speedlever

Your knees will probably thank you for that.

nubikebuzz

Hey everyone. I’ve been a member a while, but never posted here.
I’m 57.

1. So what do I ride?

I started out in late '06 with a used Trek 1000. Then retailed a '07 Spec Roubaix Comp Trip. Then collected a used '06 Dean El Diente and a '07 Bianchi Vigorelli. Then let the Dean and Bianchi go for a used '06 Spec Tarmac. Sold off the Trek for a vintage Univega Viva Sport which has been upgraded to a nine year old Spec Allez. I still have the Roubaix. Got all that? Can’t decide what the next one will be.


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

a multi vitamin?


3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

Since I only started cycling again in '06, there isn’t much to compare to. I still feel like I’m getting better at it.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

A bike was my only transportation until I was 24. Then it was fun for a while. But then only sporadic after 30. But just picked it up again in '06 and bit hard.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Pragmatic errands, commuting, longer fun rides. Some workout training interval/hill repeat type rides. Just one century. No touring, yet.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Pretty much every day. I'll do a 10 mile round trip commute plus errands which could boost the total to 20 miles in a day. Twice a week I'll do longer (40-60+) rides. Wouldn't know what my annual mileage is. I should track it.

DnvrFox

Quote:

1. So what do I ride?

I started out in late '06 with a used Trek 1000. Then retailed a '07 Spec Roubaix Comp Trip. Then collected a used '06 Dean El Diente and a '07 Bianchi Vigorelli. Then let the Dean and Bianchi go for a used '06 Spec Tarmac. Sold off the Trek for a vintage Univega Viva Sport which has been upgraded to a nine year old Spec Allez. I still have the Roubaix. Got all that? Can’t decide what the next one will be.

Welcome - do you have a dealer's license?

cyanemi

Officially 50 now (13 days ago) and am riding a 1989 fuji saratoga and also a 21D electra townie. The biking has been sporadic this summer because I'm jogging and kayaking more. I do love the bikes though. I take supreme greens, fish oil, vitamin D and a multi.

runr44

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Well, I prefer to ride a racing frame. My current ride is a Pinarello FP3, which replaced my Pinarello Record - a steel frame beauty. There is something about riding on a tuned frame and just feelign the power of your legs move the machine down the road and up the hills. I also have a Specialized StumpJumper with full suspension that I also love to ride. Off road is a whole different type of technical riding.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Advil once in a while for when I overdue it or feel that slight strain in my back. I usually take a good multivitamin and some wheat grass tabs daily. I try to keep an eye on my diet, but I'm not that obsessed with it. I eat a good variety of food and love fruit and veggies.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

I still run a 10K in 42-45 minutes. I did the New York Marathon, my first full marathon, in 2006 when I was 53 and ran it in 3:59:57. I followed that up in 2007 with the Hartford Marathon and ran that in 3:37:27. I may be odd or fooling myself, but I have found that my body responds best when I push it hard. I am not the fastest or the strongest and it takes me longer to ramp up on training and I lose the fitness faster as I have aged. Watching the biggest loser I got the notion that you can and should work hard - don't use age and the aches of aging as an excuse.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I've been riding since the first grade, but started to use riding for fitness in 1980 when I had a running injury that kept me from doing any road work. I absolutely fell in love with cycling and have been addicted to it ever since. I've ridden with a couple of teams, but never progressed very far with racing. I have done a ton of duathlons and team triathlons.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

All kinds. I take casual rides with my kids as well as long training rides of 50-70 miles. I am a road cyclist at heart, but also love the technical and challenging riding of mountain biking. Haven't tried cross yet, but that seems very cool.



6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

During the summer, I will ride 3-4 days a week and run 3-4 days. I usually take a day off or make it a recovery ride day just for fun. I do more running during the cold months and use my trainer. I'm going to try dual workouts this coming winter to see if that helps to keep my base up. I'd say that I am hitting 2500+ miles a year on the bike, but I'm picking up more mileage now that I have a new bike. I also run over 1000 miles a year (more when there is a marathon).

