FrankieV

So, here is my first contribution.


Some questions:

Please tell us your age. 60 yrs. old on 1/08

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Road Bike Specialized Sequoia Elite


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Glucosamine/Chondroiton, CoEnzyme Q10, Multi-vitamin


3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
Haven't slowed down at all. Picked up the pace in the last year since I started cycling.


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
Occasional biking all my life...serious cycling for the last year.


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?
50 - 75 mile tours in the tri-state area. 15 milers 3 nights/week. 30 - 40 mile rides once a month.


6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
3 nights a week +. ~600/yr.


7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
Bad knees pushed me out of racketball and roller hockey. This is the last sport left for me.

SeasonedWarrior

1. What type of bkes do people over 50 ride:

I have no idea but I am 60 and I ride a Secialized Hardrock hardtail with disc brakes, I also ried a Motobecane depending on where I am in California. I also ride and particularly lke my 1968 Schwinn Super Sport. I keep tinkering with my Schwinn so very little of it is original but its made so great rides including several Tecate to Ensenada.

2. Do I take supplements. Yes, I take a regular dose of glucosamine and condroitin for my knees (which I ruined skiing) and usually a daily vitamin and saw palmetto

3. I'm sure I've slowed down but how does one quantify that? I've certainly become more conservative and find I hut myself a lot less frequently.

4. I've been bkiking all my life: at least as far back as I can remember.

5. I do a variety of bking both on an doff road. I use my bike around town if I'm only going a few miles, or to the grocery store, local errands etc. I go on fun rides. MY bike is my local transportation. I also take a fitness ride daily of about 10 miles just to stay in shape.

6. How often do I ride? Several times a day I put on about 6k or 7k miles a year I guess. I enjoy being off the pavement and so I make a point of finding off road trails to ride and try to do that several times a week.

6. I do a lot of other activities. I enjoy swimming, sking and SCUBA diving and I do a lot of walking. Calisthenics and weights are a daily regimen.

I'm 60 but people tell me I look a lot younger, I'd still like to shed a little weight and I notice I have to work harder to stay fit but sof so good.

stevesurf

Please tell us your age.
49


1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Bianchi Ti
upcoming Merlin build


2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Sushi, curry and the occaisional Pastrami Sandwich from the Carnegie Deli


3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
It's pretty much weight only that has slowed me down, but I'm on another weight loss cycle - good news


4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
all my life


5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?
long rides/rec rides (mostly)



6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
wow tough to say...I'll guess at 1200


7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
mostly travel...suitcase lugging...in fact I'm about to do this now!

Cleave

Please tell us your age.

50, as of 2007

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?

Road bikes, track bike, time trial bike, city bike

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?

Centrum Silver since I was 48

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?

I've put on a few pounds between 40 and 50 but this year I've lost rather than gained so I'm faster than a few years ago. Hope to lose a few more pounds next year.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?

Pretty much all my life. I started racing in 1974 while in high school and I've raced every year since. Of course, some years were kind of slim on races, I've never missed a year completely.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?

Racing with the occasional organized century.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?

2-5 days per week depending on the time of year. Annual mileage has varied greatly but about 5K miles the past two years.

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?

Used to alpine ski often during the winter but these days I run occasionally during the winter and ride as much as possible the rest of the time.

Straightblock

Please tell us your age: 52-I usually hang out lurking at Classic & Vintage

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Main ride- Bianchi Alloro, aluminum frame w/ carbon fork, Ultegra STI
Also: Serotta SLX semi-retro road bike, Colin Laing track bike w/ brakes for the road, Univega fixed gear conversion, Trek 1000 rainy day bike, unknown but nice hardtail MTB, vintage Stumpjumper MTB set up as a singlespeed, Santana tandem. Several projects in the rafters, but with this many bikes to ride I don't have time to finish them

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Glucosamine/chondroitin, 82 mg aspirin, multivitamin/multimineral supplement

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
Not as fast as when I was 22, racing Cat 1/2 & riding 10,00 miles a year, but I can still hang with fast group rides & climb pretty well

