Thanks, I will have to check out Des Moines Bicycle Collective. Unless their shop changed, it isn't the same one I went in last summer that is also in the east village. I know they got some bicycles donated as well and they had experienced bike mechanics that put everything back in order on the bikes. They had a bike I liked but it was just more than I was willing to spend at the time. Could be the same place, not sure but will figure it out when I go look.

Was just reading more and definitely NOT the same place I was in last year. Apparently they just moved since I went to the other place last year and that one wasn't an organization like this one. Seems like a good place to look!

I think that you are ahead of the game. One, you quit smoking, and two you realize you don't need to spend a lot on a bicycle. Ask at bike shops, plural, if possible. As your fitness improves and your saddle time increases, the type of bike for you will become obvious. What I will add is buy handlebars with multiple hand positions and buy at least two bikes if you can to avoid repetitive stress injuries. Congrats and go, go go!

Thanks! I would only have my cheap bike possibly and whatever I can find as a better option for now. I am sure with more time riding it will become apparent what I like but I was not aware that if you split time somewhat it helped avoid repetitive stress injuries. Is that a very big problem?

Not much of a chance of a repetitive stress injury in cycling, unless you are mashing big gears all the time, knees will pay the price with that. If the bicycle is fitted properly, by a shop or by you, it is very safe exercise. Lots of 50+ riders are in the sport because of this aspect, we really hate to hurt and go to great lengths to avoid pain. Pain hurts (deep and thoughtful statement for Capt. Obvious fans) If you want to mix in other training disciplines there are many that use weights, yoga, some runners and swimmers here, too.

Personally, I can't use running because of spinal surgeries and cycling offers me a fairly safe way to get aerobic exercise. Best wishes in your search and welcome to the 50+/bicycling.

Bill

In my case, yes. I started fielding two bikes 4 years ago. Up till then, I would have more aches and pains. Bar ends and multiple hand positions helped. One summer three years ago I rode the same bike everyday for three month and pinched a nerve in my neck. I now have a 5 rides in a row on the same bike limit and so far no issues. I know most riders don't switch up, but we all age differently.

Congratulations on quitting, both cigarettes and E-cigs.

Almost anything is better than smoking.
Nicotine is a VERY powerful stimulant. It is very rough on many of the bodies systems, especially hard on the Cardio-Vascular. So no, e-cigs are NOT safe...

Interestingly, a new study showed that working out in itself had a mild preventative anti-cancerous effect. I believe study was referenced in The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer
The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer: Gretchen Reynolds: 9780142196755: Amazon.com: Books

Something about deep breathing stimulating healing mechanisms...

Well I have a VERY unique health situation that I wouldn't expect most to understand. I have atypical young onset Alzheimer's Disease. Atypical because it started in the frontal lobe, not memory. So I have a terminal disease as it is, not worrying about the nicotine but nice to have the cigarettes off my back as they have become the scourge of society it seems. So different than when I started and a large percentage of adults smoked. Anyway, there was a study a while back that suggested there may be benefits from nicotine with dementia. So that and the fact that I already have a terminal disease would outweigh what you are saying about nicotine. I wasn't worried about the health affects of smoking on me but I was very worried about my wife and so glad she has quit smoking. Thanks for your response and the others, I do appreciate it VERY much! Sometimes what would have been obvious to me pre-disease is not so obvious now days.

Wow, incredibly courageous of you, and your wife, to keep your life on a normal course with the atypical early onset Alzheimer's Disease, hopefully quitting smoking and the exercise of cycling will make things go smoother for you and add quality to your life. Your sig line makes even more sense to me now. I'm glad you are sharing your riding experience with us here at the 50+, thank you for that.

Bill

WOW!
I truly hope it improves your life. There's a couple other medical uses for it...

I hear you have a great rails to trail in Iowa...

Wishing you the best.

Mike

I would put skinny commuter tires on a Mountain Bike. Good starting posture, variety of riding environments and fun. I think they have better brakes systems. Whatever you get, post it here, we like to see!

