Hello from an old, fat, short, baldy...

[cbs]

Welcome also from another 51 year old, not quite bald (but not exactly overburdened with head hair), not particularly tall, and currently cycling indoors rather than in the weather. Firstly, 51 isn't old, but it gives one an experience and maturity, as well as an ability to write understandable, witty and correctly punctuated posts

As for a bike, at your age, it's all about the comfort, so ride what fits you without worrying too much what it looks like. In fact, if it's a bike that is comfortable, and you enjoy riding it, you'll look good on it.

 

[Rooster1]

You just described most of the forum members . Welcome

 

[Mrs M]

From an almost 52 year old, 5’2” shortie
Chubby with it but I do have hair

 

[Fonze]

Hello there ..

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Welcome from a 5'9" giant with zero hair on his noggin and who turned 52 yesterday.

Oh, happy belated birthday @ianrauk.
Welcome to CC @MrPorridge!
I'm wee as well, a bit older than you, still got lots of hair

 

[alicat]

From an almost 52 year old, 5’2” shortie
Chubby with it but I do have hair

Wot she said but a bit taller and older.

Welcome!

 

[dan_bo]

Err... Hello. I've just registered. I'm old (51) though I guess that's relative, fat (ditto). Short (5'6" so definitely) and bald (profoundly).

I'm very much a fair weather (April-Sept), very short commute (3 miles if I go the long way round) sort of a cyclist. I have an old, steel Marin hybrid that is probably too small for me (15" frame) but as I have comically short legs getting something to fit my body means having no standover clearance even with these new-fangled sloping top tube jobbies.

I'm rather out of shape but have been losing some weight and I'm trying to get fitter (exercise bike) with the aim of getting out more on the old push-iron when the weather gets a little bit better.

I'd love a new machine and to start to get further afield than my usual pootles down the canal path but I'd prefer one that doesn't make me look like a gorilla perched on a child's bike. However, my own compromised geometry would seem to rule out most things.

I love the idea of things like the Planet-X Kaffenback or the Genesis Croix de Fer but, in truth, it's the idea of some kind of funky, drop-bar, steel-framed, do-it-all that I'm drawn to rather than any real knowledge or experience of what I should actually be looking for. I suspect that my bike quest, rather like Arkwright from Open All Hours' trouser shopping, will end up with me finding everything I try uncomfortable and re-selecting my clapped-out old velocipede.

Oh, and I do tend to go on a bit. Sorry about that.

Alright chief where are you based?

 

[dan_bo]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, particularly from the 5'7" giant
Also, I wouldn't say I was an especially youthful 51 so would easily pass for someone in early-late middle age. Or something.



If only. I don't really have the funds for that sort of thing. My current replacement push-bike war chest is the result of selling a couple of guitars and I'm running out of them so unless I find a suitcase full of cash, I'm stuck with something off-the-peg (and much more at the Burtons than Saville Row end of things, to stretch the analogy to gusset-tearing point).

Funnily enough, I've just re-watched the Rob Penn BBC documentary where he builds his dream bike, which includes a custom-made Rourke frame. I've just bought the book to read that again. I've also been re-reading Bella Bathurst's wonderful "The Bicycle Book" where she attends Dave Yates' framebuilding course and makes her own. I'd love to go the custom steel route if money were no object although the option anxiety at having to choose the colour(s) would almost certainly kill me so it's just as well funds are limited.

PS: Why did Planet-X stop doing the Kaffenback in that magnificent brown and cream (coffee and tea) paint job? I'd have had to have that if it were still available. I guess this shows the kind of idiot you're dealing with here. Someone who wouldn't know a vertically-lugged-dropout from a granny-bottom-bracket but who would choose a bike based on it being painted, essentially, beige.

I once bent a coffee and cream kaff in two. Great bike. For a bit.

 

[MrPorridge]

Hmmm.... I'm going to have to keep some kind of height/weight/hirsuteness index in order to remind me where I sit in the great scheme of things. At the moment I think I'm still the baldest, one of the shortest and one of the more full-figured individuals. Thanks anyway for the welcomes.

I once bent a coffee and cream kaff in two. Great bike. For a bit.

Blinking flip! However did you manage that?
I'm guessing you wouldn't recommend the Kaffenback then? (Unless it was crushed under a bus, which I sincerely hope it wasn't.)

I'm not too far away but out in the bleak, suburban wasteland that lies between Warrington and St. Helens.
I did once chat to someone from Failsworth - believe it or not, he was the drummer for AC/DC at the time.

 

[dan_bo]

Hmmm.... I'm going to have to keep some kind of height/weight/hirsuteness index in order to remind me where I sit in the great scheme of things. At the moment I think I'm still the baldest, one of the shortest and one of the more full-figured individuals. Thanks anyway for the welcomes.




Blinking flip! However did you manage that?
I'm guessing you wouldn't recommend the Kaffenback then? (Unless it was crushed under a bus, which I sincerely hope it wasn't.)

