rnothog

My blue Varsity was stolen. I'd locked it with one of those cheapschnit combination locks...the kind where the numbers are on 4 individual discs. Yep. Most pick-able locks in the world. I was alerted to the thief and chased the scummy looking kid who stole it. Almost got my hand on the tire. Good thing I didn't, since I'd have probably lost a finger.

A nice lady saw what happened, and so did the store manager, who called the police. The officer demonstrated how easy it was to pick the barrel(?) combination lock. In turn, I demonstrated that to my parents. They still seemed to think it had been my fault. WTF? THEY bought me the lock!!!

Then I started saving for another bike.

A couple of months later, my parents kicked in the remaining bit. The Varsity back then (1969) cost about $89, with tax.

That next one was green. They didn't have another in blue.

The green one was never as much fun as the blue one.

takenreasy

Yep, green was the fastest color.

gear64

Updated Miyata 1000 with new wheels, well new 6 mo ago. I thought black would go well with the frame and decals. Also allowed for throwing on a like new 8 spd cassette I had lying around.

Gerryattrick

Just bought this. I thought that, at 69, I needed another bike that suits an elderly gentleman, for those trips to the shops or rides in the park wearing my plus fours. A 1976 (ish) Viscount Aerospace Victor.

BigAura

I had a blue 1964 Varsity and really like that color too. Here's my earlier post about it:

If you're interested it's from a thread devoted to Schwinn Varsity Alumni.

rnothog

Thanks! Those bikes were the in thing, back then.

I bought mine with paper route money, too...😀

Marty1

Benotto and Tigra Professionel 531

Goldwing

No photo, but I'm riding a Trek 7000, stock. Works for an old guy like me who rides for cardio fitness, doing a regular 13 miles in one hour flat. I'm 73 and ride because with fake knees I can't run. My true passion is riding my motorcycle.

scarywombat

what-do-old-people-ride-lets-see-your-bike

Over 50's Thread - Ok That's me.

Recently replacement steed

IMG_2617.jpg

osco53

My new best friend

EastOfMidnight

2006

Len S

I really do not consider those that are 50ish as "old people". Indeed I really do not consider myself at 72 as an "old people". Now when/if I get to 85+ then I might reconsider.

The Diamondback is my ride to market bike and the one that goes on the back of the RV when we are "vacationing". The Gitane bikes are my toys. I have discovered that for me Concor seats are a real good fit so I will be replacing the black seat on the '72 with a yellow Concor in the near future.

Go back and forth on toe clips on bikes. Got tangled last year and took hard fall. At 72 bounce like a sack of potatoes, and trying to keep them and just be more careful.

funbikerchick

This is my brand new bike. Picked it up last Saturday - 2017 Specialized Sport Carbon Disc. Before this I had a 2015 Specialized Sport Disc.

GeneO 

Nice looking bike but I don't think I'll be putting my carbon frame in a trainer.


Don't understand the lock. It looks like it is suspended in space.

funbikerchick

Well I don't see any problem with it in a trainer. It isn't like the trainer touches the frame in any way. In fact, the guys at the bike shop discussed carbon bikes in trainers as a regular occurrence. The lock is connected via a light weight mount connected to a water bottle mount point.

02Giant 

The trainer doesn't have to touch the frame to cause problems. The drop outs are locked solid by the trainer while the seat and chain stays are moving/flexing from your weight especially if you do any out of the saddle training.
If you are sitting there taking it easy with minimal effort, likely no issue.

Rollfast

About the same thing I've ridden for 30 years at least, middleweight 'cruisers'.

GeneO 

Maybe it is just the way it appears, but I wouldn't want that lock smacking against my CF frame.

BigAura

My 1970 Paris Sport 10-speed converted to fixed. I recently re-configured it so here's what it looks like now:

lexm

This 51 year-old rides a Rivendell Clem Smith, Jr. Low.

funbikerchick

It doesn't

funbikerchick

Well, I have done a lot of research about the strengths and weaknesses of carbon fiber bikes. I don't think it will be a problem. I am going to find out, I guess, because I am going to ride it like I stole it.

StanSeven

You'll be fine. All winter I see many really strong riders really push themselves on trainers without problem. This includes standing and sprinting all out. That's what trainers are for - using your regular road bike indoors.

02Giant 

By all means do what you are comfortable with. Myself I will continue to use a beater on my trainer vs my carbon bike. The following was posted in another forum it was a response from someone at Specialized to this exact question;

"High performance carbon road bikes are a really bad idea on indoor trainers. The fixing of the rear chainstays in one place and the biting of the clamp creates all kinds of twisting forces from odd angles, that can, over time, be really bad for a lightweight frame.

Our bikes withstand some amazing torture tests in the lab. However we really can't recommend it. Have we heard of people doing it? Yes. But we have also heard of people breaking their bikes, and being quite upset when their warranty claim is denied.

What I do for my own winter training is I have an old "winter rat" bike that does double duty as my awful weather ride, and that lives on the trainer in the winter."

One experience I recently had, while changing an entire group set out for a friend I found both his dropouts cracked at the seat and chain stays. The friend was convinced it was from the time the bike spent locked into a stationary trainer. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't, I personally am not going to test the theory on mine.

YMMV

funbikerchick

Well, I am going to trust my bike shop staff on this one. Plus, I don't have a high performance carbon road bike. I have a $1300 Sirrus Sport Carbon. As far as "the biting of the clamp" is concerned, it doesn't touch the frame I any way. It does touch the quick release skewer which does touch the frame. I will admit that the description of the possible damage coming as a result of the flexing that will take place while the bike is held in place by the trainer seems plausible, I am going to take may chances because I don't think I will get the same benefit using a trainer on a bike other than the one I ride when I am out on the road. Also, I don't ride all that hard on the bike whether in the trainer or on the road. I ride for fitness not for competition.

Here is what the folks at Zwift have to say about using carbon fiber frames in trainers (quick summary, they pretty much say "no problem.")

Will indoor training damage my carbon fiber frame? - ZwiftBlog

If it does destroy the bike, then I guess I have an excuse to buy a new one...