UADave

I'm not that old. Maybe I look ancient, but I think early 50's is just hitting my stride. I'be gone in several BS's over the past couple of years to look over the inventory. I've had a couple of mountain bikes that I actually took in the woods, you know, off the road. For whatever reason, lately when I tell the folks I'm interested in a road bike they steer me toward the cruisers or the hybrids with shocks. I tell them that's not what I want and one kid actually said that people my age don't do well with drop bars. Maybe not, but I keep reading how the various hand positions available with drop bars are better for some folks than flat bars.

I'm just curious if anybody else has had an LBS employee look shocked when someone older than 40 expressed interest in a road bike with drop bars. The last time I bought a bike I got a good deal on a Rockhopper and now I'd like to try asphalt. I'm leaning toward just calling bikes direct and investing 3 or 4 hundred on a cheapo road bike just to see how I like it. I know enough about bikes from years ago when I had road bikes to put one together and tune it well enough. I don't remember them being uncomfortable.

Pardon the venting. I really don't think I look that old. The guys around here are making me feel like I should be shopping for a casket instead of a bike.

alanknm

Never had anybody blink an eye and I'm 57. The owner of an LBS I frequent is over 60 and he rides a Colnago fixie with a pair of CF Zipp wheels.

I'm planning on lowering the drop bars on my Roubaix because they're too high for me.

zandoval 

Hey - I'm 57 and could only do the first few miles of an up and down 24 mile circuit ridden by John Perkins 75 twice a week...

Your going to love Road Biking...

DnvrFox

My LBS helps me adjust them, etc., without blinking an eye. But , we have LOTS and lots of 70+ roadies around here.

Northwestrider

60 years here, no problems with drops, and no one has ever suggested their might be.

Cleave

Hi,

Most of my 7,000 yearly miles are done on this bike:



I'll be 54 years-old in about 2 weeks.

ericm979

8500 miles a year- mostly on the bike below, some on my rain bike which is set up with the seat and bars in the same position.

My racing age is 51. There's a lot of masters racers around here in the SF bay area. No one in a shop has suggested that drop bars aren't age appropriate. Of course it could just be my incredibly youthful appearance.

Maybe to the shop folks you look like a new rider. It's hard to tell when people are in civilian clothes. Nothing against BD but you don't get fitted that way. It'd be better to get a bike from a shop. Just tell them what you want.

ColinJ

Cleave and Eric - nice-looking bikes but it looks as if both of you have decided to leave an extra inch on your steerers to allow you to raise your bars once old age finally starts to bite!

billydonn

Sounds like you have and uninformed LBS trainee on your hands. If you get the same story from all the employees there I would shop around for a better LBS.

UADave

Thanks everyone. I didn't think I was crazy. Those are beautiful bikes. As soon as my schedule calms down I'm going to some different bike stores. I'd rather not do the BD thing for the first road bike. Maybe the second and third, but not the first. Man, those are good looking bikes..

doctor j

He is uninformed.

CSG

We have three local bike shops. I'm 60 (but behind my eyes I'm still 30) and have been looking at road bikes recently. No one has yet batted an eye. I don't think I really want a drop bar bike anymore though after trying a few flat bar road bikes but a couple of the shops kept making the point that we all know, more hand positions with drop bars. Anyone who makes a comment that people of a certain age should only do X are not people of a certain age.

OldsCOOL

Get the drops and use 'em. It's better than you remember it.

John_V 

65 and ride my road bike daily. I've never been told by any bike shop that I was too old to ride road bikes. The sales guy is either just starting out or he's an idiot.

CraigB

I'm 57 and my wife is 61, and my shop of preference has no problems with "older" folks and drop-bar bikes. In fact, shortly after buying my new Synapse from them, I talked with the shop manager about what they have in the way of a straight-bar road bike for my wife, who currently rides a 25 year old Panasonic and is finding it a little less comfortable than she used to, and he showed me their stock of flat-bar bikes, but said he could virtually guarantee he could make her more comfortable on a new drop-bar roadie than her current one, or a new flat-bar one. We hope sometime this fall to put that to the test.

