Winnershcyclist

I ride a few bikes with a new Giant Defy Advanced Pro 1 arriving next few days

However my regular bike is now a Cooper Spa T100 Singlespeed
I take Creatine Monohydrate post ride or training recovery is faster
I also take whey protein and Thermopure

I am feeling stronger as my climbing is improved however was averaging 17 mph and now have slowed to 14mph but that's on a SS now

I was 185lbs and am still same 6 years later manboobs and all
My diet is 1200 calories with average 925 a day

I started riding in 2009

I ride average 30 to 50 miles have done 80 and 102, in a day
Ridden London to Paris twice 248 miles
Riding to Munich this month 1500 mile round trip on my SS days allocated 18 days

I ride what ever I feel like sometimes 250 a week sometimes 10

I also train 4 to 5 days in the gym spin,weights,circuit training swimming and TRX and kettlebells
I am 55

Ravenwing

Some questions:

Please tell us your age.

Turned 60 at the end of June.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Nashbar 105 Carbon Road

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Magnesium, Zinc, Tumeric/Circumin

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

In better shape now than I have been in years, actually.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Started road cycling in August 2014, so I'm pretty new to this.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Road, 18 to 20 miles per ride. Current average speed 15.7, average cadence 81. Fairly challenging hilly terrain on paved (but badly maintained) roads. Lots of broken-up asphalt.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Generally every other day in decent weather. In the winter, I put the bike on a trainer and alternate easy spins with intervals. I alternate cycling days with fast treadmill walks and strength training. Also enjoy hiking as often as possible. A year ago I was a pack a day smoker weighing 210 pounds. Rotator Cuff tendinitis put me in physical therapy, which got me interested in fitness again. Running back in the day screwed up my knees, so I decided to try cycling. Current weight 169 pounds. I feel that cycling has given me a new lease on life (if these roads around here don't kill me)!

Jseis 

My ride for the STP. 4th trip for this beauty. I'm 60 and ride about 250-300 hours a year between the road and Fat Bike. More on the latter because beach.

oliphant

Hi. I'm 57.

I ride a Wabi Classic fixed gear for commuting and bad weather days and I just got my Cube Agree GTC yesterday. I'm about to take out the Cube for its first real ride in a few minutes.

I'm not on any medications or vitamins.

I've slowed down and I don't care, as I was never fast to begin with! I've ridden bikes continuously since I was a kid, about eight years old--never "seriously".

I commute most days of the week and also mix in longer rides Tues/Wed/Thurs and weekends. My mileage is about 120-150 per week, though I care more about time on the saddle than raw distance. I shoot for 10+ hours per week.

disctrucker

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

I have a Surly Disctrucker, Schwinn Fastback and currently working on setting up a Surly Ogre for a Great Divide Ride in 2016.


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Is a little beer or wine a supplement?


3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

I've slowed down, just not as slow as most in my age group.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I've biked for the last five-years.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Mostly self-supported tours and 10-20 miles just to keep the butt toned when at home.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

4-5 days a week and I average 3000-6000 miles a year.


If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things.

62

RANDYF

Hello everyone..

I just turned 65, I am 5'9" and weigh 288 lbs. My inseam is 30 inches. Quite frankly I have not ridden that much since my teens. I do have a 3 wheeled bike, that I inherited from my 92 year old father when he passed. I ride it some, but I would like to find a two wheeled bike, perhaps a hybird or trail bike or maybe even a fat tire bike. That would hold my weight. Obviously I would like to lose the weight by riding. I would prefer the bike to be in the $500 range. Any suggestions as far as frame size and type. Any info would be helpful.

JanMM

Welcome to Bike Forums, Fifty Plus and especially welcome back to bicycling.
The best place in BF to find the info that you are looking for is the Clydesdales/Athenas forum. Post there and you are sure to get some useful feedback about equipment that will meet your needs.

