Please tell us your age. 59

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

ICE Q recumbent tadpole trike

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Nothing. I have a pretty healthy diet


3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I'm in better shape now than 15 years ago, but obviously injury and exercise recovery times are much longer than when I was a kid.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I've owned bikes on and off since I was a kid, but my trike is the first one I've put more than 1000 miles On. In 2009,I was 218 lb, very unfit, and decided to build up to going car free.
I lost around 25 lb, before life intervened in late 2011.

I started riding again this year, after changing country and lifestyle a year ago.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
Some pure transport rides for shopping and so on. I idea 2 to 4 times a week, 100 to 200 miles at the moment.
I did my longest ever ride in September (65 miles), and did 150km and 161 km rides in October. I'm planning to ride at least 1 century every few weeks from here on out, hopefully building up to a weekly 200km ride.

I answered the stock questions... then complied the answers in paragraph form:

I am in my mid-60's. Primary I ride an entry level alloy road bike I bought new in 2010. But I also have a couple vintage road bikes and a mountain bike. I am not big on pill taking. I take a multi-vitamin, B vitamin, glucosamine, and a low-dose aspirin... but I don't take any of them daily. Just from time-to-time. I haven't slowed much...yet... if any in the last 25 years.

I was very active as a cyclist in the early 1960's.... then rediscovered cycling in the early '80's for a while. Returned to cycling briefly in the late '90's. Then after retirement returned to cycling again about four years ago. Mostly I just do road riding... some bicycle paths. 20-25 mile rides. I ride a solid 2000 miles a year. Maybe the mountain bike will allow me some more winter miles this year. That was/is my hope.

I am a 51 year old with type II diabetes. One of the reasons I started ridding was to loose weight and get my blood sugar under control. Here is the answer to the questions:

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Trek Verve 3, which is a hybrid. I love the confortable sitting position.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
One A Day 50+ for men.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I have actually greatly increased my speed thanks to loosing 60 pounds, buying a decent bike, riding 5-days a week, and changing from mallet pedals to clipless.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
Bike was my primary mode of transportation up to the age 16. I also bike a little in my early 20s. Restarted biking about 4 years ago.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
I typcally ride 20 to fourty miles on the rail-to-trails. Made a cou;le of longer rides this year including riding 80 miles in a day from Ohio-Pyle PA to the Point in PIttsburgh.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
5 days a week weather permitting. This year I biked 2200 miles.

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
Kayaking in rivers and creeks upto class 3. Walking around the mall when I cannot get out to ride.

I turned 50 earlier this year. Hard to believe. Stressed me out a bit for the first months. Better now.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Santa Cruz Tallboy
Santa Cruz Highball
Surly Krampus
Cannondale SuperSix


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Nothing special. Endurolytes and ATP during or after especially taxing outings. Lots of steamed beets, raw garlic and olive oil keeps the motor running.



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
Probably some, but not much. Just this year I started to track my activities via Strava, which should provide a clear answer to that question in a few seasons.



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
Raced amateur road bikes in my teens/early twenties. Got caught up in climbing and mountaineering shortly thereafter, a fascination that lasted until age 45. Picked up the riding again, and added mountain biking.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
By heart I'm a road biker, but tiring of the same 3 or 4 routes I turned to mountain biking at a late age, maybe 3 years ago? Hard skill to learn. My favorite activity is multi-day adventure rides aka bikepacking. I do only 3 or 4 organized, recreational events per year. I commute but it is 1/2 mile long.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
These days I ride 65% mtb, 35% road, totaling 4000 miles/year, or on average 3 times a week.


7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
Hiking. Happens when the trail is too hard to ride.

Welcome - it is a bit hard to remember 25 years ago. Thanks for the memories!

I like this string. Makes me feel normal again! Aside from having the new problem of forgetting.

I am 53

I ride a Fondriest xstatus 16.50 with SRAM Red group. I figure the older I get I should have a better bike. Have had a Giordana Strata, Atala. I like steel.

