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Any 50+ work-commuters

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Old 04-07-05, 07:36 PM
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OldShacker
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Any 50+ work-commuters

Just wondering how many still commute to work? I enjoy the early morning commute of only 13-miles each way. I have a good place to park my bike and so far out of 300 employees of an average age of 22, I am the only one that commutes. The best part of my commute is that it is 95 percent bike path.

I just talked one of my co workers (44 years old) to take the bus most of the way and ride the bike as much as he can. So far so good. He really enjoys it.
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Old 04-07-05, 08:15 PM
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I'm 61, still commute 25 miles about half the time. The rest of the time I ride 50 to 100 on my days off. I'll die on the bike.
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Old 04-07-05, 09:17 PM
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I just turned 50 and still commute 36 miles round trip to work. My commute has 1500 ft of climbing. The best part is the 3 mile stretch along the pacific Ocean.
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Old 04-07-05, 09:40 PM
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Living in Wisconsin, more than 10 miles from work, I manage about half the time in the summer. I try to get in the spring and fall when the weather permits, but it really makes me hate Daylight Savings time. That steals my daylight about the time that it finally gets warm enough to ride.

Last edited by casner; 04-07-05 at 09:52 PM.
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Old 04-08-05, 09:48 AM
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I commute every day year round in the Washington, DC area. Given that I live only 5 miles from work, it seems clear that this is the best way to get there.

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Old 04-08-05, 10:51 AM
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I love to commute by bike (30 miles round trip) but can only do it during the summer. My wife doesn't drive or ride a bike and teaches from September through May. So I have to be chauffeur during the school year.


I know what you're going to say--get her a bike. Tried it. After several scraped knees and elbows in a church parking lot, I decided to save my marriage and give her bike to the Salvation Army.
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Old 04-08-05, 11:02 AM
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Originally Posted by OldShacker
Just wondering how many still commute to work? I enjoy the early morning commute of only 13-miles each way. I have a good place to park my bike and so far out of 300 employees of an average age of 22, I am the only one that commutes. The best part of my commute is that it is 95 percent bike path.
I am 58 and commute 24 milesR/T, M-Th, year round except if the road is icy. 800 employees; one bike commuter (me). There is no public transportation to this workplace. The route is not good, 1/2 is on 55mph roads with 10' lanes and no usable shoulders, but I do enjoy cycling. I would enjoy it more with a better cycling environment.
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Old 04-08-05, 12:09 PM
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I rode in this morning, but I'm wimping out this afternoon. Wind will do that to me...

my commute is 16 miles, but I lightrail boost most of it, and ride about 10 per day. I commmute rain or shine, but wind.....

and I'm 50.
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Old 04-08-05, 12:49 PM
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My commute is 8.3 miles each way, mostly through neighborhoods, mostly hills. It's a good stiff workout and takes me about 35 minutes due to crossing several main arteries plus the hills. I ride to a health club where I can shower and change cloths, walk a block to and from work. I can do this 2 or 3 times a week, 6 months a year. I'm 62.

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Old 04-08-05, 01:31 PM
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I'm 60 and commute year round, 4-5 days a week. The ride is just under 9 miles one way.
I'm lucky because I work for a bicycle advocacy organization and we all ride bikes to work and for errands.

Not sure if the ride to work has more hills or the ride home.

Bike parking - hmmm. Should I park my bike next to my desk or in the hall outside my office or ...
No showers. If its warm weather we just wipe down or use the bathroom sink or we just stink each other out.
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Old 04-08-05, 05:04 PM
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I'm a fair weather cyclist and commute to work when it is over 0 Celsius and not raining when I start out. My commute is 25 km round trip and this is my third year commuting. I feel great when I get to work, especially when people tell me that I'm amazing. My weekend rides are between 45-75 km and I did a couple of metric centuries last summer. I'm 55 and female.
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Old 04-08-05, 05:15 PM
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55YY 30 mile round trip. Very rural and very flat, but can be windy. I ride several different bikes. Fixie/SS, 2 different recumbents, road bike and recumbent trike.
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Old 04-08-05, 08:59 PM
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55 and have commuted on and off now for 30+ years. Last year was the most days I ever commuted in a single year and this year I plan to top my personal record. The last 8 years has been the shortest commute with 5 miles each way. This year I am commuting 5 miles to work and 12+ miles home. The extra miles are all on a bike path.
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Old 04-08-05, 09:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Jessica
I rode in this morning, but I'm wimping out this afternoon. Wind will do that to me...

my commute is 16 miles, but I lightrail boost most of it, and ride about 10 per day. I commmute rain or shine, but wind.....

and I'm 50.
But you look so young for your age!!!
I'm ramping up to do mine at least three times a week in good weather. It's 46-47 miles round trip. I have a "physical" outside job, so it takes a lot out of me to do it. My goal is every day by the end of June. My worst thing to overcome is the alarm clock at 3:30AM.
I'll be 52 this summer.
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Old 04-09-05, 06:18 AM
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Well, I am "officially" retired at age 65.

