huhenio

This is what our aunt Ruby asked for her 90th birthday a few months ago.

She is still doing well and riding every day to the grocery store and church.




Just wanted to share

Next time someone complains about being too old to cyclecommute, refer them to this thread

CastIron

Answer: Dead is too old. Everything else is fair game. Play hard!

Scott176

As we say in Oz, "Onya Aunt Ruby!"

TrevorInSoCal

Your aunt Ruby rocks!

Reminds me of this old guy I see riding his bike all over town around here. He's gotta be at least 70, I see him probably at least twice a week riding up or down the street in front of my house on this old, beater road-bike. Maybe he got too old and got in one too many fender benders and they took his license away, maybe he's on a fixed income and can't afford an auto, maybe he just likes to ride and is going to continue to do so until physically unable. Regardless of the reason I always get a little smile on my face and think "Right on, man!" to myself whenever I see him cruise by.

-Trevor

Erick L

Wrong answer: last commute.

Toasted

In Savannah, or more specifically, on Wilmington Island, there is an old guy who rides an old cruiser with some weird radio (always on talk) and rides around. Unless it rains, he's out there in his red shirt and khaki (I think) shorts.

And then there was an old couple a week or so ago on a date, cruising around on cruisers.

But when I die, I don't wanna be buried, I wanna be strapped to my favourite bike and towed around every day until my body has decomposed into nothingness. That way, if we remain stuck in our bodies after we die, I will at least get to enjoy riding my bike. Plus I won't have to breathe in the smog

wheezl

That better be the way they take me to the incinerator.

ollo_ollo

As I left work one day I waited for a break in traffic while an old fellow in bib overalls (looked like Walter Brennan) slowly rode by on his trike with his walker stowed in the rear basket! It aint over til its over! Don

unkchunk

Please Huhenio, no shorts for her 91st. A computer, helmut, disc brakes, or even aero bars... but no bicycle shorts. Please, I can't handle it. Thank God that seniors have the good bike fashion sense that some younger folks seem to lack. Hope she keeps it up.

AverageCommuter

Good for her!

My folks had a retired neighbor just up the street who'd never cared to own or drive a car. When he worked he rode everywhere that he couldn't walk to. He walked a couple of laps through the neighborhood every day he lived there, right up to the day he died at 103.

Scott176

Strange, but the movie 'The Wild Ones' comes to mind, hehe

RonH

Too old?? There is no age when a person is too old. I'll be 61 next month and commute 4-5 days a week year round. There are others here who are older than me and still bike commute.
Sadly, I've never seen a bike commuter older than me on my morning or afternoon rides. I've seen a few who were 50 something.

I think Americans feel that anyone over 40 who bike commutes is either too poor to own a car or crazy.

huhenio

By the way ...

Aunt Ruby lives in FLA, and she still drives better than my mother in law.

zebano

The think the same thing of those of us who are 24 and bike commute. Then again, they also may assume that you lost your liscense due to a DUI.

I'll be riding untill I'm dead or physically unable.

rule

Way to go Aunt Ruby!

Sigurdd50

I rode a tour this last summer, 380 miles to the shores of Lake Superior here in wisconsin

there were two riders who were 79 years old
and I"m pretty sure one of them passed me everyday

I just passed 50 years and have begun to commute again seriously -- 17 miles round trip.
I don't see it as a passing fancy

jnbacon

Aunt Ruby's way cool! Groovy shades, too!

I hope you got her a ti seat post -- she looks like a speed demon!

jyossarian

I think 65 is the right age to stop commuting and go back to riding around. Commuting implies going to work. Personally, I'd like to retire and stop the whole working nonsense and just enjoy riding.

Artkansas 

Actually I've found that the ladies react much more positively to me as a cyclist without car in my 50s than they did when I was in my 20s and 30s. Instead of it being a liability, it means that they expect me to still be in fairly good physical shape.

jnbacon

A guy just walked in to my lab that might have something to say on this subject. He's 85, and rides everyday to school and back, around 25 miles a day. He just got a new bike, a glittery-red Gary Fisher hybrid, with disc brakes, and he gave me a ride on it. Pretty sweet! Very upright and low geared - it must take him forever. He's awesome.

atbman

British Vet jack Brownlow has just died at 92. In the same event I did a pb of 22.57 for 10 miles he set a national age record at 80 of 25m.36s. I was nobbut a lad of 53 at the time.

As You Like It

I absolutely want to be like your Aunt Ruby when I'm 90. I don't see any likelihood of my stopping riding anytime soon. Granted, I have 62 years to go until I am 90. Plenty of good biking opportunity, don't you think?

Cyclaholic

Go Aunt Ruby!!!

I intend to ride up to the pearly gates, and if St.Peter gives me any sort of grief about 'no bikes allowed' I'm flipping him the bird, turning around, and riding straight to hell on my Surly LHT, at least I'll have all my ex-girlfriends to catch up with down there

chephy

WOW! Aunt Ruby, you ROCK!!!

You know, she looks MUCH younger than 90 to me in that photo....

ItsJustMe

Fixed:
I think Americans feel that anyone who bike commutes is either too poor to own a car or crazy.