Old Folks on Bikes
 

I dropped in on my parents this morning. It's a bright, beautiful day here in northern Illinois. I mentioned that I might be taking a ride this afternoon.

My dad asked, "How far will you ride?"

"I dunno," I answered. "Thirty, forty miles if I feel up to it."

Then my mom chimed in. "You know, dear," she said to my dad, "next time we go to the island we ought to rent a couple of bikes."

There was a moment of silence as they thought about this. My dad grunted something like assent.

My mom said, "Of course, I don't know how far I could ride anymore." (She is, after all, in her seventies).

My dad answered before I could, "Probably farther than you think."

And my mom nodded, "I'm sure I could ride farther than I could walk."

After all this time, I think I'm beginning to have a good effect on them.

COOL BEANS :beer: :beer:

That is very good to hear, when I was on my riding age my dad was in his early 60 and very sick, and he lived to reach 99 years old, I wish i had my dad riding with me today.......

Funny how the older you get, the smarter your parents are!:D

Like the song says, "Teach your parents well."

When I was about 6 years old, my brother and I where trying to learn to ride a bike that was too big for us. We would try and ride this bike down a hill in an alfalfa field next to our house but just couldn't seem to get the hang of it. My grandfather, a smallish frail man that walked with a cane, said "why riding a bike is easy and once you learn, you never forget", then he had me bring the bike over to him. He then says "hold my cane" and he got on that bicycle and rode it aroung that mowed hay field!!:eek:

This was the only time I ever saw him ride a bike and he was pushing 70 at the time. I have many fond memories of him doing lot's of other things, he also taught me many skills that many people don't know today, but I will never forget my (PaPaw) riding a bicycle. I miss him!:angel:

BTW That is all my brother and I needed to see, we learned to ride and I still ride today. Gee I'm 40! Where did the time go?

I don't think I ever saw my father or mother riding a bicycle. I certainly never saw my grandparents ride.

I know my dad used to cycle a bit because he rode a bike to deliver telegrams when he was a teenager. (Which was before WW II.)

My mom is in her late 70's and rides. She used to have a cruiser bike and when she fell on it a while back she traded it in on a trike. I don' t know how far she rides but I'm going to go riding with her the next time I go home. I don't think I've ever seen my dad ride a bike.....

Zack

My mother in-law rides a trike. She's in her late 70s and has MS. We're happy she enjoys riding. Now my father-law who is older tries to ride a regular bicycle..because he is such a klutz and does not have a bicycle riding history, we wish he'd get on a trike too. We worry that if he crashes, he'll break a hip or worse.

Will I be smart enough to graduate to a trike when the time comes? :confused: Probably not.

My grandfather is famous all around town because he's this old Asian man in his 70s who gets around everywhere on his bike. Random people come up to me and tell me that they've seen him :)

I have met a few 70-something cyclists and triathletes, and have read about some as old as 90+. I also follow the career or Sister Madonna Buder, the 70-something Spokane-based nun who keeps setting age records in the Ironman.

By the way, I strongly recommend the book, "What's Age Got to Do With It?" The author, 40-something Kelly Ferrin, is an enthusiastic speaker and gerontologist.

60?? "Old folks"

Come on, people. You are hitting pretty close to home here.

60 is young.

At 63, and my wife at 65, we bike several 1000's of mile each year. Around here, many, many folks our age (and much older) do. NONE OF US CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE "OLD FOLKS." We walk 2 miles per day, and I weight lift more than 95% of those reading this post can.

My wife and I both work full time and plan to continue for many more years.

How about just a bit of adjustment in perspective?

We do get really tired of the "age dsicrimination" we find so blatant. We even have some new neighbors who "want to help us out."

She smokes (the neighbor) and wouldn't last 5 miles on a bike. She needs OUR help, not the other way around. Bah, HUMBUG!!

I'll never forget the 87 year old guy I met a few years back who was driving for meals on wheels. He was very fit and well so he decided to use his time helping 'older people'.

