Fifty years of cycling - how about you?
#26
Senior Member
[QUOTE=DrIsotope;21001398]These types of threads make me wonder-- have y'all really been riding that long? /QUOTE]
Yes. Unlike many others, I never quit riding.
SP
Nwpt, OR
Yes. Unlike many others, I never quit riding.
SP
Nwpt, OR
#27
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Forgetting the riding as a kid, the paper route delivery and the sporadic riding from age 16 thru early 30's - I bought a roadie in 1985 (my first new bicycle) and been at it regularly every year since. That would be 34 years as an active adult cyclist. A couple of skiing friends loaned me bikes before 1985 - but you can't call yourself a cyclist with 'loaned' bikes. It is also easy to forget those early kid years, as the only thing to ride was the family clunker - single speed something, balloon tires, wire basket on front. It barely qualified as basic transport, but made the paper route possible at age 14&15.
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#28
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At least 62 years. The neighbor gave me a 16 inch Rolfast with hard rubber tires.When I outgrew it I put it out front with a
for sale sign and sold it for four dollars.I did not have another bike until I was twelve because my mother was scared I would be killed on it.My sisters husband bought me a 26 inch Western Flyer against her wishes.I was finally free to roam at will.
for sale sign and sold it for four dollars.I did not have another bike until I was twelve because my mother was scared I would be killed on it.My sisters husband bought me a 26 inch Western Flyer against her wishes.I was finally free to roam at will.
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Good stories. Couple of comments after reading them all- some 2X.
Not everyone in USA had access to bike riding as a kid. Mom (Depression teenager)was a farm girl, moved to the ‘city’ for a better middle&high school experience, never learned to bike. Not even at U of Louisville. She sorta passed it on. And to Dad a bike was kid’s play, as he had to drive 8 miles to work.
Lot’s of folks mentioned 3 speeds and 10 speeds - others mentioned ‘Dad wouldn’t buy a new bike’. Well, we never bought new anything and I was the handmedown youngest. Just an old single speed something (JC Higgins, maybe?), rusted with balloon tires, wire basket on front, fenders long rusted out, and I ditched the nasty chainring guard for rubberbanded pant legs. Learned a bit of wrenching on coaster brakes and wheel straightening.
I remember the burn-on patches that worked well on huge tubes for balloon tires. Stench. Filling the tires at the corner gas station, where I picked up about 75 morning newspapers, half in the front wire basket, others strapped on ( one sling sack except Sunday’s = 2). Old floor pump with wooden handle at home.
good vibes in hindsight. not always inspiring in the moment.
Not everyone in USA had access to bike riding as a kid. Mom (Depression teenager)was a farm girl, moved to the ‘city’ for a better middle&high school experience, never learned to bike. Not even at U of Louisville. She sorta passed it on. And to Dad a bike was kid’s play, as he had to drive 8 miles to work.
Lot’s of folks mentioned 3 speeds and 10 speeds - others mentioned ‘Dad wouldn’t buy a new bike’. Well, we never bought new anything and I was the handmedown youngest. Just an old single speed something (JC Higgins, maybe?), rusted with balloon tires, wire basket on front, fenders long rusted out, and I ditched the nasty chainring guard for rubberbanded pant legs. Learned a bit of wrenching on coaster brakes and wheel straightening.
I remember the burn-on patches that worked well on huge tubes for balloon tires. Stench. Filling the tires at the corner gas station, where I picked up about 75 morning newspapers, half in the front wire basket, others strapped on ( one sling sack except Sunday’s = 2). Old floor pump with wooden handle at home.
good vibes in hindsight. not always inspiring in the moment.
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Last edited by Wildwood; 06-28-19 at 01:13 PM.
#30
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Over 50yrs for me, excluding the early training-wheel stuff. Got a bike for riding to and from school, at about age 8yrs. Built up my own junkyard special, not long after that. Been riding ever since.
Isn't always easy, or pain-free, these days. But I'm still cycling.
Isn't always easy, or pain-free, these days. But I'm still cycling.
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I eased up on the cycling between the ages of 17 and 23, but still did some each summer.
So yes ... I have really been riding that long.
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#32
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Started riding at 12, 56 years ago. Always had a bike for commuting, errands, etc., but started training and "serious" ™️ riding 23 years ago, at 45.
#33
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61 years ago, when I was five. Schwinn with 26-inch tires. Too big for me, but who knew. I had that bike for a decade.
