Down hill with the wind I am a terror.

Ok, well as of 2020 my wife Jo and I are both 65 so we can join in this "illustrious group" of riders!!! ;) We are strictly recreational riders, riding "new to us" Electra Townie 21d's! We live and ride mostly in Colorado Springs, CO. on urban and rail trails, back streets, bike lanes, etc. and just enjoy riding! Thanks for letting is in the group and have a excellent day! :)
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First post on this sub-forum but I qualified 2 years ago. I've been riding forever. Bought my first 10-speed when I was 13. (That was back when you had to use higher math to calculate how many speeds you had.) Been a bike racer, commuter forever, day rides, several 800 mile tours decades ago, a little gravel, Cycle Oregon a few times. Love hills. Not super fast uphill but can climb like a mountain goat, ie forever. And I am equally beautiful. :rolleyes: But my real love is riding fix gears on the road (with brakes; all proper road bikes). My logo photo was taken going up a 14% grade on Cycle Oregon on the fix gear. In my element completely! And it was so hard it hurt to touch my forearms with soap when I got to camp and showered.

I"m slowing down, but the plan is to ride as long as my mom. (She hung up the wheels at 86.)

Ben

Ray - only one post. You OK? ride on.

need to watch out for each other at this age.

Hello Bike Forums I am 70 years old, I have a back problem because I was attended for surgery 2 years ago. My question is: should I respect medical recomendation to abandon bike rides because I have a pain in my back that is hearting my bones and also the neck, My passion is cycling and I cannot leave it, so I am in the middle of a way of handling my life and future, because I cant leave the bycicle since I ve been riding my whole life. Should I attend the recomendation or not. Yhanks for reading my post.

PacoG, I hear you. Why does your doctor say you have to stop riding? Is it because of the danger of crashing? Or would it be OK for you to ride on low-risk trails and roads where the likelihood of crashing is small? I'm 73 years old, with pain all over my body. But the cycling actually reduces the pain. I go on safe roads, local traffic only, with an average speed of 12 to 13 miles per hour (19–21 kph). Works for me. Doctor says to keep it up.

[MENTION=157573]PacoG[/MENTION] - given your cycling history, you need a 2nd opinion.

Too little info for stranger (me) to make a recco.
I would not ride if there was pain in an old injury location.

Paco:
I'm sorry you can't cycle due to a medical recommendation. I also live in Mexico City, I'm 67, a physician, and an avid cyclist. In the 90's I used to compete in MTB. Nowadays, I train for health reasons. Last year, I began going to Ajusco mountain again, and the first time I tried, I could only make 6 km of the 20 km to the top, which is 3,618 mt high (11,870 feet). I had to stop because I was exhausted and felt a lower back pain. I kept trying and in some more weeks I got to the top.
There are many things to consider in a bike: frame sizing, saddle construction and position, stem length and level, geometry. A professional may help you and you may improve from your back problem. Also, the frame material affects the quality of the ride. Last year, I got a Linskey titanium frame, which is a forgiving material. Good steel frames can also help to ameliorate road vibrations. A good physiotherapist can make wonders in back pains.
Good luck,
Marco.

67 years old like most here I have been riding bike since a kid. My grand parents lived next to a bike shop so I spent many hours lusting over the bikes. I rode with the local bike club as a ride captain for years. I stoped cycling for a number of years due to working for a living and life retired in 2019 and this year sold our second car that I drove to work and bought a Kickr bike. I ride it every morning. I am up to an hour right now. :) My wife’s health limits my out door riding. I still ride my Peugeot with the 1985 super record group set. Which to my surprise is vintage now :) My dad how is 91 still rides everyday. I bought him a tricycle that he rides around his patio home community daily. It’s all about keeping moving. Glad to be getting back into to shape again. It gives you so much energy.

I went searching for some 10 speed Simano/SRAM parts recently and I was shocked with no one carrying anything other than chains. I was finally able to find some chain rings and replaced my SRAM red 50 and 34. I also needed an 11-32 lightweight cassette and finally found one made by an European company. Next time I might be facing a whole grouppo change. I’m surprised how fast they’ve abandoned 10 sp.

All this was going on while I was trying to replace my 2009 Campy super record 11sp chain rings.Campy stopped making the 2009 stuff in 2011 and the newer parts weren’t compatible. I figured out a solution but had to spend an extra $50 just for different chain ring bolts. Frustrating!!!

First, I'd get a second opinion. Second, I'd review how you ride, now. Are you on a road bike or one on which you are upright? Most docs I know of (and I know a few) have just the opposite thought. That you need to stay active; and that bike riding is a dynamite way of doing that. I'm 72. I started riding after I retired 5 years ago, and like most people our age, yeah, I have issues. Ortho issues. Numb hand issues when I spend too much time on the handlebar.... Kidney issues. O2 issues. And, yeah, a stroke back in February that affected my balance. Still, I'm ridin'. At our ages, issues like this go with the territory. A friend of mine went from a hybrid to a step through, because he couldn't swing his leg over the seat. But he still rides. So, get that second opinion. And think of different bikes.

