dabbindan

i posted this in the general forum, but gee whiz, i fit pretty well into this category as well:

new to the forum. 60 yr old retired rn. been riding some kind of 10+ speed since '72, currently have a trek 820 of the late '80s vintage.
fell in love with observed trials motorcycling in the mid 80's and the bike took a back seat except for short rides with my wife from time to time.

an unfortunate run in with two very large rocks lead to a badly fractured right foot and a sad retirement from motorcycling. my sport provided me with exercise, conditioning and competition and i had hoped to ride into my 70's as some in my motorcycle club have.

i'm looking to replace it with the bicycle, but can't really get into the rough stuff due to fused bones, plates, screws and the like. i plan to ride on paved and unpaved bike paths, and some natural terrain, as long as nothing wants to pitch me off the bike. fitness is primary, improving time/performance next, maybe group rides/events as well.

want to ride year round as long as it's not raining or there's too much ice. wet is ok. rain isn't.

spent some time at the bike shop today as i have established that riding doesn't aggravate the recovering foot. looked at hybrids (not enough off road) 29 inch,(as heavy as my 820)
and may have settled on a trek 4500. weight is ok, like the locking fork, components are good, and i love the hydraulic discs that you can use with one finger like my montesa.

motorcycle sale proceeds will let me get most anything i want but i don't want to ride a bike so expensive i'll have to worry about someone pushing me off and riding away on it.

anybody have any thoughts or suggestions. i'll post a copy of this on the general board as well.

thanks, dabbindan

AzTallRider

Welcome to 50+ Some of the things you folks do on your trial bikes is amazing. I'll let those more knowledgable about your type of riding provide the advice.

cotatrials

Dabbindan,

Hate to hear you are getting out of trials..... After your foot is healed, you might want to come out and play with us at some ITSA twin shock trials events.... I have pretty much lost all interest in modern trials in favor of twin shock trials. ITSA is pretty laid back and has lines for everyone from a rank novice to expert/champ class riders... but the lines are all relative to you or your bikes ability's.... more importantly, it gives us old guys a chance to see old (and new) friends and have fun riding the same bikes many of us grew up on. Like you, I am selling my Sherco, but the proceeds from the sale will be going toward completing my twin shock Beamish.

As for you question regarding bike choice, if you want a Hard tail Mtn Bike (like the 4500), you might want to also look at the Specialized StumpJumper Comp. While I spend 90% of my riding time on my road bike, I have been extremely happy with my StumpJumper Comp, which I use as a change of pace when we are up in NC and even use it to scout the loop and sections as a warm up before a trials event. That said, since your post said you will be riding mostly on paved and unpaved bike lanes, you might want to look at something like the Scott Sportster P1 or P2. I think you will find something like the Sportster might be better suited to the riding you mentioned in your post, ....You might also want to look at the Specialized Crosstrail comp and/or Trek Mendota.

Loose Chain

I hate to tell you this but falling off of a bicycle can hurt just as much as from a motorcycle, maybe more. I know this for a fact having done both.

If you cannot take a fall on a motorcycle, trials, low speed, then falling from a mtb or cyclecross is likely going to be harder and more dangerous.

Look into something like a Surly Cross Check or similar cyclecross bicycle.

stapfam

All the first bike is for- Is to tell you what you should have bought in the first place.
May be sizing- may be style of bike- may even be the colour. But untill you get into cycling and do it for a while- You will not know what is required by you.

That is not a negative reply- but you admit that you are "New" to cycling and bikes. So far you have looked at a couple of bikes- but there must be different bike shops in your area selling different makes. Look at all of them and talk to the Staff at the shops. One of the shops will catch your attention-perhaps by the bikes they sell- the way they treat you and the way they approach you. Finding the "Good" shop is the hard thing to do.

So welcome into cycling- and enjoy the ride.

dabbindan

well it's like this: the three middle metatarsals are now fused to the foot bone secured with a plate, four screws and 5 pins that have been since removed. three months ago i rode the last 30 sections of a 36 section event with that damaged foot. the slow speed i was going at, at an undesired 90 degree turn rapidly accelerated me between two trashcan sized rocks. i can take a fall. the medium big stuff i like to ride involves an occasional foot smash. the power of a 250cc two stroke can pack a whollop at slow speeds. i cannot risk ruining my family's enjoyment of retirement by re injuring that foot. that's why i'm confining myself to smooth off road bike paths.

i did go ahead with the trek 4500 today, pick up saturday. the dealer said he'd work me into the saddle, stem and tires i preferred, crediting me what he takes off. good man. i did bike 12 miles on the trek 820 today in 1:03. i felt pretty good about it since my leg still balks at lifting me up a step. the foot didn't complain at all.

dabbindan

i considered dropping back to the senior amateur class, but every so often, you bang a foot on a rock you didn't see or think was that close. i've got a '72 tl 125 in the shed that needs a good carb cleaning and a few other things. it's best to make a clean break rather than torture myself wishing i could take this chance, or maybe get another montesa and then and then...

i talked to a dealer in manhattan ks and was so impressed i went ahead with the trek 4500. i love the hydraulic discs and being able to ride with an index finger on each lever.

thanks for your thoughts. i'll be following this forum in the future.

dabbindan

cotatrials

Dan,

I understand completely... been there done that.... I have left several boot buckles and a brake lever or two in sections, especially at TTC.

Good Luck to you, if they still have the twin shock class in the NATC Nationals next year, come by and say hi if your close to one.... as you know we can always use an observer... lol

stapfam

I was top of my field in Karting when I gave up overnight due to Household taking priority. Took 10 years to get it out of my system but it was the only way to stop.

One thing I suggest you look at as you have a foot problem and that is cycling specific shoes. Don't mean going the whole hog yet and going Clipless pedals- but cycling specific shoes have a very firm sole. Better for Cycling efficiency and probably for your foot. The mountain bike style have a sole you can walk around in and normally you to have to remove a portion of the sole to be able to fit the cleats for the pedals. Then "When" you decide to go Clipless- you will already have the shoes. At the same time get a helmet if you haven't got one already.

The tight fitting Lycra can come later.

dabbindan

that's something i didn't consider. i'm wearing my merrils right now because they're the most comfortable. there's still some swelling. the sole is rather flexy and a supportive sole may be just the ticket. i'm not too worried about falling off the bike, the foot will be able to handle it in time. however in trials, you sometimes use a burst of committed speed from that 250 two stroke and impacting the extremities on a nearby rock can hyper-flex the foot in a big way. that and riding by a rock on the loop you didn't think was that close and taking a good bash. i'm kinda clumsy that way. i'll look into the shoes on line.

my wife embarrasses easily and lycra may be just the ticket at some time.

dabbindan

BluesDawg

I had one of those! I never competed or came close to the kind of gravity defying stunts you real trials riders did, but I did play around with it a lot. I never thought I could have so much fun going so slow. I bought it in '75 soon after I got my Kawasaki 900 Z-1B. I figured it might be smart to have a safer way to get out my crazy than by twisting the throttle on the big bike.

Those trials bike skills can come in handy on tight, twisty, technical singletrack.