I'm 54 and just got my 04 Specialized Sirrus about a month ago.

I take a multi-vitamin, for women, which has extra calcium and iron. Occasioinally I like some of those chewable Vitamin C tabs too.

I think my first bike had 16 inch tires and training wheels if that will give people some idea of how far I go back. Unfortunately I stopped cycling when I was in my mid thirties, a few years after my third child was born.

I live in the City, in a third floor walk-up apartment, so having a relatively light bike that I could easily carry up the stairs was a major factor. Just about all of my riding is on bike paths and in city traffic I've been getting out 4 to 6 times per week and particularly enjoy riding in the early evening through parks by the river.

So far my main goal is to increase my distance so I can participate in some of the local tours and knock off a few pounds that have accumulated over the years. I've been doing 10 to 20 miles per day at a very leisurely pace. Once I've dropped some weight and built up my muscles I'll begin to think about more speed.

Stacy