BlazingPedals

I doubt it's your age that's throwing them. Is it your shape? The normal assumption for them durned youngsters is that if you're overweight, you must be looking for something to toodle around on bike paths. How 'bout a nice comfort bike with a cushy saddle and front suspension?

dendawg

Fit will be the key factor, not the drop bars. I had been riding a mountain bike and hybrid for 20 something years. Bought my first road bike since I was in my 20's 5 years ago. Couldn't believe how comfortable and easier to ride compared to the heavier things I had gotten used to. Since I have back problems I went for a fitting and a custom build, but you might not need the custom build, just a good shop thats willing to spend the time to dial it in for you.

lookinUp

70+ Female Athena - never a problem with a bike shop in all the years I've been biking. Agree - the salesman is an idiot!

DEK

When I was looking for a new road bike, I went to one shop to specifically look at the Scott bikes. The sales "punk" was very condescending to me so I left without even testing riding. I got the impression he couldn’t believe/understand why an old guy (56) would want a drop-bar bike. They lost my sale because of him.

I ended up with a Felt Z85 from a different shop.

https://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2011...eries/Z85.aspx

wnl256

He's an idiot.

Never. Just bought an Allez last year from my local bike shop (complete with drop bars). I'm in there all the time for various things, and I regularly ride on their weekend group rides. I have never had anyone at the LBS or in the group question why I would want to be on a road bike. Even when I end up at the back of the pack I get nothing but encouragement from the LBS folks running the ride. And when I started this venture a few years ago (around age 47) with a used Cannondale I went to several shops to pick up various things (clothing, shoes, pedals, pump, tools, etc) and never once had anyone discourage me from riding drop bars. I had a shop mislead me on the kind of shoes to buy, but that's an entirely different matter.

If everyone at this LBS is giving you a hard time then go find another bike shop. There is absolutely no reason why you should be treated that way. Sounds like a bunch of elitist nonsense to me, and if they are like that about your age then they will be like that about everything else too.

dahut

You hear about it here all the time. Some wise@ss bike shop hack assumes you shouldn't be working so hard, because you are older.
Its no big deal. Aristotle wrote about it, in fact.
First, take it up with the shop owner. Im willing to bet he wouldnt like to see profit walking out the door because someone in his shop is a Young Turk.
Let him or her have a chance to make good.

If that doesn't work, take your business elsewhere.

There is a point to be made for flexibility. Drops require a certain amount of acclimatization and in the beginning you may rue your choice. But stretching and some lower back strengthening work will pay off in the long run.

AzTallRider

When I first started commuting, the LBS guy steered me to a hybrid. I rode it for a year, then got a road bike.

rm -rf

Road bikes are nothing like they were 30 years ago. The modern shifting, tires, saddles and frames are greatly improved. Just test ride one, you'll see!

You'll be more likely to get one that fits at a local bike shop. They can swap out stems, handlebars and saddles, and see how you fit with the bike on a trainer at the shop.

I think half the road bikes around here are sold to riders over 45. That's an odd reaction at the bike shop.

Deltarebel

Find another shop. Period. I am looking at buying a road bike. Never ridden one. 53 yo and would like to make one of those 100 mile rides. Guess I could do it on my MB, but sure would take a long time. And would like to go on some group rides.

bigbadwullf

I'd be looking at another shop also.

I used to race dirt bikes. We used to invite young kids(the hot-shot motocross type) like that for a woods ride with us old folks. About 2 hours into the ride we'd have them crying for Momma. In fact the ones we did that to would help us with the next victim also. It was a lot of fun. Woods riding a dirt bike is a VERY strenuous activity. Very! Uh, no, you are just sitting on a motorized vehicle out for a joy ride. Get that thought out of your mind right now