Robert Foster

I just got back into riding this year and from reading some of these forums it can seem like nothing has changed much in 18 years. Yes the bikes are better and the equipment is better but are we enjoying riding any more? What happened to riding just because you like to ride? Let me be honest when I read the post about returning riders I did see a lot of good posts about what you should look for. I would like to add the expected “but” here however. Much of the advice is geared towards someone who will be riding a senior century before the years is out. Is that what motivated many of us to get back into riding bikes?

I just want to know how others feel about this issue? I went out and bought a Giant Revive LX a few weeks ago and I enjoy riding just because I still can. I haven’t been on a bike in maybe 19 years and a lot has changed with bikes and with me. The bikes are better and I am out of shape and not likely to get back into the same shape I was in 20 years ago. I am retired and enjoying it. Why then did I get a bike, because I like riding it. I ride it to play Table tennis. I ride it to make small trips to the store. I ride it to the post office. I even ride it to the bike shop to get it serviced or buy some accessory I just have to have. The bike is comfortable and easy on my older out of shape body. But when I read forums about people getting back into cycling it sounds more like recruitment for the next bicycle racing team for 7-11. I went out to join a group of men that ride three times a week in connection with our LBS. There were two groups leaving in the morning, one was full of men that looked for all the world like they were ready for a 25-mile sprint before breakfast. The other was supposed to be a bit easier, so I joined in. Most of the group I was riding with had hybrids or recumbent bikes, I believe the proper term is “bents”? I have to say thank goodness for the kindness of one of the men I was following. I could keep up pretty well on the flat but having never ridden a bike like the Revive LX before I sucked going up hill. My sedentary life and extra weight didn’t help at all nor did my sorry technique. But I did make it the 25 miles and was sore for the next three days.

I guess I have said all of this to find out what motivates others in the over 50 group to get back into cycling? I will join the men on their morning ride again after my vacation. I haven’t given up on group rides. To me the joy is in the riding not the training and sometimes I wonder if people welcoming us back into the fold realize that?

What motivates other returning riders?

Rober

I ride because I enjoy riding. I have been on a bike often in the last 25 years, but I have never been on a bike that was less than (now) 25 years old. Yes, the equipment/technology is much better. But I still ride to ride - not to race, or to make "personal bests," or to go higher/faster/longer. I like staying fit and weighing what I weighed in high school, more or less. I still wouldn't feel up to joining a group - I just don't like to have to keep up with others, nor do I like to compete with other riders (even in subtle ways), or get dropped by them. I just really like riding my bike, and do it as often as I can. I hope you keep riding, because it sounds like that is what you like to do too.

maddmaxx 

I ride because it is fun.........................but I ride because it is more fun than jogging, lifting weights, doing pushups/situps. I ride to explore new places.................................but some of those places are 10 miles out in the woods. I ride because it is fun.......................but it is more fun to be in shape to ride.

Is it a hobby? I build my own bikes. I even build bikes for others. I do not compete in races or ride in groups.....................but I rarely ride to the coffee shop. (that is reserved for vacations). Part of the fun is to challenge myself to ride better then before.

By the way............why can't you get back into the shape you were 20 years ago. Many of us are actually in better shape then we were 20 years ago. It won't happen overnight but it can be done. That is the most fun of all.

Not all here race. Read the post "Ah finally" about Tom's wanderings in the woods. Some race, its how they measure their progress. Some count smiles, its how they measure their fun. The best thing about the 50+ forum is diversity. There are lots of different reasons for being here.

It does happen to be the beginning of get out and ride season for most of us though so don't be surprised when we brag a little.

Artkansas 

I never left. Bicycling is just the right way to get around. My car is rotting in the parking lot.

I've done a century now, because I didn't do one as a youth. But frankly, that kind of stuff takes too much time.

Now I work more for a bicycle advocacy group. I get to hang out with bicyclists, but don't have to ride with them. And I'm helping improve bicycling for everyone in my state.