Thanks Bill! Very kind of you. I often hesitate in a anonymous environment because there is still major stigmas and misunderstandings out there to overcome. Many believe you can't function much if you have the diagnosis which is absurd that we become what you see in a nursing home overnight or that we couldn't have it if we can do this or that, or if we can speak intelligently. I am one of the founding members of a new organization that seeks to help others like myself and help with stigma and lack of education about the disease. It's web address is | Dementia Alliance International. I am very proud of the work that we are doing even though it is a major challenge for all of us.

Thank you very much Mike! My name is John BTW. And yes, some amazing trails of which I have only ridden a tiny portion of so far, looking forward to covering more of them! We also have RAGBRAI every year which is huge but I have never been on it. Hopefully I can get in better shape this summer and maybe ride part of it in 2015, that would be amazing.

Thanks, interesting idea that I will need to keep in mind! I have just bypassed mountain bikes I have seen advertised thinking I don't want those type of tires but if it is a quality brand bike, maybe? My bigger concern is knowing whether a better quality bike is authentic and whether it has the original, comparable or better components on it such as derailer, brakes, etc. Not sure the best way to know if I buy from an independent party which is probably another reason to look at a reputable dealer.

Too be honest, until I got on a bike last year I had worries about my balance. It wasn't a problem for me. The only thing that is a problem is taking my attention off of where I am riding because the bike isn't shifting right or something like that which with the bike I have can be a continual problem. Then I am heading off the edge of the trail quickly and if there were more traffic it wouldn't be good. So I learned to stay focused on where I was going no matter what since riding is new to me again not having been on a bike since I was a teenager. I rode motorcycles in my 20's but haven't done that since then.

With the health issues and other things being considered, is it possible to ride on paved bike trails? Do you know anyone who is a regular rider who can help you pick up a good used bike? Shifter problems are a distraction. Getting good components is very helpful. A good used bike with better components is my choice, but a LBS is always a good resource to have.

My preference is riding trails because I don't like competing for space with the petro burners. That being said, so far so good. But I did recently surprise myself when I flipped off a driver who cut me off. I haven't done that in 40 years.

LOL, too funny! Yes, all I have ridden to this point are paved trails. We have an amazing amount of them that may go a hundred miles or far more from all I can tell, there are so many that interconnect and just one of them (Neil Smith) keeps going north of a town quite some distance from here and out the west on my trail app on my phone, not sure how far it goes. Like I said, I have only ridden a very small portion but with the app it tells me how far I have gone and exactly where I am which is helpful for me. If I want to ride a section a ways from me then I just put the bike in my pick-up and take it there, don't think riding in motorized vehicle traffic is a great idea for me but I may do some on less busy areas. We are getting ready to move and it is a quiet area so it would be ok there for shorter rides.

Now do you understand the comment about slicing the bologna? The bicycle market is sliced into a dozen or more varieties, all just barely different from the others. And, it's not always a linear relationship. Mountain bikes morph into comfort bikes, which morph into hybrids, which morph into flat-bar road bikes, which morph into touring bikes, which morph into 'standard' road bikes, which morph into... then there's several variations of cruisers and crank-forwards, and also recumbents, which are another diverse and 'thinly-sliced' group.

Asking a generic "what's out there" is NOT a simple question. Whatever you get, riding it for a year will only give you a better idea of what you want for your NEXT bike. N+1, baby!

Vaping isn't really quitting, it's just swapping one method of drug delivery for another, slightly less objectionable one. Vapers are still drug addicts.

That is like saying if you quit smoking and wear a patch, you haven't quit smoking. Vaping is vapers, not smoke. It isn't much different than nicotine gum, patches or any other delivery of nicotine. Nicotine is not carcinogenic in itself. Many who vape start cutting the nicotine down and eventually don't use any nicotine in their juice but they still enjoy the vaping. So more power to them if they enjoy it. It's legal and they are adults. I happen to already be on so many drugs due to my health conditions that I certainly am not going to worry about nicotine. I didn't even worry about smoking other than it's expensive and going outside to smoke every so often when it feels like 40 below zero isn't so much fun. And saying we are drug addicts is quite offensive with its connotations. Not sure if you are just trying to be controversial or just don't like being nice but frankly it is very offensive to me and certainly doesn't give someone a good feeling about the community they have joined. Slightly less objectionable? I know my GP and neurologist would HIGHLY disagree with that statement.

BTW, drink coffee, tea or soda? Then you are a drug addict for the caffeine! We could play that game all day!