Learning to cycle when no longer young

[midnightcatprowl]

Just looking for opinions or, even better, personal experience.

Did not have a bike or learn to cycle when I was young. I'm now in the second half of my sixtieth decade and I have a problem with arthritis. A few years back I invested in an adult pedal tricycle. In some ways they are enjoyable things to ride but they are much heavier than a bike so more demanding to pedal and more difficult to heave about when trying to park and secure them, if you come to a place where you need to dismount and push they are heavier and more awkward to push than a bike and being wider they scarcely fit into some tricksy little cycle lanes and on some narrow paths there is hardly enough room for both you and the trike if it is a place where you have to push. If you live in a small property, simply finding a place to stand them can be an issue.

I keep wondering if I could learn to ride a bike with thoughts of buying an electric bike as though gentle and moderate exercise is good for the joints, really hard pedalling uphill is a bit of a no no. I'd like to be able to ride a bike for fun, fitness and for environmental reasons.

How feasible is it to learn to ride a two wheel pedal bike as a reverse of athletic 66 year old? Do you know anyone who managed it?

[redsturgeon]

No experience of the age thing but I don't see why not.

I taught both my children to ride a bike in an afternoon and would recommend the following method.

Find a straight piece of smooth ground or tarmac with a slight gradient.

Then just mount the bike and freewheel downhill to get used to it before trying to pedal.

Once you have the balance sorted then you can start pedalling and you are away!

I'd recommend getting a decent bike not some horrible heavy cheap thing otherwise it won't be much fun.

John

[JMN2]

66 year old - isn't that your seventh decade? I can see no reason why you couldn't learn, I would suggest starting with a simple one gear smaller frame bike with the frame in front of you being open (women's model in some parts of the world) so you can get your leg to the other side quickly and more safely if need be. You could even get two auxiliary wheels in the back just to help with your balance.

[UncleEbenezer]

For what it's worth, I've known several cyclists in their 80s and 90s who can give the youngsters a good run for their money over a good day's club ride. Just recently I read this story, about a man old enough to be your grandad: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38510439 .

I don't know about starting from scratch in later life, but quite a few people take it up in mid to later life (sometimes on retirement) having last ridden in their childhood or teens. They can be some of the most enthusiastic advocates of it.

Maybe if you contact a local club (e.g. your local CTC branch - which deals in leisure rather than competitive cycling), they might put you in touch with others of your age who might help?

[todthedog]

Also suffer from dodgy knee an electric bike is great takes the stress off. If your balance is OK learning hopefully will not take long.

[redsturgeon]

http://www.cyclinguk.org/case-study/ali ... -ride-bike

These people may help.

John

[Clitheroekid]

I'm now in the second half of my sixtieth decade

It's a pretty impressive feat just to have survived over 600 years!

[midnightcatprowl]

It's a pretty impressive feat just to have survived over 600 years!

If you are born in Newcastle upon Tyne and can survive the wind that comes in from the North Sea, you are set up for pretty much anything after that!

[hermit100]

Can't comment on learning when older but I am in my mid-50s and also have arthritis. I cycle - not long distances, just around town.

I've sometimes been tempted to get an electric bike but have been put off because (a) they're expensive and (b) they tend to be heavy, much more so than a normal bike so if weight is an issue for you I'd definitely suggest trying some out before you buy.

I just get off and push if I have to go uphill or I feel especially tired.

I have a Dawes Red Feather, which I understand is discontinued which is a shame as it's a great bike (maybe they've replaced it with an even better one). It has a low step-through and a low centre of gravity which makes it very stable for a 2-wheeler. It's very easy to ride. It has 7 gears, which I find useful and not overly confusing (I once had a mountain bike with 21 and was just utterly confused by them) but I don't often use the very low or very high gears. On the flat you can get away with just leaving the gears somewhere in the middle.

If you can find someone to teach you then I say go for it and I don't see any reason why you can't learn at any age. My balance is rubbish if I'm standing up but I'm fine on the bike!

[todthedog]

I converted an existing bike cost 400 quid and about 2 hours work.
Added about 4 kilo to the bike weight.

[Dod1010]

I converted an existing bike cost 400 quid and about 2 hours work.
Added about 4 kilo to the bike weight.

Converted it to what? A moped, a scooter?

Dod

[todthedog]

It was a bike I added an electric motor a battery to turn it into an electric bike. Sorry to be confusing

[Mike88]

I am thinking about one of these.

http://www.gtech.co.uk/ebike.html

[todthedog]

I used my old mountain bike and a conversation kit.
Main reasons
Cheapest option 400 quid
No cross bar , difficulty of getting my leg over, so to speak.

