loneviking61

Welcome, and as Dnvrfox said, that's an impressive stable! Do you have a plan for riding through the winter?

Stopalot

Hiller, I had a similar problem a few years ago. It got so bad I could no longer walk when playing golf. After the cortisone injections didn't work the Doc. had a custom orthotic shoe insert made. It was amazing. In a short time the pain was gone. I wore the orthotic for a couple of years but now completely pain free an can walk a full round of golf. Good luck.

GRTN

I AM 63 YEARS OLD, I just brought a new bike, My old one got stolen in Portland OR. I live north in WA. I have now Schwinn Voyuager 21, The low price bike total cost is about $1000. The bike it self is only $250. It the extras that cost. Both of my bikes are Comfort bikes. The Schwinn is more like a Chevrolet where the other was a Cannondale with 26 in wheels more luxury of bike. the Schwinn has wide 700cc wheels. All of my bikes and this goes into my teen years have fenders, lights, etc... The modern bikes have trailer hitch and I pull Barley rebuilt freight trailer. I use my bike more like a car going to do everything from groceries to recreation etc... The new Schwinn has only 21 speeds and lower high gear than the other, it had 24 speeds. So the Schwinn goes about 15 mph and the other about 20 mph but the Schwinn is easier to run with the power that I have. I have in a few days of riding it run out of gears as I get up to high 21 gear. I get ready to shift higher and there is non to shift. The trailer load is often heavy 60 to over 100lbs, It easy to over load the trailer when shopping. My fun trips are as low as 15 miles, it is common for me to ride 30 to 50 miles in a day. I have started biking when I brought the Cannondale in 2007, that bike has gone over 7500 miles before it got stolen. I did ride bike in my teens and twenties. Stop because of marriage. In 2007 I commute 30 miles a day round trip during that time, now I am retired and I have not regain my power from a few years ago, I have almost got up to that power. I hoping to get ready for some road trips across the state. As for nutrition, I have taken supplements time to time, when I take them they seem to give me a turbo charge power when climbing and when needed. I used Nutrilite brand that I used and seem to be working from others. I buy them on greatnortherntco.com I am sure there are other places where you can get them too The red bike with my orange trailer color make my bike colors same as the railroad Southern Pacific Daylight colors of the passenger train Sunset Limited. I tried to put the picture to show you and it failed.

10 Wheels

Hi GRTN,

Welcome to Bike Forums.

hiller

Hi, GRTN. Welcome to the 50s Forum. Sounds like you have a fair amount of biking experience. It's great that you also use your bikes for practical things like commuting and grocery shopping.

hiller

Hi. Thanks for your concern and I'm glad you found relief. Orthotics seem to be a popular solution because two doctors did offer them to me in the past. I tried them at the time but they were very uncomfortable to the point of being painful. I'm also pretty certain my gait is normal anyway.
Ron

Badenoch

I am 56 years old and live in a rural area southeast of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. I biked a great deal in my youth until about my mid-30's. The last bike I owned was a Nishiki International that I rode when I lived in Toronto.

A desire to improve my fitness got me back into biking and 3 months ago I purchased a Specialized Cross Trail from a very good LBS. I chose this bike because I would be mostly on pavement but wanted something that could be used on dirt roads, paths and our country property. I am very happy with the bike.

I'm riding 3 or 4 times a week with distances of 20 to 30kms per outing. I keep track of distances and times with a portable Garmin GPS unit that is attached to the bike.

What is starting to happen as my stamina slowly improves is that biking is transitioning into a mode of transportation. If I need to go the 15 or 20 kms. into town I'm now determining whether I need to take the truck or whether I can bike in. A rear carrier and pannier bags are definitely in my future.

My immediate plans include cycling through the winter. I'm not sure how well it will work out but I intend to do my best.

I'd forgotten just how much fun cycling is. I'm glad to have found it again.

DnvrFox

Welcome Badenoch. Sounds like you are really getting involved in a very positive way. Emjpy the forum.

kris7047th

Yes I do .. looking into getting studded tires for the mountain bike and the Trek (wider tires too)

berchman

I'm 75, both knees replaced, and ride a Catrike 700 (recumbent tadpole trike) with an internal gear hub giving me an evenly spaced range of 16-86 gear inches.
I ride 3x weekly over rolling country roads for a total of about 40 miles. My average moving speed is 10.6 mph, measured with a Garmin GPS unit in my water bottle holder. Sometimes I ride on a rail trail, the longest ride on one of those was 42 miles.
In my early 40's I rode about 100 miles a week on a custom Jim Redcay touring bike, but then stopped riding for 25 yrs, starting again one year ago on the trike. I love my trike which I've extensively customized. It's beautiful, very comfortable, easy to shift gears, very fast downhill (30 mph coasting on a relatively short downhill). It also seems to motivate cars to give me lots of room when they pass. They probably think I'm handicapped. I wear a heart rate monitor and some of the hills bring my heart rate to 95% of maximum, so I'm getting a good workout.

