What type of bike should a 50+ rider buy
#26
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I don't have one of these, but I think a well-thought-out long-wheelbase step-through like a Rivendell Clem should be on the consideration.
Easy to operate, very stable, easy to get on and off, still lively, versatile drivetrain, and built to last as long as you will want to ride.
https://www.rivbike.com/products/cle...-complete-2017
https://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2016/...bedazzled.html
Last edited by bulldog1935; 01-12-17 at 03:59 PM.
#27
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Step Thru is a benefit when your hip joint is not happy and lets you know about it.
My Bike Friday and Brompton offer that.
[diamond frame , lay the bike on it's side, reach down and pick it up underneath you]
Now back to a different assumption and messages of a perfectly healthy fit geezer
you /? make up your mind.. all I can say is things about my stuff..
Blue pills , testosterone supliments? probably want a race bike
My Bike Friday and Brompton offer that.
[diamond frame , lay the bike on it's side, reach down and pick it up underneath you]
Now back to a different assumption and messages of a perfectly healthy fit geezer
you /? make up your mind.. all I can say is things about my stuff..
Blue pills , testosterone supliments? probably want a race bike
Last edited by fietsbob; 01-12-17 at 08:28 PM.
#28
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Why do people feel the need to convince the world that what works for them is best for everyone else or that what they have is what everyone else should have?
I know a couple of recumbent riders in North Georgia who would love the opportunity to teach you otherwise.
-Tim-
I know a couple of recumbent riders in North Georgia who would love the opportunity to teach you otherwise.
-Tim-
2nd statement: Out here in the West, we have something called the California Triple Crown Stage Race. They do 3 of the most difficult double centuries in the California Triple Crown series, and whoever has the fastest total time to complete each stage is the winner. Which 3 are chosen vary from year to year, but they always have a significant amount of climbing.
The 2016 winner was on a recumbent. At first, people were reluctant to name him as the overall winner (the presumably being that being on a 'bent is some kind of advantage), but reason prevailed and he was awarded the overall title. The dude is seriously fast.
2016 California Triple Crown Winners Sorted by Stage Race Winners
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#29
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I'm going to add one thing about recumbent that applies more so to trikes - it's hard to see, and even harder to be seen.
Tight squeezes don't even exist - they are accidents.
If you don't need a recumbent trike, I wouldn't jump that gun.
Tight squeezes don't even exist - they are accidents.
If you don't need a recumbent trike, I wouldn't jump that gun.
#31
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I can still think of Many places where I could be seen and you couldn't
#32
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Something with a 3 speed coaster brake drivetrain, a basket, bell, fenders, and spring seat?
Tassels?
ld:
Tassels?
ld:
#33
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of course not, but if you try to shop for a bike like the Clem at your LBS or megastore, that's what they'll sell you.
A good upright bike does not have to be a dog.
Here's what I built for me, I call it the Italian Huffy.
I mostly ride for exercise, and my 3 different bikes have 3 different riding positions. I try to ride each one every week. The 3 different positions work different combinations of core and leg muscles.
A good upright bike does not have to be a dog.
Here's what I built for me, I call it the Italian Huffy.
I mostly ride for exercise, and my 3 different bikes have 3 different riding positions. I try to ride each one every week. The 3 different positions work different combinations of core and leg muscles.
Last edited by bulldog1935; 01-12-17 at 04:02 PM.
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if that's about my Viner, I've been out 88 mi on that bike - it's a distance bike.
#36
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thanks, I understand
I'm running 38mm Barlows on the Viner now (latex tubes), and it bunny hops
I'm running 38mm Barlows on the Viner now (latex tubes), and it bunny hops
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I am 63, I like skinny tires, lots of bar drop and a go fast attitude. See no reason to change that any time soon or even later.
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#41
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The OP is asking about taking up cycling (or really telling)
An aggressive handling bike that requires good balance in your core muscles is a goal, not a starting point.