DnvrFox

Welcome

You mmight enjoy the "Did you HTFU today" 50+ thread. I think you would find some other 50+"rs with similar goals and interests.

nubikebuzz

Would that mean I could ride more custom and unusual bikes? I'll have to think about that.
I'm really liking the Tarmac. And I don't have a clear idea for the next ride. But there are so many fine manufacturers out there. So many hand made bicycles.

Tigger_the_Wing

Some questions:

Please tell us your age.

52

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

I ride a Giant Revive semi-recumbent.



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

No, but I'm on so many real medications I ought to rattle.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

Dramatically, and not just because the Revive has such low gearing. Poor health is the pits.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I learnt to ride in 1966 at the age of eight. When I outgrew that bike I borrowed my mother's elderly 'sit-up-and-beg' bike for a while until my parents bought me a second-hand hand-built boys' racer in 1970 which I still own, although I cannot ride it (not least because it is on the other side of the planet). Over the years it has carried my children (one at a time) in a rear seat and even been ridden by some of them for a while as they grew into and then out of it.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Recreational; dog-walking (I walk until we get to the place where she can go off-leash) and shopping. I need to ride as physiotherapy.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Not often enough, although I hope that is about to change. I'm going to put an electric motor on the bike, then I will no longer be reliant on family, friends or public transport. Approximate annual mileage is close to nil at the moment.

DnvrFox

Welcome. I hope that your physical problems will decrease and an electric assist will aide you in your journeys.

Please feel free to share.

Briggs Beall

Hi. I'm 56, back on the bike after several years of knee problems and 18 months of stationary work.


1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

The '77 Raleigh Super Course I bought new, and the Schwinn recumbent stationary.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Alleve and analgesic balm.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

More quad pain, numbness in my hands that didn't used to be there. Did long rec rides in my youth, but what used to be farm lanes are now four-lane festivals of automotive ignorance. So I stick closer to home. I'm a more proficient rider these days, as partial compensation.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Returned to it, via rehab, after hanging it up fifteen years ago to do more hiking and backpacking. Sorta Rip van Winkle.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Training rides, mostly on a nearby, nearly-abandoned, mall parking lot 0.9 mi. in circumference. 15-20 miles at a pop.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Nearly every day now, with occasional rest intervals. I was averaging 140 miles a week on the stationary bike before I got outside, and I hope to keep that up or extend it including outdoor (and more fun) miles.

stevkato

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
2005 Cannondale R700

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
I used to take vitamins, but now just sporadic.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I have slowed down a little - mostly due to cramps. But if I feel good in the ride, I can get a pretty good pace going.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
I've been biking since 3rd grade. I commuted to "work" in high school during the summer going up a 10% hill on a narrow bridge 100+feet over the freeway with no helmet on a steel 30+lb touring bike. Slacked off in college except I was able to smoke some kid on the Burke-Gilman trail so I felt good. Then didn't do much for 15 years except some running. Then got the R700 and have been going at it.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
I like commuting. Rain and wind. I back off when there's snow or ice. I've done the STP, RSVP, and RAMROD.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
I bike three to five times a week; avg. is about 50-100 or so. My annual mileage is 2000 or so.

I'm 50 and getting older every second. I bike for fitness, and to reduce my carbon footprint and salute those who gave their lives fighting for oil, save money on parking, and have fun other commuters and my friends.

slocoach

Hi stevkato,

"I'm 50 and getting older every second. I bike for fitness, and to reduce my carbon footprint and salute those who gave their lives fighting for oil, save money on parking, and have fun other commuters and my friends"

Ditto that! If I drive it's 15 mins + 5 looking for parking + 10 walking from the lot to the office: 30 mins total. If I cycle it's 25 minutes (20 with a following wind, 27 with a headwind). It's less stressful, I get to see more of my town/vicinity, and I get a much-needed workout: why drive? Btw, did anyone else experience cycling dreams after starting riding again? I did: weird but also rather wonderful; must be that sensation of flying along under your own power.