I lift weights once a week. Do I lift like an old man? Do 15 rep deadlifts of 160 lbs qualify me as an old wreck?

The only supplement I take is 5000 IU of Vit D3. My diet is quite healthful, all home-cooked (by me). Parenthetically, I'd like to note that before my knee replacement Glucosamine/Chondroitin did absolutely nothing for me, nor did Saw Palmetto help me with urinating and enlarged prostate. I used to take a huge number of supplements, herbs, vitamins, and after much reading of scientific tests, I realized I was just wasting my money. Now, kale, spinach, broccoli, beans, whole grains and the like do the job.

Rich Gibson 

Welcome! I've still got my original knees but I enjoy riding as well. I just bought some weights to start lifting again. I used to own a used Bowflex but it just took too much time. Like you I'm cutting down on supplements. My doctor had me stop Glucosamine & condroitin; it messed with my liver. I did lose 40 lbs over the past two years and my knee problems went away.

Mvcrash

Please tell us your age. 53

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

Marin Hawk



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

No, just try to eat properly and then enjoy Penn State Ice Cream.



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

I don't really know since I've been using an exercise bike until this past summer.



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

I enjoyed bike riding when I was younger and all through college. I was an enthusiast in the 70's and early 80's before life and kids.



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

I ride to stay healthy. Between 5-15 miles.




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

I really don't know, but I try to ride outside 2-3 days a week when weather permits.


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

53

I recently started riding again because I was stuck in Georgia for a length of time and happened to think to bring a bicycle with me. I started riding on and along the beach at St. Simons Island and Jekyl Island in the early morning hours since there was little else to do. I find myself enjoying the outdoors as well as the exercise. When I can't get outside I use a Schwinn Airdyne to burn calories.

LapDog111

You sir, are an inspiration!
I pray that I am as Active as you when I am 75
(I'm 61 now - ride 80-100 miles/week on a Motobecane Road bike)

SFCRetired

Please tell us your age. 69, 70 in February, 2014.

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

I ride a Diamondback Edgewood LX.

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

85mg aspirin and a multivitamin supplement. Prescription med for bp and cholesterol. Hoping to cut the prescription meds with continued exercise.

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

Quite a bit, although things are getting better. I was a two-pack-a-day smoker for forty-six years. When I first went in the military, you were looked at with a high degree of suspicion if you neither smoked nor drank. Because of the military, the only way I will run is if someone much larger and much meaner is chasing me!!

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

On and off since I was about seven or eight. Mostly off until a little over a year ago. Now I am trying to maintain 100 miles per week.


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

Working up to long rides.

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

I do three thirty-mile rides per week (Mon, Wed, Fri) and either do a ten mile or two five mile rides on the other days. I've only been doing this around four weeks and I would like to get up to 6,000 miles per year minimum.

cacher

Please tell us your age. 50, it feels so good to find you folks, lol.

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

I ride a Cannondale SL429er I found in the pawnshop, for $350.00. Tuned it up, and took off.

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

Every morning one of each: Vitamin D-3, Fish Oil, Cetrizine, and Potassium.

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

I refuse to slow down, and nothing is going to stop me.


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

On and off since I was about ten. Now I do about 8-10 miles every other day just to get out and ride, for my health.

5. What type of biking do you do?

Long, and short, rec rides. Thinking that it would be a great blast to just take off on a well equipped touring bike, and just end when I feel I am done.


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

See #4 , annual mileage is unknown.

scott967

Well after long time lurker, finally registered. Almost 60. Used to ride quite a bit while in HS (seemed like a lot at the time) on a Schwinn Varsity, in college a good old C. Itoh just for transportation. After college went into the Navy and left cycling behind. Got into running, did that (10k-marathon) until my knees started going.

In 84 started cycling again on a Fuji touring (I call it a tank it's so heavy). Triple crank (50/45/28). I since turned it into a commuter bike and then bought some wheels (27") that I put some heavy duty tires on and I've run that through MTB territory (you get some good looks from guys on their suspension bikes -- you rode that???)

In 89 my wife bought me a Paramount OS frame for Christmas that I had built with Sun Tour Superbe Pro. I really love that groupset. Rode the hell out of that frame, but this year rust got to it. I have a crack in the TT and I'm too nervous to keep riding it. So I'm back on the Fuji full time and shopping. Pretty sure I'm going to a Focus Izalco Ergoride, if I can decide on sizing.

So now that I'm in the 50+, where do I sign up for the beard, helmet mirror, and 'bent bike?

We did have our Honolulu Century Ride this week. Riding my friction shift Fuji, it's amazing how noisy shifting is on modern bikes. I can shift that Fuji and you would never notice it.

scott s.
.

fietsbob

Please tell us your age. 65
1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

3 in the entry way are a Brompton , a bike friday and A Koga WTR.. all IGH drive trains.

hanging on a peg is a 1990 Steel cross Bike . not ridden much, looks nice..
have a few others, put together over the years,
I use the storage space of the LBS Basement for those...

