scoot157

I renewed a childhood passion this spring and got back into biking. I bought a Trek DS 4 and am having a great time enjoying everything biking has to offer. So far I have lost 45 pounds and am in the best shape I've been in for many years. I really like the DS 4. It is head and shoulders better than anything I rode in my youth. I really like the ability of this bike to ride over anything - grass, gravel, etc. The frustration I have with the DS 4 is that the gearing is not high enough to really enjoy the 75% pavement use. I look with envy whenever a street biker blows by me effortlessly with their higher gear ratio.

Enter the Trek Checkpoint SL5. It is the first bike I have seen that has an expanded gear ratio offering and will provide the benefit of higher speed on hard surfaces yet will allow me to run gravel paths, grass, etc. I ordered one today with a November delivery. Trek apparently can't keep up with demand for this bike.

Fortunately, I can continue to enjoy my DS 4 until the new bike comes in. Anyone debating whether you are too old, fat, or whatever to get into biking, I suggest that you start slow and keep at it. Not only will you glean many health benefits from this sport/hobby, but you will be opened to many new parts of your city/area that you can never see just driving around in a car.

CliffordK

Congratulations on your new found sport, and weight loss.

You have a decade on me, but there are plenty of people on this board on their 60's.

You may well be getting 2019 model bikes now, and thus a bit of a delay.

Your new Checkpoint should be a good gravel all-road bike. Of course, keep in mind that many people may look like they are pedaling effortlessly, but it both takes good fitness, and they still may be putting out quite a bit of effort.

A good bike and ergonomics helps, but it isn't simply a matter of increasing the gearing.

BobbyG

go, Go, GO!

OldTryGuy

I'll double down with ....

go, Go, GO!!

debade

Now that you have enjoyed even more parts of your town, you should start considering touring. I'm a bit older than you. We just had a couple stay with us a bit older than us. They were going from Seattle to Fort Collins. Lots of 4 day plus trips either credit card or camping. Just another thought that since you are back on the bike, you may not have considered.

curbtender

Welcome to the forums scoot. Vintage 57 also. Nice choice on the bike. Enjoy.

Daspydyr 

64 here, but I did love my Schwinn Varsity in the 1970s. Shifting and braking is so much sweeter. Welcome to the crew!

John E

Cycling = fountain of youth

avmech

Kabuki12

Going to be 64 next month. Still riding my first real racer from back in 1976, as well as other vintage steel bikes I have collected. I too started on a Varsity back in about 1971. I do about 40-50 miles a week, nothing huge just steady as you go! Keep it up and ride whatever feels comfortable. Ride on Joe

BlazingPedals

I'm not sure what the difference is between a gravel bike like the Checkpoint SL5 and a CX bike, other than gearing? But anyway, the Checkpoint looks like a good compromise between a full road bike and a hybrid.

bruce19

Getting on the bike, losing weight and getting healthier is a great thing. Respect.

zonatandem

Ages 85 and 83, respectively.
Still riding tandem weekly and racing bike 6 days a week.
Covered over 250,000 miles on tandem TWOgether since 1975 + 50,000 some miles on racing bikes for Rudy.
Stoker Kay just survived her 5th cancer surgery and yes, going riding this week!
Pedal on!
Rudy and Kay/zonatandem

Kabuki12

Ride On you two . An inspiration for us all . Enjoy your ride and God Bless, Joe

tcs

Theoretically, a CX bike will have a higher BB for clearance over obstacles. In actual practice, it's mostly marketing.

The SL5 does have a lower BB that one might expect on a purpose built CX, bike, though, with 74~76 mm drop.

tcs

In fact the SL5 has only a single ratio above the DS4's top 104 g.i.: a whopping jump of 18% to 123 g.i. (50x11)!

Turn over 123 g.i. @ 90rpm and you'll be going ~ 33.5 mph. (The fastest Tour de France mass start stage ever was covered @ 31.3 mph.)

I recall those bikes from the 60s and 70s we found so much joy on every time I hear somebody state nothing below 105 11-speed w/ hydraulic discs is worth riding.

zacster

Keep at it.

The guys blowing by you probably aren't in any bigger a gear than you are. My biggest gear is a 50x13 on my regular road bike and I only ride in that on downhills. To ride fast you need to put out power, and you get that through training. I now can blow by people on my converted mtb that I use as a commuter and it has nothing to do with gearing, just strong legs. On my road bike I can keep up with everyone except the real racers. I don't train quite hard enough for that.

Keep your original bike for gravel but buy a full road bike to go with it. Buy an indoor smart trainer. Use the indoor trainer as your workout over the winter 5 days a week with one of the training systems like Sufferfest or TrainerRoad or Zwift. Take it seriously over the winter and then go outside in the spring. THEN you'll be blowing by everybody. I did just that this past winter and I've never been stronger, and I'm 63.

And I rode my 1980 Italian steel bike with the downtube shifters the other day and I was blowing by everybody on that bike too. In its time though it was considered a really nice racing bike. 52/42 in the front and 13-26 10 speed rear. I couldn't get it to shift into the smallest rear cogs though, so reality was 52/15 was the highest gear, and that isn't that high. Before I take it out next time I'll adjust it.

rydabent

Keep at it. I have found that cycling is the fountain of youth. Im 80 and ride anywhere from 20 to 35 miles every other day. 80 is the new 60!!!!!

nios2

Similar here. Got a bike recently (at 60) after last riding one when I was 12. For me it is not about speed but just enjoying a slow ride along the local paths that take in the river and parks. Getting a trailer/caboose to hitch to the back to be able to take my old dog along with me.

delbiker1 

I am 66 and have done more miles on a bike both this year and last year than any other years. I ride much more consistently than I did in the past. I have 4 bikes, all different styles and frame material, steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and titanium. I enjoy riding all of them. Get something that will be comfortable and fits the riding style of your choice.

kbarj

Congrats on getting back into it. I'll be 63 next month. Got back into riding 3 years ago with a Trek 8.3, I've put slightly wider tires on it so I can chase my 10 year old through the brush. Health and outlook much improved, but now I have a hankering for a REAL mountain bike, AND a road bike!

davester

As noted by @tcs above, the gearing is not going to make any difference to your speed unless you're going down a steep downhill with the wind behind you. The 104" gear on the DS4 is a plenty high gear for any conditions. The only things that will increase your speed will be fitness, having supple and light treadless tires, and drop handlebars. If you have heavy lugged tires on either bike that will definitely slow you down.

striker65

67 and ride a fat tire bike, maintaining a good weight for me and don't need blood pressure medicine anymore.

eja_ bottecchia