I've bought a variety of bikes. A chopper, a recumbent, a huge trailer and am restoring my 10 speed. I allow myself to have fun with bicycling. I don't have to be so serious. I ride in parades

I don't have any meters on any of my bikes. Instead I've worked to develop my inner calibration. I don't know my maximum heart rate, I don't know my cadence rpm, or my cruising speed, but I do know how fast I can go continuously, not in mph, but rather at a gut level, so I don't push myself too hard and have to ease off, panting. This is not a stable setting, and ebbs slightly and expands slightly depending on what I have been doing. But the heart and lungs are calibrated to each other.

10 Wheels

The joy is in riding. As I got stronger I wanted to go longer and further.
Group rides are fun. Fun to talk too and see the other riders and bikes.
I ride with a group of 4 to 9 retired folks. We do 75 miles 5 to 6 days each week.

Jet Travis

I'm in it for the groupies.

DnvrFox

Different strokes for different folks.

Nothing wrong with that, which is why the sticky "returning to bicycling" thread has a wide array and range of input and suggestions.

I STARTED bicycling at 58 years old. Prior to that, I had a beater bicycle all along, but my longest ride was 7 miles.

And, YES, I am in better shape than I was 20 years ago - by far - even at 68 years old, and you can be, also.

And, I love almost ALL types of bicycling. I go to the store with my mtn bike and panniers. I ride to church. I lead senior rides. I like to ride 40-50 miles.

I don't particularly enjoy hammering with the "guys" - but, on the other hand, given the situation, I will give it a shot and try to keep up.

I also weight lift, swim, walk, have a singing group and do a lot of volunteer work.

Personally, I think you are under rating yourself and what you can do, perhaps because you haven't really given other types of bicycling a fair chance, or really are NOT in shape yet.

Give yourself some time.

Many returning bicyclers go through a cycle - comfort or hybrid - then moving on to something else, such as a roadie or doing more challenging mtn biking. And, yes, for a lot of folks, a Century is a desired goal, or a supported week long ride, or unsupported touring, or racing. Isn't it GREAT what folks 50+ can accomplish?

My motives? - FUN, EXERCISE, PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT, SOLITUDE AND TIME TO THINK, BEING WITH PEOPLE, GOING FAST, GOING SLOW, BEING IN NATURE, EXPLORING and many other things.

mandovoodoo

It's been an on and off thing for me. Sometimes other stuff takes precedence. Law school led to me doing lots of scootering, for example. Park, then scooter to school.

I'm a better rider. I'm more conscious of form and fit. I don't train per se, but I'm in good enough shape to do what I need to do. I used to do lots of long distance work and I have no doubt that any day of the week I could get up and ride a century. Don't know where that time would come from, and I'd get bored!

Does seem to be an emphasis on artificial goals and equipment. I don't have a cyclometer. I don't have GPS. I do get "lost" sometimes, but I know the terrain well enough to figure things out. In equipment, I have pretty good stuff. Works well. I tinker with it to get it working right. The advances in gear clearly make things a bit easier for me to ride fast and hard. For mellow riding, doesn't make much difference. My utility bike has bar ends, rack, fenders. Steel. Not much different from 30 years ago. I even turned off the indexing for the rear and hardly noticed! But for fast work, the new stuff is so good it makes me want to ride just for the thrill.

NoRacer

Fixed that for you.

donheff

I got into riding for reasons similar to yours. I always had a beater around but rarely used it. Then my wife got excited about taking a fully supported tour in Italy. I tried it and loved it so we started riding regularly. Then we bought better bikes and started taking 20-30 mile rides a few times a week. Then I read "Younger Next Year" and realized I could use riding to help me get in better shape than I was 20 years ago. And that worked. I still ride just because it is fun.

