Uncle Bud

Hi Everyone,

I was advised to start a thread in the 50+ forum.

I am 54 years old. I have not rode a bike since 2005. This may be due in part to burn-out from talking with a very sick friend on the phone for three or four hours every night. He was the type you'de thought would pass away any day, but he lingered for many years until two years ago. And possibly also from bicycling for many years. I rode from age 19 to age 43. In my early years of cycling it was nothing to ride 20-25 miles somewhere and back, and once a year 60 or so miles each way. I moved from Idaho to Tennessee. It can get hot in Idaho, but the humidity is much higher here in Tennessee. Could this be another reason for a lot less cycling?


I started drinking beer heavy and smoking pot at age 33 but have been clean and sober for 16 years. I started smoking cigarettes at age 35 and quit smoking in April 2015. I was smoking two packs a day. Then I vaped for eight months and have not done that since December. Even long before the substance abuse the long rides were becoming less frequent as well as shorter. This could be due to living in a larger apartment as opposed to a sleeping room or a studio, giving less reason to leave. Maybe the smaller units motivated me to get out more.


I say all this to get feed back. If I decided to start cycling again, what would you advise? What can I expect? Even without any of the bad things I did to my body, would I still be a lot less than I was in my 20's? I can still walk good. I do one mile or so a day several times a week.

MRT2

It might take a few months, or longer to get back into it, but I don't see any reason why you can't get back to 40 or 50 mile rides on a regular basis with regular training. 54 isn't that old. I am 51 and I go on rides where I am the young guy. Lots of folks ride regularly into their 70s, even 80s, so at 54 you should have many years of riding ahead of you.

First thing you should do is see a doctor to find out if there is any medical reason you shouldn't get out and ride. If the doc gives you a thumbs up, then get a bike and start riding.

Do you still own a bike? Is it in rideable shape? I would say if you own a bike, take it to a bike shop or tune it up yourself and get out and ride. If not, get yourself to a bike shop and get yourself something decent. Don't cheap out. Bikes can be expensive, but you do get what you pay for.

Then start riding. Don't worry about mileage or speed. Just time. Start off easy, maybe 15 or 20 minutes a day, every other day. After a week or so, bump it up to a half hour.

Uncle Bud

I still have a 21-speed mountain bike but it hasn't been touched since 2005. It has been indoors the whole time but was exposed to heavy cigarette smoke until 16 months ago. The tires are flat and I don't know it's condition otherwise. Have you known of people being able to ride again even after many years of poorly taking care of body?

MRT2

Yes, me. I do not smoke, but there were times where I let myself go and spent years eating too much and working sedentary jobs. Frankly, it sucks, but usually the joy of cycling returns after a few weeks to months of riding.

IDK if your bike is rideable. I am not a fan of riding mountain bikes on the road, but it can be done by swapping out knobby tires for smooth ones. If your bike was decent back in the day, it can be restored with a little work. But if you want to start fresh, there are some fine bikes out there in the $500 to $1,000 range that will get you where you want go for many years.

Uncle Bud

I have a KHS Towne & Country. I don't know the quality since I rode it very little. I paid around $200 new at a bike shop in 2004. $500 to $1000 is way out of my range because I'm on low income.

MRT2

Just did a quick search. The KHS isn't a mountain bike but rather is a hybrid. Should be serviceable. The weak point on those bikes was the suspension forks. Heavy and innefficient, so might be worth looking into replacing it with a solid fork. If not, I guess you could stick with the stock fork for awhile. Other than that, maybe just needs a cleaning of the frame, and cleaning and lubing of the drivetrain, true the wheels, check the hubs, and maybe replace the tires if they are dry rotted. If you don't know how to do it yourself, take it to a bike shop. Whatever they charge will be less than the cost of a new bike.

DaveQ24

An older bike can definitely be upgraded to current equipment and made functional. Smoke would probably not effect any of the metal, just the tires, saddle, handlebar grips, brake pads which might degrade due to chemicals in the smoke. If they seem sound, it's probably just in need of a really deep cleaning. Those components may be degraded just from age, too, oxidation, UV light, whatever.

