Non club and casual riders, speak up
#101
minimalist cyclist
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I don't do much solo riding on open roads since I was hit by a truck mirror years ago, and several of my cycling friends have had bad accidents from unobservant drivers who put them in the hospital while riding alone. I firmly believe in the safety in numbers aspect when riding on traveled roads. I have found some very secluded routes for solo rides but on these I have to do loops.
#102
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Fairhaven Ma.
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I prefer riding solo. It allows me to be in charge, it gives me freedom to do what I want. I ride as slow or as fast as I want, I can stop as many times as I want, I can choose whatever route I want. I don't have to worry and stress myself about trying to keep up with anybody. Just not interested in competing against a group or having to follow other peoples standards.
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#103
Senior Member
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#104
I don't do much solo riding on open roads since I was hit by a truck mirror years ago, and several of my cycling friends have had bad accidents from unobservant drivers who put them in the hospital while riding alone. I firmly believe in the safety in numbers aspect when riding on traveled roads. I have found some very secluded routes for solo rides but on these I have to do loops.
I ride solo much of the time, but like you I use secluded routes and a Garmin Varia for early warning.
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#105
don't try this at home.
Agree about how annoying that can be, especially "car up" when everyone can see what's coming. We've got a small group of 5 riders who are the more serious riders of a larger, but still small town club. We only call out the basics like "clear back" before a left turn and the more serious holes or debris. We're all over 50 and most retired so we can do weekday morning rides. We were lucky to get by many years of dark riding starting a 5:30 in the winter when some of our group were still working 9-5. We never worried too much about cars riding on our mostly quiet country roads because we were lit up like Christmas trees, but animals darting out from the side were the big fear.
I don't do much solo riding on open roads since I was hit by a truck mirror years ago, and several of my cycling friends have had bad accidents from unobservant drivers who put them in the hospital while riding alone. I firmly believe in the safety in numbers aspect when riding on traveled roads. I have found some very secluded routes for solo rides but on these I have to do loops.
I don't do much solo riding on open roads since I was hit by a truck mirror years ago, and several of my cycling friends have had bad accidents from unobservant drivers who put them in the hospital while riding alone. I firmly believe in the safety in numbers aspect when riding on traveled roads. I have found some very secluded routes for solo rides but on these I have to do loops.
Big enough for visibility and dealing with dogs and mechanicals.
I do like my occasional solo rides, where I can do exactly the ride I want -- fast, slow, stop for photos, check out a new road, etc.
But the planned small group rides get me out of the house and motivate me to keep my fitness levels.
#106
your god hates me
Join Date: Apr 2006
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Interesting premise. tbh back before I became a "club rider" and was just a casual, solo, non-diehard rider -- what I now know would be called a "utility cyclist" but at the time I just thought I was a "cyclist" ...and which I did/was for ~40 years before I became a non-casual, diehard "club rider" -- it would not have even occurred to me to join a cycling forum!
#107
Made it to 84 WHOOPIE
Thread Starter
Interesting premise. tbh back before I became a "club rider" and was just a casual, solo, non-diehard rider -- what I now know would be called a "utility cyclist" but at the time I just thought I was a "cyclist" ...and which I did/was for ~40 years before I became a non-casual, diehard "club rider" -- it would not have even occurred to me to join a cycling forum!
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#108
At the time the 50 plus form was started, almost 20 years ago, one of the objectives was to encourage people in the 50 age group to bicycle to start or continue bicycling. Many folks thought 50 was too old. I remember seeing articles in the newspaper about this amazing 50 plus Rider who was accomplishing some feat or another. There were other goals for the 50 plus forum, but that was one of them. It looks like things are changing! Well time does that. Have a good day
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#109
Newbie
I have some simple personal rules: I don't ride at night, and I don't ride in the rain. Neither are fun. That said, I am also pretty careful about who I ride with...simply because at my age...well...a mistake might be my last.
#110
Grupetto Bob
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Interesting premise. tbh back before I became a "club rider" and was just a casual, solo, non-diehard rider -- what I now know would be called a "utility cyclist" but at the time I just thought I was a "cyclist" ...and which I did/was for ~40 years before I became a non-casual, diehard "club rider" -- it would not have even occurred to me to join a cycling forum!
![Big Grin](images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
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Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
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#112
Just Pedaling
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#113
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
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At the time the 50 plus form was started, almost 20 years ago, one of the objectives was to encourage people in the 50 age group to bicycle to start or continue bicycling. Many folks thought 50 was too old. I remember seeing articles in the newspaper about this amazing 50 plus Rider who was accomplishing some feat or another. There were other goals for the 50 plus forum, but that was one of them. It looks like things are changing! Well time does that. Have a good day
I never joined in any of the 50+ get-togethers but I enjoyed the pictures and the stories. Looked like a lot of fun.
Thanks for your part in it and you have been one of the nicest, most accepting members here.
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#114
Happy With My Bikes
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I had a spell about a year ago where I was waking up about 2:00 every morning. Wide awake. I got some pretty enjoyable rides in. And I don't mind riding in the rain as long as it doesn't affect visibility, it is the cleanup afterward that sucks.
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
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#115
Seat Sniffer
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But riding in the rain sux.
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#116
Grupetto Bob
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You just busted my rule: Nothing good happens after midnight.
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#117
Senior Member
I thought knight riding was done in a vintage black Trans Am.
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#118
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: San Diego
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At the time the 50 plus form was started, almost 20 years ago, one of the objectives was to encourage people in the 50 age group to bicycle to start or continue bicycling. Many folks thought 50 was too old. I remember seeing articles in the newspaper about this amazing 50 plus Rider who was accomplishing some feat or another. There were other goals for the 50 plus forum, but that was one of them. It looks like things are changing! Well time does that. Have a good day
#119
Having graduated this year from the 65-69 Strava age group to the 70-74 age group, I was somewhat shocked at how many fewer 70-74 riders there are on any given Strava segment - in general it seems to be one quarter to one third as many. Hopefully it has more to do with who is inclined to use Strava than who is biking.
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#120
Senior Member
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Hopefully muscle strength will return along with endurance so I can rejoin the group I once rode with.
Last edited by OldTryGuy; 12-06-23 at 12:51 PM.
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#121
climber has-been
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![](https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikeforums.net-vbulletin/1270x722/screen_shot_2023_12_06_at_10_57_16_am_30dab3156693a5b88ac2d8a610cf60c99c372769.png)
EDIT: There's an error in the above graph. The 25-34 age group is missing.
Here is a corrected and updated graph for 2023 to date:
![](https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikeforums.net-vbulletin/1320x754/screen_shot_2023_12_07_at_8_34_34_am_23fa2f90bebec8f70dfafd88dd39c57c971d1480.png)
Last edited by terrymorse; 12-07-23 at 10:36 AM.
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#122
Senior Member
I've never ridden with Strava. Started riding around age 45. 58 now.
#123
#124
Senior Member
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Does use of Strava preclude one from being a "casual rider"? (Not a serious question). I like Strava for the heatmaps. I used to highlight AAA maps on all the roads I'd ridden. I kept losing them though. I've even recreated tours of old in Strava to get them on my heatmap. I also like it for tracking mileage but all the other stuff is fun too, for me.