BluesDawg

I've been back in it for about 16 years. You might say I do it to stay healthy and to help keep my weight under control. But mostly I do it because I love to ride. There are many different types of riders and motivations and many levels of performance among the 50+ forum posters as there are in bicycling. I enjoy reading about people who are riding longer, harder and faster than I care to do and I enjoy reading about people doing shorter, easier and slower rides than what I enjoy.

My club focuses a lot on bringing new people into riding and I have seen that many times the people who start out intimidated by the speed and endurance they perceive about the average riders will quickly transform into the ones who want to go faster and further and climb more hills. As you gain in fitness and enthusiasm, your abilities and your perceptions change. We don't all change at the same rate and we don't all progress to the same level, but we all change.

Hang in there. Find the rides you like and go with it. Don't feel that you have to achieve certain things if they hold no appeal to you, but at the same time, don't be limited by labeling yourself and setting artificial limits. Just go with the flow and see where it takes you.

wink

I ride for the fun of riding. Also helps stay in shape. My wife rides a Revive DX and loves it. But it is flat where we live. She has back trouble and that is the only bike she has found that she can ride for and hour or so with out pain. I like it also but ride other bikes. Just have fun.

Wink

PaulH

I got back in because driving to work and parking was too arduous given the traffic and shortage of parking spots in the metro DC area. My wife had given me a hybrid for my birthday about five years earlier, and it was sitting in the basement, having only been ridden a few times. Once I started using the bike to get to work and shop, I descovered that it was not only easier than driving, but more fun. Cycling is the way motoring was in the 1960s - fresh air, adventure, freedom of motion.

Paul

bab2000

I ride because my wife makes me.

As empty-nesters, she wanted US to have a common interest, and returning to the things we did together before children, biking was common ground. But she did not like her present bike, and I made the decision to replace that mistake (result of insurance replacement because original bikes were stolen), by letting HER pick out the next rider.

Having been away for a period of time, I was impressed with the newer technology, was surprised by the kindness and knowledge of the LBS s visited, and her determination to return to riding.

Even thought i had forgotten how to ride when test rode a Townie, not realizing the pedals were really forward.

Anyways, with her encouragement, we started to ride again, almost nightly, and then business got in the way, and I had to travel out of town 4 or 5 days at a time. Calling home nightly, she told me were she road, and who she saw. I was actually jealous. So when returned on Friday nights, could not wait to get on my ride and then is when I really learned how much I enjoyed it.

Riding together is a joy, riding solo is an escape, riding for a fund raiser is rewarding, riding with a group allows me to measure my progress or lack of.

A goal is to ride a century again, (rode several in my early twenties, even as a Clyde), also to travel the country with bikes and experience other communities from the view of a bike.

Yes, they say "once you learn to ride a bike, you never forget how" or something like that. But in reality , for me at least, riding is that return to my youth, being carefree, and with the wind, enjoying life, and the company of others with a same found love of just riding ones bike, regardless...

Enjoy and welcome back, it is OK to be a little competitive, even with yourself.

Robert Foster

These are some great responses. It helps to realize that there are others that simply like to see the world as they ride through it. I never wanted to indicate that there was anything wrong with riding to push your self or to get in better shape. I realize that done correctly it is almost a natural result of the hobby or sport depending on how you look at it.

I know I will enjoy riding even more as I get back into shape and shed some of the extra baggage I have acquired in 20 years. I only mentioned not getting into the shape I was 20 years ago because I was in very good shape then and it is hard to imagine duplicating that level. I would ride almost every day and put in at least 15 miles. About once a month we would ride from Riverside to Newport Beach and quite often with a group of friends. And like many now at the LBS Friday morning rides we might push ourselves the whole way. Like many others I have several bikes for several different reasons. I also commuted to work on a bike and even after we moved I would only drive half way and ride the last 20 miles just to keep in shape and because I enjoyed it.

It is just good to hear that there are still plenty of others that enjoy riding just to ride. I plan on sticking with the sport and even have started to consider getting another bike, make even restoring a mountain bike, to expand the riding experience. I look forward to riding now rather that worry about not keeping up.