RANDYF

Thank you.

yoyoku

51 yo

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
- commuting: bike to work: folding: Birdy or Downtube Mini, MTB: Chumba HX1, Roadie: Wilier Cento (3d/w)
- MTB: AM: Chumba HX1, DH: Canfield Jedi


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
- None

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
- sad

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
- since 2008

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
- allrounder: commuting 3d/w, XC, AM, DH, (weekend warrior) uphill and downhill.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
- 3-4 d/w...around 4000km anually

canklecat

Please tell us your age.
57

What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Globe Carmel comfy/hybrid. I need an upright riding position due to neck/back injuries from a car wreck several years ago. I'd like an Electra Townie or Dutch style step-through errand bike for local errands too. At the moment my Globe Carmel is also my errand bike, but it's not ideal because even with the slanted top tube it's still a chore to hoist a leg over the bar and loaded rear rack.


Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
A multivitamin and B supplement, most days. Sometimes I skip 'em.
An aspirin some days for heart safety, especially on days I ride. My family has a history of congestive heart failure and blood clots breaking loose, so I'm playing it safe even though I have no heart problems now.
Too much ibuprofen for chronic pain. OTC antihistamines, decongestants and inhalers for asthma.
No prescription meds at the moment. I need to get back on thyroid meds - my thyroid glands are swollen the size of golf balls.
I'm very fortunate to have no high blood pressure, something that runs on both sides of the family. No diabetes - adult onset diabetes also runs in the family - but I'm much more careful to avoid most junk food and sodas, and use sugar only moderately for morning coffee.


How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
A lot. In the 1970s-'80s I commuted 20 miles a day, and did lots of recreational riding on weekends and long distance day rides of 75-150 miles. After resuming riding a month ago I'm still struggling to make 5 miles, and need to stop every mile or so, depending on hills. The main slowdowns have been due to back/neck injuries from a car wreck, asthma, and thyroiditis.

During the 1970s-'80s I rode a Motobecane Mirage, a standard 10-speed cromoly frame road bike with drop bars. Even then I would often get severe headaches which may have been due in part to a congenital deformation of my C2 vertebrae, which was later fractured in a 2001 car wreck. So, no more drop bars for me. I prefer upright bars, although occasionally I drape my forearms across the middle to grind up hills rather than climb out of the saddle. My bike geometry isn't well suited to climbing out of the saddle - the slightly crank-forward design and upright bars make for a squirrely feel, so I do it only for short acceleration bursts.


How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
As long as I can remember, since I was a kid. I always enjoyed longer rides, not just puttering around the neighborhood, and a friend and I would often ride 5-10 miles just for fun. No racing, just cruising around.


What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.
As a young adult, daily commuting, weekend day tours of 75-150 miles. I tried maybe half a dozen time trials and criterions. Good experience for pushing myself harder, and learning to ride in packs, but I didn't really feel competitive.
Since returning to cycling I'm mostly running short errands a few times a week, and 5-10 mile jaunts around the neighborhood for exercise. I don't see myself ever riding competitively, even in my age group, but I would like to get in good enough shape for occasional longer day tours.



How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
Haven't been riding again long enough to have any average. Given my current progress I'd guesstimate I might average 20-30 miles a week, 1,000-1,500/yr.
When I was younger, probably 5,000 or more miles a year, mostly commuting.

Script

64...(age)

Seven....(my bicycle)

None....(vitamins,supplements,prescriptions,etc.)

Some.....(slower but still riding)

First century 52 years ago....(then a pause of 30 years, now back in the saddle)

3 or 4 times a week, 30-60 miles.....(road mostly)

8 to 10...(thousand miles per year last eight years)

Swim,golf,walk.....(other fitness stuff)

Misc.....I joined bike forums a while ago and noticed all the negativity and trolling comments whenever I posted so quit doing so. Found this category and see the positive posts and reasonable behavior.....must have to do with seasoning.......

Be Safe Out There....

Jim

james_v

Signing in to the 50+ forum......

67 yo riding a hybrid mainly for cardio workouts after triple by-pass in 2015. Mostly riding around the neighborhoods in my area during the weekends at least 12 miles per outing with my longest at 32 miles. Week days walking with the wife about 4 to 5 miles per day.

Keep thinking about getting either a road bike or recumbent. Definitely slower than I was in the past! But starting to ride longer and longer distances for each outing.

Taking meds for heart and diabetes. Also, fish oil.

tramptrade 

What is my age?

