TejanoTrackie 

Turned 65 the other day and added this to celebrate. First ever bike with 650c wheels. First ever bike set up with bullhorns. Lightest ever bike at 15.2 lbs as shown.

trx1

im 49 and been riding forever! heres a couple of my builds

trx1

trx1

puppypilgrim

TT, what frame is that? I wasn't aware anyone made a FG for 650c.

Squirrelli

The new Wabi 650c came out not too long ago.

TejanoTrackie 

Actually, there are several others that are available in 650c wheel sizes:

IRO Mark V & Mark V Pro HD "Heidi" - always out of stock
Fuji Classic Track - Miss Kaz has one
Felt TK2 & TK3 - never seen one in the USA

The Wabi Lightning is by far the most road-like model with a 71 degree HT angle and 45mm fork rake. There is no toe overlap with the front wheel and for me about an inch clearance.

tiiger

I'm 46; got my first new bike in 20 years last spring (cream Steamroller). Got it stolen after two days (don't ask), then found the baked-bean version pictured below. Had a Trek 660 back in the day that I crashed after owning it a week (don't ask). Always meant to build up a new bike with the parts (only the frame and front rim were damaged.) But I never did. So I've been riding my Ritchey mountain bike since 1989, set up for commuter use with slicks and fenders and racks and whatnot. But man, that thing is heavy.

I saw people riding around the neighborhood on these singlespeeds/fixies, and thought, hmmm, I like the simplicity... so I test drove one at the LBS, and after a few "oh, crap, the pedals don't stop!" moments, I was hooked. Bought it and haven't looked back. I'll ride the MTB if I have to, but I LOOOVE riding the Surly. Put a rear brake on because I like riding on the hoods, and I like symmetry.

puppypilgrim

HardyWeinberg

Well I did my fixed-gear century ride this weekend, it was quite an experience. I wound up w/ this pack of people where we would leapfrog each other, they would blow me away on descents, and then I would pass them climbing. Depending on the length and heights of the descents/ascents it might take me 2-3 hills to catch back up to them. Was fun. And I am soooooooooooooooooo glad I got a pair of bike shorts before the ride. Wow.

jdgesus 

regular "Roadie" centuries will be cake from now on..
thats how it was for me

HardyWeinberg

I had to change cogs midstream (17->19). I shouldn't have bothered w/ the 17 at all. My phone counted 6900' of climbing before the battery died w/ 8-10 miles to go.

northbend 

Congratulations HW!

2manybikes

Nice bike! What is it?

cbresciani

Hi everyone, I just joined the forums not to long ago so I thought I'd check in. I turned 50 in April and finally had my track bikes shipped down to me from Colorado Springs. I hadn't ridden them in probably 30+ years and they have been in storage ever since. Anyway I just put some new tires on the Pogliaghi and can't wait to get out on it again.

TejanoTrackie 

SConaP1

well, I'm 44, 6'4" and currently 285 (coming down from 300 recently - thanks for riding)

I suppose what I ride is quite a bit different from most of your pics...but it's something I enjoy. simple and fun, and I'm told I never have to worry about breaking parts on it - as it was built for jumping. That's a a relief at my size/weight and how I ride.

80% street (weeknights) and 20% trails (weekends)

2004 Specialized P1. I have had the shop added a handlebar riser (3") since this pic and the seat was low because my daughter had ridden it this day:

UBUvelo

great stories all around

i'll keep this short and simple, but i was lightly 'irked' by the sub-comment below the main forum heading: "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"

and not at all offended by it, but i just jumped onto the ss bandwagon a few months ago...in the form of a rigid 29er. i'm 48.

when my full suspension had a series of mechanicals in several races (4 flats, seized up rear disk brake, constantly dropped chain and inefficient, slipped shifting), i was forced to hop aboard the ss...i loved it, but it had an untrue front wheel so it sat around collecting dust for awhile. finally shoved it in the shop, got it back, remembered what a joy is what to ride it on technical singletrack (i used to smile on my full suspension multispeed ; now i laugh).

another race came up. no money to get the FS repaired in time...no choice but to race on the ss...against multispeeds (not ready for ss sport class ...the week or so before the race, i noticed how much more i got out of the seat...gear ratio of 32x18 seemed ok...hills could be really rough, but doable. never raced ss rigid 29er (GT Peace...). at the start, flew with the pack ok...got passed by mostly everyone before we hit the woods (a night race at that)...i dug in and go on with it...passed a few here and there. knew when to hop off and push. not used to that since i do pretty good at climbing technical steep courses in the crab-granny gear. passed a few more lung or log-over casualties. ended up with my best finish ever, 2nd place.

is this for real? i am looking for bombers or growlers of the ss kool-aid, but it's not like i need it. the bike is the argument and its dissolution

so.....yeah, 40+ + + leg and upper body muscles can find new life in shifting away from the multi-gear crutches, i.e., derailleur and sti/thumb/grip

peazweag

Hi everyone,I'm 46 been riding fixed since 1983.heres my latest project got it from a friend I work with.I ride road also but mostly fixed still feel like I'm 15 physically.Guess it keeps me feelin young.

cdyer77

Not quite 40 yet (another 4 months) but I've been riding my Kona Paddy Wagon for the last 2.5 years along with my vintage schwinn "boardwalk cruiser" that I've modified to be more of a retro board tracker. My road bike see's a good share of use too, just depends on what my ride entails. Like a good tradesman, you have to have the right tool for the job

Doohickie

300 degrees every day this week. Night riding is the only option.

nashcommguy

First time posting to this thread since early on. After being laid off for almost 2 years time I recently started working again and therefore cycle-commuting. On Mondays I use my multi-geared CX bike w/rack and panniers to haul in a week's worth of clothes and food. Then for the rest of the week I use my Fuji fg conversion w/a seatpost rack/trunkbag combo to transport empty food containers and work clothes. It's 79.1 GI.

My daily rt is 41.2 mi w/a 500 ft elevation difference. The climb is homeward. My PR on my fg into work is 82 mins for an avg speed of 15.07 mph. I'm looking to lower that to 75 mins @ 16.48 over the next couple of months. If it weren't for stop signs and traffic lights through town it would be lower, but it is what it is.

Homeward my PR is 88 mins @ 14.04 mph. Hoping to lower that to 80 mins @ 15.45 mph at the same time.

Over the last 1.5 years I went through a bi-lateral pulmonary embolism that left a sizeable infarction on my lower left lung, a car-accident leaving me w/a concussion and brain bleeding in 3 different places and a bi-polar 2 hypo-maniacal episode that left me institutionalized for 2 weeks. The medication/recovery from all that caused me to gain about 20lbs. Have been a little under the weather as of late.

So, while these times/speeds and goals may not be earth shattering the fact that I'm able to be cycling again at all makes me appreciate every foul-language inducing climb. On every ride homeward my acronym is MCI...Maximum Controlled Intensity for every pedal stroke. While my mantra is the Greg Lemond quote: "It never gets easier you just go faster." It's good to be back.

JohnDThompson 

Sounds like you've had more than your share of problems, nashcommguy.

Welcome back and hang in there!

puppypilgrim

The bike is a Mercier Kilo TT stripper (no decals) in chrome - size 47 cm.

puppypilgrim

After logging more miles this summer, I did some mods tonight. Hacksaw + file + hammer + screwdriver = slammed stem.

Its definitely a position that is more comfortable for maximal efforts. Couldn't do it earlier in the riding season but now it feels right.

Softride XS size. 3T Mutant stem.



Mercier Kilo TT Stripper in chrome, 47 cm.