In the last few weeks I have gotten into this in a more serious way. I dropped $$ on a new bike (2010 Trek 2.3 Comp) and accessories -- I was getting carpal/ganglion symptoms on the 1996 Schwinn Passage (a nice bike and well set up) because the reach was too long. The Trek 2.3 is faster, lighter, more comfortable, more stable, more predictable, responsive, did I mention faster? Well only a bit faster -- maybe it's also the engine: I did 25 miles on Sat, 23 on Sun, rested Mon, and 27.8 Tues. I can recommend the bike -- and getting out as much as possible. Still working on getting the spinning right. -- slocoach (a little less slow now). 50 is the new 30!

slocoach

p.s. I tried the Specialized Secteur, Allez, Roubaix (carbon), and a Cannondale CAAD-something before selecting the Trek 2.3. I can say that of all those, the all-carbon Roubaix was the best (but expensive!), then the Secteur. I would have gone with the Secteur as it is very comfortable indeed (has carbon seat stays as well as seat post and forks) -- but I was seduced by the responsiveness and speed of the Trek 2.3 (plus the 105/Bontrager components for the price < $1.4k). If you are looking for a modern road bike that will give you a comfortable ride on a budget, you could a lot worse than the Spec. Secteur (about the $same).

slocoach

pps: btw, it's getting darker with the season but I keep seeing cyclists in the twilight WITHOUT LIGHTS. Even patently seasoned riders. What's up with that? Some sort of mass suicide pact? We all know how distracted/ignorant some motorists can be: why be invisible? A good LED front light is about $25-35 and a cherry bomb about $15-20 (at the low end). They flash and the batteries last many hours. Is your life worth forty bucks? We made it past 50 -- let's all make it past 60 (at least). Time to lighten up!

(Gmail annoyingly but accurately linked me to https://betabrand.com/biketowork that looks fun).

Burr

Mr. ----

You are doing great, new bikes sounds great and you're putting me to shame on the riding.

I have gotten lazy.

But you posted a great news letter.

How about adding your name, you sure didn't like the one I sued the last time.

Pars 

Intro

cruisintx

Greetings all, I introudced myself over in the main forum when I registered a couple months ago, but never got over here to do the same. I am 56+ and just got back into riding in January of this year after a 10-year hiatus. That hiatus was brought on by a few things, not the least of which was just too many other interests and one of which just plain got lazy. My other interests include; photography, sailing, motorcycles, and golf. When I drifted away from cycling those ten or so years ago, I was pretty avid about fitness. At age 46, my typical Saturday morning consisted of leaving the house around 6-AM and riding my Trek 730 to a Jr. College 14 miles away where I would lift weights for two hours then ride back home. From there I would either hit the lake with the Catalina or the golf course with my Hogan Magnums. The rest of my fitness for the week would be split between racketball and cycling; I generally averaged about 80 miles a week back then.

One of the biggest reasons for the slack period in my fitness routine was a progressive worsening of degenerative disc disease that eventually resulted in a bi-level fusion from L3 to L5 in April of 2005. I have gradually worked my way back into a somewhat more fit state so that I started riding the bike again on January 10 with an 8 mile ride in a blazing 45 minutes. I am happy to report that currently my longest ride for the year was 48.7 miles in 3 hours 12 minutes with about half that on some pretty serious hills and the all too frequent winds of the Texas Panhandle. Current year-to-date miles is 1065 with 77 hours, 19 minutes in the saddle.

I am also currently experiencing a temporay slow-down due to rotator cuff surgery a week ago Tuesday. But fully planning to get going again as soon as the docs say go. And yes, the surgery is the result of a 'almost still' get off when my tires just flew out from under me on some sand that was very nearly the same color as the asphalt where I was turning around. hate when that happens!!!!!!

below I have copied the questions from the orginal post in this thread and tried to answer them all briefly unless they are a repeat of this intro information.

_______________________________

"I thought there might be some interest in a thread such as this. If not, it will go the way of all threads - just die away.

So, here is my first contribution.