Delivered newspapers with my bike as a teen. Did my first "tour" when I was 18; a friend and I biked to the beach in southern California for a week of vacation. We biked right past Disneyland both directions getting to the beach and back home.
Continued to bike through the years ever since.
Delivered newspapers with my bike as a teen. Did my first "tour" when I was 18; a friend and I biked to the beach in southern California for a week of vacation. We biked right past Disneyland both directions getting to the beach and back home.
Continued to bike through the years ever since.
#34
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I started riding when I was 5 years old, in 1971, in Tucson, Arizona (I'll be 53 next month). I never stopped, aside from maybe a week or so downtime from having a bike stolen and needing to replace it. I've never liked cars, really, and probably wouldn't even own one if I weren't married with kids.
Some of my fondest memories involve biking about the Sonoran Desert and to Colossal Cave at about 11-12 years old.
It's great to see so many long-term cyclists here. People that don't cycle don't understand, which was made evident to me one day at work, when a co-worker asked me how long I had been riding bikes, to which I replied "Since I was five." She sorta stared at me incredulously and said "Wooooow." Didn't seem like a big deal to me.
Some of my fondest memories involve biking about the Sonoran Desert and to Colossal Cave at about 11-12 years old.
It's great to see so many long-term cyclists here. People that don't cycle don't understand, which was made evident to me one day at work, when a co-worker asked me how long I had been riding bikes, to which I replied "Since I was five." She sorta stared at me incredulously and said "Wooooow." Didn't seem like a big deal to me.
#35
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I started late at about age 12 or 13 on some old red bike with 20 in ? wheels. I got serious in 1973 as a senior in collage when I got a Raleigh Competition for $214.00 with a pump and extra sewup tire. Bin riding ever since thru broken arm, collarbone and both hips. Can’t wait for another season of cyclocross with the other 65+ guys.
#36
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I was seven years old when we moved back from Germany, so that was my first bicycle. Fifty-three years ago. a basic Schwinn bicycle. Hand me down, being the youngest of six. Red and White. Training wheels were bolted on it to keep it up right but soon discovered the arms were sheet metal that bent and both bikes were out 45-degree angles.
My Christmas gift a few years later was another Schwinn but with a front suspension and a five gear. Pea Picker green. I want to think that it was in 1970. I remember riding the Sacramento River Trails to my Grandmothers house. That would have been 10 miles (seemed much longer back then), then back home. So 20-mile ride was probably my first long distance ride.
By my High School years, I think the Pea Picker was gone, but I had acquired a real ten-speed bike. Schwinn. It was yellow, but I was in love with a redheaded girl who talked me into painting it green. So it was fully disassembled, cleaned and repainted pea picker green.
I still had that bike throughout high school and college. I had gotten a small four-door sedan by then, but often needed parts or repairs so that bike was still used to getting around campus (no car parking, more accessible to the bike). So lots of rides around San Luis Obispo.
The first real job was Electronic Engineer in 1983. I Bought a Specialized Expedition for $800. Panniers, racks, pump, light. Full touring spec. I used that bike up and over the hills from San Jose to Santa Cruz. It was my way of blowing off steam and pressure of working. I had bought a newer vehicle by then, a Mazda GLC, but took the bicycle everywhere. Joined friends in long distance ride, and looked forward to century tour events (100 miles).
Meet some great people out riding, still remember Rose as she was over 6' tall, sweet gorgeous lady. At the time never realized she even liked me, but I was just not good at expressing my interest as I love cycling and working.
Took off and rode for weeks in New Zealand. Full touring gear, first turn I thought I was going to go straight off the road. My bike didn't turn. I Learned about loading.
Came back from New Zealand, refreshed and ready to face work again. Had an invite to Germany "come work for us." Sold everything but my bicycle shipped it to Germany.
Germany was great but realized my 700cc tires were just the right width to get stuck in cobblestones. Beautiful in the countryside, find on long-distance touring, but horrible on city cobblestones in the town middle. I bought a Kettler Alchalm three speed, complete with a rear wire basket. Bigger tires didn't drop into the gaps, and that becomes my commute vehicle and shopping bicycle. My specialized Expedition was coming out for long distance touring. Meet my wife in Germany, who I finally realized was more interested in me than cycling, but we had fun.
I Bought my wife, a Cannondale Touring Bike. The Marriage didn't last, but twenty-five years later she still has that bike. I got two wonderful sons; it seems reasonable she got to keep the bike.
