Thanks. I haven't been here lately -- nothing awe inspiring to report. The Bike Club would still have to meet in my neighborhood, although I have ventured out of the cul du sac. Everywhere from my home is downhill -- I have more endurance than I did just a couple weeks ago -- I am slowly but surely gaining confidence. Still, I am way behind most everyone else posting here. It is embarrassing being last, but I am surely not giving up. You all are an inspiration to my competitive and determined spirit.

I think most of us who returned to biking after 30 or so years off started the same way. I remember one of my first adventure rides a few years ago. It was a whopping 6 miles mostly downhill. I called my kids to come with the van to take me home. Each ride improves your bike handling skills and your endurance will come around quickly. If you live on a cul du sac then you can play with the bike at low speeds. Sometimes just to dust the cobwebs off I will do gentle weaving rides trying to hit or miss acorns ahead on the ride. At 61 years old I have found that it takes a little longer to relearn skills involving ballance or reflex than it used to. It still surprises me when I relearn a skill that I used to take for granted.

What a thoroughly wonderful forum, and just what I'm needing!


55 years young here, with 56 looming fast, and apart from a bit of fun back when I was around 40 I've not really ridden a pushbike enough to warrant comment since I was about 16 or so. Until, a few weeks ago, my 30 year old son found out he was facing chemotherapy, set himself up an indoor gym for the duration, and suggested to me that I should bring his pushbike to my place and do a bit of riding for myself.

Now I'm hooked. Haven't enjoyed myself so much in years!

I'm doing about 15 to 20km each day, around town and its outskirts, and yesterday went on a 40km round trip visiting a couple of nearby towns. That's the longest ride I've ever had in my life! I'm absolutely chuffed!

That's* what I'm missing. Children would be very* useful.

For returning bike-riders, my sanity check list:

1. You don't need spandex or logoed jerseys, yes...they do look rediculous, and yes...those teenages you passed on the corner were laughing at you.. There are alot of great workout clothes that are far less expensive and aren't cotton based. Oh, and cotton is great on a causal ride around town.
2. Shorts on a cool day extract a stiff penalty from older riders. That constant wind chill on those legs is going to cause you some trouble that evening and the next few days. A nylon shell, warm-ups over those shorts is a very good idea. Bare legs in warm summer, otherwise...beware.
3. Riding with cars can eliminate all the fun of gettting out. Even if you have to trek your bike on your car rack for 15-30 minutes, regularly treat yourself to rides on long, dedicated trails. Very relaxing and uninterrupted.
4. Hi-tech pedals my be efficient, but platform pedals with toe clips, or mini clips, means you can wear tennis shoes or appropriate sport shoes you might wear around town. If you are biking in neighborhoods and want to stop and shop, dine, whatever, it's a good deal more fun to be wearing shoes you like.
5. Riding to destinations is fun, whether it be a gym, bookstore, whatever. A 30 mile ride really doesn't seem like much of anything if there is something to want to do at the mid-point.
6. Ipod type players are truly great on some days. Just be sure you have the type of headphones/buds that allow outside noises in. You will find you cadance pickup dramactically and you'll run on automatic, assuming you pick you music suitably. "Hey, were did those miles go?"
7. Us old guys probably have a bunch of tools and have spent too many hours working on our cars and houses. Yes, all of that transfers to your bike(s); dive into intimating over-haul and tinkering projects - what's the worst that can happen? (See below)
8. Hi tech and expensive carbon wonders have their place, but there are real joys to customizing, saving or building up old bikes. And they are dirt cheap. Parts on eBay and elsewhere. Ruin one of these sub-$500 bikes? Big deal. Hey, if you have over-priced over-engineered cars do you really want to repeat that experience with a bike that's going to demand to be babied, shop adjusted and worried about? Don't let the bike shop salesman talk you into a trophy bike.
9. Think comfort, regardless if mitigates the cool factor. With gel pads, an infinite number of seat choices, tire construction that runs from wires to floatation tubes, etc., 18+ gear choices, chamois liners, you can remedy pretty any discomfort you have returnung to biking. Be focused on what will make you comfortable to ride for hours adn hours.
10. It's just for fun, no one really cares about your equipment, distance and pace...unless you do. Enjoy.

I'm new here and it looks as if I've broken all rules except the one about buying a white bike.

Sidelined with a running injury in November, I decided it might be time to figure out a new way to let the rubber hit the road. My new bike, first of the road variety, will be an Orbea Aqua with a few modifications for a better fit. I can't wait for it to arrive!

A very nice way to start. When it arrives, you will have to post pictures so we can go oooooh and aaaaaaah.