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

Nope. prescriptions from VA pharmacy .



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

... never was in that big a hurry , anyway.


4. How long have you been biking? ... since before JFK was taken down.

5. What type of biking do you do?

I did a few solo International bike tours, now its mostly just riding to get places, shopping,
going for a Pint or 2.

6. How often do you bike? .. several times a week ..

Your approximate annual mileage? ..Dont have a clue.

Yosemite Sam

Had not noticed this thread before.

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

This particular 50+ (53 as we speak) rides a 2012 Trek Soho commuter and a 1998 GT Windstream hybrid. I am also thinking of picking up a steel road bike frame.

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

Centrum Silver. I was taking Saw Palmetto and Selenium for some prostate issues, but recently had surgery to correct them.

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

I get winded much more easily as I've gotten older. My muscles and tendons don't recover from strain as quickly. I'm also not as risk-taking as I used to be.

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

All my life, a lot when I was a teen, not so much in recent years. Was away from it for 10 solid years before I picked it up again earlier this year.

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

Short rec rides (though I consider it "touring"...) and commuting.

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

As often as possible. Used it for the 4-mile round-trip commute most of the summer until mid Sept. No idea on mileage. Not much.

-- Sam

DnvrFox

Welcome:

SFCRetired

cacher

Scott967

fietsbob (You have been around here a long time )

Yosemite Sam (as a kid I used to spend summers in Yosemite - but I don't think that is what you are referring to)

and others I missed . . .

Enjoy the forum!!!

hiller

You might like taking a ride for a few hours on a rail trail or similar non-tech trail. I always find the escape from traffic and life very calming.
Ron

cacher

rail trail or similar non-tech trail? What exactly are you talking about.

Doohickie

Me neither. Don't know how I missed it. I turned 51 this month.

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

I have 6 bikes. The ones that get the most use: 2009 Schwinn Cutter fixed gear (I built the rear wheel), 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS (hybrid with a drop-bar conversion), 1983 Raleigh Marathon (diamond frame tourer converted to a 2-speed cruiser). Obviously, I like to tinker with my bikes as well as ride them.

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

I take a 50+ multivitamin, glucosamine and fish oil.

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

I've never been fast on the bike. I've been riding a little more lately because I'm trying to lose some weight (It's working)

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

I rode through college and few years beyond. Once we got the second car, I hung the bike up for 20+ years. I started riding again in 2008; my work location changed and was only 7 miles from home, so I started riding to work for the heck of it. My office is now 17 miles each way, so I don't ride to work hardly at all anymore, but I still get my miles in.

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

Tonight I rode twenty miles on the fixed gear bike. To me, a decent ride is 30-40 miles. I ride with a group on Saturdays that stops for breakfast, and on Sunday nights I do a pub crawl ride. Most of my rides are urban. I rarely carry the bike to a ride on the car; my rides start and end at my house. I can get lots of places by cutting through neighborhoods and staying off the busier roads. There are also some nice trails along the river here in Fort Worth.

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

Last year I did 4000 miles. This year it ain't happening. I broke my arm in April and missed about two months of riding. September was a good month- 500 miles, but business travel this month has cut into my mileage. On average I ride about three times a week.

Raggylad

Good Evening All,

I have just joined the forum, so thought I would introduce myself:

Please tell us your age. 53

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

Mainly a vintage (late 1970s) Raleigh Stratos tourer

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

No - but I am rigourous on a low fat, low salt, 5+ fruit or veg a day diet

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

In my profession (I am still - just - a serving soldier) and surrounded by youth I am constantly reminded that I have slowed down a tad since I was 18 ! The flip side is that it keeps you thinking young and motivates you to keep fit & healthy. Two stress-induced heart attacks and a quadruple bypass back in '06 were also a wakeup call to maintain aerobic fitness. Cycling allows me to do so without overstressing the joints (back, shoulders & knees) that are showing a bit of wear & tear after 30+ years in the Infantry. What I do notice is that recovery time after exercise gets muuuuch longer once you pass 45 or so.

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

More or less all my life - some periods (like 3 years in the 90s commuting 25 miles a day) more intensively than others. Currently commuting about 4 miles daily and doing about 60 more miles a week for exercise

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

Commuting and long-ish rides.


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

Daily. Not sure - have just fitted a mileometer to the Stratos, so should be able to say in 12 months' time !

hiller

Hi. A "rail trail" is a hard packed dirt or stone dust path made on an old railroad bed after the rails and ties have been removed. They're usually very flat and straight and therefore considered non-technical trails. They've been around for decades and are popular with bikers, walkers, and runners.

cacher

Ok, thanks, I think I was on my first one the other day. Not many around here.