I did sell the Kettler here in Texas. Little did I realize the hipster bike of choice become excellent condition three-speed bikes from Germany. I sold it for $20 but must have had two dozen calls on it. I figure some Austin cyclist is still happy with it.
I kept on riding the Expedition for years. Bought a mountain bike for REI as my lower back had started to have issues. Later bought a silly recumbent called the Cycle Genius CGX Recumbent Bike.
My son still has the Specialized Expedition and has taken it to events. Always looks clean (it was wiped down and waxed since 1983).
My latest "bike" is now the Catrike Dumont. Expensive bike, adjusted inflation I suspect the Specialized for $800 was more expensive.
I used to take the REI Mountain Bike (bought around '98?) riding quite often as it was easy on my bike, but last few years I would shake like crazy when I stopped. Hence the Catrike. I'm allowed to use the 'trike' in triathlons as I can compete in the Parathlete class due to Parkinson's.
Last week for the CoTA (circuit of the Americas) tuesday night bike ride I had three out of four kids join me for a lap around the circuit.
So fifty years of cycling. Not stopping anytime soon, but already planning the next adventure.
My Christmas gift a few years later was another Schwinn but with a front suspension and a five gear. Pea Picker green. I want to think that it was in 1970. I remember riding the Sacramento River Trails to my Grandmothers house. That would have been 10 miles (seemed much longer back then), then back home. So 20-mile ride was probably my first long distance ride.
By my High School years, I think the Pea Picker was gone, but I had acquired a real ten-speed bike. Schwinn. It was yellow, but I was in love with a redheaded girl who talked me into painting it green. So it was fully disassembled, cleaned and repainted pea picker green.
I still had that bike throughout high school and college. I had gotten a small four-door sedan by then, but often needed parts or repairs so that bike was still used to getting around campus (no car parking, more accessible to the bike). So lots of rides around San Luis Obispo.
The first real job was Electronic Engineer in 1983. I Bought a Specialized Expedition for $800. Panniers, racks, pump, light. Full touring spec. I used that bike up and over the hills from San Jose to Santa Cruz. It was my way of blowing off steam and pressure of working. I had bought a newer vehicle by then, a Mazda GLC, but took the bicycle everywhere. Joined friends in long distance ride, and looked forward to century tour events (100 miles).
Meet some great people out riding, still remember Rose as she was over 6' tall, sweet gorgeous lady. At the time never realized she even liked me, but I was just not good at expressing my interest as I love cycling and working.
Took off and rode for weeks in New Zealand. Full touring gear, first turn I thought I was going to go straight off the road. My bike didn't turn. I Learned about loading.
Came back from New Zealand, refreshed and ready to face work again. Had an invite to Germany "come work for us." Sold everything but my bicycle shipped it to Germany.
Germany was great but realized my 700cc tires were just the right width to get stuck in cobblestones. Beautiful in the countryside, find on long-distance touring, but horrible on city cobblestones in the town middle. I bought a Kettler Alchalm three speed, complete with a rear wire basket. Bigger tires didn't drop into the gaps, and that becomes my commute vehicle and shopping bicycle. My specialized Expedition was coming out for long distance touring. Meet my wife in Germany, who I finally realized was more interested in me than cycling, but we had fun.
I Bought my wife, a Cannondale Touring Bike. The Marriage didn't last, but twenty-five years later she still has that bike. I got two wonderful sons; it seems reasonable she got to keep the bike.
I did sell the Kettler here in Texas. Little did I realize the hipster bike of choice become excellent condition three-speed bikes from Germany. I sold it for $20 but must have had two dozen calls on it. I figure some Austin cyclist is still happy with it.
I kept on riding the Expedition for years. Bought a mountain bike for REI as my lower back had started to have issues. Later bought a silly recumbent called the Cycle Genius CGX Recumbent Bike.
My son still has the Specialized Expedition and has taken it to events. Always looks clean (it was wiped down and waxed since 1983).
My latest "bike" is now the Catrike Dumont. Expensive bike, adjusted inflation I suspect the Specialized for $800 was more expensive.
I used to take the REI Mountain Bike (bought around '98?) riding quite often as it was easy on my bike, but last few years I would shake like crazy when I stopped. Hence the Catrike. I'm allowed to use the 'trike' in triathlons as I can compete in the Parathlete class due to Parkinson's.
Last week for the CoTA (circuit of the Americas) tuesday night bike ride I had three out of four kids join me for a lap around the circuit.