I am presently 52 years old

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

My "in service" bike is a 1997 Cannondale Killer V500. I also have a customized 2006 Norco Rival for occasional all mountain rides. It's geared way too low for daily riding. I also have a Raleigh chill that almost never gets ridden.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

I take a One-a-Day for people over 50 and I try to eat as healthy and clean as I can.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

I still have a lot of energy but due to some injuries I cannot achieve "beast mode" any more

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I started riding at 5 years old and was hooked instantly. There has never been a time when I was not into cycling. So, 47 years and rolling...

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

A cross between touring, bikepacking, and pleasure riding. Average 20-30 miles per ride. Some over-nighters and the occasional multi-day rides. Mostly trails and dirt roads with very little road riding. I work from home so no commuting. I also like to use the bike for utilities such as groceries (small shopping), trips to the hardware store, running the dogs, fishing trips etc. I often pull a trailer and recently made my own panniers.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

I bike a minimum of 3-4 times per week, often more. Average yearly is tough to figure but likely between 6000 and 7000 miles

DuaneH

Please tell us your age.

59

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Specialize Tarmac Pro

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Just the one a day type vitamins. Though I tend to use more Cliff shots these days.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
Probably ride more often since I've been with a club the past 5 years.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Seriously more or less since my 30s


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Club rides on weekends and commute 3 or 4 times per week. And a club century at the end of the season.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

5000 - 6000km from snow melt to snow fall (April to November)

Brownthrasher

Please tell us your age.

64

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Beats me! I am hoping to get some free advice.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Cancer survivor: B12 injectable, NAC, D3, C, Turmeric

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

More than I would like to admit, but less that a lot of others my age or even younger. Probably 70% of the 30 year old me.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

None since my teen years.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

i have a torn right medial minuscus. Down to 224 from 278, so tubby. I have a kayak. I have a camper. My new toy is going to be a bike. Everytime I go to the beach all the 70-90 year old kids are having fun riding. I want to as well. But I want the best bike I can get with low step through. HELP me figure out how to not waste my money.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

New greenway in town. I would like to bike it a couple days a week. I don't want to anticipate milage. Maybe I am too puny to go far. Maybe with these fancy new bikes I can actually do something like 10 mi. I don't know. Not kidding about help in selecting. Please give me ideas for good choices. I looked up bikes in Consumer Reports: Nada!

Miele Man

Some questions:

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

My handle Is Miele Man and I ride mostly original Miele bicycles made be the Jim Miele company (not the new unrelated resurrected name). I ride road, touring and MTB plus drop-bar conversions of MTBs.

I have a Columbus SL MIELE racing bike with N600 components, another fixed as a single-speed, a Columbus SLX JIM MIELE signed TEAM ISSUE with a mix of Campagnolo 9-speed Veloce and Mirage components = the Ergos and front mech are mirage the rest is Veloce. I also have a MIELE UNO that I had a custom bicycle builder add cantilever brake bosses, cable guide stop, rack mounts and under the downtube bottle mounts for road touring.



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Nope.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

A bit but I've never rally tracked it. I slow down more with a long low kilometers riding season than from age.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I've been riding since the 1950s. I really got into bicycling in a serious way when I bought my first new bicycle, a Miele PRIMO, in the early 1980s.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

I do a lot of casual riding but many of those ridea are 100 kms + in length. I ride roads, I tour on roads and I use a drop-bar MTB conversion to tour logging/mining roads in Northern Ontario, Canada. Many of those logging/mining road tours are solo tours of two weeks completely self supported.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

I ride evey day. I don't drive so often a trip to a nearby city is also done be bicycle. I rack up at least 10,000 kms every year. I also ride throughout the winter.


Perhaps you might indicate your age on your reply?

