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Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

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Old 10-13-18, 06:49 PM
  #2676  
linberl
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Originally Posted by Fastbikeman
Looking for advice. First I just turned 74 last week. That said I am now finding it challenging to get my leg over the saddle of my Cannondale Touring 2 bike so I am looking for options. I thought about putting smaller rims on however then the brakes could be a problem plus the cost just not might make it economical So I was thinking of purchasing a folding bike for a couple of reasons. First transportability (we enjoy camping and my bike rack just broke) second I thought they would be easier to step over. I am not sure of the size to get however I do like to ride ten to 15 miles mostly on flat surface.
I am willing to spend up to 1000 dollars but not sure of what to buy or how to fit one to my size. I am about 5' 7" and 230. Unfortunately I am unable to find a dealer around where I live to even test ride one.
So any suggestions on brand and model will be greatly appreciated
I'm a little late in seeing this but if you are still looking, I highly recommend Bike Friday. One of the only folding bikes with no hinge in the main tube so they aren't flexy. They ride like regular bikes. You can get roadie setups, mtb setups, or flat bars. Fully customizeable with standard bike parts, so if you've got that junk box of parts lying around, you can play around and swap things. They sell "refurbished" bikes on their pre-loved page, and right now have some with adjustable length frames so they fit anyone from 5'2" to over 6' and they have a sweet roadie right now for $1000. The pre-loved bikes fully overhauled and made up in Eugene, OR. BF fits in a standard size suitcase for travel, too. If you're interested in them but don't see what you want on the pre-loved right now, call them. They get trade-ups in all the time. https://www.bikefriday.com/folding-bikes/adverts

Last edited by linberl; 10-13-18 at 06:53 PM.
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Old 10-14-18, 03:05 AM
  #2677  
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I got an email from bikeforums today wishing me a happy 69th birthday, They're a week early, but It was nice note.
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Old 10-15-18, 08:39 AM
  #2678  
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I'm in, too

I'll be 71 this week. I've always biked, but riding has become more and more important in order to stay active.

Rob
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Old 10-18-18, 10:56 AM
  #2679  
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+1, there..
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Old 10-19-18, 09:52 AM
  #2680  
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Sheesh... how many of us turned 69 this year?
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Old 10-19-18, 06:20 PM
  #2681  
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Originally Posted by McBTC
Sheesh... how many of us turned 69 this year?
Next year. How is it there?
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Old 10-19-18, 07:27 PM
  #2682  
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Originally Posted by JanMM
Next year. How is it there?
keep riding and you will soon see... saw the doctor that rebuilt my knee on Monday - a 1-year follow-up... and, that's what he said: keep riding...
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Old 10-20-18, 11:34 AM
  #2683  
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Yes we all must keep riding. It's now a recumbent for me (a prostate thing). That's the only way I can keep the wheels spinning. Hate to see the cold; seems to feel colder every year in Kentucky :/ I'm 74 in March.
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Old 10-20-18, 07:37 PM
  #2684  
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Hope I never have to ride a recumbent.........no, wait a minute, never mind, I've been riding 'bents for a dozen years.
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Old 10-20-18, 09:38 PM
  #2685  
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69 this year but I'm calling it 70. After all 70 is the new 65 in today's age
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Old 10-21-18, 06:37 AM
  #2686  
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Originally Posted by HM70
69 this year but I'm calling it 70. After all 70 is the new 65 in today's age
They say that 70 may be the new 50, but 9PM is also the new midnight!
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Old 10-21-18, 03:01 PM
  #2687  
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Just 5 days short of my 70th birthday. It was a pretty day here in Houston so I thought I would go for a bike ride and try for 35 miles. I actually did a personal best and clocked 41 miles on the MUP today!
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Old 10-21-18, 04:24 PM
  #2688  
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Originally Posted by DougG
They say that 70 may be the new 50, but 9PM is also the new midnight!
and, 13 average miles per hour it is the new 20....
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Old 10-21-18, 04:28 PM
  #2689  
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...what is pedal assist? The new walker?
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Old 10-21-18, 04:33 PM
  #2690  
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Originally Posted by lhill
Just 5 days short of my 70th birthday. It was a pretty day here in Houston so I thought I would go for a bike ride and try for 35 miles. I actually did a personal best and clocked 41 miles on the MUP today!
that sounds pretty good... My best lately has been so far ~ 33 miles--. that could give me something to shoot floor... I'd like to ride my age but it would probably have to be in kilometers
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Old 10-23-18, 01:54 PM
  #2691  
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I hit 71, yesterday, and it was not speed.
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Old 10-24-18, 11:22 AM
  #2692  
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I just joined this forum several days ago and then just realized this old guy section was here. A short introduction. I'm 69 yrs. Haven't been on a bike for around 25 years or so. Then I had so much fun with a rental bike on vacation (Grand Canyon) that I was sucked back into it. Got home from that and bought a bike (after a lot of research) late June early July of this year. So, after 25 years away, I feel something of a newbie to bikes.


