked though......it's just to much effort to get undressed.

Well, you changed my statement, but you didn't answer the question. ABout the sex thing - each person to their own way, I guess.

Absolutely! I have my Trek 7200 and my wife has a new (last year) 7100. We ride a LOT! Being married over 30 years, its a way of doing something fun together again.
We generally hit the paths or lakefront during the weekends and go for hours......lots of fun. I also have a single speed folder that I keep in the trunk in summer for getting around the University campus I work at. NO lycra, special shoes etc. for us.......we just love being out there and enjoying the scenery and time together.
I have done 50+ miles in a charity ride last year on my bike.......thinking about doing it again this year. We generally go for 2-4 hours, no concern about how fast or how far.....just enjoy......

Yup.

Well, you changed my statement, but you didn't answer the question. .....
I do but I don't anymore then I'd go skiing in blue jeans and a Cahart jacket......

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever - and do you do that?

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?


My bikes are set up so that what I'm wearing is what I can ride in. I am an almost fanatical tire pressure checker though, and do kind of a pre-flight check of my bike before I head out. So, that takes a couple of minutes. But, mostly I try to keep the bikes "Minute Man" ready, so to speak. I'm not training for anything though, and view my bicycles as more transportation then exercise equipment, and most of my rides are between 5 and 10 miles at a time, so I think that makes a big difference.

No. Get dressed to ride, pump up tires, attach trunk to rack, attach rear light, attach front and rear cyclometers (Garmins), attach waterbottles (longer rides), put on helmet and shoes (captain and stoker), turn on intercom, ride (unless we're taking the bike someplace). Doesn't really take all that long as we've gotten pretty fast at getting ready. I do have a single, but don't ride it much. Would never use prep time as an excuse to not ride.

all my bikes have toe clips and straps ,that need a pair of sport shoes to fit inside them,and my "kit" is just a pair of garden variety sport pants with pockets for a wallet and cellphone.and a bright pullover/or jacket,,And high black socks to put the cuffs in to keep them out of the chain.rest of stuff is in small bags on the bikes.air up tires every few weeks..(unless they feel/look low)..helmet has gloves and clipon sunglasses in it..fill water bottle and it takes 2 mins to get ready..
Bud

I used to but I put crank brothers egg beaters on the MTB and so now I don't. I never go anywhere without my helmet anyway.

Not owning a car, I have a couple - I use Shimano PD-A530 pedals which are SPD on one side, and platform on the other. My goto bikes are both drop bar, with a touring type geometry. One started life as a Bianchi San Remo touring bike, the other was a custom frame.

I usually have a bike or two with regular pedals so I can ride at a moment's notice, but right now I'm down to just two road bikes and a mountain bike, all with clipless pedals. Until I fix the situation via N+1, I can throw on my SPD shoes or sandals and hop on the Casseroll without any other cycling gear. For a very short ride I can ride it with street shoes.

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever...
No. The grocery store is only 0.9 miles away so I walk. The bank is inside the grocery store. The UPS store is next to the grocery store. If I have to go anywhere else I drive. Riding around here is not safe and I don't have a lock for my bikes. And all my bikes have clipless pedals.

Riding around here is not safe and I don't have a lock for my bikes. And all my bikes have clipless pedals.

Really? I wouldn't have thought that. I was in the Decatur area week before last (a class at EMC) and wasn't impressed that way. On a different note, fortunately I found Boudreaux's on Main Street. :love:

One of the reasons I asked the question about a "go to" bike is that I recently read in a thread here about an individual complaining that it took him 15 minutes to get ready to go for a ride (padded shorts, special shoes, jersey, special socks, etc.) - and that was discouraging him from riding...

I've seen (and experienced) the same thing in another hobby of mine, amateur astronomy. Starting out, there's just a small scope, red flashlight, little star chart and lotsa wide-eyed wonder at what can be seen. However, before long you gotta load up the big scope in the van/truck, setup the massive mount, drift-align the mount so it track accurately, setup your table, fire up the computer (along with batteries, etc.), get all the software going... and by then you're too tired to observe! That's why the old saying about telescopes applies equally well to bikes: "The best scope (bike) is the one you use. A cheap little scope (bike) you actually use is far better than a big expensive scope (bike) lurking in the closet (garage)."

:)

If I lived in town I'd have a casual riding bike to go to the store. But I'm on the side of a mountain, a 1600' climb from town. The road to my house has a 22% section. There's no casual riding here.

All of my bikes are set up to just get on and ride. If I had to do a lot of prep work to get ready I wouln't find cycling as enjoyable as I do.

The V-Rex has pedals with plain cages on one side; I can ride it easy enough with sneakers/hikers and a band around a pants-leg, if I'm not wearing shorts.

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/BWVRex.jpg

And do I jump on and ride? Not so much. I'll usually take just a few minutes to put on clothes and shoes to make the ride more fun. That's if I'm Going For A Ride and not Going to the Grocery Store.
Oh, yeah, and this bike doesn't lend itself to jumping on it - sitting down on it works better.

Only one now but I am building a 3 speed commuter with platform / spd hybrid pedals. I pedal Ruby around just to cruise slowly and remember the bike I rode around the neighborhood in Germany.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6388/dscn0263p.jpg

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?

Yes, All my bikes. My Specialized Hard Rock set up as a utility bike. I run errands, go to meetings, pop it on the bus to go downtown, or just do a pleasure cruise on the River Trail. My recumbent is the same, but I have to add the heavy U-lock, if I plan on stopping. I use it more for recreational rides and long commuting.

