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Are they too old to ride?

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Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Are they too old to ride?

Old 01-08-07, 10:51 PM
  #26  
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A friend of mine reduced his weekly mileage from 300 to 200 when he turned 70. Something to do with surgery on his back. He was our ride leader 15 years ago, one of the best century riders around.
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Old 01-08-07, 11:13 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Tom Bombadil
Keep those old fogies off the road!

It is embarrassing when they roar past me!
I showed my wife this and she started cracking up! We've both been dropped by the "more seasoned" folks in our bike club.
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Old 01-09-07, 01:10 AM
  #28  
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About 9000 people ride the Seattle to Portland, 204 miles (all on roads) in one or two days. Last year the oldest was 85, 2.4% were over 65, 13.2% were 55-64.
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Old 01-09-07, 08:56 AM
  #29  
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Good grief! I sincerely hope what you worry your siblings have isn't "catching!" My kids would throw my bikes, home built planes, kayaks, scuba gear, water skiis, antique firearms and all my other toys and hobbies in front of a freight train and banish me with the TV remote in front of the fireplace! OOOpppsss - the fireplace might be too dangerous to let me light!
On the local 450 mile state bike ride a year or so ago one of the small town newspapers was doing a story about the ride and interviewed the oldest rider, ?pretty close to 80! They asked him why he biked like this, and he answered "to keep in shape for skiing!"
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Old 01-09-07, 09:11 AM
  #30  
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Apparently you have never gone to any of the bicycle events for Senior Olympics. Your never to old to ride a bike if you can climb on and pedal. I sometimes ride with ladies her are in their mid-seventies. These ladies are no slow pokes and I haven't seen a hill they can't make. They know what they are doing and love it. Keeping active is the whole key to life. If they want to ride, great, but they may have no actual interest in riding a bike around town. Sounds like they are very active now, so bring up the subject, but don't be disappointed if they choose another activity they may like better.
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Old 01-09-07, 09:36 AM
  #31  
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My parents are in their early 80's.

Although they're not into cycling (he has some balance issues and she would be too fearful, trust me!) they ARE into physical activity. They go ballroom dancing 3-4 times a week (and this is down from literally 11 times a week, going in the afternoons and evenings at various senior centers).

Some heart problems have slowed my dad down a bit, but until very recently he was still doing a daily 3-mile walk around the lake where they live, and the both of them are active 'mall walkers' with a group of friends.

(They're also into bickering, an activity they have perfected during their sixty three+ years of marriage. Used to drive us kids crazy. Now we just accept that it works for them, and helps keeps them young!)
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Old 01-09-07, 10:47 AM
  #32  
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Four years ago my sister-in-law took up running (well, walking fast) in 5K events, after her divorce. She was and is quite slow and nearly always finishes near last. However she always finishes. Also running (?) back there was a gentlemen 30 years her senior, probably in his early 70s. He also entered nearly every local event, which would have been about 10-15 a year. They ended up running side by side in event after event. Last year they got married. So I'm guessing that he is pretty happy with the results of his taking up running.
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Old 01-09-07, 02:03 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by Digital Gee
My parents are in their early 80's.

Although they're not into cycling (he has some balance issues and she would be too fearful, trust me!) they ARE into physical activity.
I thought that was the advantage of trikes!

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Old 01-09-07, 10:37 PM
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On our local trail, there is a 92 year old who does a 22 mile trip once a week. He is a little frail and rides an old POS bike, but he's happy. I asked him once why he didn't upgrade his ride. He figured he wouldn't live long enough to get his moneys worth. bk
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Old 01-09-07, 10:54 PM
  #35  
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We are ages 74/71 and rode 4,447 miles on our tandem in 2006. Rudy rode an extra 1,200 miles on his single bike.
What we gonna do, wait til we get older?

Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem
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Old 01-09-07, 10:54 PM
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A few years ago, leaving my work parking lot for the commute home, an old fellow who looked to be 80, waved as he slowly pedaled past on a balloon tire trike. He was carrying his walker in the rear basket!
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Old 01-10-07, 12:09 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by BlazingPedals
I thought that was the advantage of trikes!
Really nice looking trike!

I'm considering a bent or trike, but will probably wait a while before taking the plunge. Will be riding some in the coming year. I think I'll need to go with something where the crank is below the seat, which will mean at least a CLWB. These are slower than yours, but speed is probably the least important aspect of a bike/bent/trike to me.
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Old 01-10-07, 12:16 AM
  #38  
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Do consider that life is often offset by a fear of living. Were we in almost any other country, your parents would be riding as a form of transportation. Wish them well and go for a ride with them. Live, love, laugh and be happy.
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Old 01-10-07, 01:01 AM
  #39  
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<My fear is that if they crash and break something, their bones won't heal for a long time and may accelerate the aging process>


I"d like to suggest that if the family show too much concern about your parents ability to look after themselves then this in itself will tend to accelerate the aging process. They will likely give in to pressure and become indolent just so as not to save the family the added worry of them coming to harm on the road.

However, they must be aware that regaining the skills to cycle safely on the open road can be a slow process as I've been finding out since returning to cycling. It's taken me almost three years and some 3000 miles and I'm at last beginning get back the level of confidence that I had 50+ years ago, but that confidence is tempered by understanding the limitations that age imposes.
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Old 01-10-07, 10:21 AM
  #40  
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San Diego cycling legend Gordy Shields is 87.
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Old 01-10-07, 10:54 AM
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Came across this item in Diane Bells column in yesterday's fish wrap:

I can't say adieu to 2006 without an update from 78-year old cyclist Joan Slote. While covering 5,736 miles in 2006, she picked up $15.97 in cash from our streets.

After 17 years of keeping track, Slote has pedaled an awe-inspiring 97,522 miles. Her total discovery of $227 in lost cash hasn't made her rich, but she estimates, at today's prices, it could buy about 90 gallons of gas. That would take her car about one-third of th 7,112 miles she actually drove last year.
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