Geeze, you guys are impressive with your 40 and 50 mile rides. At my age I thought I was doing pretty darn good with my 15 + miles 3 or 4 times a week around home with one 30 mile ride a few weeks ago on a nice flat Rails and Trails. In defense of my comparative lack lustre short rides, it is really hilly around my house... that's my excuse and that's the story I'm stickin' with.
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Old 10-24-18, 04:26 PM
  #2693  
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Welcome to the forum LesG No excuses needed sir. That is fine mileage. One question that needs to be asked. What kind of bike did you buy?
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Old 10-24-18, 06:10 PM
  #2694  
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The bottom line story I ended up with a 2019 Trek DS3 in silver. The shortened but longer story, I didn't want a road bike because I'm not comfortable with that riding position. OTH, I didn't want a cruiser or dutch bike because they're a bit too upright. Hybrids nicely filled the gap and what I wanted. I briefly rode 3 of them (would have liked more than a few loops around the parking lot). None were perfect (nothing ever is) but the DS3 came really close and felt the best. I've made 3 changes to it and, with those changes and 600+ miles later, I'm extremely happy with what I got.
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Old 10-25-18, 06:20 AM
  #2695  
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Originally Posted by LesG
The bottom line story I ended up with a 2019 Trek DS3 in silver. The shortened but longer story, I didn't want a road bike because I'm not comfortable with that riding position. OTH, I didn't want a cruiser or dutch bike because they're a bit too upright. Hybrids nicely filled the gap and what I wanted. I briefly rode 3 of them (would have liked more than a few loops around the parking lot). None were perfect (nothing ever is) but the DS3 came really close and felt the best. I've made 3 changes to it and, with those changes and 600+ miles later, I'm extremely happy with what I got.
Good choice. I have a Specialized Crosstrail, which is the Specialized equivalent of the DualSport. It's one of three (now two) bikes that I own, but sees the most mileage by far. I ride mainly on paved and unpaved rail-trails, but do make forays onto off-road trails and dirt roads and have done a few tougher, hilly "gravel grinder" rides. It's also been across Missouri on the Katy Trail and from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal trails.

And I'm not quite ready for an e-bike yet, but if I were getting one now it would be the Trek DualSport+.
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Old 10-25-18, 11:33 AM
  #2696  
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Originally Posted by DougG
Good choice. I have a Specialized Crosstrail, which is the Specialized equivalent of the DualSport. It's one of three (now two) bikes that I own, but sees the most mileage by far. I ride mainly on paved and unpaved rail-trails, but do make forays onto off-road trails and dirt roads and have done a few tougher, hilly "gravel grinder" rides. It's also been across Missouri on the Katy Trail and from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. on the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal trails.

And I'm not quite ready for an e-bike yet, but if I were getting one now it would be the Trek DualSport+.
Being out of biking for 20 or 25 years, I did a lot of research before making the trip to the bike store because so much has changed.The Specialized Crosstrail and the Sirrus was on my list but the local store had neither. The Sirrus along with the Trek FX made the list because, in my research, there was a lot a negative talk (controversy may be a better word) about the front suspension of hybrids...the main negatives being the extra weight, little travel and being an entry level component. I can't deny any of those things. Most of the time mine is in the locked out position. However if I hit a rough patch, uneven pavement, dirt, grass or gravel and such, I reach down and turn it on. I find it nice to have if I want to smooth things out a bit and weight isn't a big concern for the kind of riding I do.