Supplements. Glucosamine, b complex, fish oil, and L-arginine, and a healthy(ish) low fat diet.

slowed down? Some. I give myself a day off when I am tired. Suppose the years have thought me to listen to my body.

Rode everywhere as a kid. Ran cross country in HS and College but went back to biking when knees and hips began to show the toll of pounding. Started riding everywhere again except the years we lived in Alaska. It has been a thread in my living.

Most of my riding has been road. These days most rides are 30 to 50 miles. When I have had time to build miles I like to get up to 75 + and century rides. I love climbing and rolling along the flats too. Weekly average is 100+ but not consistent. Work gets in the way too often. Don't keep track of yearly mileage probably 2500? I am coming up on 10,000 on the Fondriest and have had it for 4 years.

i figure I just keep pounding out the miles and enjoy all of it I can. Family genetics have blessed me with heart disease and a double bypass a few years ago. All the cross country running ground down the cartilage in my knees but riding is not a problem.

Seems important to be to keep a riding bucket list: 300 mile week, ride Yellowstone NP, Colorado passes (riding over Rocky Mountain NP this summer), ride to Alaska...some cool rides to plan and do.

64 years and still pumpin' them pedals! I had to build my self a real cycle truck last year because I couldn't find one like to buy at any price.

After a heart attack 2 years ago I had to loose 80 lbs, now it's easy to commute 4 days a week in the worst weather (about 8 miles each). Three stints and I have more energy than before!

I will keep pedaling until the end!




http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=356346

1. 62 I ride 2 fixed gears bikes, Miyata and Bianchi 70" late ion the season, Peugeot 2000, Battaglin 13.

2.No.

3. Fitter than I've ever been.

4. All my life but more seriously in the last 5-6 years.

5. 20k-160k or this time of year on the "rig"....mostly just ride hard. Yea, I know but it's my nature.

6. > 5000K on the road last year but ride 3-4X /wk on road or in the gym.

Cool name, dude.

Thank You Dnvrfox. I am sorry for responding so late. I had not seen your Welcome message.

Pat

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

2014 Pinarello Rokh



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

yes



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

most definitely, then again my energy comes back up as i become active. energy creates energy.



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

biked alot when i was younger. (10-30 years ago)

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

long rides


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

couple times a week. (70 miles a week to start)


If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things.

will be 51 in june

Welcome to the 50+ Forum Rokh Hard, nice bike and choice of a screen name, too.

Bill

Amended Bike profie
 

When I joined this forum I was riding a Schwinn 'Merge' - a dept store hybrid. It was a great starter bike and served to spark my love for the sport of cycling.
After a year of riding the hybrid, I decided to go for a true road bike and scored a Motobecane Aluminum bike from BikesDirect.com. Got a great deal on a very capable bike.
14 months and two triathlons later, I have retired the Motobecane in favor of a Kestrel Talon u11 carbon-fiber bicycle. We took our first checkout ride yesterday (1-5-14) I AM impressed. It is a real joy to ride.

-Denis

thanks bill.

completed my first "long" group ride yesterday. joined the local bike club (PAA), got the "family membership" for the family for christmas. yesterday there were three rungroups - 50,80 and 100mile. beautiful day in socal for riding. 100+ riders. planned on doing the 50mi run, but i miss interpreted the meeting point instructions and ended up on the 80mi run. the legs, heart and lungs hung in there nicely, however my right hand, pinkie and ring finger went totally numb 3/4 of the way through, still numb and no gripping strength -

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/cycling-injuries.html

never had any issues with this and riding previous.


time to recover and get the bike refit.

RH

RH, that sounds like you are pretty fit now, nice ride and kudos on joining the club. I am a member of West Florida Wheelmen, Pensacola, Florida. the support and mentoring you get from club rides and gatherings is pretty hard to replicate on your own. Visit the Bike Fitting Forum for some guidance on fitting if you aren't happy with what you currently have knowledge wise, your choice to see a dealer is a smart one if you aren't up on how to best fit yourself.