Some questions:"

Please tell us your age. 56

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Felt F80
Trek 730 hybrid
Raleigh M40 mtn

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

nope -- just try to eat sensibly with lots of fruit and veggies in the diet.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

jury is still out till I make a full year after my return.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

off and on all my life; more serious now than ever before; except maybe a few years during graduate school.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

mostly 20 to 35 mile road rides.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

3 to 4 times weekly; approximately 80 miles per week (for now)

If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things. done.

Burr

Glad to see you guys over here.

Post a lot, we like reading about you!

Jamming

Age: 53

Bikes: Lemond Sarthe, mid 80's Specialized Expedition, Ellsworth Truth, Bianchi Grizzly

No Supplements

Slowed down due to extra weight, when I started biking 24 years ago I weighed 150 now around 185.

Ride 3 or 4 times a week average 120 miles a week

Long training rides 50-70 miles on weekend, 15-20 mile mountain bike rides, 30-50 mile road rides during the week.

Almost nobody can guess my true age as most people think of 50 as over the hill, I still work full days as a carpenter so I'm not there yet. Also lift weights, run and coach high school soccer.

Burr

You're doing great and staying active. You still have a long way to retirement so keep retirement in the back of your mind and all the great things you are going to do when you get there.

I stay so busy I don't know how I had time to work.

Welcome

PS, where do you live?

Tigger_the_Wing

Thank you!

The electric kit I ordered from SolarBike in Western Australia arrived just three weeks after I ordered it, despite having to be made to order as they don't keep 20" wheels in stock and it has to be a 200W motor to be legal on the cycle paths around here.

I am impressed. It is complete and neat. The whole lot weighs eight-and-a-half kilos and that includes the complete wheel with tyre, so it won't add much weight at all. The kit comes with a very nice battery bag that fits perfectly on my built-in rack.

The only delay in fitting it is that the Revive's forks are slightly narrower than standard so I need to replace one of the inner axle nuts with a narrower one. There is a wonderful shop over the road from where my husband works that sells every imaginable size of nuts, bolts and washers but it has been closed over the bank holiday weekend so my husband is going to pick up the replacement nut tomorrow.

As soon as I fit the kit I'll post pictures and let you know how it is to ride.

DnvrFox

Yes, please post a picture, and I hope it works well.

massi

Please tell us your age.
59
1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

1. Massi steel road bike (winter /bad weather bike)
2. Alsys Aluminum road bike (Andre Sabliere frameset) Best bike

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Have to take Thyroxin .No vitamins /minerals or supplements but have thought about starting



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

Ooh lots !..... I've gone from 196 lbs to 243lbs . Used to do weekly 40-60 mile rides now lucky to manage 20 miles a week. Mostly do 10 mile hilly loops around home



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Cycled through my school years with a lovely Claude Butler.Then no cycling from age 15 to 31 years of age. Went back to cycling as a mature University student 1982. Built my own bikes , became a reborn cyclist and have ridden continuously for past 28 years. I could never imagine there being a time when I wouldn't cycle. If I became disable I would pay someone to take me out on a tandem



5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Nearly all short 8-12 mile rides over hilly routes with occasional 20 mile rides on my own. Mostly fitness rides so quite quick. I would like to get a touring bike so I can slow down and take in the scenery. I'd love to go touring but always seem to have ties at home to prevent me


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
I used to try to ride twice a week every week but due to caring for my Father (Dementia) this past year I have only ridden 3 times

Last night I drew up a diet program to lose 14 lbs by Dec 20th (12 weeks) I shall also start cycling again twice a week at first with four days speed walking. Looking forward to the good feeling you get from exercising, especially the biking.
I have a big stupid grin on my face every time I take the bike out .
Writing this has reinforced my resolve and will hopefully motivate me.

Enjoy your riding everyone

DnvrFox

Hey, massi

Thanks for posting. I must humbly admit that I am not familiar with how much a stone is - I likely knew at one time, but it has been a few years since I taught math.

Anyway, welcome and feel free to join in.

Jamming

Thanks! I live in Los Gatos, California. I have wondered how I have time to work many times. I doubt I'll ever really retire, I have been building and selling custom furniture in all my spare time It is a creative, interesting hobby which I can see doing for a long time.