Too old, but riding anyway!
 

Hi! I started riding again three years ago but took time off last year to have a 6x bypass, congestive heart failure, pacemaker implant and all the agony that goes with it! Just completed cardio rehab and back loose on the streets again. I'd be interested in hearing from other heart patients regarding exercise levels, pulse rates and other boring stuff. I'm old... well, not quite 70 yet and too embarassed to tell what bike I'm riding. Let's just say it rhymes with "Fluffy" and it ain't!!

It's good to be back and I'm enjoying the forums.

Ren230

Glad to have you with us. :)

I'm not quite 70 (I'm only 60) and haven't had any heart (or other health) problems, so can't give you any feedback.

Fluffy?? Hmmm. ;)

I'm sure DnvrFox will be here shortly to invite you to the Fifty Plus (50+) forum.
It's for "old" folks. I try not to hang around that place too much. :D

Hi ren230!

Enjoy your stay here. What we lack in glowing youthful health we make up for in some part by craftiness and persistence. The thing I've noticed being out on the streets is that there are plenty of older cyclists.

Heat & hydration issues are especially important for us. I've learned a bit about those by reading the Training & Fitness forum.

I'm 52. I have two stents. I'd like to have more people around who can call me Sonny, ha.

If you're too old, I must be too fat. And I ride one o' them fluffy bikes, too. I'm riding now at least in part because I'm hoping not to have that bypass surgery when I'm your age. I have good genetics on my side when it comes to blood pressure and heart disease, so it's kind of stupid to be morbidly obese.

CONGRATULATIONS! I'm only 50 and I applaud you. I hope I'm still riding when I'm your age. It doesn't matter what kind of bike you ride. It just matters that you ride. Keep on riding!!! :)

Hi ren230 etal,
I'm just short of 70, and have been riding many years. I do find that I'm not as fast as I used to be, but then it's not too bad. I still own a few bikes and used to work part-time in a bike shop to support our family's hobbies. Still own a Serrota, a hand-built mountain bike, an old Columbia single-speed tandem, a Vision V40, and a Rans Screamer tandem.
- Still having fun - Dex Henschel

Good for you and the rest of us! We're riding and evey bit helps. Clear the air and the arteries at the same time. Take a bow! I just got on a bike after 18 years in part to rehabilitate torn up ligaments in an ankle. I'm riding a Motobecane Nomade. From what I can tell, it's the French equivalent of a Fluffy. I'm pushing 48, and certainly will not be keeping up with some of the crowd here, but from my one day so far, I'm loving the comraderie, humor, and info at this forum. Ride that ride, Ren!

Still riding at 70 puts you in a pretty exclusive group of "athletes", consult your physician about your specific heartrate limitations. Asking on an internet forum might be a bad idea, except as a curiosity. I've got a 73 year young riding partner who rides rails to trails bikepath (Katy Trail) on an older Bianchi and just bought a Trek Pilot for faster road rides. On the Bianchi, he comfortably rides at 13 mph and can go 2 hours on the trails with only a short stop every 30 minutes. He did confess to being a bit stiff after our last 30+ mile ride.

Don't worry about the Fluffy, just try to ride it 5 times a week for at least 15 - 30 minutes.

hi, I had a double bypass 12 months ago. I started riding again after getting bored with walking. I started off on an old apollo road bike and just started riding to my local shops, about 2 km's away. That's about all I coild manage for the first couple of weeks. I then realised most of my reluctance to ride further was in my mind not my body.

12 months later I'm riding about 14-20 Km per day during the week and around 2 * 40 km rides on the weekend. My wife let me invest in a new KHS road bike.

I don't ride faster than 30 km per hour otherwise my heart rate gets to high.

I hope you enjoy getting back on the bike and fall (back) in love with riding. Just enjoy yourself and remember don't push yourself past the enjoyment stage.