An upright is going to bring back childhood muscle memory.
I don't know if you remember when we were 19, but we didn't lean on the bars, we pulled on them.
We didn't sit on the saddle, either, we supported ourselves in our legs - when I was 19, this bike had a hide-covered Unicanitor saddle.
We develop bad posture habits as we get older, and leaning on the bars is one of them.
Riding in your neck and shoulders creates cervical strain, and is the reason a recumbent becomes a need rather than a choice.
If you consciously ride in your core muscles, you can get past it and go distance on any bike.
Last edited by bulldog1935; 01-12-17 at 08:11 PM.
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I wouldn't suggest it would be the same for every 50+ guy, but I certainly found the convention wisdom did not apply in my case.
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Might depend on what those childhood muscle memories are. I started in my mid 50s, but had ridden road bikes a great deal as a kid. When I returned to riding everyone said get an upright bike. You won't be comfortable on anything else. But I found uprights to be quite uncomfortable. As soon as I tried a road bike, I was hooked on riding again. I figured it was muscle memory and even after 30+ years my body had an idea of what a bicycle was supposed to feel like.
I wouldn't suggest it would be the same for every 50+ guy, but I certainly found the convention wisdom did not apply in my case.
I wouldn't suggest it would be the same for every 50+ guy, but I certainly found the convention wisdom did not apply in my case.
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My most recent bike purchase, last August. (edited to say most recent except for the Haibike I bought in October - my brain fog is hitting hard today!)
I do not believe in limiting myself because of circumstance or because of conventional wisdom about how "things should be" at a certain age. Actually, I believe that adverse circumstances are a reason to push myself harder and fight back rather than give in or scale back.
I actually experienced some of that with this bike. The backstory is this: I've been doing a few triathlons a year for about five years now. Two local ones I have done every year, Memorial weekend and the 2nd weekend in August. Then I try to do at least 1 or 2 others each year. I did 5 in 2014, the most in a season. For a couple of years now my real desire has been to train to do a half IM then ultimately a full IM. But the last two years have been personally challenging for various reasons, including taking a 5 month leave of absence from work in 2015 to do home hospice care for my mother at the end of her life. Then handling her estate and that of her brother - they died 5 days apart for in 2015. All of that really threw me off track in training to reach my goal.
So, 2016 was my year to work on myself. I rode my Roubaix in my Tri's but really wanted a Tri bike. So when I found what I thought was a great deal I jumped at it. That was 08/18. On 08/22, I had a consultation with an orthopedic doc because I was experiencing some stiffness and restricted range of motion in my left knee. I thought he might say I needed arthroscopy. He said my joint was completely shot and technically I could qualify for total knee replacement.
That upset me - because I was just really getting back into a good training regimen - and I worried about my ability to run long enough to meet my goal. I let that get me down - for about 3-4 days. Then I started researching it and found out that even distance running is possible after knee replacement - and that I should be able to squeeze another 5 plus years out of the current joint through NSAIDs, cortisone injections and synvisc. By the time the bike came in, I did the fitting (after purchase, I gambled that the geometry on a clearance bike would be ok - luckily the fit is perfect), and the shop got it dialed in, I was psychologically back on track.
If I had allowed the "conventional wisdom" to get to me, I probably would have returned the bike, given up on hitting my goal, and been generally moody and miserable for the past 5 months. Screw that! If my knee is going down, it's going down because of good hard training. Ran 5 treadmill miles tonight before my PT strength training session.
And I've got a shiny new 'Old Dude' tri bike to ride in the spring.
I do not believe in limiting myself because of circumstance or because of conventional wisdom about how "things should be" at a certain age. Actually, I believe that adverse circumstances are a reason to push myself harder and fight back rather than give in or scale back.
I actually experienced some of that with this bike. The backstory is this: I've been doing a few triathlons a year for about five years now. Two local ones I have done every year, Memorial weekend and the 2nd weekend in August. Then I try to do at least 1 or 2 others each year. I did 5 in 2014, the most in a season. For a couple of years now my real desire has been to train to do a half IM then ultimately a full IM. But the last two years have been personally challenging for various reasons, including taking a 5 month leave of absence from work in 2015 to do home hospice care for my mother at the end of her life. Then handling her estate and that of her brother - they died 5 days apart for in 2015. All of that really threw me off track in training to reach my goal.
So, 2016 was my year to work on myself. I rode my Roubaix in my Tri's but really wanted a Tri bike. So when I found what I thought was a great deal I jumped at it. That was 08/18. On 08/22, I had a consultation with an orthopedic doc because I was experiencing some stiffness and restricted range of motion in my left knee. I thought he might say I needed arthroscopy. He said my joint was completely shot and technically I could qualify for total knee replacement.
That upset me - because I was just really getting back into a good training regimen - and I worried about my ability to run long enough to meet my goal. I let that get me down - for about 3-4 days. Then I started researching it and found out that even distance running is possible after knee replacement - and that I should be able to squeeze another 5 plus years out of the current joint through NSAIDs, cortisone injections and synvisc. By the time the bike came in, I did the fitting (after purchase, I gambled that the geometry on a clearance bike would be ok - luckily the fit is perfect), and the shop got it dialed in, I was psychologically back on track.
If I had allowed the "conventional wisdom" to get to me, I probably would have returned the bike, given up on hitting my goal, and been generally moody and miserable for the past 5 months. Screw that! If my knee is going down, it's going down because of good hard training. Ran 5 treadmill miles tonight before my PT strength training session.
And I've got a shiny new 'Old Dude' tri bike to ride in the spring.
Last edited by DaveQ24; 01-13-17 at 08:17 AM.
#50
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Might depend on what those childhood muscle memories are. I started in my mid 50s, but had ridden road bikes a great deal as a kid. When I returned to riding everyone said get an upright bike. You won't be comfortable on anything else. But I found uprights to be quite uncomfortable. As soon as I tried a road bike, I was hooked on riding again. I figured it was muscle memory and even after 30+ years my body had an idea of what a bicycle was supposed to feel like.
I wouldn't suggest it would be the same for every 50+ guy, but I certainly found the convention wisdom did not apply in my case.
I wouldn't suggest it would be the same for every 50+ guy, but I certainly found the convention wisdom did not apply in my case.
I am with you, I would never recommend a tricycle for a 50 yo unless there was a particular issue to deal with or a recumbent for that matter. Sorry, I do not care for them at all.
but you didn't start here at 63.
The OP is asking about taking up cycling (or really telling)
An aggressive handling bike that requires good balance in your core muscles is a goal, not a starting point.
An upright is going to bring back childhood muscle memory.
I don't know if you remember when we were 19, but we didn't lean on the bars, we pulled on them.
We didn't sit on the saddle, either, we supported ourselves in our legs - when I was 19, this bike had a hide-covered Unicanitor saddle.
We develop bad posture habits as we get older, and leaning on the bars is one of them.
Riding in your neck and shoulders creates cervical strain, and is the reason a recumbent becomes a need rather than a choice.
If you consciously ride in your core muscles, you can get past it and go distance on any bike.
The OP is asking about taking up cycling (or really telling)
An aggressive handling bike that requires good balance in your core muscles is a goal, not a starting point.
An upright is going to bring back childhood muscle memory.
I don't know if you remember when we were 19, but we didn't lean on the bars, we pulled on them.
We didn't sit on the saddle, either, we supported ourselves in our legs - when I was 19, this bike had a hide-covered Unicanitor saddle.
We develop bad posture habits as we get older, and leaning on the bars is one of them.
Riding in your neck and shoulders creates cervical strain, and is the reason a recumbent becomes a need rather than a choice.
If you consciously ride in your core muscles, you can get past it and go distance on any bike.
J