So fifty years of cycling. Not stopping anytime soon, but already planning the next adventure.
#37
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What great stories - I really appreciate all the comments. Although bicycling is considered child's-play in the US - I would imagine most of you can also remember a certain ride experience where you realized there was nothing "wrong" with riding a bike as a "big-boy" or "grownup." By the way, my first bike lesson involved me running directly in to a chain link fence in my back yard. I had not learned to use the coaster brake yet!
Thanks so much - max nostalgia felt here.
Thanks so much - max nostalgia felt here.
#38
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My father had us all on bikes by the age of four. So for me...60 years. No plans on stopping, either. It's never been better.
#39
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I look thrilled!
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#40
Jazz Aficionado
I had my first real bike, a three speed Raleigh Sturmey Archer when I was nine, been riding ever since, so that makes it going on fifty eight years. Couple of Japanese racing bikes in between, Nishiki Pro, Araya, then a Teledyne Titanium, Schwinn Paramount and now a 2008 Waterford RS33, Campy Record. One major accident, roads here in Denver are somewhat dangerous and the bike paths are also quite a 'concern' at times. But, I'm still riding regularly.
#41
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My wife and I were going through old pictures just the other day. Found one of me on a bike with training wheels. I do remember the training wheels didn't last long--guess I have good balance. So, around 64 years of riding.
#42
Fossil
Just after Christmas in 1949 my 6-year old self got a 16 inch bike and no training wheels. A young girl visiting a neighbor took pity on me and ran along supporting me until after a few runs down the muddy drive I looked back to see her waving at me from near the start. I have often wondered who she was.
#43
Newbie
These types of threads make me wonder-- have y'all really been riding that long? I learned to ride on a step-through framed ladies 10-speed when I was about 5. I always had a bike of some sort around, and a Fox Racing BMX I got in a trade with a friend was my primary form of transport for the first half of my teenage years. Then I got a driver's license, and probably compiled 200 miles of riding (total) over the next 25 years. I didn't actually buy a bike for myself to ride until 2015-- I've been around bikes my whole life, but I've been cycling for about 4 years.
My experience is pretty close to that of @wphamilton. No such thing as "recreational cycling" when the only other way to get around is walking. Getting into a car in SoCal at 17 was absolute freedom. Fast forward to now and I might drive a car 2 days a week.
My experience is pretty close to that of @wphamilton. No such thing as "recreational cycling" when the only other way to get around is walking. Getting into a car in SoCal at 17 was absolute freedom. Fast forward to now and I might drive a car 2 days a week.
#44
Senior Member
I learned to ride a two wheeled bike in 1969 or 1970. I was 4 or 5.
Yes, there are some gaps that I wish weren’t there. I didn’t ride in college because I went to school in Detroit and the campus was small and riding off campus wasn’t too safe.
Imissed too many years after I had kids. I started again in 2014 and have been trying to make up for lost miles.
Yes, there are some gaps that I wish weren’t there. I didn’t ride in college because I went to school in Detroit and the campus was small and riding off campus wasn’t too safe.
Imissed too many years after I had kids. I started again in 2014 and have been trying to make up for lost miles.
#45
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Picture this, it is Havana, Cuba, circa 1963. A little boy growing up in the land where beisbol and basketball are the ticket to a better life. The kid is runty and suffers from real bad asthma, so beisbol and basketball are out of the question.
One day the doctor tells the kid’s parents that he needs to exercise more in order to develop his lungs. So the doctor suggests either swimming or cycling. Swimming is out of the question because the kid has an aversion to drowning, and asthma attacks are like drowning while in dry land.
In spite of the US embargo, the kid’s dad manages to score a new, Chinese made Super Pigeon (or something) bike. It is shiny black, it has three speeds and lever operated brakes and it weighs a lot...a LOT. The skinny, runty kid is barely able to lift the bike to it out the door and on to street in front of his house. But that didn’t matter, the bike was new, shiny and beautiful, so the kid dragged it out to the street, got on it and tried to ride it.
The kid’s house was on top of a hill, so downhill he went. Not knowing how to ride a bike he crashed, one time, two times, three times. By the fourth go around he had mastered the art of balance.
In a country with a totalitarian dictatorship, that bike was FREEDOM.
That was 56 years ago, and that kid has never stopped riding, and he has never stopped finding freedom on his bike.