I'm 67 years young and as my grandad said, "I'm saving for my old age" and I'm also keeping fit for touring in my 70s and 80's

Cheers

Doc_Wui

Please tell us your age: I am 67.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

I have a Transeo 2.0 that I bought this summer to replace a 10 year old Diamondback. I also have a 1995 Trek 800 that has been electrified. I ride that mostly unpowered though. Starting a second e-bike project this winter. I find e-bikes fascinating to work on, but I would rather pedal. Go figure


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

I take Glucosamine tablets and Fish Oil.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

A lot. I noted the younger folks on the rental Divvy bikes were flying past me on Chicago 's lakefront path, On the other hand, I can handle a 20 mile ride, which I could not do a year ago,. A good pace for me is 12-14 mph.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Always had a bike since I was a kid, but until recently, only rode about once a week in summer

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

I mainly ride for cardio and exercise. I enjoy short rec rides, less than an hour. I have lost 12 pounds this summer, and riding has helped.
6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

This past summer, I averaged about 150 miles a month.

If you haven't already, perhaps you might indicate your age. It helps others to see that folks 50+ do great things.

Prefetch

Got a Birthday email from y'all today,,, Said to go ride my bike. My ID says 58. Probly ride 10 miles today just because Y'all were so nice 2 remind me. Grrrrr... This is my 2nd post I realize since joining in 2009. Very much enjoyed the 50+ thing here at bikeforums even just to see how far behind everyone was & if they were catching up.

...again

I actually got to touch a friends 5 Grand EVO carbon fiber street racer. Weighs less than a case of depends. 10 of those don't weigh what mine does. I'm thinkin Why can't I save my pennies like that man does. I could buy 200 of my bikes for what that man layed down. I even get more on my SSDisability check than he does. And after my 20 working years spent in a button factory when they said I was disabled (when this light comes on push the green button. Only push the red button when...lol) thinking how great it would be to retire and finally be able to experiment with all the drugs I missed out in the sixties not actually being a 'boomer' by a few years.

It seems adhd might actually be a cool thing to catch @ 58 :^)

Now I'll re-wind 'the memory'... After a late 80's, 30yr old small penis-getting old kind of thing, I put a 71 Formula Firebird 400 w/ B&M shifer + Shift kit in a 69 Lemans with a much lighter 68 lemans bumper as my wheelchair, electric scooters were not then what they are today. After getting to know every state cop in western Oregon they told me I DID NOT³ know how to drive & in 1992 I came back to bikes.

I left a much loved 70's 10-spd(8-spd) then with a cool plastic Simplex "gear-change mechanism" (Thankyou at sheldonbrown com/derailer Ht*l) that was supposed to flex, not bend, when I'd let the horizon go past 90º like all my SunTour ones seemed to do. I still ride a steel 10-spd(8-spd) but it has SunTour HONORS "gear-change mechanism" Did Simplex move to France for real? I still wanna get another one of those cool "gear-change mechanisms".

With all the crash vids on youtube, I'm almost afraid to get in a car and fear I may never WANT to drive again until I go completely blind.

I was thinking of customizing my profile here at bikeforums when I got that email and logged in. Note: I did NOT have to ask for my login info to be re-sent did I?? HA! Stay away FTD!! Think I'll go for a bike ride instead of the profile! YAY! GO ME!! I ROCKS!!

Stolen from Anonymous Coward somplace near Steam: "Those who have met me and have not slain me have committed a grave tactical error."

Love Prefetch

10 Wheels

Happy Birthday....5 miles would be good for now.

Thanks for the bike pic.

bargeon

Sss

Kai Winters

Hi all,
I'm 60, just turned.
I've slowed down in the past few years mainly because I'm just enjoying the ride rather than performance or race training...20 plus years of racing was enough for me.
I'm riding a '99 Merlin Ti standard road frame...49cm as I'm 5'4" and 160lbs...Campy Record/Chorus Carbon gruppo, Mavic Ksyrium Elite 28 spoke wheels with either Michelin Race or Vittoria tires....Michelin's lately, nice ride and they wear well.

I built the bike from scratch and got the frame at the Merlin shop in MA weeks before they were sold and closed their doors.
I also have a very nice Redline cross bike, a basic model, that I use as my foul weather bike...full fenders, etc.

I take basic supplements, when I remember and bother to...I'm very fortunate to have no medical needs and am very healthy...so far hehehe.

I ride around 3k miles per year generally 15 to 25 per day depending on my miserable work schedule.
I live in an area with some of the finest riding roads I've ever been on. It is a very rural area in Northern NY and I get to ride along Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River, through beautiful farm land. There are very few cars and I've ridden for miles without having one go by me in either direction...but the wind is a *****...it is open area and when the wind is blowing it feels like you are going backwards at times...whew.

