KenshiBiker

Remind me again, what are the rules for a birthday ride?

Does it have to be done on your birthday, or is the day before OK? How about a coupe of days before, or after?

Is there an acceptable tolerance as far as the mileage is concerned, e.g., +20%/-5%?

Is consumption of pie during the ride required, or just recommended (or an I getting this rule confused with another thread)?

Thanks,

KB

rdtompki

What would be the fun if rules were published? We all like to make derisive comments when a fellow 50+'er rides prematurely as it were or when the pie consumed falls short of standards or when the ride falls just short of the required distance. Personally, I don't think essentially flat rides should count; if you live in Florida for example a birthday ride may have to consist of transiting one of those famous bridges 50 or 100 times.

I say just do it and let the chips fall where they may.

qcpmsame 

As it is your birthday I figure you should do it when you want to/can do a ride you'll enjoy. some pics of the scenery and your post ride PIE choice are always a good idea here in the 50+. Most shoot to ride their age for the birthday ride, that is the only point I can recall about the BR.

Bill

gabedad

I agree- go see some scenery. I rode to one of my favorite wineries in the area - which just happened to be 25 miles away

DGlenday

As I understand it:

You must ride on, or within a week after, your actual birthday.

You must ride at least your age - in MILES, not whimpy kilometers. But there are no bonus points for extra miles.

Pie MUST be consumed. This is not an option, and failure to comply will result in immediate expulsion from the Fifty+.

Beer and / or wine are highly recommended options. If beer or wine are not consumed, then there MUST be a visit to a coffee shop.

These rules must be obeyed whether you're a slim and trim Cat-2 racer or a slow and lumbering beginner.



<Removes tongue from cheek>

Bikey Mikey

I think 2 weeks post birthday is allowed.

Riding your age also can occur any time of the year....of course, pie is supposed to be involved then as well.

BluesDawg

It's your birthday, make your own rules.

My idea of a birthday ride is that on my birthday or the first chance I get after my birthday, I ride my age or more in miles on a bicycle. I try to get at least one extra mile - one to grow on. Rides before my birthday don't count because I'm not that old yet. That would be cheating.

This works for me as I am, so far, able to ride my age in miles without great difficulty. If that ever becomes too much of a challenge due to illness, injury or whatever, I could see making it my age in kilometers, minutes, inches, seconds, whatever.

KenshiBiker

Thanks for all the help.

I'll try to make the ride on my birthday, but if we decide to go out of town to celebrate, it should be done within the following week. So far, riding my age in miles shouldn't be a problem, though I agree with BluesDawg, that if it ever becomes an issue, I'll settle for kilometers, or whatever else is do-able.

Not sure what to do about the pie though - I'm not a big pastry/dessert lover (tend more towards the salty snacks - though even that's been curtailed thanks to my primary care physician). I'm sure I can figure something out.

I'll post up post-birthday ride.

Thanks,

KB

Bikey Mikey

So, what do those using metric do? I guess to get the distance in miles, they have to do 1.613 x their age in km.

leob1

Step 1: Get on bike.
Step 2: Ride it.

Any questions?

dogfather69

bikey mikey - I am dibetic also, I wil be riding as a red rider next month in the Tour de Cure Houston, first time

CommuteCommando

The rules are not set in stone. I have the good fortune to have my birthday this year land on my first organized century, and I'll only be 58.

Don't do pie, but I'm a rebel (and a shrinking Clyde with cholesterol issues). I also have the good fortune that the aforementioned ride is hosted by, among others, some good local wineries. The after festival is worth it.

Rick@OCRR

Luckily for me, the Solvang Spring Double Century falls either on, or within a day or two of my birthday, so I count that as my birthday ride . . . even though I'm still a long way from 200 years old.

Lots of places in Solvang and Buellton to buy excellent pie after the ride!

Best Regards,
Rick / OCRR

Bikey Mikey

That calls for steak, baked potato, steamed veggies, wine or beer, and pie.

Phil_gretz

My 54th birthday was August 20th. I had so much to do that I only managed a ~5 mile ride with my 23 year old daughter. It meant something to her to spend time with her dad, though.

I'm planning ~85 next Wednesday the 28th. Had to take a vacation day off from work to find the time...

Rick@OCRR

Actually Mikey, After drinking Perpetuem and Sustained Energy all day, I'm never really hungry after a double . . . always room for pie though!

The exception is the Knoxville Double where they have an excellent Italian dinner after the finish and I always manage to eat quite a lot after that double.

Rick / OCRR

David Bierbaum

I guess the first rule for Birthday Rides is that there are no rules to birthday rides. I think there might be some goals, guidelines, or accepted best practices, but no actual rules, per se...

OldTryGuy

Always thought house rules apply as long as it is done within the year of your birthday.

I double my age and add a little since that "pinch to grow an inch" doesn't apply because I am shrinking in my older age. No coffee, beer, wine, steak, potatoes or pie for me.

63 in July so that was 126+2=128 miles. Yes, I do live in SW FL.

blt

I'm feeling quite fortunate. I did not ride my age this year until a couple of weeks ago, nearly 7 months after my birthday. I did it while my family was visiting my in-laws, and got back to the house around 1:45 p.m. Luckily, my mother-in-law had made 4 p.m. reservations at a restaurant where a slice of pie is included with all entrees. A choice of apple or boysenberry. I picked the berry. As I ate my pie on an already full stomach, I had completely forgotten about the rule that pie is supposed to be involved when I ride my age. I guess it was a stroke of luck.

Ursa Minor

I did a reverse birthday ride the other day: Im 63 and I rode 36 miles! Charlie

cccorlew

My understanding is that you have to have an elevation gain equal to your age x 100.
You also need to ride your are in miles.

aRoudy1

The period of six months prior to six months after your birthday has no rules.

rollingblunder

Hmm, I thought that this thread was all about riding in your birthday suit. Popular here in Seattle.

https://julianv.zenfolio.com/fremontf...ce47#h66eace47

Bikey Mikey

NSFW...at least for some, maybe many jobs.

I checked out all the images and got some good laughs(not at them but in amusement).

rollingblunder

Yes, some of those riders are airing out body parts that are usually covered by clothing in polite society. But the really private bits are either covered by body paint, or blurred out in the photos. Nothing that you would not see in a PG-13 film.