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
Rode everywhere as a kid, caught the 10-speed bug in my late teens. Started road racing during college & made it to Cat 1 - it was easier to earn it then - where I was mostly pack filler. Got a real job, got married, bought a house & had kids, so riding took a back seat for a while, but I never quit completely.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?
Mainly a weekend warrior trying to make my old riding buddies suffer, occasional fast club ride, a couple of orgainized centuries a year.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
Usually 2-3 times a week. Long ride of 50-80 miles on most Saturdays, quick 15-30 miles Sunday before church, plus whatever I can squeeze in before work once or twice a week. For the past 5 or 6 years I have set a goal of 3650 miles/year (average 10 miles/day) & have met it, sometimes barely making it; last year I rode about 4500 miles.

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
I enjoy hiking and running, but if I have time I'd rather ride.

oldfool

Age 68 and counting. I hang out mostly at Alt Bikes and Utility Bikes.

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Bikes I rebuild out of other peoples throwaways.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
No

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
A lot since 65

4. How long have you been biking? 60 years on my own bike longer than that on someone else's.

5. What type of biking do you do? Transportation

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
3 to 7 times a week. Mileage unknown

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - Building stuff

Izdaari

Please tell us your age. 53

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Motobecane Elite hybrid. Cost-effective entry level, bought via eBay Express because I couldn't afford a quality new bike at a local bike shop, and lacked the patience to shop for a good used one. This meant I had to guess at the right frame size (and I seems I guessed right - the 22" men's frame seems a perfect fit) and do minor assembly myself. That's ok, it didn't scare me and it went together just fine.

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
53 is not old! But I do take vitamins: a multi pack, calcium citrate, fish oil and garlic. I'll add more gradually, but I think that's a pretty good start.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
I'm in better shape now than I've been in since I was maybe 30. I run and work out regularly at the gym (been doing that for just a few months now), and I'm thinking of taking up martial arts again (karate, which I quit at around 30... dumbest decision I ever made).

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
This is my first bike since I was 21 (Raleigh 10-spd road bike then), and I took it for its first test ride today. It feels good, fits good, and the ride went well, but I'm definitely way rusty. I don't even trust myself to be able to ride straight enough to stay in a bike lane until I practice more.

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?
Short rec rides, grocery shopping, and I'll be commuting to work on it 9mi each way, mostly on a bike trail.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
It'll be daily, weather permitting, but I couldn't begin to guess what my mileage will be. Or maybe I could... let's see -- 18mi RT commute 5d/wk x 50wks = something like 5k per year.

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
Running and weight lifting for now. Martial arts (JKD) again soon.

Oh, and my bike is white. I don't why that matters, but it seems to be important to people here.

.

Beverly

Welcome.

Those white bikes are only important to some people Mine are all shades of gray and black

bradhorn

Some questions:

Please tell us your age.
52

1. What type of bikes do 50+ folks ride?
Jamis Quest 53 cm (21 inch) - 20 lbs.
Panasonic DX-1000 - 32 lbs. loaded (Oy!)

2. Do you take any special supplements/vitamins/minerals as you have grown older?
Tons. Gingko works well for long strenuous rides, btw.

3. How much do you feel you have "slowed down" if any?
Somewhat. But I keep finding ways to compensate. Sometimes I even exceed my prior capacity as a result (yeah!). The capacity of the body is amazing, if you can tap into it. That's actually harder. But I've definitely gradually slowed down in general.

4. How long have you been biking? New, around a while, biked all your life?
Nearly all my life. I refuse to ever give it up. What for?

5. What type of biking do you do? Long rides, touring, short rec rides, commute, tour, race?
Whatever. 40 miles of hills & long stretches. 20 mile 'making the rounds' treks. Local errands.

6. How often do you bike? Your approximate annual mileage?
Unfortunately only several hundred miles. But that's changing since I got my new Jamis Quest bike. I feel like I can basically go anywhere I want, given the time, food, etc.

7. Do you do any other type of physical activities - weight lifting, skiing, running, etc.?
Yoga, skiing, walking, NordicTrak, indoor stationary bike.