John E

Like "Arkansas," I could not "come back to cycling," because I never left. Many forum regulars know my story, which started as an overweight klutz devoid of any natural athletic talent. I could finally balance a bicycle the summer I turned 12 and got a used 1950s era black 2-speed Schwinn middleweight, followed that Christmas by a bottom-of-the-line Bianchi road bike. From that point on, I was hooked. As a UCLA freshman, I joined the Earth Action Council, which promoted bicycles for transportation. I explored the Santa Monica Mountains and Pacific Coast Highway, eventually being talked into the impossible, a double century, by a 50-year old ex-Marine with a PhD in physics, who became my cycling mentor and part-time employer. That June 1972 12 hr. 18 min. double century remains my single significant athletic achievement. I have accumulated an estimated 100k miles / 160k km of cycling experience and enjoyed every minute of it, with the obvious exception of being left-crossed by a motorist in 1976 and waking up at the UCLA medical center with a concussion, facial lacerations (the permanent "dueling scar" over my left cheekbone), and a double fracture of the left clavicle.

Perhaps because I have kept up recreational and transportation cycling for 45 years, with at least some time in the saddle almost every week during that period, I still favor the traditional road bike, with drop handlebar, tensioned leather saddle, friction shifting (downtube or barcon), toeclips and straps, etc. As some of you know, I am very active in the "Classic and Vintage" forum.

Cycling has been the key to my cardiovascular health and weight control, an environmentally and economically sensible means of transportation, a slick way to circumnavigate urban traffic congestion, a wonderful socializer in person and now in cyberspace, a delightful outlet for my desire to tinker with things mechanical, and the only sport I have ever truly deeply loved. My passion for cycling has fueled my interest in politics, and I have worked with the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition to improve conditions for cyclists.

Rick@OCRR

Like Arkansas and John E . . . I never left. Got into it good in '68 and been at it ever since.

Motives:

Excitement! It's a fun sport that is challenging, somewhat competitive (but not always) and fascinating on both physical and mechanical sides.

Identity: I define myself as A Cyclist, see the world through cyclist's eyes, and judge myself by the kind of cylist I have become.

Security: I've made my living in the bicycle industry for almost 50 years, and I love the commercial challenges and get on great with others in this industry.

Rick / OCRR

JanMM

I returned to riding bikes at age 23, having stopped at age 15. (I had been a kid riding a bike, not a "cyclist".) Been riding ever since. So, I don't know how it is to "return" as a middle-aged guy but I do know that I learned at 23 that bicycling is fun. It's still fun at 58. It's a lot of other stuff, too, of course, but the major ingredient is ya-hoo, whee-ha, boy howdy!

oldride

I've always done some cycling but the amount varied over the years. Last year I decided to do some club rides. I enjoyed them but work got in the way so I only did a few. This year I'm not working and doing much more riding. I recently struggled with some health issues and could not enjoy the club rides. I'm feeling much better and plan to ride with the group again starting Monday. I ride because I love it and the exercise. I enjoy club rides once or twice a week but also enjoy riding by myself.

I recently did some mods to an older MTB which I am now using as a utilty bike. I've really enjoyed running errands and doing some of my shopping on the bike. That adds another level of fun for me. Using the bike as a utility vehicle really reminds of my youth and I see more and more possibilties.

With gas prices, the economy and the environment issues I would love to see more people riding in my town but the auto is still king here.

PirateJim

I suppose I never really “left” bicycling, since I’ve always had a bike since I was a little kid. However, I count the day I “returned” to be about two years ago now when I decided I really needed to turn my fat slovenly sedentary lifestyle around. Okay, I’m still sorta slovenly, but going out to the garage that day and pumping up the tires on my Trek Navigator and then hitting the road has done wonders for the fat and sedentary part.