I posted the following in the Introduction section. Thought I'd put it here too. What I can add is that in high school I rode with a friend 55 miles to a summer camp on an old Huffy 3 speed. I suppose it weighed 40 pounds or more. When we got there we swam and played football for hours, then rode home for a 110 mile round trip. I only remember my butt and arms being sore, not my legs. Ahhhh... to have those young legs again.


In grad school in the late 70's we only had one car and so the bike became my major transportation. I rode a Vicount Lambert, purchased about the time Yamaha bought them out. Lugless 'aerospace' frame and a solid aluminum fork. Eventually I traded out the Campy hubs and dérailleurs from my wife's bike and installed Gran Compe brakes. I think I rode sew-ups at first... I barely remember this now.

What I do remember is that in addition to riding to school every day down Wilshire Blvd (much faster than the traffic because I could go to the head of the line at intersections) on the weekends I would ride up Western Ave. to Griffith Park, then up to the observatory. I even did this with a 3 year old on the back in a heavy bike seat. Back then I took pride in long trips, racing traffic, passing other riders and never being passed and especially racing up hills.

Anyway, I got out of the habit when I started working, in part because LA was a much more interesting place to ride than Eastern Washington (or so it seemed at the time).

Then I got into motorcycling and made several trips to Mexico and bicycling receded into the past.

So... now... I take a couple months off to go sailing in British Columbia and it finally dawned on me that a folding bike might be a pretty fun way to tour when I get to ports, and to pick up supplies.

Bought a Dahon Cadenza and am in the midst of seeing what works from the old Lambert.

But the real shock is not the bike, but me. I'm no longer the guy who thought nothing of riding to the top of Griffith Park. The additional 30 lbs is only part of it. My back complains if I run, so the couch has become my major piece of exercise gear.

10 minutes on the relative flat and I'm tired, actually a little light headed. Pathetic. But maybe this is the long overdue impetus to avoid the decline to complete fossilization.

Dan,
Richland, WA

Welcome, DZBarkley

Lot's of couch potatoes around here who have figured out how to afix wheels to their couches.

Hello everyone,

I’ll soon be 65. I bought a $300.00 Schwinn 21 speed about a month ago and have been riding it almost daily in anticipation of a trip out West this summer in my RV. I also take a motorcycle with me on these trips.

While riding the motorcycle I’ve always thought how nice it would be to not have all the noise and just take it slower and see more of the country.

I’ve read this and other threads but still have some questions please:

I bought a better saddle but still get a little sore. Will that go away?

I’m not sure how hard to press. Going up some hills in my neighborhood I can easily get the top of my thighs to burn. Also, my knees will sometimes burn.

Is it bad to reach the burn? Or should I just barely get into the burn? How long?

Do I need to rest every other day? I prefer to ride every chance I get. I’m starting to really enjoy it. (I’m pretty sure I can ride 10 miles on a reasonably flat road, but getting stronger each week)

Will the saddle height change the stress on my knees? (It’s currently high enough that I just put my toes down. I cannot stand flatfooted and stay in the saddle)

Is there a list somewhere of campgrounds with great places to ride out West?

This Schwinn is a comfort bike (I may end up getting a better bike sooner than later) and I sit almost vertical. Is it better to lean forward a little? I’m thinking mostly about my knees. I don’t have bad knees, but I don’t want to hurt myself either (my best friend can barely walk because of bad knees).

Thanks for your help,

Dennis

Hiya DennisV, and welcome from a fellow who has taken up riding recently too.

From your description, I'd say you have the saddle set too low and that's probably contributing to your discomfort. The old idea we were taught as kids - that you need to be able to touch the ground when the bike isn't moving - is just plain wrong and puts your legs at all sorts of wrong angles. When coming to rest it's best to come forward OFF the saddle. Good tips on starting and stopping here, where I found them:

https://sheldonbrown.com/starting.html


I've been getting some excellent advice about riding style from the people here, and you might be able to benefit from what they've been telling me. I've found it has helped a lot, and I'm now riding further, easier and more comfortably:

https://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/401489-can-you-help-me-cadence.html



Please don't hesitate to start a new topic of your own with your questions and queries. People here are friendly and helpful

Those are some great links. Already answered many questions. And I'll be raising my seat!

Thanks,

Dennis

Hi DennisV,

A couple of comments related to your questions...

Personally, I don't think that getting the tops of your thighs to burn is a problem, but getting your knees to burn *is* a problem. You don't want to wear out your knees on hills. If your knees are hurting, you're riding too hard -- shift down a gear, and take it easy.

