cycle for health

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paddypete

Guest
Location
cumbernauld
my pal said to me the other day,its good your getting back on the bike at 50,you coud add an extra ten years to your life(he read this somewere) well theres an old guy a few houses away from me,he yoused to drink heavy and smoke like a lum,but when his wife died he gave up those vices and took to the bike,at 65 he and his son road round austraila, he's now 80 and still does 70 to 80 miles a day(on his raleigh) so its never too late to get out there, try it you might even like it,
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Mate of mine is 76 in March, still up at 5 am to deliver the papers on bis ancient MTB.

He made the paper's few year back - heavy snow meant the roads were chaos, planes couldn't get off the ground, but this old boy embarrassed the whole country by doggedly getting through his round and every customer in every village got their paper.
 

runner

Guru
Location
Bristol
It makes me feel young at a mere 59! The really great thing about cycling is the "kindness" to the joints and hence why I tend to do more cycling rather than running. I certainly remember some "dogged" old characters from my childhood who were always seen on their bikes, yes I know that cycling the roads with the great increase in traffic has inherent dangers but as cycling once again becomes fashionable those same town and country councils are forging ahead to put cycling at the top of their agenda....lets here it for the cyclist...whatever their age or gender:cheers:
 

Turbo Rider

Just can't reMember
Not too concerned about the extension to my age, but it's certainly enhanced my enjoyment and quality of life...and rather bizarrely, my appreciation of drivers...last night especially...huge queues due to fear of hailstorms but all drivers moved aside to give me space to get by...also had plenty of nervous fun, trying to stay upright on slush :smile:
 
my pal said to me the other day,its good your getting back on the bike at 50,you coud add an extra ten years to your life(he read this somewere) well theres an old guy a few houses away from me,he yoused to drink heavy and smoke like a lum,but when his wife died he gave up those vices and took to the bike,at 65 he and his son road round austraila, he's now 80 and still does 70 to 80 miles a day(on his raleigh) so its never too late to get out there, try it you might even like it,

Is his raleigh some type of ambulance or hurse?
 

runner

Guru
Location
Bristol
As I get older I tend to ride more and more...take today. I was working in central Bristol it's cold...end of the week I'm tired...lets take the car!! no way. Got the clothes all heated up on the radiators (great little tip this^_^) Headed into work and did a respectable 8 miles the weather was cold and rainy but good! So going home at lunch time I got on the bike and headed out of Bristol I know not where but ended up doing 17 miles in total. So quite a days respectable ride...that's the thing about using your bike to commute...you have to use it...and when you are on it it's always easy to add more miles..
 
It's never too late to start, i wish i'd done more of it in my life.
 
Look at it this way, when cars become an impractical means of everyday commute transport (as they rapidly seem to be) or we run out of low-cost supplies of oil to fuel them, if you've been cycling for a while and are reasonably fit you're one step ahead of the game when more people have to start cycling to work and back :smile:
 

J1888

Über Member
My old man is in his late 70s - cycled to work on cheap halfords mtbs and random skip-jobs for all his years - fell off about 2 years back and broke his hip, can't cycle any more and never been the same. Has bad arthritis as well but was fine on the bike. Kept him very very fit.
 

compo

Veteran
Location
Harlow
I'm 68 with hips riddled with osteoarthritis and a spine the hospital reckon is in need of surgery. If I don't ride for a couple of weeks my hips and back begin to seize up and get painful, with difficulties walking. A couple of rides and I am miraculously pain free, can walk all day and generally feel better in my mood. The physiotherapist reckons cycling is the best exercise I can do, and the results are there for me to see. I am just thankful I am retired and can spend the time enjoying myself during the day!
 

Turbo

Clueless member
Location
West Yorkshire
I remember doing Spring into the Dales with a few lads on here back in 2010. At only 26 myself I noticed the majority of riders doing it were 3 times my age... I thought it would be a doddle... Not only did I get passed numerous times on the climbs by 70 odd year old blokes, I got passed by an old woman on an Apollo mountain bike... Age is definitely only a number.:notworthy:
 

mybike

Grumblin at Garmin on the Granny Gear
It isn't only that sort of health that improves. I've always had poor balance, never quite sure why, but of late it had been deteriorating and climbing stairs in shops is something I avoid. However I've noticed a distinct improvement in my balance since resuming cycling four months ago. I even spend time seeing how slow I can manage without falling off.
 
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