It takes a while. For months I pretty much rode as far as I could, returning home uncertain which hurt worse, my legs or my backside. I thought Navigators were supposed to be “comfort” bikes! But slowly “as far as I could” got farther and farther, and eventually time constraints came into play and I began limiting myself to an hour most days with longer rides sometimes on weekends.

The cool part is that somewhere in there I morphed from forcing myself to go “get my exercise” to really looking forward to my ride. I’ve shed about 50 pounds and feel and look so much better it’s amazing.

I found this forum when I started seriously researching another bike which I finally bought a couple of months ago. (Trek Pilot 5.0) Now the exercise and continued advances in fitness remain some of my primary motivating factors, but I also ride for the fun of it. Riding the Pilot is a lot more “athletic” than riding the Navigator, and I’m having fun working myself up to the point of being at least a fairly decent roadie, though I currently have no Century aspirations.

For myself, the answer is yes, since 18 years ago I wasn’t having much fun as evidenced by the fact I left my bike sitting in the garage on flat tires most of the time. If the question is more general and applied to the whole bicycling community, I would venture to guess the answer is no. People who were “into it” 18 years ago probably had as much fun with the sport/game/recreation that is bicycling then as we do now. We just have the benefit of being able to do it a bit easier/faster/lighter because of the advances.

The underlying point is that these forums are largely populated by people who are “into it” currently; hobbyists if you will (and some pros). I suspect that the vast majority of people who just ride for the pure pleasure of being out in the air and sun on a bike never would seek out a site such as this. They’re off reading about fishing or golf or hunting or quilting or whatever they think of as their hobby. Thus many posts will be about goals that people are working toward or reports about trips or events that people have participated in. Ride reports like “I went out yesterday after work and rode three times around the neighborhood in forty-five minutes with three stops the shoot the breeze with friends I spotted along the way.” are going to be rare.

CACycling

After 30 years of riding an average of 10 miles a year, I acidentally returned to cycling last September. I was working on an old MTB that was replacing the bike I'd given my son and during that process I discovered (actually, much of it was rediscovered) the following:

Riding is fun. Riding is getting me back into shape. Riding to work releaves stress and saves gas. Riding is an activity that my wife and I enjoy doing together on a regular basis. Riding alows me to enjoy the beautiful area we call home. Riding farther than I've ridden before lets me know that I'll ride even farther in the future. Riding gives me an excuse to work on bikes. Riding is fun!

maddmaxx 

Pirate Jim has a good point. It is unlikely that I will post that I spent about 30 minutes yesterday trying to relearn how to ride for more than about 2 seconds (and 25 heart beats) without touching my handlebars. I did just that.

How is it that something that was so simple when I was a kid has become impossible at 62.

wrk101

I'm in it to get back in shape, after 30+ years of a desk job. I retired, and as the lbs added up, and the BP crept up, I knew I had to do something.

The mileage for me is all about the fitness improvement.

wobblyoldgeezer

A good question, and already (no doubt more to come) plenty of good responses.

Statisticians (Tom?) might be able to quantify and aggregate the answers, but as a rough guess -

Some here might be in the camp of "Never tried this until later in life, I like it, it makes me feel good, and I can feel the health benefits, it makes me feel younger, maybe I should buy a better bike"

Others might be in the camp of "I've done this since I was a kid, I like it, it makes me feel good, I can feel the health benefits, and I'm going to ride till I pass out or until I'm faster than when I was younger, maybe I should buy a better bike, the garage is full but the spare bedroom still has room for a couple more"

The intersection of the 2 groups is probably found over apple pie after a nice ride with good friends.

Endorphins and coffee add to the experience.

The Weak Link

Babes. I do it for the babes. They think I'm cute in bib shorts.

I rode in order to keep up with my son. It's a lost cause now.

I love getting outdoors and seeing the scenery. Which doesn't explain why I ride sometimes in the dead of winter when they're nothing to be seen.

But I mainly ride so I have something to do with the thousands of dollars of bike equipment I have on hand.