I am 56 years old andI live in La Quinta CA. La Quinta is a beautiful desert town not far from Palm Springs. I have been riding since 1970. I am car free and I commute to work. I ride in temperatures of up to 120 degrees farenheit in the summer months. The winter temperatures rarely get below 40 degrees here. I average 8000 miles per year and wear out a lot of tires and chains. I have ridden cross country and through the Canadian Rockies. My first long tour was on a racing bike with sew-ups very overloaded. Live and learn. Favorite rides are Joshua Tree, Anza Borrego, and Death Valley. This thursday I did a hundred miler from La Quinta up box canyon to Chiraco summit. This route has a twenty mile climb and yours ears tend to pop going up and down. I have owned a Mercian, Charles Roberts, Grandis, Paramount, Gitane, Bianchi, Peugeot, Higgins Ultralite, Mercier and more. I currently ride two Cannondales one alloy and one carbon fiber.