Bill

Some questions:

Please tell us your age. 58

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride
a 1989 Cannondale that I am hoping to replace this spring.



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Only a multi vitamin and too many prescription meds!



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?k on I have been off the bike for about 20 years before getting back on it last spring. While I use to ride at about 20 mph average, 15 mph seems to be the best I can do now



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life
I rode almost every day when I was in my 30's for about 5 years.



5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
Average ride is 30-40 miles but have done a couple centuries, and rode in RAGBRAI this past summer




6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
I was riding 3-5 days a week in the warmer weather, but now down to 1-2 times a week. Last years I did about 3600 miles




If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things.
58

G'Day from Tucson
1. At 68, I qualify. I still have my 1974 Motobecane 10 speed, but more recently acquired a 21 speed hybrid for commuting and exercise.
I also like to think I can still work on my equipment. My references have expanded from my 1973 edition of "anybody's bike book" to "Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance", 4th Edition, and of course, the I'net.

2. Usual old guy stuff: Metformin, flomax, tamsulosin, Mature Multis, Diabetes Health Pack, LDA, Flax & Fish oils

3. I've slowed down since a motorcycle accident 5 years ago crushed left leg.

4. Biking all my life. Teaching time demands don't allow me the daily rides I crave.

5 & 6. Commute to school is 12 miles RT. If enough sunlight allows, I like 35-50 RT rides.

7 & more? I forget...

Hello, all!

Please tell us your age.
Fifty-three. Going on fourteen. :)

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
1973 Schwinn Collegiate. The same bike I rode when I was much, much younger (literally the same bike; I've owned this bike for forty years now). I recently added a BionX electric kit to it, and have had to replace bearings and a front axle, but otherwise all original equipment. I thought about getting a newer bike, but decided this bike and I have been together for so long it would simply be wrong to replace her with some upstart. My wife refers to this as "bike monogamy".

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Not particularly. Some glucosamine. That's about it, so far.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I've felt it, no question about it. Not a lot, to be sure, but I can tell: I'm not as fast, and not as quick to recover from exertion as I used to be. On the whole, though, I'm much happier, and much more content with life, than I was when I was in my early twenties, so on the whole I'd say the tradeoff has been worth it. :)

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
I rode all the time until I was around thirty, then dropped off to almost nothing for quite a while. I missed it. I didn't realize how much I missed it, though, until I test-rode a BionX-equipped Ohm bike on a whim, and soon became obsessed with getting my own bike back into rideable shape.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
Rail trails, mostly, with some riding for errands around town. When spring gets here I'm considering commuting to and from work as well, though certain Seattle hills may have other ideas. :)

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
For the last fifteen or twenty years? Nothing, I'm sorry to say. But I finished renovating the bike late last year, and even though it's winter as I write this I've been going out for 15- or 20-mile rides whenever I get the chance. I have to think that, once we get into spring and summer, the average is going to shoot up quite a bit. :)

Please tell us your age. 50 as of a few weeks ago.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride
2013 Specialized Carve Comp
2013 Trek Ion CX Pro
2010 Trek Navigator 3.0

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Have been taking GNC Mega Man, just started juicing so no supplements right now.
(By juicing I mean fresh veggies juiced for most of my meals)

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I have slowed down a lot due to overweight, working on that now and finding as the lbs come off the energy goes up.

4. How long have you been biking?
Just getting back into it, have biked off and on but none in the past 10 years.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
Used to do a fair amount of dirt trail riding 10 years ago. Planning on mixing road and trail as I start. Will be shorter rides to start.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
Temps have been below zero lately, so sad to say none right now.
Plan to cycle 4-5 days a week.

If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things.
50

Love this thread. It is so inspiring to see older guys still enjoying cycling.

hi bill/all!!

well....almost 2 months later and there is still numbness and tingling in the fingers/hand.....its much better than two months ago....but its keeping me from longer rides/saddle time. :(

i joined the Endurance Team, which is part of Pasadena Athletic Association, "PAA". we are having our first team ride at the Solvang Century in march.....not sure if im going to be ready to do the whole 100miles, as i do not want to re-injure myself, but ill show up for support and participation (we are sponsored by powerbar) and log a few miles.

http://www.bikescor.com/solvang_cent...istration.html

i also got with "Coach Rick", who came very highly recommended thru PAA and slapped on a Retul fit and some coaching. he is part of our endurance team as well......the bike was not setup properly from the LBS that i purchased from, so we corrected a few things.

http://www.positivemovescoaching.com/about

its a wonderful journey!!

Please tell us your age. 70 on Friday

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Trek 5.5 Madone, Trek 6700 Mt. bike, Gary Fisher Hyb



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

No



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

Yes, a lot, much slower and ride shorter distances, but ride more miles per year with shorter rides



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Started riding in 1980 or 82, don't remember and love it just as much today as then.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Road biking mainly, but also do some Rails to Trails and being in East Tenn. some Mountain biking

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

last year 5640 miles

Hello tsurr, welcome aboard 50+. Please make your self at home and join in the discussions and tall tales we all share here. Nice collection of bicycles you have.

Bill

Please tell us your age. - I’ll be 56 in March 2014.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride? - All kinds, I’d imagine. I’m looking for a hybrid to efficiently & safely get me all over town. I’m moving to a beach city with very limited parking opportunities. So, I plan to park my car and not move it only every 2 to 4 weeks, or so. My bike will see daily use.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
No. I eat well and generally choose foods with good nutritional values.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any? - I have slowed down – but it’s my own fault. Too many office chairs, airplane seats, car seats, etc…. I’m now trying to “speed up” again but I’m finding that process requires far more time (same effort, I think) than when I was younger.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life? - I was an avid commuter/recreational/club road bike rider for about 15 years. Last period of regular riding was about 25 years ago.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides. - None, at the moment. Moving toward being a daily rider.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage? - See #5 above.

If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things. - Folks 50+ do amazing and wonderful things all the time, just like everyone else. We simply outgrew our tendency to boast of our accomplishments.

Welcome to the 50+, Beachczar. You are in with a bunch of semi-lunatics and hard down bicycle fanatics, you do know? Glad to have you here, lots of hybrid riders around the place and in the age group. Stick around the place and btw, we love pics!

Bill

FWIW here is my response to your questions:

1. I like to think I can still ride the same type of bikes that the 20YO folks do. Give me a huge ego boost to think I still can.
2. Yes...my wife gives me a multi-vitamin suppliment every morning along with a good diet (well at least 50% of the time it's good).
3. A bunch. I remember as a youth I had endless energy. Not any more. But since I keep working at my endurance I feel I am in decent shape for my age. Still a little over weight, but that is another story.
4. I have been biking my entire life. There have been years I did many miles and a few years my rear never saw a bike seat. I have been back in the saddle for the last 3-4 years again and going strong.
5. I do all types of biking. Road, trails, hills, long, short, etc.. I purchased a new road bike this year so I plan on increasing my road rides by a large margin.
6. 2010 - 500 miles, 2011 - 300 miles, 2012 - 100 miles, 2013 - 500 miles, 2014 - planning a 1,000 mile goal.

BTW: I am 50 YO and enjoy the hell out of riding any one of my bikes. I enjoy my 'workout' rides where I push myself as much as I enjoy my pleasure rides. My thinking is you get to experience life around you from a completely different perspective when you peddle your way around with the added bonus of getting some excersize. My tag line expresses that same sentiment.

Live to ride, ride to live....on a bicycle!

Enjoy,
John S