Do I Belong Here?
 

Hi folks, I'm not new to Cycling by any means, but am new to the forums here and a bit new to cycling terminology. I ride a flat-bar Giant Escape 2 mostly on streets, mostly for exercise and errands. I'm a slow-poke, and ride only about 12 or 13 mph on average (I'm an older feller). Is this forum "Hybrid Bicycles" where I belong? Or is Hybrid a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike? Just trying to find a place to fit in [grin]

Flat handlebar? Check!
Wide tires? Check!
Mountain bike group set? Check!

Sounds like a Hybrid to me!
Plenty of older fellers here, and 13mph average runs does not sound too much of a slow-poke to me.

I think this is the forum for you!

If it suits you there is also an Fifty Plus (50+) section. Now and then I browse through that section even though I'm only 45. Imo there's always something to learn from everyone

May not sound like it, but then those roadies pass me like I'm standing still :lol: Thanks Steve for your welcome

I'm sure you pass the "Townie's", many mountain bikes, Wal Mart bikes, and comfort bikes the same way. It's all relative, and riding hard enough for you to enjoy and benefit you.

QT

12-13 by yourself is not slow... probably average. But so what? Is it about racing or having fun and riding places?

Yeah, this is your place. I'm very much like you. I have the Giant Escape 1, I'm getting old (60) and I ride about 15 mph on flats but slower going up hills. I ride my hybrid like a road bike - meaning that if I liked drops I'd probably have a road bike.

In my younger days I was pretty competitive when cycling, but now I just go out for the fun and the fresh air. For me the most enjoyable aspect of riding is the extraordinary health benefits. At 62 I can keep up with grandchildren, I have more energy than my own kids lol, and have no chronic disease like T2DM or Heart Disease, which I attribute directly to bicycling. Yes, there's a lot of other factors involved, but bicycling seems to be the one thing that separates me from my sickly peers. :thumb:

Welcome to the club. I rediscovered cycling when I hit 40. 4 Years later and about 10,000 miles I can't stop. I feel better than I did in my 30's and don't get sick nearly as often. My weight is good and my stress levels are nowhere where they use to be. Glad you have found the benefits too!

I would say that you belong wherever you get the information you want and need. Your cycling may evolve as you read more and take something from each forum. Don't limit yourself.

Just to stir the pot I have to throw in the Groucho Marx line about belonging.

I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member.

But if you can get past that... Welcome!!!

I think you are in good company here. I am rediscovering biking after 40 years myself (which gets me well over 60) and am loving it. I am new to hybrids and have found this forum extremely helpful.

Well.... I just reached 50 last week so you've got a few years on me .... but your comment about the kids and grandkids strikes a note with me. I distinctly remember going for a ride with my 18 year old up a fairly hilly (well it was to me back then ) section of road. As he went pass me he flipped me the bird ( he still to this day claims it was to encourage me :) ).

3 years on and about 2 1/2 years of being off the smokes and cycling ( not related to my story above) I can run rings around all my boys in terms of cycling and general fitness ( my middle son's fitter than me as a dancer). Mid life crisis perhaps ? (but a healthy one ) :lol:

Started riding a hybrid ( Trek DS ) very slowly but recently graduated to a carbon roadie. Pretty sure I'm the fittest I've ever been in my 50 years !

I dropped my cholesterol from 249 if I recall to 185. Triglycerides from 450! to 189. Blood pressure from 149/95 to 122/78 from riding my bike the past 2 years. I still eat horribly. So, yeah, I'd attribute your lack of heart disease directly to bicycling too :thumb: