I have been trying to catch up on some of these threads in the 65-85 thread ( I'll be 67 in a week or so ) and find a lot of them very interesting. Having several health issues, I can see my self on a trike at some point if I want to continue to ride. I have seen the Catrike bikes and would love to try one of them out. I bought a Lynskey gravel frame last year and had my local shop build me a real nice bike that I absolutely love. I don't ride it off road very much and stick mostly to paved trails. I enjoy riding very much but there are times when it becomes painful. A new knee is coming in November and they assure me that I am in good shape and will be back on the bike before long. The Rheumatoid arthritis is becoming the real issue and I wonder if a trike would help out with lower back pain and especially the pain in my hands. I will hold out as long as I can but I see a trike at some point. Do any of you ride a catrike and how do you like it ? Are there any other brands that are comparable to the Catrike ? Thanks for your input, boomer.

You are very lucky to be in St Petersburg as I recall there is a Bacchetta dealer which you should definitely check out. Sorry to hear about your Rheumatoid, my living with Osteo is bad enough and before my latest treatments we thought I had shown a bit of rheumatoid and it was extremely unpleasant.

Commuting to babysitting yob + 4 yo’s birthday party
 

Return trip tomorrow late (or the next, if invited to stay) - weather forecast says maybe the long way home with a side diversion, because it’s soooo darn nice. :)
Red is her favorite color. :thumb:
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Tadej Pogačar rode with 165 mm cranks to victory in both the 2024 and 2025 TDF. Consideration of shorter cranks has become de rigueur for reasons like aerodynamics or a higher cadence pedaling style, either by choice or due perhaps to age-related restrictions that have compromised range of motion. It's an idea you can play around with using a pair of crank shorteners. If so, something to consider is, you have to raise your saddle height 1 mm for every millimeter you take off the crank length.That may mean you need a new seat post and perhaps a new stem if you need to raise the handlebars. And, if your cables are already at the max...

Crankarm Length and Bike Fit: What You Need to Know https://share.google/64eHPzZKBJmTXfWuC

Addendum- results of an AI search on the matter for taller riders was as follows:

The tallest Tour de France rider known to use 165mm cranks is Niklas Behrens at 195 cm (6'5"). He was noted in an article from Escape Collective January 2025 as using this shorter crank length, which is unusual for a rider of his height.

A question for us oldsters =

Do you have any desire for hang gliding or parachuting or even an ultra-light plane?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d9ae9108f.jpeg
This a duo
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Lots of turns to descend near the landing spot
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An easy landing. And cheering from someone recording the landing (better than I)
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Tiger Mt, Issaquah, Washington.
also trailhead for Poo Poo Point.

www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/poo-poo-point

better pics available at other sites.

Not only NO, Hell NO!

I do not, but, that is mostly due to chronic spine and shoulder issues. If I was physically able, I could mentally be ready. My last such adventure was in Hawaii in 2017, parachuting from 14,000 ft, 45 second free fall, along with 3 friends.

@boomer58 I do not ride a catrike, but know of a woman who suffered shoulder injuries due to a pit bull attack, leaving her unable to ride a two-wheeled bike. She was an avid and experienced rider. She now rides a catrike. That speaks volumes to me, as no doubt she did her research before purchasing one. BTW--animal control did not remove the animal, last I heard it still lives at the house. What the hell does it take before a dog is removed. A dog near us has gone after 7 people (some walking their dogs) that I know of and animal control has not removed the dog. One person I know was told that unless attacks are more than 3-in the same year-that they won't remove the animal. What a crock!!

Multiple lawsuits against the owner of said dog for medical treatment, pain and suffering, and "mental anguish" should convince them to either restrain the animal or put it down.

Happened to me once riding a road bike and thankfully, a squirt from the water bottle in its face stopped a BIG dog in its tracks...

Usually it is not the dog that is the problem but the owner. I have a problem with people that have a retractable leash that do not reel their dogs in when they see you coming and they are on one side of the trail and the dog is 15 feet across the trail on the other side and here I come right down the middle.

couldn’t agree with you more. The two biggest problems I face on dedicated paths is, 1 earbuds. It’s useless to yell “on your left” to someone walking a dog but plugged into whatever they’re listening to. 2 And as you said retractable leashes are never a good idea. Having had dogs for the last 30 years that invention just begs for trouble. It’s simple but who is walking who? I’m firmly in the camp that there are rarely bad dogs, but when you see one it’s the owner who’s responsible for most bad behavior. A well trained dog is happier knowing who is in control. .