I'm not too far away but out in the bleak, suburban wasteland that lies between Warrington and St. Helens.
I did once chat to someone from Failsworth - believe it or not, he was the drummer for AC/DC at the time.

Great bike. Just no match for a silver birch at 25mph. There's plenty still around on ebay mind.

 

[Lisa21]

Hellooo!!! And

 

[Tin Pot]

Err... Hello. I've just registered. I'm old (51) though I guess that's relative, fat (ditto). Short (5'6" so definitely) and bald (profoundly).

I'm very much a fair weather (April-Sept), very short commute (3 miles if I go the long way round) sort of a cyclist. I have an old, steel Marin hybrid that is probably too small for me (15" frame) but as I have comically short legs getting something to fit my body means having no standover clearance even with these new-fangled sloping top tube jobbies.

I'm rather out of shape but have been losing some weight and I'm trying to get fitter (exercise bike) with the aim of getting out more on the old push-iron when the weather gets a little bit better.

I'd love a new machine and to start to get further afield than my usual pootles down the canal path but I'd prefer one that doesn't make me look like a gorilla perched on a child's bike. However, my own compromised geometry would seem to rule out most things.

I love the idea of things like the Planet-X Kaffenback or the Genesis Croix de Fer but, in truth, it's the idea of some kind of funky, drop-bar, steel-framed, do-it-all that I'm drawn to rather than any real knowledge or experience of what I should actually be looking for. I suspect that my bike quest, rather like Arkwright from Open All Hours' trouser shopping, will end up with me finding everything I try uncomfortable and re-selecting my clapped-out old velocipede.

Oh, and I do tend to go on a bit. Sorry about that.

Welcome!

 

[fungalcycle]

Wow, I'm in good company here.
I've been a cyclist nearly all my life, although I don't look (like) it
When I was a mid-teen I had gathered some money for a dream bike, parents and g-parents wanted to get me a present but held them off as they wanted to get me a kids bike. So I kept finding things to do, work, and gather more money so I can get the dream, and I wouldn't settle for a short man's bike, I wanted a tall mans bike. So eventually I got a black Mercier racer/tourer which to this day is still too tall for me. When I was 15 I managed to get in a serious fight with mom and took off, and went for a 250km vacation. I had a flat and no food money, so they rescued me
It was all downhill from there. 2nd hand Peugeot, Raleigh (1 Uk made 1 US/taiwan made recently discovered Merida made them back then) then in the mtb era I broke down and got a Giant rincon, rigid fork (98-99) which got more mileage than any of them, still rideable today tuned to ride like butter on a hot stove top. I never liked anything with suspension on it.
Just recently, and after nearly 18-19yrs with the Giant I wanted to move back up a wheel size again. So I got a Merida Crossway Urban. Still like to look at it parked, can't say I am too happy with it. There is more drag than I would have expected everywhere, and despite of my weight and riding like a bat out of hell down hill in poorly paved roads, it doesn't seem like it wants to break in. Apart from playing around with the seat and bars position I haven't tuned anything.
I switched the brakes left to right as my motorbike habits are not to be challenged. Why the hell did they come up with such a reverse convention? Don't tell me, I don't want to know.

I had a bad knee injury 2yrs ago and I am still not walking very well, I was hesitant in getting back on the bike as I felt weak and thought my knee might give out in a bad moment. Right before the bike was a daily commuter. But it seems I can ride much better than I can walk. Bad habits still all there, going through red lights and stop signs, resisting of putting my feet down at stops when oncoming squeezing traffic is facing me, never owned bicycling clothes, jeans, black ski hat, and a cig. off of my mouth some times downhill

Although I am privileged to live now in a place where 11mos/yr it is like May-Sep in UK, I have ridden with tropical storm kind of rain in the winter, and snow to affect my vision, but have learned not to attempt snow that is stuck to the ground. It is not worth the fall. I think I learned that lesson 40yrs ago.

I see prices have been going up and quality had been going down on cheaper bikes. I have no idea what expensive bikes are like. I like to tune to perfection what I got and not throw money in newer, better, lighter, flimsier. Although carrying the thing on my shoulder with a problematic knee to go on the other side of tracks may constitute an argument for lighter.


Talking about age, are those newer racier looking seats causing anyone else pain. I am about to switch to the original Giant seat, that has a tear on it, for the new bike and leave the fat gel on the mtb. Age and a 2 year break from daily transport seems to have taken its toll.

Good to find ya

 

[MrPorridge]

never owned bicycling clothes, jeans, black ski hat, and a cig. off of my mouth some times downhill

I'd add a somewhat disdainful, vaguely superior expression to complete that outfit!
Full marks for the embracing the "un-racer" look and attitude. (See: http://www.adventurecycling.org/default/assets/resources/20141001_Rivendell_DAmbrosio.pdf for more info.)

 

[fungalcycle]

Thanks, that was good reading!