65-85+ Thread
07-01-11, 12:13 AM
#753
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
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Bikes: Rans Stratus, Trek 1420, Rivendell Rambouillet
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I remember Alfred. Yes, that does date us a bit.
I'm not yet retired, and have not been commuting regularly. But today was different. It was the last day of my work week, so I rode to work (about 20 km), worked until 1:00 PM, then rode to a 20-hour Haz-Woper class that I had 2 employees taking. I wanted to see what the instructor was like. Well, I went back up the Portland Hills through Forest Park, taking a longer but less steep route back than in the morning. I ended up with 54 km today. I'm not really that sore either, so I'm pretty happy about the day. Tomorrow, we (my wife and I) will sleep in, relax with breakfast, and do some hiking in the Columbia Gorge.
John
PS--I just joined this group last December.
I'm not yet retired, and have not been commuting regularly. But today was different. It was the last day of my work week, so I rode to work (about 20 km), worked until 1:00 PM, then rode to a 20-hour Haz-Woper class that I had 2 employees taking. I wanted to see what the instructor was like. Well, I went back up the Portland Hills through Forest Park, taking a longer but less steep route back than in the morning. I ended up with 54 km today. I'm not really that sore either, so I'm pretty happy about the day. Tomorrow, we (my wife and I) will sleep in, relax with breakfast, and do some hiking in the Columbia Gorge.
John
PS--I just joined this group last December.
07-01-11, 03:34 PM
#754
Life is good
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not far from the Withlacoochee Trail. 🚴🏻
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I always liked these guys.
__________________
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
07-01-11, 08:05 PM
#755
Senior Member
I think this is giving a misleading representation of what I meant because it was in response to a post from a previous page on this thread. When I replied, it put my response as the last post. Sorry about the confusion as it wasn't meant as a reply to Again's post.
I have to agree that you can only do what your body tells you and pushing yourself can sometimes become disastrous. I don't know if it has to do with genetics or what (both my parents lived into their mid 90's) but excluding the two cancers, I have been fortunate to have been in excellent cardiovascular health. I will be 65 in October and push myself on every ride until the ride starts to push back. At that point, I concede to the ride and stay at a point where I am still comfortable with myself and the ride. This past month has been really difficult for me to ride every day, as I normally do, and I'll have to start pushing myself again to get back what I have lost. But I intend to do it gradually.
I have to agree that you can only do what your body tells you and pushing yourself can sometimes become disastrous. I don't know if it has to do with genetics or what (both my parents lived into their mid 90's) but excluding the two cancers, I have been fortunate to have been in excellent cardiovascular health. I will be 65 in October and push myself on every ride until the ride starts to push back. At that point, I concede to the ride and stay at a point where I am still comfortable with myself and the ride. This past month has been really difficult for me to ride every day, as I normally do, and I'll have to start pushing myself again to get back what I have lost. But I intend to do it gradually.
07-01-11, 08:10 PM
#756
Senior Member
Greetings fellow seniors. I'm 65 today, so I thought I'd check in here. Been riding and racing bikes for 40 years or so. Done most of the disciplines of road, track (velodrome), cyclocross, mtb. Last 5 years I've focused on master's track with some decent results in last year's national championships in Frisco, TX; 6th in sprints, 8th in 500m TT, 4th in 60+ team sprint (3 riders). Currently I'm off the bike recovering from double inguinal hernia surgery I had 17 days ago; had to wait until this month to have it done under Medicare, since I was retired and uninsured prior to this time. I'm a total bike nut with 19 bikes, including 7 that are track / fixed gear and several very old custom-built steel lugged framesets. Looking forward to more posts in this thread and interaction with you kids. 
07-01-11, 09:21 PM
#757
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Beaverton, Oregon
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Give him a break, and welcome an October 65th birthday.
07-03-11, 05:35 PM
#758
Senior Member
I have been going less miles on my rides and upped the intensity so today I did 15 miles in 45 minutes into a slight headwind on my way home of a 42 mile ride. Felt strong and could have done more but turned off for the last 4 miles to home.
First time this year of hitting this mark. Riding less this year than i want but seem to have kept my endurance.
First time this year of hitting this mark. Riding less this year than i want but seem to have kept my endurance.
07-06-11, 07:29 AM
#759
Icantre Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: the Bayou City perpetually under construction
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Bikes: 2001 DBR Axis TT, 1998 Trek 5500 OCLV, 1993 Trek 1100, 1971 Raleigh Grand Prix, 1972 Gitane Attic Beater
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I admire what most of you guys are trying to do but please adopt a little common sense, or maybe adopt a little pet monkey named "common sense" cause "I'll have to start pushing myself again to get back what I have lost. But I intend to do it gradually" may not work unless you own or have unlimited access to a fully working time machine with an excellent reverse gear. Like sort of a back to the future bicycle or something...jeesh.
Pace yourselves, guys, cause after all it is that time. They were trying to warn us.
Pace yourselves, guys, cause after all it is that time. They were trying to warn us.
Last edited by stonefree; 07-06-11 at 07:35 AM. Reason: cause I'm surrounded
07-06-11, 07:40 AM
#760
I admire what most of you guys are trying to do but please adopt a little common sense, or maybe adopt a little pet monkey named "common sense" cause "I'll have to start pushing myself again to get back what I have lost. But I intend to do it gradually" may not work unless you own or have unlimited access to a fully working time machine with an excellent reverse gear. Like sort of a back to the future bicycle or something...jeesh.
Pace yourselves, guys, cause after all it is that time. They were trying to warn us.
Pace yourselves, guys, cause after all it is that time. They were trying to warn us.