Your saddle ought to get more comfortable with a little use. But it shouldn't be painful for very long. Read some of the information available online about adjusting your saddle and position; take a wrench along on your first few rides and make minor tweaks as you go. If -- after lots of trial and error -- the saddle still hurts, it's time to find a new one.

You don't need to rest every other day. However, at first you ought to plan on a couple of rest days a week...and even after you're getting "serious" it's best to stay build in a rest day some time during the week.

Have fun...if, after a little research, something seems a little mysterious, post a question on the forum. You'll get help.

BB

DennisV,

Just to give another perspective, it took me about 300 miles to get used to my seat. I tried another one and ended up going back to the original. So give it time, and then some. Also, bigger is not necessarily better (as in more comfortable) in the seat department. In my case, I found that adjustment made the difference.

I feel compelled to offer an editorial response on behalf of all the other klutzy dorks out there. Took our first ride of the Maine Mud Season after work this evening. Nothing special, just a couple/three mile 'round the neighborhood. I'd been having a bit of trouble clipping into the strapless pedals that came with the new bike ('07 Trek 7.6FX), but didn't think anything of it until we got back home. Come to find out (duh!), problems clipping in can lead to problems UN-clipping, which led to a rather undignified tip-over in the driveway. But after determining no damage was done (to the bike, of course) and that the only thing injured was my pride, I think I'll be going back to the straps. Don't let my timidity dissuade you, tho'......

Give your knees a bit of a break and concentrate on spinning faster rather than harder. Since you paid for the gears, use them. <G>

Rest days for this 62 year-old seem useful, but they don't have to be days without riding. I like to ride every day. After hitting it hard for a day or two, I like to take it easy for a day or two, especially on hills. Every so often a "take it easy" day turns out to be a ride all out day, but that's fun too.

You may well find that things change rapidly for you in the next few months. Last year at this time, ten miles would have been a long ride for me. This year, even after a too-long winter, ten is just about a good warm up and sixty or seventy a good riding day.

ithinkican....Your post caught my attention. I'm also 61 and on Sunday I got on a bike for the first time in 50 years. I was never been much of a rider even when young so I feel like a little kid who needs training wheels. I wobbled around the local school yarn for a bit and next day my husband and I rode about 3.5 miles on a local bike path...flat and straight. I don't think my balance is the best anyway and I was pretty terrified on the bike. I didn't feel in control, and began to wonder if this was a mistake. I was concerned that I might not have the native ability to ride well and was encouraged to read a couple of other posts from people who might have had a slow start. I'm not at all concerned with how far I can ride, I'd just like to be able to do it at all...safely and comfortably. Thanks for the encouraging words I've already seen. I'll keep trying.

Congratulations for getting back on the bike

I think you'll find it gets easier each time you ride. I've been on a bike for most of my life but when I tried riding my daughter's bike a few weeks ago I wobbled down the street as I wasn't used to her style bike.

Enjoy the ride!

I am feeling much better. I spent an hour and a half last night at the schoolyard again. There are lots of driveways, parking lots, paved sidewalks and a traffic circle so I could do all kinds of things while dealing with only an occasional car and no pedestrians. I did lots and lots of figure eights after I realized I was always turning in one direction and the big AHA! happened early....I was watching the pavement right in front of me and only glancing forward occasionally. As soon as I sat up, looked forward and stopped trying to ride a rigid straight line it all started to get much easier much faster. Ahhhhh. Thanks again for all these inspiring posts.
Ellen

In my 20's I used to ride my bike to work. The "Oil Crisis" motivated me then. Now it's just time to start exercising and another reason for enjoying Arizona sunshine. I'm confused by all the information I read on how to size the bike I plan to purchase. My inseam for off the shelf slacks and jeans is 30." I'm interested in a Cruiser style bike. What size should I purchase?

Hello fellow biker's ,The snow was still here in Maine when last I visited ,im bikeing the wood lot road's daily and trying to commute from home .//there are lots of working folks bikeing to work here now that gas is so expensive./Ken

Ive huffed and puffed mountain bikeing for many years but never have had a burning sensation in my limb's //I think I would not push that feeling very far./Ken////Im 68

Welcome aboard. I have same off the shelf inseam and I would go for a 19" Cruiser size. However it is best to ride bike first to pick your cruiser by what feels best. Also if you will only ride on paved surface, you might want to get narrow tires installed. Something like 1 1/4 inch width. Narrow rolls easier, therefore easier to pedal. I believe most Cruisers come with 2 inch wide tires. Better for stone and dirt trails, but just a drag on paved road.

Kenebec... you still have SNOW**********???

lol yes in the dark places there is snow,//a very cool summer so for [great for bikeing]ya dont have to take your long jons off