I started riding over 30 years ago when I needed a lighter impact form of training from running 10k's, half and full marathons. A friend told me about bike riding, he had a 'Nago, and after buying my first bike I was hooked. I started racing a couple of years later and did so for several decades. I made wonderful friends and met amazing people including Eddie M...yep got to sit down with him at an Interbike and after he signed his book for me we "just chatted" for nearly 15 minutes before his "people" dragged him away. Racing was the most exciting thing I had ever experienced in my life and the memories will last me a life time.

My daughter rides a bit but as a fun experience so I don't think she will want my bike. I'm not sure what will happen to it when I can't ride it but I suspect I will try to find a good home for it. Maybe a junior, etc. will get a nice gift.

Jimbo47

Please tell us your age.

68

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

My old Trek 850 I converted to a hybrid, my Diamond Back Insight 3, and my Trek Pure cruiser.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Vitamins, fish oil.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

I've slowed quite a bit and went from riding my Mountain bike on single track trails to paved MUP trails.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

I loved riding in my youth and then didn't take up biking until I turned 50. I've been biking every day I could get a chance since.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

I mainly ride a local trail near my home and usually average about 5 miles every trip. I don't ride fast but use lower gearing and spin on the hilly inclines. I won't pass many joggers but I do get some workout from it.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

I try to ride every day if life or weather doesn't get in the way. annual mileage to me doesn't mean much to me. Just getting the opportunity and to continue riding is my goal.

RockiesDad

Okay I'll play with you all...

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

>>> just bought myself a Redline Conquest Expert carbon CX bike for fun/fitness rides. quick carbon frame/fork + wide tires = comfy fun



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

>>> quit taking my BP and cholesterol pills. will try to control it with diet and exercise. so far so good. been taking multi-vitamins, B complex, fish oil, and glucostomine. gotta admit though drinking "green smoothies" do make a remarkable difference. definitely gives you more energy!

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

>>> yes, I can feel it. first time noticed it around 42yr and again around 55yrs or so. recently I noticed my decision making is slowing down. not a good feeling growing old.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

>>> been riding off and on for fun and fitness the last 30 years or so. would like to get a bit more serious now. will see how that goes...

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

>>> short rides for fun (<10mi), long ones for fitness (~20mi).

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

>>> twice or three times a week hopefully. maybe 1000mi? not sure.

I headed towards 59yrs next month and just want to ride for fun and fitness. I'm into overall fitness. Biking will be added to my swimming (1600m 2x week), yoga and light weight training routines. Cardio is great but will need to build up legs for biking.

Looking at everyones bio makes me a bit jealous. You guys are in awesome shape! Let's all keep it up...

hillcountry

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

I have a 1974 Motobecane Grand Record that I bought new in 1975 and am in the process of fixing it up to start riding regularly.



2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

No supplements or vitamins yet, tried glucosamine a few years back and couldn't tell that it did any good for me.



3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

At 65, I know that I'm not a kid and need to build my stamina and wind back up to a decent level. I try to stay active and hope that getting back into cycling will help keep me from getting sedentary and lazy.



4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Have ridden bikes all my life and have owned this bike for over forty years now. I bought it to commute to school after I got out of the military and have tried to keep it in usable shape all these years.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Right now, I am only going for short rides until I get my bike back in shape. Then I'll get ME back in shape!




6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Not much mileage yet, will have to report back later.

79pmooney

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride? (62 years old)

I ride road bikes, both geared and fixed.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Fish oil, 1000mg vitamin C, 2000 units D, a multy vitamin, all as suggested by my doctor.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

A lot. I used to race in my 20s. Never stopped riding. I can still do most of the distance but my speed has come down a lot. (Limiting factor for the distance is that by going slower, I get fewer miles in during daylight. The 175 mile days will never happen again.)

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

All my life.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides.

Commutes, rides into the county of distances from 20 to 100 miles, 2-3 organized rides/year. Have built up a bike to take off pavement recently, so it will still be roads, but on dirt and gravel.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

Two to 5 times/week, 4500 – 7000 miles /year.

Ben