Later this year I'll be riding across Australia with around 30 other cyclists. One of them is a 68 year old lady. Don't tell her she's old. She won't believe you. We'll also have a 66 year old guy who's currently doing around 400km a week in training for the event. Once we get started, we'll average around 150km a day with some days upa around 200mk.

I also remember riding with a 72 year old a few years back. He was a very strong rider, especially over some of the tough hills we encountered.

You are the one who listed her in a thread (at age 60) concerning "old folks," not I.

I'm not belittling her. I am standing up for her. She is not an "old folk."

"Old" is a state of mind.

I got up this morning feeling like an old person. So by the time I finish my ride in my 'hundred-acre woods' this afternoon, I will feel right at home on this thread, RegularGuy. :p

There is a member of my local club who is 71. He rides a very nice older Masi, with Rolf Vector wheels, so you know that he isn't your 'average' senior-citizen rider. He doesn't show up to very many rides, but once, he drafted me for about 8 miles, and I wasn't trying to go slow, either....
I hope that I'll still have such good health when I get to his age.

there is an older gentleman who rides a commute close to mine, just longer. Our routes converge close to downtown, with out fail he can drop me in a block LOL. He has been totally car less for 3 yrs. He says and never regrets it. The money he saves he says is used for the finer things like art and music (his idea of the finer things). He rides a very nice older touring bike that has to weigh close to my trek. I really hope to be in half as good shape at his age as he is! Maybe cycling really is the fountian of youth?:thumbup:

It's funny that there are all these older folks on bikes, and then you see teenagers who are all pasty and chubby and never exercise, or people in their 30s who look like hell because they never walk so much as a block!

Just remember......you aren't old until this happens:

"OLD" IS WHEN... Your sweetie says, "Let's go upstairs and make love," and you answer, "honey, I can't do both!"

"OLD" IS WHEN... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot.

"OLD" IS WHEN... A sexy babe catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage door.

"OLD" IS WHEN... Going bra-less pulls all the wrinkles out of your
face.

"OLD" IS WHEN... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go along.

"OLD" IS WHEN... When you are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police.

"OLD" IS WHEN... "Getting a little action" means you don't need to take any fiber today.

"OLD" IS WHEN... "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the
parking lot.


(Sorry, I was in a jokey mood..hehe.)

i am 16y/o, and I plan to keep cycling for as long as I can. I could of had a learners or even a restricted by now for driving but I don't care! I ride everywhere, and in Auckland it can be faster in peak hour traffic, even during school holidays! I honestly put my friends to shame when they admit to me that they are lazy etc etc. lol I could go on.... My mate is getting a hold of his grandfathers old road bike that is never used anymore, and I'm going to see if it's worth fixing up for him. He rides to school most days, just like I do. His parents are buying him a brand new MTB for school soon, so I am going to help him and his parents get a good bike for a decent price :p

The only time I've seen my father ride a bike is when he took my MTB for a test ride to see if he could find the mysterious sound that kept coming from it (was bent axle) LMAO he nearly fell off the thing trying to get up the drive in first gear and said "you long legged bastards" referring to me and my twin brother... lol

Brendon
:beer:

Our club has at least 3 80+yo riders. One is 89. He just stopped riding about 2 weeks ago. His last wreck has made him a little too nervous to continue. We are all sad to see him go.

I did my first Bicycle Ride Across Georgia (BRAG) in 1987. The thing that amazed me the most was the number of older folks. Of the 1600 or so participants a surprizingly large number were ladies and gentelmen in their 60's and 70's, riding 60 plus miles daily for seven days. One was quite well known for doing the ride on a single speed Western Flyer.

I'm older and wiser now and realize that our mature population is a lot stronger than I used to believe.

It's down right inspirational.

My Dad always mentions that he used to ride his bike all over town when he had his paper route. Of course that was 60 years ago. It's a good thing that he has played competitive hockey all his life and he still plays at 73 years old!