Or, “don’t worry, he/she’s friendly,” a common line used by folks who won’t take control of their dogs. I do most of my riding on rural back roads and dogs on the loose can be a problem. I’m always scanning for them when I ride by a house. Most of the time simply stopping and getting off the bike is enough - along with some firm words. Sometimes I have to brandish the bike as a weapon. I carry a can of spray when I’m riding in unfamiliar areas, but I’ve never had to use it.

I regard my rides as a service to older dogs who can keep pace with me as they amble along their property line woofing at me and reliving their glory years.

...can relate– routinely laughed at by roadrunners.

My newest ride:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7c0c24340.jpeg
45cm Wabi Classic with Sub 15 wheelset

Backstory - I’m vertically challenged (5’-2”) and it’s difficult for me to find classic bicycles with 700c wheels that fit me, because they have horizontal top tubes. This was the case with the Wabi Classic model, who’s smallest size has a 49cm c-c seat tube. Recently, Wabi added a 45cm c-t seat tube size Classic model with a sloping top tube, that fits me perfectly. It fits the same as the 650c wheel model that I bought 2-1/2 years ago, but the available selection of tires is much better. In particular, the widest 650c tire I could find was only 28mm, whereas the sky is the limit with 700c, and I've fitted the new bike with 700x32c tires. If you want to read more details on this bike see this post https://www.bikeforums.net/23597088-post100.html

Very nice!

Ciudad Las Vacas is a smaller city in eastern Tejas. Its full Castillian name is Ciudad Las Vacas de San Miguel, which derives from an old local ranch close to the old Mision San Miguel. The ranch became the centre of an important local livestock market, and the livestock market gave rise to the city. It is located in eastern Tejas on the Trinidad river, approximately where the city of Fort Worth stands. The land is flat to gently rolling, carved throughout by the area’s waterways, and the soil is rich. Ciudad Las Vacas is located very close to several large natural gas fields, and these form the basis of much of its modern economy, together with the helium which can be extracted from the gas.

Ahhhh, "...flat to gently rolling..." = explains the preponderance of single/fixed geared bikes.

Learning is key to understanding.

Historically, the first República de Tejas was a short-lived experiment in non-monarchical government founded in the 1828 as a reaction of the Mejican Creole aristocracy against both the liberal policies of the Kingdom of Castile and Leon and the Indian insurrection in Mejico once the Mechicas had gotten control of most Mejican territory and were moving north towards New Mejico and Tejas. In 1833 Mejico defeated the Tejians and claim Tejas as a Mejican province. Texas became a US state in 1845. Texas became a state on December 29, 1845, when it was admitted to the United States as the 28th state.Texas became a state on December 29, 1845, when it was admitted to the United States as the 28th state.Texas became a state on December 29, 1845, when it was admitted to the United States as the 28th state.

The city of Fort Worth is also know as Cowtown, which translates into Spanish as Ciudad de Vacas (City of Cows). Fort Worth is called "Cowtown" because, after the Civil War, it became a crucial hub for Texas cattle drives, with cowboys herding millions of cattle through the city along the Chisholm Trail to reach northern markets.

Am I crazy for wanting to buy a custom bike?
 

I just turned 75. My cycling frequency has dropped for a few years. I used to ride 2000 miles per year and got close to 3000 one year. About 12-15 years ago I bought a carbon bike (Fuji Gran Fondo 2) because I thought it would be more comfortable than my Fuji aluminum bike. Well, it isn’t!! There is a local bike builder in the Sacramento area, Steve Rex, who has a good reputation for making fine bikes. Am I crazy for wanting him to build a steel bike for me that will be comfortable, stable, responsive, etc? I want it to be old school-rim brakes, silver components, lugs, brifters (I know,not old school friction), etc. I want to get back to longer miles but I want to be comfortable (including drops almost at saddle level). If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to ride it for ten years. Money is no problem. Oh, I own the Fuji, a Yuba Mundo cargo, a Bike Friday Pocket Rocket, an Easy Rider Tour Easy, and a Raleigh Sojourn touring bike.

The steel framed bike you describe sounds A LOT like an older LeMond Alpe d'Huez. A friend up the street has one and though it's small (he's jockey size), I rode it, and if it had fit, I'd have bought it. Reynolds 853 steel frame. So smooooooth. If you could find one, could save some major change over having one built. In looking it up, seems many of those older LeMonds used 853 steel. Not lugged, but if you rode one, probably wouldn't care!

IMO custom is the way to go if you want a perfect fit. I don't know your builder; I think key to a perfect custom build is about 3/4 determining what you need and 1/4 building it.

Loved all of mine but not a fit for everyone... very long top bar.

I bought my forever bike years back. Custom from small builder who listened, fitted me, made me smile - continues to make me smile. Lugged steel, my colorway, etc, etc.
Just do it. Then get a jersey befitting your age.
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Go for it. You won’t regret it