WillW

I am 55 and have returned to bicycles due to living in a place now that is better suited to riding. I lived in Alaska for 8 years and rode there in the summer and before that I lived in Oregon and would bicycle 6 miles to the swimming pool to do laps for an hour and then 6 miles home. My form of exercise has changed and lapsed over the years, but one year ago I decided to focus on the bicycle. I have ridden approximately 2,000 miles in the last year. Right now I ride 9 miles at lunch at 15 to 17 mph pace and then I ride 8 miles with the wife in the evening at a 10 to 11 mph pace. I do this 3 or 4 days a week. Then on the weekend with the wife we do 20 to 30 miles at a pace of 11 to 12 mph.

In the last 11 weeks with the riding and less food, I have gone from 258 lbs. to 234 lbs. in weight and still losing. Last year I just did the riding and the weight did not change much. I think my age at 55 may have something to do with the pace, oh yes and the weight.

My goal this year is 3,000 miles. Currently my ride is OCR1 with Mavic elite wheels. Longest ride in the last year was 50 miles. Missed some ride time last fall after my wife was hit by a car on a short 5 mile ride. She is still recovering, but is back on the bike and did 50 miles with me last weekend. I did a total of 80 miles over the long 4 day weekend.

BettWalker

It was interesting to see the results of the poll of older bikers.
I am a 71yr old female who is just getting back into serious biking. I did a lot of biking as a kid and got back into it as exercise for a while in my 40s. Then I took up golfing and was so obsessed, I had time for nothing else.

I am now caregiver for my 93yr old Mom and don't have the time for golf so I'm getting out to ride for at least an hour a day in the nearby state park. I'm loving it -- had forgot how much fun it is.

I think younger bikers are more into speed and competitive biking (I don't blame them). They also seem to be very much into the mechanics, or maybe that's primarily a guy thing (I'll take mine back to the LBS). I've reached the point where pleasure and fitness are my main objectives.

I am blessed that I can still ride at this age, but hey, I still feel like a kid and don't plan to grow up. I'm training to go on some Rails To Trails with my son and daughter-in-law. I'm riding 8.4 miles a day on hilly terrain to get back in shape.

Joe Gardner

Bett, welcome to the forums; you are awesome if i may say so!

P.S. Nice website

BettWalker

Thanks, Joe. I'm so glad you enjoyed my web site.

pauncho

One of the joys of life on a bicycle tour is to climb off my bike after riding 70 miles through a thunderstorm, walk into the hotel lobby, whip out my AARP card and demand my Senior Citizen Discount!

DnvrFox

Some interesting (to me, at least) poll results:

1. We have managed to locate 49 bikers (so far) beyond the age of 49. This is amazing to me as the last polls done, when most of us were grouped into 55+ turned up just a few. I am impressed!! Others please add to the poll.

2. I am still quite surprised by the sharp difference in numbers between those under and over 60.

3. I am pretty amazed at how many folks in all age categories have less than 5 years serious biking experience, which indicates to me that folks past 50 can enter into new physical activities successfully and with vigor.

This has been a most interesting poll and related discussion.

Thank you all for responding.

Pete Clark

I'm 43. But I feel 50!

BettWalker

Hi Pauncho...To climb off my bike after riding 70 miles in any kind of weather would be a joy. I probably couldn't lift my leg to get off. LOL However, I do like the Senior Citizen Discounts.

pauncho

Please don't tell me that so many of us have less than 5 years of biking because our knees will go, and we'll have to quit.

On a lighter note, BettWalker: it's easier to lift your leg to get off after 40+ miles if your seat is less like two bricks and more like a padded lawn chair, if you get my drift here.

RonH

I guess I'm the exception. I'm 58 and have never had a beard or mustache. IMHO most of my friends who have beards look older than they really are.
I don't want to look older than I am. I'd like to look as young as possible. Besides I think a gray beard would look strange with my blond hair (with a little gray mixed in) and shaved legs.

pauncho

The beard isn't an age thing. I grew mine at 26 (after I was bald) to look like an intellectual, as soon as it became plain that the place I worked would tolerate it. Haven't shaved since, don't plan to ever again.

To engage in a little pop psychology, it may be that mostly it's men who are secure/eccentric enough to violate one of our society's milder norms (disapproval of facial hair) are also secure/eccentric enough to violate another (bicycles are for kids under 12 - exercise for grown-ups should be in a gym you pay to belong to - and stay out of my way when I'm driving).

BettWalker

Pauncho, you are totally right. Most of my friends have asked why I don't go to the gym instead of taking up biking at my age. They fear for my safety. One even was alarmed that I often ride in the park alone. I didn't ask if she was afraid someone would attack me or if she was afraid I would fall and have no help. They don't understand the feeling of freedom I get while riding and that to feel like a kid again is wonderful.

RonH

Well said!

BettWalker

I'm one of the "71+" who participated in the poll (the one with less than 5yrs of serious biking).

Am curious who the other "71+" biker is? Please come forward.
I see you have been seriously biking for over 5yrs. and you inspire me to keep on spinning.

Hope we're both still out there going strong for the next five years and then the next...

bentcrank

Hi Bett

I guess I’m the other 71-year old you are looking for. Please refer to the 10th message on Page 1 of this thread.

I sent you a PM recently regarding the problem I had with my Giant bike and complemented you on your very excellent Web Site. And yes, I do expect to be riding five years from now also.

BettWalker

I'm sorry, bentcrank, I did read your post on the 1st page, just didn't rememer that you had said you were 71.

Also haven' forgotten your nice message regarding my web page. Just didn't realize you were the same guy.

Thanks.

catfish

Denver:
51 here and have been riding s bike as long as i can remember. Some people call me old some call me pop some call me a kid it all depends who i am next to. This past sunday i took a group out for an 80 mile ride. we cranked at 16 and 17 mph the entire time. This old geezer finished first and lived to ride the following day again.
catfish

Pete Clark

Some things never change.

Wes

Hi guys, I just finished a 65 m ride. ' really need a shower. I love biking, been doing it for way over 50 years. I am 63

Wes

DnvrFox

Hi and welcome. Go get that shower!! Phew!!

orguasch

when people see me in my cycling get up, and starts staring at my bike, I would alwayz say "this is very good for your health, I am an old guy, it will certainly make you healthy"

BettWalker

Hi Wes, Way to go. Have you biked regularly during the 50yrs?
I started biking when I was very young (before training wheels) , but sorry to say it has been on and off during my life. However, I have tried to keep up physical exercise of some sort thru the years. I think that is why I'm still able to bike at 71 and it's great to be back on the road regularly.

RoadHazardBuzz

Hey there,
I'm almost a member of your elite group - 49 1/2 :-) No beard, but a mustache for as long as these brain cells can remember. Doing my first full century this coming Saturday. I've done 4 metric + on my own this year so hopefully I'll survive. Oh yeah, does a pacemaker buy me the extra half year?
keep spinning.....

BettWalker

49 1/2 gets you into our "elite group". You can be the youngest and I'll be one of the oldest . You're very young to have a pacemaker. My husband was 54 when he had bypass surgery and I thought that was young. However, he is now 70 and biking, walking, golfing, fishing...enjoying retirement.

Wes

>>Have you biked regularly during the 50yrs?<<

Bett, No not really. I have not biked more years than I have biked. I think that I have biked every year since 1982. A few of those years not very much, however. I get real fat when I dont bike. I am not fat now, and best of all I have a grey beard.

Wes