What's the median age in your local bike club?
05-04-19, 07:29 PM
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What's the median age in your local bike club?
I went for a ride today. 
05-04-19, 10:04 PM
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I would say early 40s. Very few people under the age of 30 and even fewer at university age. Road cycling is approaching golf in popularity.
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05-05-19, 03:53 AM
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I think I was the youngest. I just turned 56.
05-05-19, 04:49 AM
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What's the median age in your local bike club?
So @wgscott , like me, would you not join a club that would have you as a member? 
I LIKED this post for that opinion. Indeed there was thread,"Is Bicycling the New "Golf" and Then Some?”
I sometimes joke that cycling has replaced bowling for many of us older men.
I read this thread in the context of the above quotes, i.e. golf as an adjunct to career advancement…When I joined my current organization in 1982, golf and tennis were those “advantageous” activities.
Nonetheless, I think cycling was a career advantage to me, maybe because I was unique.
Currently those traditional sports are essentially out of the picture (no more tournaments, etc), but I have several strong cycling colleagues.
Indeed the organization held a three months fitness challenge this Spring, and not to brag, but my cycling brought me into third place individually, and our team came in first.
Nonetheless, I think cycling was a career advantage to me, maybe because I was unique.
Currently those traditional sports are essentially out of the picture (no more tournaments, etc), but I have several strong cycling colleagues.
Indeed the organization held a three months fitness challenge this Spring, and not to brag, but my cycling brought me into third place individually, and our team came in first.
05-05-19, 05:55 AM
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The road oriented club I would say late 50s.
The MTB club is much younger. Like several decades.
The MTB club is much younger. Like several decades.
05-05-19, 06:21 AM
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I don't belong to a cycling club but I do see the both the aging and the demise of clubs in general as less than a good thing for society overall.
Generally, in the United States, clubs of any type tend to skew older and have been going that way for many years. It's my unscientific opinion that this forum, and most bike forums, are dominated by people, mostly men, in their 40s or older. Heck, I'm one of those folks well over the age of 40. There are lots of casual cycling groups that may or not call themselves clubs but have a fair number of younger participants.
What can we blame for the decline of clubs, cycling or otherwise? Lots of possible causes like television and now the internet, decline in participation of organized religion, etc..... Not that any one thing is bad, it's just that society is continually reorganizing itself or perhaps it's disorganizing with different ways for people to be connected. Not sure the new and evolving ways are better but that's another area of discussion and exploration.
Generally, in the United States, clubs of any type tend to skew older and have been going that way for many years. It's my unscientific opinion that this forum, and most bike forums, are dominated by people, mostly men, in their 40s or older. Heck, I'm one of those folks well over the age of 40. There are lots of casual cycling groups that may or not call themselves clubs but have a fair number of younger participants.
What can we blame for the decline of clubs, cycling or otherwise? Lots of possible causes like television and now the internet, decline in participation of organized religion, etc..... Not that any one thing is bad, it's just that society is continually reorganizing itself or perhaps it's disorganizing with different ways for people to be connected. Not sure the new and evolving ways are better but that's another area of discussion and exploration.
05-05-19, 07:35 AM
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I'm in and out of a club (out right now), and I would say it's probably in the 50's. I'm out right now because it seems most club rides are timed for riders in their leisure years, and I' m not there yet.
05-05-19, 07:50 AM
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I don't ride with a club, but visual observation of the club riders in my area would lead me to believe the average is mid to late 40s.
I see a lot more people in their 20s on the golf course.
I see a lot more people in their 20s on the golf course.
05-05-19, 10:35 AM
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40's...But our club divides the rides into 5 different levels. The "A" and "B" level are definitely younger than the "C" and "D" riders. But averaged out it's mid 40's.
05-05-19, 10:46 AM
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Main road group: 45
Other road: 50
Other, other road: 37
MTB: 31
Other road: 50
Other, other road: 37
MTB: 31
05-05-19, 11:52 AM
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There are several groups around my area. There are some younger race folks, probably late 20s to about 40. There is a club that is mostly 50 year old folks. There is a group that brags about being a casual group, so lots of folks on hybrids and older classic road bikes; that group is very diverse in age.
Several podcasts and YouTube channels (including GCN) have run stories that are showing that aging Gen Xs and older Millennials are taking up things like cycling and running over golf. From what I have seen with the folks I have ridden with, I tend to believe it. Many of the folks I know who ride that are in their 50s used to run and now are empty nesters and have the income for a nice bike, but their body can't take the pounding of running anymore.
Several podcasts and YouTube channels (including GCN) have run stories that are showing that aging Gen Xs and older Millennials are taking up things like cycling and running over golf. From what I have seen with the folks I have ridden with, I tend to believe it. Many of the folks I know who ride that are in their 50s used to run and now are empty nesters and have the income for a nice bike, but their body can't take the pounding of running anymore.
05-05-19, 02:29 PM
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I ride with Thread City Cyclers out of Windham, CT. We have over 100 members. My guess would be the average age is 55-60. FWIW, again a guess but, I think 1/3 to 1/2 are women.
05-05-19, 02:35 PM
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A. Which local bike club?
B. No way to even begin to tell without seeing the data. I don't go on every ride, so I don't see all the people who are going on rides. Even if I did, I would only be guessing many of their ages. Also, members join but don't go on rides.
Question not crafted well.
B. No way to even begin to tell without seeing the data. I don't go on every ride, so I don't see all the people who are going on rides. Even if I did, I would only be guessing many of their ages. Also, members join but don't go on rides.
Question not crafted well.
05-05-19, 03:04 PM
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One of our sponsors is a funeral home so that speaks volumes 
I'm in a small town club with mostly road bikes with the occasional hybrid rider on the no drop night. I'd say 55 average.
I'm in a small town club with mostly road bikes with the occasional hybrid rider on the no drop night. I'd say 55 average.