But, I did do some commuting when I could - For a few days, I went 28 miles each way, but that took so long I was leaving at 5:00 am and getting back at about 6:30 pm.

Then I decided to drive/ride, and that was 18 miles each way. Did fine until I left my wife's $300 mtn bike in the Caravan at the shopping center parking lot, and someone broke my back window ($600) trying to steal it.

I threw in the towel, and started taking a bike to work so that I could bicycle the local trails near my work after work. That worked fine, and I got about an hours bicycling in each day as long as there was light. I would definitely NOT want to bike in this area in the dark.

Then I retired!

But, I still bike to the store, etc.
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Old 04-09-05, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by DnvrFox
Well, I am "officially" retired at age 65.

But, I did do some commuting when I could - For a few days, I went 28 miles each way, but that took so long I was leaving at 5:00 am and getting back at about 6:30 pm.

Then I decided to drive/ride, and that was 18 miles each way. Did fine until I left my wife's $300 mtn bike in the Caravan at the shopping center parking lot, and someone broke my back window ($600) trying to steal it.

I threw in the towel, and started taking a bike to work so that I could bicycle the local trails near my work after work. That worked fine, and I got about an hours bicycling in each day as long as there was light. I would definitely NOT want to bike in this area in the dark.

Then I retired!

But, I still bike to the store, etc.
In your case, I would think the daily ride to the coffee shop would count as commuting.
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Old 04-09-05, 03:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Dchiefransom
In your case, I would think the daily ride to the coffee shop would count as commuting.
Don't drink coffee!
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Old 04-09-05, 08:20 PM
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Yep I do except in the winter, 50 kilometers round trip, half on gravel roads half on a really scary highway, real flat but windy (big water close by).

You know you're having a good ride when there are
at least 3 different body fluids on your top tube. Great line Javaman lets see Blood, Sweat, and (well tears are the same as sweat) it must be.... oh no tell me it's Lymph and not something else, you were refering to.
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Old 04-10-05, 04:08 AM
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57, commute to work all shifts day& night, rain or shine ,only 10ks each way but usualy do xtra ks on the way home or there .Before breaking my hip in a crash a year ago I was clocking 300+ks a week,but now im only getting about 200ks in a week. The only days I didnt ride to work was when the wind was so strong it was blowing containers off the ships over in the port where I work!
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Old 04-11-05, 04:45 AM
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I am 53 and rode 10-11 miles round trip to work. I ride rain,shine,snow, and cold. Going to work is 2/3 up hill coming home well it is a --ll of a lot easer. Oh 90% is on a bike path. The view is great at the high point I have a view of Lake Champlain on one side and the Green Mountains on the other side.
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Old 04-11-05, 11:59 AM
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I will be a 50+ commuter in 2 weeks--when I turn 50. I only have 3.5 miles--but almost always ride at least 15 on my way in.
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Old 04-12-05, 03:07 PM
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I turned 60 in January, and as soon as the weather settles, I plan to ride about half the time all summer, same as I have for years. It's 24 miles RT by the most direct route, but there are lots of options for stretching it on the way home. The five or six guys I ride with most often range in age from 54 to 62, and they all ride at least 200 mi/wk, though not all commute to work. The oldest guy, a judge, did 14 or 15 centuries and one double last year. He often rides out to my house (11 miles), does a 40-50 mile loop with me, either the same loop or a 25-mile one on his own, then rides home. Makes me feel like a slug.
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Old 04-12-05, 06:17 PM
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Just turned 59 today! Ride to work everyday, rain or shine, day and night, 9.5 miles each way, on my trusty BikeE.
Since I broke my femur and hip 6 months ago, I've had to resort to electric power assist. I have not yet got full power in the bum leg. It might take a full year to recover, and it may never come back 100%. Nothin's gonna stop me!! I limp when I walk, but not when I bike!
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Old 04-12-05, 10:20 PM
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I'll turn 55 on what would have been Tullio Campagnolo's 104th birthday. My commute is about 15 mi / 25 km round trip, with a few mild hills, and I either bike it or take the bus or train halfway and jog the other half.

Hang in there, izqod! I know lots of folks who bike alot better than they walk or jog, including one chap with a fused right ankle, a couple of amputees, and several arthritis sufferers.
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Old 04-13-05, 05:55 AM
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Turning 54 shortly. I'm a one way fair weather commuter. The ride is about 17 miles. Nothing impressive but it is a good "stress reliever" after a crazy day at work.
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