I got a Specialized Sirrus last summer and installed platform/SPD pedals so I don't have to wear clipless shoes.

http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj352/CbadRider/DSCF0100.jpg

My signature pretty much sums up my philosophy about "suiting up" to go for a bike ride...

If I am going to spend a longer period out riding I do like to wear my padded lycra shorts under nylon shorts and my Shimano sandals while using platform pedals. I even own a few colorful jerseys for hot weather riding. Rarely wear them.

I used to do the "dress out" when I first got back into riding a road bike, but I got tired of the prep ritual and time it took.

I much prefer to just hop on either bike, but I always wear helmet and padded gloves.

My bike's always ready to go. I don't bother with butt padding unless I plan to ride for at least an hour. My regular clothes are fine for errands, shopping etc., and I'm retired, so I'm always dressed for comfort, not style. Any shoes other than flipflops will do, since I'm still undecided about clipless pedals. I tried strapless toe clips, found they were more trouble than they were worth, and took them off. I'm casual about riding, but not about safety. I don't ride anywhere without a helmet, and if my plans include significant traffic or high-speed roads, I'll slip on a neon-colored shirt, jacket or vest.

1 standard hardtail MTB with semislick tires and platform pedals. I call it the multimedia bike. Go anywhere, anytime in any conditions. Sometimes if I'm not sure where I'm going to ride I take it on vacation.

I keep a Kona Jake the Snake ready to go with fenders (Pacific Northwest, you know), lights (rear and front) a nice Tubus rack and small panniers. It has Crank Brothers mallet pedals so I don't have to clip in for short rides to the store or to Starbucks. I can coast in 10 minutes all the way to the area where the bank, grocery, dentist, Starbucks etc are, but its a hard climb home! the last 1/2 mile is a 300 foot climb. At the bottom of that climb though, is a nice park at a beautiful lake where I can watch kayak races, beach volleyball, or just plain relax. I have a second set of wheels with knobbies, in case I want to take to gravel trail instead of the road.

in my old age, I have become quite a daredevil. sometimes I wear a hat not a helmet. I do usually throw on a pair of old cycling shorts on under my pants though.

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever - and do you do that?

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?

Duh...yea. Sorry. Didn't mean to be sarcastic. Well, actually I did.
Man, that's what riding is all about!!! The fun stuff!! I love to hop on my Trek 820 and take single-digit mileage rides around town. Go check out the park or the river. Ride to the cemetary on the bluffs. Go see so-and-so. Go get a candy bar.
My 820 is always ready to go. It lives just inside the garage door-on the floor, not in a rack. She wears studded tires in the winter and thick knobbies in the warm weather. She talks to me when I walk by and can't take her with me.

191994

...

what bike?


Forgot that part. It's a Kona Dew Drop with fenders, front and rear racks, and mounts for front and back lights. One pannier, containing a lock, pump, tube, tools and rain jacket, stays on the bike all the time. I add a second pannier, and/or a rack trunk as needed for each outing. Right now, I'm confined to the plowed streets. Once the snow goes, there are endless trails, bike paths and rural roads nearby for spur-of-the-moment getaways. This bike handles all of them reasonably well.

My commuter/errand bikes have toe clips that I keep pretty loose for urban riding, so when I'm riding in shorts they're pretty much hop-on-and-go. My long wheelbase recumbent bike works better with clipless so that one requires a bit more of a countdown to launch. I have too many bikes already, but am dreaming about a minivelo with IGH and chainguard, that would be great for multimode commuting and just knocking around the neighborhood in any clothes and shoes I have on.

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever - and do you do that?

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?

That's the only kind of riding I do. I ride a German Kettler commuter/trekking bike with a step-through frame. I don't need a pants clip or special clothing when I drive and I have the same expectations for my bike and cars, because they do the same job. The difference is that when I ride, I don't have to circle the block for fifteen minutes waiting for a parking space to open up. That's what got me into cycling.

I sometimes have preparation, though. In rain, snow, or cold weather, I need to put on my overcoat, outer pants, gloves, and boots, but that's still under 2 minutes, so I guess it qualifies.

I have a twenty mile round trip commute, plus errands on weekends.

Paul

As a 50+'r, do you have a bike for which you don't have to "get ready" to ride. I mean, slip on a pants leg clamp or wear regular shorts, put on the helmet and gloves, no special bike clothes or shoes, and just take off with about 2 minutes preparation - to do errands, cruise the neighborhood or whatever - and do you do that?

what bike?

what do you do when you ride like that?

Yep, All of my bikes are "easy" riders that I hop on at any time and just go. From my trike to my cruiser I'm good to go all the time!!

This is one reason I still use old school toeclips and straps on all of my bikes. If I am setting out on foot, I wear thick-soled running shoes. For cycling, I put on either thin-soled running shoes or cleatless cycling shoes, gloves, and a helmet w/ mirror. I always wear gloves and a helmet, even on short trips, and I have come to hate riding w/o the mirror.

The mountain bike and the Peugeot have rear racks, which make them very practical for shopping and other errands. The mountain bike's big plastic toeclips will accommodate almost any shoes I own.

All of my road bikes have drop bars, which I strongly prefer over all other types, and the mountain bike has handlebar end extensions which give me a similar handshake/rotation-neutral/palm-vertical grip position.