I took my old cannondale mt bike into a LBS a few years back after 22 years of non-use and spent a few hundred dollars, good as new. Never rode it all those years after I got into road cycling. I was glad I did it, still rarely ride it, I prefer 29ers now overall, but when I do, it's still a quality bike with a nice feel to it, just smaller than I'm currently riding.

berner

Welcome Uncle Bud. I also smoked two packs for most of my life. It is thanks to good genes from my ancestors that I'm not 6' down. Furthermore I'm asthmatic besides which no doubt is compounded by the smoking. Five or six years ago, (I'm now 78 I believe) I began riding a bike. Could not go very far as first but is was fun and kept at it. There was no intention to ride any particular distance but bit by bit the miles mounted up. I rode all over town, library, post office and grocery shopping. These days a typical ride around town and the nearby state park is about 10 or 15 miles and long rides are 50 to 60 miles once a week. I'm limited in ability to maintain higher speed but it is still fun.

Biker395 

I have a lot of friends who are 12 steppers and know what it is like to drink/smoke to excess. Just an observation, but the ones I know have successfully substituted healthy obsessions/addictions for their unhealthy ones.

And they ride, hike, or ski like demons.

So FWIW, I think you're in the right place. And yea, if you hit it the way you can, the former body damage could be a long forgotten memory.

bulldog1935

Start out short, 10-mi rides, take it easy and ride an hour.
Work up farther and faster. Also have a goal for weekly distance.
In about 3 years you will surprise yourself on your condition compared to where you began.

Never excessive here, but a strange observation.
I like my cigars, and neat Caribe rum goes naturally with them.
I can drink a beer or two and never feel an ill effect (calories). But a shot of neat rum brings me down on the next morning's ride until I sweat it out.

striker65

I've been a couch potato for years, 64 and have been retired for 2 years. I was taking blood pressure medicine and my doctor wanted me to exercise, to at least walk for 30 minutes a day. In April I saw a fat tire bike and thought that was cool. Haven't ridden a bike since my late teens, bought the Mongoose Dolomite, I just do easy riding every morning. Don't need medicine for my pressure, lost 20 lbs. I feel great! PS the weight lose was mainly diet but riding doesn't hurt.

canklecat

58 here, just resumed cycling again end of August last year after a 30-year break. It was slow going but well worth the effort.

My health wasn't great. Chronic back and neck pain from a car wreck, permanently damaged C2 vertebrae, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and asthma. But I'd quit smoking 15 years ago so that was out of the way. I walked a few times a week, 1-3 miles, but that's about all. That little bit of exercise didn't help a bit with bicycling.

First day last year I decided to ride the three miles home from the parking lot where I met the seller with the bike. I made it only one mile before collapsing on the side of the road. Luckily a city bus driver was passing and helped load my bike and myself onto the bus for the ride home.

For the next month I struggled to ride 3-5 miles, and had to stop every 400 yards or so to catch my breath.

By the sixth week I could manage a 12 mile round trip. Took about three hours, including a half hour rest at the turnaround point.

By the end of the year I could manage up to 20 mile round trips once or twice a week, still slowly. Riding flat out -- a whopping 12-15 mph -- I'd last maybe 3-5 miles before I needed a breather.

I plateaued for a few months and finally broke the 20 mile barrier in March this year. Since then I can handle 20-40 mile rides two or three times a week. I'm still averaging 12 mph overall. I alternate between pushing myself almost to exhaustion, and then taking a couple of easier rides just loafing. The actual difference in average speed is very little, between the harder and easier rides, only 1/2 to 1 mph slower.

I started with a heavy-ish hybrid, for about $120 via craigslist. Still riding it and enjoying it. The suspension fork is not a limitation. My conditioning is. If anything the suspension fork made it more comfortable to ride on rougher roads and gravel, which encouraged me to ride more. The main expense was new tires. The originals were okay but not puncture resistant enough for my area. After four flats in one month I got better tires. No flats since then. I've added a few doodads -- rear rack, lights, etc.

After a year I'm finally in decent enough shape to consider a lighter road bike. But I'll keep the hybrid. It's a good bike. No need to replace the fork. It would be more cost effective to put that money toward another bike.