One day the doctor tells the kid’s parents that he needs to exercise more in order to develop his lungs. So the doctor suggests either swimming or cycling. Swimming is out of the question because the kid has an aversion to drowning, and asthma attacks are like drowning while in dry land.
In spite of the US embargo, the kid’s dad manages to score a new, Chinese made Super Pigeon (or something) bike. It is shiny black, it has three speeds and lever operated brakes and it weighs a lot...a LOT. The skinny, runty kid is barely able to lift the bike to it out the door and on to street in front of his house. But that didn’t matter, the bike was new, shiny and beautiful, so the kid dragged it out to the street, got on it and tried to ride it.
The kid’s house was on top of a hill, so downhill he went. Not knowing how to ride a bike he crashed, one time, two times, three times. By the fourth go around he had mastered the art of balance.
In a country with a totalitarian dictatorship, that bike was FREEDOM.
That was 56 years ago, and that kid has never stopped riding, and he has never stopped finding freedom on his bike.
#46
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Been riding for 71 years now, and still going strong. I’m not nearly as strong as I once was, but at 75 I still do about 15 miles every other day. Use it or lose it.
#47
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Been cycling on or off since childhood, single speeds, 3 speeds, 5 speeds, then in high school I had a part time job at a bike shop and bought my first serious bicycle, a Italian Olmo 10 speed racing machine, went into the military didn't cycle for 4 years, then when I got out I bought a Univega Grand Turismo 18 speed touring machine, then up graded to a Univega Specilisuma 21 speed touring machine with "alpine gearing"! Then into mountain bikes in the mid 80's rode all kinds of different bikes in the 90's and early 2000's, then in 2011 bought my first CWB recumbent then a LWB recumbent, then a Trek 900 Tandem, changed out to "fitness bikes" after that as we got older, "Comfort Bikes" and finally into recumbent trikes and now a recumbent trike tandem. Just picked up a CWB recumbent bike in June.
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Take Care, Ride Safe, have FUN! :)
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#48
Senior Member
My first extended tour was when I was 19 years old. I'm now 70. Here I am the day of departure in 1968 on a trip from VA to WI that I took with a high school buddy. I feel guilty about it now 51 years later. I had a college deferment while many others my age were heading off to Viet Nam.
I did a lot of shorter hosteling trips previously in PA, VT and on the C&O canal. Pictured is actually my fourth ten speed, a WB Hurlow. I started with a Schwinn Varsity, then a Schwinn Paramount, then a Frejus racing bike...
Arlington VA to Land o' Lakes WI ^
I did a lot of shorter hosteling trips previously in PA, VT and on the C&O canal. Pictured is actually my fourth ten speed, a WB Hurlow. I started with a Schwinn Varsity, then a Schwinn Paramount, then a Frejus racing bike...
Arlington VA to Land o' Lakes WI ^
Last edited by BobG; 07-01-19 at 04:24 PM.
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#49
Firm but gentle
Mattel Varroom bike
Christmas Day 1963 I was 5 years old and could already ride as my older brother would launch me down hill on a huge old balloon tire bike for “fun”. There was a perfectly undisturbed inch of dry cold and grippy snow on the suburban street (nobody drove early on Christmas Day back then). I was off and free and in love with the low level flight of biking from the first instant. I can’t remember liking or using the battery powered noise maker, seemed kind of gimmicky to me even at that age. I had a lot of hardpack motorcycle trails to ride on all my youth, way before mountain biking. I worked all summer like a mule when I was 13 to buy a Schwinn Colligate sport. At 18 I dropped out of school to buy and race the first Campi super record bike I ever laid eyes on. I consider it all riding, although I am an elites snob who would never put a kickstand on a bike, unless a centerstand for a loaded tourer.
Last edited by venturi95; 07-01-19 at 04:44 PM. Reason: Missed
#50
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My grandsons, 6 1/2 and 7, started riding when they were 2. Used reworked Hotrocks with canti brakes instead of the standard coaster brakes. Rode their first 10 miles when they were 3. Up to 23 miles on much improved Culprit JR 1 and Redline. Girlfriends are casual and must play army or climb.
My granddaughter, 4, refuses to ride her repurposed Intense BMX 10 miles unless Mommy rides as well.
Youngest grandson, 3, refuses to ride anything except a Kinderbike.
My granddaughter, 4, refuses to ride her repurposed Intense BMX 10 miles unless Mommy rides as well.
Youngest grandson, 3, refuses to ride anything except a Kinderbike.