"If you can't compete with the Joneses, bring the Joneses down to your level"????
07-06-11, 06:27 PM
#761
Off your Donkey, lets go
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Gardens, Roses & Orchids. Bulacan The Philippines and Red Mountain, Ca. USA
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Ya, I slowed down!
Two hours in the gym three times a week pushing some big weights and putting the young folks to shame.
Three rides a week of about 20 miles each and three full Yoga Routines. Plus following Baseball and Rugby.
Sure will be glad when I get old, this exercising is killing me.
Life's Great, Enjoy
Two hours in the gym three times a week pushing some big weights and putting the young folks to shame.
Three rides a week of about 20 miles each and three full Yoga Routines. Plus following Baseball and Rugby.
Sure will be glad when I get old, this exercising is killing me.
Life's Great, Enjoy
07-08-11, 01:23 PM
#762
Senior Member
Since I went off the bike early May due to injury there has been major atrophy of my muscles and conditioning. It will be at least another couple weeks, depending on surgery schedules, before I even get surgery. After that I expect to be SLOW and SHORT DISTANCE. But, that is OK. I know that I will be able to do the rehab.
But, I don't see the doc, probably just his PA, until next Wed so all is speculation until then.
But, I don't see the doc, probably just his PA, until next Wed so all is speculation until then.
07-09-11, 09:42 AM
#763
Veteran Racer
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Ciudad de Vacas, Tejas
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A belated 65th birthday present
Yesterday I received a belated 65th birthday present, 11 days after my birthday and exactly 4 weeks after my hernia surgery. It's my 20th bicycle and the first ever with 650c wheels. I'm quite short at 5'-3" and it has always been a problem finding bicycles with 700c wheels that both fit properly and had sensible geometry. This bike is a Wabi Lightning fixed gear that weighs a mere 15.2 lbs as shown in the photos. The frame is a bit small for me, as it is intended for riders in the 4'-9" to 5'-3" range, and I fall at the upper end. Nonetheless, the setup fits me properly with a cockpit size that matches my other bikes. Given that I'm still recovering from my hernia operation, I've only been able to ride it gently around the block in my neighborhood, so I can't provide a detailed evaluation. If any of you shorter persons, especially women, are interested in more details please feel free to PM me.
07-09-11, 11:29 AM
#764
A fixie!! I wouldn't even get on a fixie. I did learn to bike, however, in the 1940's, on a single speed (didn't we all?)
It looks GREAT. Enjoy.
It looks GREAT. Enjoy.
Last edited by DnvrFox; 07-09-11 at 11:57 AM.
07-09-11, 05:59 PM
#766
Veteran Racer
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Well, I've been racing track for 35 years, so riding fixed comes naturally to me. I don't call it a "fixie", only hipster posers do that. It was also very popular in the 1970s and 1980s for road racers to ride fixed during the winter months in a very low 60-65 gear range to get their spin back after grinding huge gears in races. It's actually very kind to your knees if you do it right, keeping the gear low enough to maintain a good cadence of at least 90 rpm on the flats. I've chosen a gearing that lets me maintain 19 mph at 90 rpm, which I can do comfortably, and still allows me to handle any hills that we have where I live. Also, it helps clean up your pedalling technique, so you pedal in circles instead of squares. Riding a multi-speed geared bike allows you to get lazy, and when I ride I want to get some exercise benefit out of it.
07-09-11, 07:10 PM
#767
Life is good
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not far from the Withlacoochee Trail. 🚴🏻
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Nice looking bike. 
Not my style but to each his own.
Not my style but to each his own.
__________________
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
07-10-11, 02:44 AM
#769
Off your Donkey, lets go
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Wow, nice bikes.
Enjoy
Enjoy
07-10-11, 07:11 AM
#770
Life is good
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Not far from the Withlacoochee Trail. 🚴🏻
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Very nice. Maybe you should talk to my wife. When I had 3 bikes she said it was too many. 
__________________
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. - Psalm 103:8
I am a cyclist. I am not the fastest or the fittest. But I will get to where I'm going with a smile on my face.
07-11-11, 09:37 AM
#774
Century bound
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Mesa Arizona
Posts: 2,262
Bikes: Felt AR4 and Cannondale hybrid
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Well, I've been racing track for 35 years, so riding fixed comes naturally to me. I don't call it a "fixie", only hipster posers do that. It was also very popular in the 1970s and 1980s for road racers to ride fixed during the winter months in a very low 60-65 gear range to get their spin back after grinding huge gears in races. It's actually very kind to your knees if you do it right, keeping the gear low enough to maintain a good cadence of at least 90 rpm on the flats. I've chosen a gearing that lets me maintain 19 mph at 90 rpm, which I can do comfortably, and still allows me to handle any hills that we have where I live. Also, it helps clean up your pedalling technique, so you pedal in circles instead of squares. Riding a multi-speed geared bike allows you to get lazy, and when I ride I want to get some exercise benefit out of it.
You won't get lazy doing the ride I did yesterday on a multi-speed bike. lots of 10,11,and 12% grades for about 9 miles. I took my old 1985 Cannondale hy-bird just for fun yesterday. Tomorrow I will do it on my road bike, a Felt AR4. https://connect.garmin.com/activity/98287823
07-11-11, 03:16 PM
#775
Veteran Racer
Join Date: Jul 2009
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You won't get lazy doing the ride I did yesterday on a multi-speed bike. lots of 10,11,and 12% grades for about 9 miles. I took my old 1985 Cannondale hy-bird just for fun yesterday. Tomorrow I will do it on my road bike, a Felt AR4. https://connect.garmin.com/activity/98287823