Go for it. Keep it cheap, take it easy, make it enjoyable and relaxing rather than painful. Ease into it. You may find it almost addictive and begin to find more excuses to ride more often, even for short trips.

bulldog1935

Most ailments can be improved by improving your circulation. Ten minute rides are great for you - they are better than none.
When you stick with it to the point of burning calories, then your metabolism increases, and the more often you ride, the longer you keep your metabolism up. For me, the beauty of cycling is that it's the only way I know to burn 2-3000 calories and enjoy doing it.
(However, after a 3000 calorie ride, I want to eat everything in sight until Wednesday - but fighting that increases the rewards even more).

Here is my last bike, an upright I built on a CX frame. Most people don't get this is a long-distance bike - I've been out 88 mi on it.
Big, but light 38mm tires, cozy ride, and fast, and though not aero, I can adapt my riding position to improve aero. And in the summer around here, headwinds are invited.

Floyd

You have received good advice...keep doing what you can, you may not be able to increase the amount of time you ride much each day but the fact that you are adding even one minute a weeek will let you know that you are doing OK. Yea, you might want the doc's opinion if you have not seen one in a while. better safe than sorry. Otherwise, if you don't overdo it you may be can 'feel' when you have hit your limit. Most of all enjoy...

big john

If it's fun you will find it easier to keep doing it. For me, the right riding partners make it fun. Many are faster than I am, but they don't mind waiting sometimes.
I agree that any bike can get you started. I started 30+ years ago on a too-small 3-speed that I pulled out on the ivy behind a house I was renting. Broke the chain on the first ride, got a new chain and some tubes and rode that sucker for many months.

abbynormal

Welcome Uncle Bud, I just started riding now at 63. I never "really" cycled, and never on a regular basis. Just started getting back in shape by walking. Now I want to to cycling, and I am taking baby-steps, learning a lot about road-trips (touring) and it's my goal. But I know I have to listen to my body, and just do a little each day. If I'm too sore to ride, I can still take a walk. But thanks to a lot of good folks here, I know how to do some adjustments on my saddle etc., to make my ride more comfy

Also, I scored a nice Hardrock (didn't know what one was until I joined here) for 70 bucks. I'm low-income as well, and was trying to figure out what I could do to enjoy myself at this age, and beyond Cycling is what I chose, and I can afford it I may even get rid of the old vehicle, and go carfree one day soon!

See you round the forums, denise

NewATBikeComute

Almost 20 years ago, I got into Scuba (didn't keep it up). Final day of class, I asked about which gear to buy, which to rent.

The advice I got stuck longer then the hobby: get fitted for a wet suit, and buy a good one. If you are miserable, you will quit. If you are comfortable, you will continue.


So my advice is, buy what you need so YOU are comfortable.

For the rest, I can't improve on what others have said, so I won't.


PS: I stuck with Scuba for several years, was always comfortable; quit because I'm easily distracted into new hobbies.

berner

Way to go Canklecat. Often sheer determination will trump good breeding, wealth and education.

swampboy62

Hey Uncle Bud,

Not going to go into my personal history, but I'm a dedicated 53 year old ride with a fairly serious respiratory condition.

Been seriously riding for about 10 years now, and I'm probably in the best condition that I've been since adolescence. My breathing is still poor, but it's way better than it was before. I used to end up in the hospital with respiratory infections 2 or 3 times a year - and now I don't have that problem, and actually hardly ever even get a cold anymore.

If you have breathing issues then you just have to ride YOUR ride. Don't obsess over your poor breathing, just do as much as you can do within your limits. You WILL see your fitness improve if you're able to keep on riding. Your muscle tone will improve and your cardio will improve. There are a lot of benefits that can come from regular exercise - weight loss, improved balance, better mood, more effective immune system etc etc. If you start, and while keeping in your limits, continue to strive to improve your distance/time riding - it is VERY likely that your fitness will improve.

If you decide to bicycle back to a healthier version of yourself, may I suggest you start a calorie counting program as well (check out 'my fitness pal'). Don't allow yourself to start 'reward eating' because you're exercising - that's a great way to negate most of your work.

Good luck. Endeavor to persevere.

Steve Z