I am no speed merchant but range important, so large battery capacity was a big factor.

Check that the bike is balanced not all the weight at one end. My conversion is a bit top heavy my fault not the kit.
Big plus bike is now used every day.

[Raptor]

I used my old mountain bike and a conversation kit.
Main reasons
Cheapest option 400 quid
No cross bar , difficulty of getting my leg over, so to speak.

I am no speed merchant but range important, so large battery capacity was a big factor.

Check that the bike is balanced not all the weight at one end. My conversion is a bit top heavy my fault not the kit.
Big plus bike is now used every day.

Where can I buy one of these kits ? I assume you mean conversion kit.

I keep thinking about buying a bike to get to work, only 2 1/2 miles but then I look at all those people walking their bikes or struggling up the the hill to the village and think "no"......... But a bike with power, reminds me of the Motobécane in France, what turned me off those was when we witnessed a collision between one and a car in Antibes when we were living there, not a nice experience.

Raptor.

[todthedog]

http://www.electricbikeconversions.co.u ... sion-kits/

Conversation kit just like to talk about it

I bought mine from the folks above, I see the price has gone up 29 quid. I had the front wheel 250w job. Worth posing the question about price rise!
Went together really easily. I had a couple of questions phoned up and had an answer straight away.

Our local shops 7km away with one nasty drag going home now a doddle.

[77ss]

Just looking for opinions or, even better, personal experience.

Did not have a bike or learn to cycle when I was young. I'm now in the second half of my sixtieth decade and I have a problem with arthritis. A few years back I invested in an adult pedal tricycle. In some ways they are enjoyable things to ride but they are much heavier than a bike so more demanding to pedal and more difficult to heave about when trying to park and secure them, if you come to a place where you need to dismount and push they are heavier and more awkward to push than a bike and being wider they scarcely fit into some tricksy little cycle lanes and on some narrow paths there is hardly enough room for both you and the trike if it is a place where you have to push. If you live in a small property, simply finding a place to stand them can be an issue.

I keep wondering if I could learn to ride a bike with thoughts of buying an electric bike as though gentle and moderate exercise is good for the joints, really hard pedalling uphill is a bit of a no no. I'd like to be able to ride a bike for fun, fitness and for environmental reasons.

How feasible is it to learn to ride a two wheel pedal bike as a reverse of athletic 66 year old? Do you know anyone who managed it?

Go for it! I stopped cycling in my late teens and took it up again in my 50s. Still going - in my late 60s. Just for leisure and holidays.

Before actually buying, why not fork out on a lesson or two? Contact a local bike-hire shop and they may well be able to help - an example from a Kent outfit:

Adult 'Learn to Ride'
Have you had a bad incident cycling? Or maybe you haven't ridden in a long time? Our one-to-one sessions will develop skills and go over techniques such as balancing, pedalling, basic cornering, braking and overall confidence on a bike.
£30 for a 1-hour lesson.

Not cheap, but a sensible investment.

When it comes to electric bikes, I just get off and push if a hill is a bit too much for me. No shame at all!

Good luck and happy cycling!

[Mike88]

The original poster doesn't own a bike so why would he want a conversion kit costing more than a ready made electric bike. There is a 36v version on Amazon for £419. Conversion kits are all well and good but the average person might experience difficulty fitting it - that is if they are anything like me.

[UncleEbenezer]

The original poster doesn't own a bike

Neither did she ask about motor-assisted pedal cycles (called mopeds when they were first invented, now reincarnated as electric bikes). It came up as a suggestion in someone's reply.

For what it's worth, I would NOT suggest getting an electric bike to someone wanting to take up cycling. Not unless regular cycling has been tried (with all possible help, such as finding a local mentor) and failed.

One point I missed in my previous post in this thread: cycling can be much easier than walking on an injured leg. I once blogged on the subject: https://bahumbug.wordpress.com/2009/02/ ... -carriage/ . Obviously YMMV: I've no idea whether the OP might find anything similar with her arthritis as I did with my injury.

[Mike88]

Neither did she ask about motor-assisted pedal cycles (called mopeds when they were first invented, now reincarnated as electric bikes). It came up as a suggestion in someone's reply.

The original post contained the following sentence where electric bikes were specifically mentioned:

"I keep wondering if I could learn to ride a bike with thoughts of buying an electric bike as though gentle and moderate exercise is good for the joints, really hard pedalling uphill is a bit of a no no. I'd like to be able to ride a bike for fun, fitness and for environmental reasons."