Geeze, I say it again, you "old" guys that do this long distance riding really impress me. My 15 mile (occasional 20) exercise rides, even if it is very hilly around here, pale in comparison. We live in the tri state area of Ohio, KY and Indiana (on the KY side). Nearby Ohio has an extensive Rails and Trails system which we often use for day rides. My wife briskly walks a lot (1 to 2 hours per day) but does very little fitness "stuff" on the bike. For exercise, I'm usually on my own with the bike. When we do Rails and Trails she prefers doing what I call a "smell the roses" pace (7 to 9 mpg). I'm OK with that because we're doing it for fun and to simply enjoy the scenery with exercise being more of a side benefit. 30 miles + or - is the usual for those.

E bikes could be in my future. Besides fun, one reason I got back into bikes was a right knee (arthroscopic surgery years ago) which is starting to give me problems. An orthopedic Dr. suggested that I exercise to build muscle in order to help support the knee and stave off knee replacement. I have good range of motion with it, don't limp but it does ache a bit but my drug of choice theses days, ibuprofen, settles that down. Anyway, I won't rule out an E bike when / if the time ever comes.
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Old 10-25-18, 01:09 PM
  #2697  
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Originally Posted by LesG
We live in the tri state area of Ohio, KY and Indiana (on the KY side). Nearby Ohio has an extensive Rails and Trails system which we often use for day rides. My wife briskly walks a lot (1 to 2 hours per day) but does very little fitness "stuff" on the bike. For exercise, I'm usually on my own with the bike. When we do Rails and Trails she prefers doing what I call a "smell the roses" pace (7 to 9 mpg). I'm OK with that because we're doing it for fun and to simply enjoy the scenery with exercise being more of a side benefit. 30 miles + or - is the usual for those.
I grew up in Cincinnati, so know the hills whereof you speak! I've never ridden in the area as an adult, but have done some other hilly areas of the state (Amish country in NE Ohio for example).
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Old 10-25-18, 01:28 PM
  #2698  
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Originally Posted by LesG
I just joined this forum several days ago and then just realized this old guy section was here. A short introduction. I'm 69 yrs. Haven't been on a bike for around 25 years or so. Then I had so much fun with a rental bike on vacation (Grand Canyon) that I was sucked back into it. Got home from that and bought a bike (after a lot of research) late June early July of this year. So, after 25 years away, I feel something of a newbie to bikes.


Geeze, you guys are impressive with your 40 and 50 mile rides. At my age I thought I was doing pretty darn good with my 15 + miles 3 or 4 times a week around home with one 30 mile ride a few weeks ago on a nice flat Rails and Trails. In defense of my comparative lack lustre short rides, it is really hilly around my house... that's my excuse and that's the story I'm stickin' with.
You are
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Old 10-26-18, 09:52 PM
  #2699  
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Somewhere in the old guy forum or maybe it was the even older, old guy forum (65 - 85 of which I'm there) I said I'd post a couple of photos... I hope somebody starts a 85 to 100+ forum so I can feel a little bit younger. Since this is a Trek DS3 I did also posted these there after I had mentioned I would. Since I'm a newbie here I needed 10 posts before I was allowed attachments. Anyway the first one was taken in the back yard a month or so ago and the second one on one of my exercise / fitness rides a few days ago.





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Old 10-27-18, 05:08 AM
  #2700  
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This is an older article about some oldsters on the Great Divide Mt. Bike Trail. I guess the message is that if we’re lucky enough to be in decent shape in our 60s and 70s, it may take more time, but we can still set some pretty lofty riding goals.

I love this approach described by one rider: “I start out slow and then I back off”

https://www.adventurecycling.org/sit...Hills_Marr.pdf

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