There are definitely threads specific to riding into the twilight years, but even those that are more general still benefit from the more seasoned thoughts that go into our answers.

Interesting. I've never thought of civility as being driven by a chemical deficit.

Maybe not that so much as incivility caused by a chemical surplus.

We shy away from political comments because we all realize that in the History of the Internet, no one has ever posted this: "You know, you are right. I admit that my deepest political conviction (and my religious beliefs, for that matter) are flat damn wrong. Thank you so much for setting me straight. What chain lube should I use, by the way? And carbon vs. steel? I'd treasure your opinion."

+1

OK, I admit it...me, too, at 57.

One right winger fires off and all of a sudden this place turns into the Democratic National Convention

^ I said I'm a liberal, not a Democrat.

If we liberals don't react, the conservatives won't have fuel for their we're picked on here at BF posts! Wouldn't want to spoil their I'm not happy unless I'm angry fun.

I plan to copy and paste this everywhere from now on. It is golden.

Think of this place as a bunch of old timers sitting around just shooting the breeze. I'd use another phrase but then all you would see would be a bunch of stars.

Fence-sitter-turned-conservative by environmentalists.

When I was a young teenage punk, growing up in Berkeley and Oakland, CA, I just hated old people. Couldn't stand them. They were so set in their ways, were stupid and self-righteous, and had no respect for younger folks. Even after I'd passed the age of 19, I wanted to stay 19 forever.

To an extent, I've been able to stay 19. Carefree, irresponsible, no allegiances to anybody or anything. And I still hate old people!

Good thing most of the people in this 50+ forum are not that old! I think it has to do with riding a bike.

Seriously, rather than conservative/liberal (which hardly ever comes up), the biggest dichotomy amongst those who post in this section can be encapsulated in Robert Pirsig's Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: classicists vs romanticists. Classicists do all their own mechanical work and think it's simple enough on bikes that anyone should be able to. Romanticists have no idea how the bike works and take it to the shop to have everything done, and they get annoyed at the attitude of classicists. So just stay away from that conversation & everything will be civil!

Luis

Ask all the women you know how they feel about their testosterone "deficit", and report back.

I've actually pondered this dichotomy many a time. I use Sheldon Brown vs. Evie Stevens as the extremes of the spectrum.

Brown represented someone who knew everything about everything bicycle-wise but was not athletic, especially in his later years.

Stevens represents the pure athlete who is incredibly gifted but pretty clueless about the machinery. Someone asked her if she favored 650c vs. 700c and she had no idea what they were talking about.

Some of us are both nonathletic and clueless.

However, we all have access to the Internets

We are the 99%.



"As are we all." Kurt Vonnegut

There you go, the essence of 50+

I am only in here "legally" by a few months. I am still not sure if I am happy about that or not.
My 2 feet full head of hair is long gone.
My beard is totally gray.
I've had a colonoscopy.
I love pie.
Oh well, I guess I better get used to it.

Sorry, I din't mean to say we didn't like passing those youngsters, just that we don't care if they pass us, all dressed up in their skinny jeans, all fancied up with their tatoos and nose rings 8-)

How did you know? I'm going to wear a 34 inch waist again - sometime . . . .

Working on that tattoo

Just remember to stay off my lawn.

Jerseys

^^^, And the rest of the neat 50+ kit available from time to time!
+1 for Pie, any kind of Pie!!!!!

Bill

Even if it isn't really pie - like Boston Cream.

Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Almost as good as blueberry