Hi Paco. Many docs do not understand the mechanics of cycling so they may play it safer by saying to stop. You might try a rheumatologist who specializes in joints and backs but does not operate. If you can find a good one they might be better equipped to offer clinical advice. Fact is if cycling will aggravate your back you probably won't wish to ride.

That said chances are you can safely cycle with some good medical advice and following the advices already received like getting a professional fitting and finding a bike that fits your body.

Most of us would cycle regardless as it's so important. I certainly never gave up after breaking my thigh bone and replaced right knee 53,000 miles ago.

I ain't doin none of that !!!!

sounds like great news on the serious issues so for the rest you've got to follow instructions ,,, hope everything goes well ,,,,,

Thanks ! Now, all I have to avoid is catching COVID-19 before the vaccine is available. Since this is a bicycle forum:


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Yep, skinny tire road bike, (71), 11 speed- compact... left hip problematical (knee revision finally working out) but, believe it or not - shortening the cranks seems to have helped... maybe it's just increasing the q factor but, I think the increase in cadence ends up being a worthwhile trade-off too but, still needing some Aleve and that's not much in the way of big hills and just 12-15 mile rides followed by several beers...

"Yep, skinny tire road bike, (71), 11 speed- compact... left hip problematical (knee revision finally working out) but, believe it or not - shortening the cranks seems to have helped... maybe it's just increasing the q factor but, I think the increase in cadence ends up being a worthwhile trade-off too but, still needing some Aleve and that's not much in the way of big hills and just 12-15 mile rides followed by several beers..."

Me.... cheap aluminum hybrid with slammed stem, cut down bars, Fatter tires, metal pedals with toe clips.. 7 cog rear road cluster, three on the front. 80% of my time is in the middle chainring. Never on the small one.

When I first started riding again, 5 years ago, I rode like when I had my coaster brake single speed western flyer with a tank, horn button, and that stuff kids had back then on their bikes. Mashing with the pedal on my instep. All upright, and all that. I learned to relocate my feet on pedals to the ball of the foot and finding and measuring, and riding to a spinning cadence, rather than mashing. And, it worked. My preferred cadence is now between about 75 and 85. Which of course, isn't anything special, but for me, spinning. And new pedals with toe clips really help position the feet and allow me to add calf muscles to the downstroke and those other muscles on an upstroke.... some. Tylenol, coffee, gatorade, and zyrtec round it all out. All good.

Im 82 and ride about 25 miles every other day. I also lift hand weights. Five or six years ago at a health review, I actually had a PA suggest I shouldnt be doing that. I of course paid no attention to that idiot.

I really like the way you think.

Even at 71, I wasn't sure I really belonged here until yesterday when I hit the ground just getting on my bike. No one saw it even though it seemed like ~5 min. to get my ass off the ground. Definitely earned a shot of bottled in bond bourbon for that one...

At 71 you belong here, if just for the phrase 'bottled in bond'.
Thoughts to the contrary are self-delusional.
But there's no crime in delusion.
Dream On!



Keep your bars clear, and your mind will follow.

Being the oldest family member locally, always makes me feel ancient as we approach the New Year.
observational, not a rant.

My wife always encourages me to sit near the fireplace.
My son calls my Christmas tradition of collared shirt and seasonal tie (changed each year) "old fashioned", and 'almost pre-historic'.
Calmly raking the last fallen leaves from the front yard, a neighbor called out, "Don't have a heart attack working so hard".
My son-in-law announced (today) a new resolution - for the coming year, they would keep one of my bikes at their house, so i would not have to ride the 18 miles (to their home) so often.
Older siblings back East&South with health problems, regularly commenting to my wife all the issues i will be facing soon. And all the medical tests i should be getting.
It's time to sell the heavy, double+kid kayak. But it has such memories, I don't want to let it go. Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay was over 2 decades ago.
I don't want wireless earbuds when just hanging out at home.
Commenting on winter-ish yardwork, my daughter replies, 'A good way for you to get outdoors and spend your idle time'
Being told 'You should take a nap more often'.

Maybe I've gotten too sensitive?
I don't offer the same old retorts anymore, they're worn clichés and no longer funny.

Am i alone in this unsolicited, benevolent senior treatment?

Yep, we are all a cliche now...

Wildwood, since you can’t divorce them, friends and family apparently need to be kindly reminded that age is only a state of mind. Keeping mentally and physically active easily removes years if not decades compared to the average Joe. When you become sedentary tell them to bring on their cliches.

Weak soup.

65?! Heck, I was something back then!

Hey, thought I post here for the heck of it.....I'm 73 and been riding Mtn. Bike for many years but just bit the bullet and ordered up an M2S All Terrain Ultra HT FAT TIRE E-bike.....Anxiously awaiting its arrival and will start out riding on Groomed Snowmobile Trails here in Stanley, IDAHO.

Gary

I'm 65 years old from southwest Fl. and ride my mountain bike 6 days a week anywhere from 20-30 miles a day. All road riding no matter what time of year or what temperature. I love it and am hooked!

If no one saw it, it didnt happen. :)

I can't agree with you more...☑️