Xanti Andia

Say does anybody know about the oldest cyclists still pedaling? I would guess they might be stokers on tandems. A few days ago we came across two fit senior men going for a ride at one of the Buenos Aires cycling hangouts, apparently longtime friends, they looked at our tandem and started wondering about who was going to pick up who in a tandem at the old peoples home. It was both a joke between them and a legitimate question.

I am turning 50 on Feb 12, my stoker celebrated her 50th this month, Zona is showing us the way into the 70's, but 80's, 90's 100+ in a tandem are still uncharted.

dvs cycles

We've had several club members here in the OC Cal. that are still riding at 80. Usually not much past that. I've quit asking where is so and so because when I do I find out they passed.
There are still some mid 70 year old ex racers that I still can't ride off my wheel on a hill.

Leigh_caines

oldest cyclists still pedaling?

These a lovley old lady in my town...she's 89,
rides solo to get her shopping each day...
I've been trying to get her on the back of my tandem but she just says
"Not with you young man"
I'm 62 when will I be old enough?

Pista Largo

Last summer we were riding the rail trail from Walker to Brainerd MN. Overtook a couple on a Bent Tandem Tricycle. It turned out that they were barnstorming around Minnesota, riding from Town to town with nothing more than they could carry and staying in Motels. They had been out for 12 days and were headed home. Bill was 79, Mary 74. We saw them again later last summer at the MTR in Appleton, WI.

Carbonfiberboy 

Bicycling mag has had a couple of features on oldsters. IIRC, one fellow was 90 and the other 94, both riding singles. One of them said that the issue was that the sense of balance starts to go. So yeah, maybe tandeming with one's 70 y.o. children is the way to go.

Mr. Beanz

There was a guy that rode in OC at 86. He rode a Merkxc (Spelling?). They called him Frenchie, I think he was from Belgium. He was a grumpy ol guy, but I didn't mind him till he called my bike a POS!

zonatandem

We do not have a definitive answer to that; however, locally in Tucson, AZ we've got some 'senior' men/ladies still turning the pedals.
A couple of our 'older' friends just got rid of their tandem and singles this past year.
Jack hung it up at age 82 and his wife Dorothy hung it up at the same time at age 84. Both of them quit due to health issues.
When Dorothy turned 80 years old, Jack (2 years her junior) bought her a new Co-Motion tandem for her birthday! They were going to do the 30 mile club ride on the new twicer, but the bike was so nice that they did the 60 miler instead!
At age 80, Jack Beiler rode the El Tour de Tucson 109 mile event with his daughter as stoker; took them about 10 hours. He got beat by a guy on a single that was 83!
Rose Steward was the oldest triathelete in Arizona and she, at age 80 (1998) did the full El Tour de Tucson 109 mile event on a tandem. She had failing eye sight so stoker position was ideal for her. She competed in, and finished, over 70 triathelons in her senior years. Rose was also a cancer survivor . . . twice around!
Also, Gordie Shields, a former track racer, now in his early 80s still rides in Tucson. Have competed with Gordie in the Senior Olympics and he's quite the gentleman. In the road races, we start off in a conglomorate age group with the younger folks. He usually sets a hell of pace in the lead. Then when we form up for sprint finish, he sits up and says "let the young 'uns have some glory, I'm the only one in my age category."
Another gent, Jim, 84 is still riding a single regularly.
So we have a few real idols to look up to here! Hey we've got a ways to go!
Growin' old is not for sissies!
Pedal on TWOgether!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

dvs cycles

No wonder he was grumpy. He was FLEMISH not FRENCH.

ftsoft

The Dayton Cycling club has a member who is over 100. The last time I saw him ride a single was I think at 94.

zonatandem

Flemish/French? Yipes! The Frenchies will not like that!
No, it's Flemish/Walloon! 'Flamand et Walon' in French and 'Vlaams en Walloon' in Flemish!
Being Flemish does not mean you are 'a grump'!
Am Flemish and I can be rather pleasant (at times!) . . . just ask my stoker Kay!
Pedal on!
Rudy

BlueWhale

There's a guy that rides an old Schwinn around my neighborhood, collecting cans and bottles for the 5 cent deposits... he's 90.

BW

dvs cycles

I was implying he was grumpy because they called him FRENCHIE.
Would piss me off.

rm -rf

That's Clair Duckham. He started the cycle club in 1961, when he was 55! I think he was the stoker on a tandem on the annual ride last year, at 101.

From year 2000 article (pdf):

DAYTON CYCLING CLUB CO-FOUNDER CELEBRATES 94TH
BIRTHDAY; RIDES WITH OHIO GOVERNOR BOB TAFT
Dayton Cycling Club Co-founder Clair Duckham has been riding a bike for 60 years. At age 94, he still rides 44 miles roundtrip every Sunday from his home in Dayton to a restaurant in Troy for breakfast with a group of friends. Duckham and the late Horace Huffman (former Huffy Corporation Chief Executive) founded the Dayton Cycling Club (www.daytoncyclingclub.org/) in 1961. This league-affiliated club is one of the largest and most active in the U.S.

Ohio Governor Bob Taft joined Duckham and members of the Dayton Cycling Club to celebrate his 94th birthday on April 28th for his 22-mile weekly ride to Troy. Governor Taft presented Duckham with a resolution honoring him for his cycling exploits, which include riding the Tour of the Scioto River Valley in Ohio and the Hilly Hundred in Indiana last year at age 93. Governor Taft is a great grandson of President William Howard Taft, who was the Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt when Duckham was born in 1906. Duckham continues to ride centuries as he approaches the century mark in age, and plans to ride the Hilly Hundred again this year in October.

gabe mirkin

On October 6, 2007, Gabe (73) and Diana (66) Mirkin and Bill (74) and Pat (72) Rock took 5 hours and 16 minutes to do the Seagul Century in Salisbury, MD.

antiquepedaler

Sorry to hear Jack and Dorothy had to hang it up. We were part the group with them on a tour through France several years ago. We enjoyed them very much. The whole group looked up to them as great role models. Later, shortly after Jack bought Dorothy the new single I recall she fell and skinned both knees, but she kept on pedaling.

aggie_grad

My Grandfather is still riding at 87. He is the reason I started riding. He is the healthiest of the family. He rides a minimum of 100 miles a week usually divided over 3 rides. It is nice to go and do the rides with my dad, and grandfather and of course my 4 and 5 year old on tandem. I just wish I could keep up with him.

Aggie_grad

zonatandem

antiquepedaler:
Jack and Dorothy have quit riding; they've moved into a real nice retirement community and are doing quite well and staying active; had lunch with them a few weeks ago and had a blast.
Did many rides with them and always enjoyed hearing about their travels in Europe and China.
Yup, they are our idols!
Pedal on TWOgether into 2008!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem