Shp4man

Almost every weekend I ride around the San Diego bay- the Bayshore Bikeway it's called. It's a great route, because 70% of it is bike path- no cars, plus it's all flat. Anyway, part of the ride is a ferry that sails across the bay. The ferry's lower deck is a bicycle parking area so it accumulates the cyclists all in one place.
Just from observation, I would say that over 40% of the cyclists I see are in the 50+ age group.

Old Guys Rule!

Dudelsack 

I went running last Wednesday. I was sore for 4 days. I'll never do it again. I love my bike.

We should love everybody.

Biker395 

Noticed that when I did my first supported tour back in 1989.

"Awful lot of old farts on this trip." I thought.

Now I is one.

Yo Spiff

Sorry to be contributing to the ongoing geezer problem, but I've only figured out one way of not contributing and I don't care for it.

Mobile 155

I don't know if I can count the number of people I ride with, mostly old coots like me, that used to be runners. But when the knees start to go they come over to cycling to stay active. The few I know that still run are younger and want to add tri events to their racing year. But I agree cycling seems pretty popular with the 50+ group.

CommuteCommando

I commute by Metrolink Train, and before that, the San Diego Coaster. Those trains accommodate bikes, and I noticed a similar demographic.

jppe

Ever run into or see fellow 50+ Digital Gee?

chasm54

I have gone back to running as well as cycling, and I am neither young nor do I have any triathlon ambitions. I've done so for two reasons. First, cycling is non weight-bearing and arguably detrimental to bone density. High-impact resistance exercise like running is very good for bone density. Second, the way that cycling uses the muscles in the leg is very specific. One almost never fully extends the hamstrings, for example, or contracts the quads eccentrically rather than concentrically. I have a theory (this is pure speculation, not to be confused with knowledge or expertise) that doing no exercise but cycling will ultimately lead to the atrophy of certain muscles and connective tissues and weaken one's legs for other activities. It's possible, even likely, that running is detrimental to my performance as a clapped-out racing cyclist, but in terms of my long-term well-being I think it's a good thing. And doing it once every week or ten days is sufficient to ensure that one is not troubled by the muscle soreness Dudelsack has suffered.

Getting back on-topic, I don't think there are nearly enough old farts on bikes. Then again, I don't think there are nearly enough cyclists of all ages. Cycling should be compulsory.

Mobile 155

I understand but I went back to using a gym because of the hard impact on the knees running, an activity I don't enjoy, seems to impart on so many runners. I was just using an observation for people in my area however. But then again 75 percent of my cycling friends are my age and I think it is a bit like buying a special car. Once you have one you see them everywhere. However looking at the national statistics on cycling in the US I don't se many young people cycling either. Not if many equals more than 5 percent of the population.

stapfam

Spinning class tonight and I would say that 50% of us were over 50. And they were not there for the ride either. Hard class with a hard instructor and this is the first time I have been able to book the class in 3 weeks. No wonder--It's full of old people with time on their hands.

Local racing club has a good number of "Elderly" riders--The gym has a fair number of older members--And on my local rides I see a fair number of elderly people riding bikes. They may be going slow and on Cheaper hybrid bikes but they are out riding.

Pamestique 

go check out bikeirvine.org. That is the Bike Club of Irvine's website. Check out the photos... I think the average age of the club (these are serious minded riders - alot of century and double century riders) is around 70+... They are alittle too old for me but actually I can't keep up!!!!

CommuteCommando

I've ridden with them a couple of times. Pretty comfortable crowd to ride with, and a broad range of speed groups. (I take it that last comment was just jibe'n)

OldsCOOL

I've seen the same thing up here in cold country, many older riders. I think mountain biking is more popular with the younger ones here.

qcpmsame 

I have to agree with the OP, it could be because I am biased to see the older riders being one, but lately it seems that the riders I see are mostly 40-50+ cyclist (department of redundancy department) maybe because Pensacola is a popular area for military retirees and our population in the 50+ is larger/growing. It is peachy keen with me, I enjoy having riders my age just like I enjoy the 50+ forum, warts and all (mine not the others here.) The manager at my favorite LBS is my age and we swap lies about the good old days when I am there. Beats having a young hipster trying to tell me I need deep carbon wheels or a Drewed single speed. Eccchhhh.

Why shouldn't cycling be the choice for 50+ people, easy on most knees, no impact for the (my) back and the chance to wear really sexy lycra shorts and tights (come on Rydabent you know you want to, admit it, you're just jealous)

Bill

gcottay

Many of the riders around here look young.

Oh! Wait! That observation is a sign of something, isn't it?

zonatandem

Im only 80 . . . yup there's a few folks older than me still riding her in Arizona.

B. Carfree

I mostly see riders of two ages: Baby Boomers (50-65) and their off-spring, the Millennials. For some reason, those from the half-generation prior to the boomers and their off-spring just don't seem to be on bikes in the places I have been. Of course I have a totally unsupported working hypothesis for why this is what I am seeing. (Other than the obvious one that my vision is poor and getting worse.)

I suspect that the Boomers, who were young when the ten-speed boom happened in the '60s, are returning to the bike as they age because they remember how much fun it was and they are under doctors' orders to get some exercise. Riding a bike does allow for a very wide range of outputs, even more so than walking. Those who are a bit older or younger than the Boomers missed the bike boom of our youth and just don't get it. Sadly, this is already being seen in morbidity and mortality data.

I think the Millennials are on bikes for a totally different reason. These kids understand climate change and other environmental issues and have the idealism to match their actions to their hopes. I believe that the percentage of them who are getting driver's licenses is falling every year. They've also made bikes socially acceptable, at least among their peers, so they aren't perceived as strange if they ride.

bruce19

I enjoy cycling and don't like running because I find running boring and old football injuries wouldn't allow me to do it anyway. Running is great exercise but not my thing.

Justiffa

i dont hv any stats to back me up but even here in malaysia, generally the over 50s group prefer cycling to running...its probably mainly the knee factor but perhaps also bcos now that the family's all grown, they can afford to buy good bikes which are pretty expensive here.

i love running but these days i also find cycling extremely satisfying....it takes me to far-away places that my legs alone cant take me lol

rydabent

Now with trikes becomming more and more popular, there is no reason for an older person not to ride. Trikes allow anyone to ride with all the pain associated with a DF bike.

ThatBritBloke

Really? I'm impressed ...

oilman_15106

Unfortunately as a hobby cycling takes alot of time which young folks with kids and jobs often do not have.

Doug64

True!

Stand on almost any corner in Portland, Oregon on a weekday morning Observing the bike commuters, and the perspective that biking is only for old farts might change.

David Bierbaum

The youngsters nowadays all grew up in the videogame and parental-fear-of-letting-kids-go-outside-unsupervised era, so they never got the serious bicycling bug in their blood.

garydogwood

i do mtn biking most weekends. over the years i have seen a definite increase in the number of older people at the trail. 40's, 50's, and even older; not just one or two but a sizeable number. that is a very good sign that people are getting out and doing something positive for themselves. makes me feel good to see that. i'm 58 and my riding buddies are in their late 40's to early 50's. i would ride most everyday if i didn't have to work. oh well, daylight savings time starts this weekend (it's the most wonderful time of the year ...) so can get a lot more riding in after work starting next week. been doing a couple days spinning class during lunch - it is good but not the same as sunshine and fresh air.

gw


gw