Also, please see a list of all the contributors:

Warveye

OK then,... 1. I have a Giant OCR3 I've owned for 2+ years. Its been a complete sweetheart. I like 23c tires w/120psi even on our often crappy roads here in Humboldt co. N.W. CA. I just got a Neuvation Cycling S1 saddle.
I'm very pleased with it and surprised how it changed the character of the bike. 2. No supplements. I do eat better/less than I used to. I do love the buzz from GU energy gel-chocolate outrage. Its the one w/caffeine goodness! 3. I don't think I've slowed much, (I would fall over-ha!), But sometimes I get faster When I can ride as much as I want. 4. I've always loved bicycles, but there where gaps of years when I did not ride. 5. Most of my rides are 10 to 20 miles. 40+ once in a while. 6. I ride 3 to 6 times a week. I work a lot of hours in the dry season and I don't ride in the rain on purpose, but I get caught in it a lot. Decades pass here without snow but winters are wet. I will be 52, (HOLLY CRAP!), on nov. 7. Thanks for asking-Bob

Warveye

OK then,... 1. I have a Giant OCR3 I've owned for 2+ years. Its been a complete sweetheart. I like 23c tires w/120psi even on our often crappy roads here in Humboldt co. N.W. CA. I just got a Neuvation Cycling S1 saddle.
I'm very pleased with it and surprised how it changed the character of the bike. 2. No supplements. I do eat better/less than I used to. I do love the buzz from GU energy gel-chocolate outrage. Its the one w/caffeine goodness! 3. I don't think I've slowed much, (I would fall over-ha!), But sometimes I get faster When I can ride as much as I want. 4. I've always loved bicycles, but there where gaps of years when I did not ride. 5. Most of my rides are 10 to 20 miles. 40+ once in a while. 6. I ride 3 to 6 times a week. I work a lot of hours in the dry season and I don't ride in the rain on purpose, but I get caught in it a lot. Decades pass here without snow but winters are wet. I will be 52, (HOLLY CRAP!), on nov. 7. Thanks for asking-Bob

curvesarein

I loved your quote so much I added it to my signature. Thanks!
You may have met me already on another thread.
I am 52, been bike riding for over 7 months. Started out walking. I bike six days sometimes 7 days a week. Today was my furthest ride so far. I did ten miles! After the first four I was just warming up. I have a LandRider auto shift bike and so does hubby.
I do try to take some supplements but need to be more faithful at it. I need Omega 3's, B vitamins, Calcium, Magnesium and take Biotin for my hair , skin and nails.
Haven't added any other form of exercise yet. But I did walk ten miles the other night to burn of some anger and stress! Thanks to strong legs I was able to do that. Spent a few days depressed and knew I had to get on my bike today if I want to stay away from anti depressants and get those natural endorphins going.
I must say 10 miles felt like a great accomplishment and nothing feels like it can ruin my day now!
Let's check in on eachother and our biking.
Thanks,
Linda

curvesarein

Hey you can take an extended vacation cruise for the same ammount of money!
But I agree staying out of a rest home is the way to go. Biking certainly can help there!

keiron curtis

1.I ride a Raliegh Chiltern 3speed,and a Carrera Subway 8,mostly for commuting.

2.Yes,glutamine sulphate with vitamin D,cod liver oil,garlic,and Devil's claw,don't know if they do any good however.

3.I felt that I'd slowed up considerably,but that has changed alot,since starting to cycle 18 months ago,now I feel much healthier and fitter.

4.I'd last cycled when I was 21,35 years ago.

5.I commute,10 miles each way,working 12 hour shifts,3-4 times a week,and try to do 20 miles most days on recreational rides.I'm far from a speed merchant,I just love to cycle,be out in all weathers,and look at the world around me,birds and the widlife etc..

6.Everyday,well at least 5 days a week,so that's 5x20x52=5200?per annum.

7.I try to walk a couple of miles each days,though,after reading about the link between cycling and brittle bone disease,I think it would be a good idea to do some weight bearing exercise like weights.

8.I'm 56 years young.

DnvrFox

Wow! What a great post. Welcome, Bicycler Myors.

keiron curtis

I am not a religious person at all,however,I am truely envious of your vocation,you have a lifestyle that I believe,all we on this forum,would give alot for,all I can say is more power to your pedals,and good luck for the future

DnvrFox

Actually, I am pretty happy with my current lifestyle.

I go along with pprayers in his belief that there are many ways one can help to make the world better right on one's own doorstep, and my wife and I and son's and daughter-in-law do our bit in including that in our own lifestyles.

Timtruro

I will be turning 59 next week!!

1. I have a Peugeot road bike, and a Trek Navigator (for the comfort).

2. I take garlique, a low dose aspirin and milk thistle daily. Off of the multi vitamins for the time being.

3. A little more stiffness in the joints in the morning, but working out regularly lately is helping hope to make significant progress as I "practice" for retirement.

4. I have biked on and off most of my life. Living in the Northeast, it is easy to use weather as an excuse not to bike, and working too far from home precludes commuting by bike. I commuted to and from school when I was in college (and a lot younger). And when I worked closer to home I commuted for a couple of years. Got back into it with a friend this year, but only a moderately long ride, 15 to 20 miles, each week.

5.see above

6. Only bike about 1-2 times a week in the good weather.

&. I run, do nautilous (sp).

Jim Bushard

1 I have a Cannondale T2000 touring bike, Specialized Alez cromo road bike, and a Schwinn Moab mtb that I have retrofitted to a touring bike.
2 multivitamin
3 Not sure if I have slowed down but it does seem to take me longer to get where I'm riding.
4 I have been biking about 7 years now.
5 I have really started enjoying self supported touring.
6 I ride everyday to work and on an average about 1800 to 2000 miles a year.
7 I still chase the wife around the house and on a good day she'll let me catch her.

sherbornpeddler

This is an enlightening thread. I'm drawn to it like a 56 year old moth.

At the risk of a tangent, at what age do we "50+ers" feel we still can go on some epic ride/adventure? As running became jogging I turned to biking in my 40s. When I turned 50 I joined a gaggle of 5 fellow geezers for occasional weekend rides and a once a year, one week bike trip. I averaged <2000 mpy.

This year I stepped biking up to 4700 miles and lost a bunch of weight. Why?
Mid 50s earning power and weight reached new highs and fitness new low; I felt I'd better do something now if I wanted to experience another great physical adventure (biked across the US, ran marathons, etc. in my youth). I flatter myself thinking I am average in the main herd; I'm certainly not one of those 75 year old hotshots climbing Kilimanjaro or running Boston at 85. I'm already old enough and apparently not smart enough to manage my exercise regime without injuries.

Does it make a difference if I execute a rationally designed, age appropriate workout plan or dream of one more epic ride, dream of winning a race or showing up a much younger rider. For me I choose gathering geezers, dress up in spandex and push as I lead my fantasy break-away.

DnvrFox

If you haven't already, you might want to check out

Bicycling After 50 by Joe Friel

https://www.amazon.com/Cycling-Past-5.../dp/0880117370


Does it make a difference if I execute a rationally designed, age appropriate workout plan or dream of one more epic ride, dream of winning a race or showing up a much younger rider. For me I choose gathering geezers, dress up in spandex and push as I lead my fantasy break-away

Man, I didn't even START bicycling until I was 58, ten years ago. You have years of epic adventures, races and showing up the young Turks in front of you!

sherbornpeddler

Wahoo!! Now that is the voice of hard facts, enthusiasm, (home work) and, I hope, a dash of Don Quixote-ism I needed. Gracias Amigo!

sherbornpeddler

I'll add insight: DOLDRUMS! The y axis is weight, x is months and x bars are bike miles. You all are progressing well, admirable and encouraging. You are all inspiring; I'm hoping to exploit your success and hop off regress. I've just hopped on my now indoor Fierte.

BlazingPedals

52

My main ride is a lowracer (recumbent.) I also have a standard short wheelbase recumbent and an upright hybrid.

no.

None. Due to the bike, I'm significantly faster than I was at 40.

Except for a short hiatus after getting out of the military, I've been biking all my life.

Most of my mileage is evening and weekend club rides, with a few centuries and one or two week-long supported tours thrown in every year.

This past year was 4000 miles. That's slightly above my ten-year average.

I have x-c skis, but rarely get to use them. In the winter, I swim.

Mojo Slim

I'm still 60.