Should an old fart buy a road bike

[taximan]

A few months ago I was given an almost new BSO. (Barracuda Corvus to be exact) I did not really know what to do with it so it languished for a while at the back of the garage. As a road bike it did not fit into my type of cycling at all but just before Xmas I decided to take it out for a run to see if it was as bad as I expected it to be, and to be honest, I suppose it was. It was heavy and fitted with probably the cheapest components that the manufactures could source. Having said that I enjoyed riding it although to be honest I found the higher gear ratios to be hard work. One of my other bikes is a vintage Hugh Porter which I enjoy greatly but I was wondering if perhaps I should invest in a more modern road bike or would I be wasting money. I am now well into my seventies so my pace is quite leasurley

 

[Slick]

Definitely, get it.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Can you afford to buy one, can you afford to buy one, not like it & afford to loose the money if you tried to resell it on, if the answers are yes, then why are you asking?

 

[Dogtrousers]

Yes.

Next question...

 

[vickster]

Good time of year to get a lighty used road bike or last year's model reduced in the sales. Compact chainset with an 11-32 cassette on the back for hills.
You could go for classy Ti from the lovely chaps at Spa in Harrogate
https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m1b0s221p862/SABBATH-End-of-Year-Offer-Silk-Road-105
Go for it if funds allow

 

[Sharky]

Switching to a modern bike, you will appreciate the improvements in brakes, indexed gears and more of them, better wheels, headsets etc. and other technology. You could upgrade the Hugh Porter with some of these features, but it could spoil the period look and upgrading a bit at a time is probably more costly than buying a whole new bike.

 

[Globalti]

Whereabouts in the country are you? The best way to test a wide range of good modern bikes is at the Cyclist magazine track days: https://cyclisttrackdays.com/cyclisttrackdays2020/en/page/home

For someone who hasn't ridden one, a modern carbon road bike is an absolute revelation in the way they ride and handle and the comfort.

If it looks pricey, bear in mind that you might be able to swing a discount if you liked one of the bikes you tested and testing could prevent a costly mistake. My BIL who was a dyed-in-the-wool old school steel frame rider, came along to York last year, tested a range of bikes, had a great day and ended up buying a Specialized Roubaix, which is the bike I would recommend very strongly for you. He absolutely loves the bike and says it has improved his average speeds by 2 mph.

 

[tom73]

Go for it if you have the money.

 

[Vantage]

Is it a road bike you specifically want?
You say the gearing on your dusted off bike is a bit high for your liking. New road bikes are also notorious for having big gears. You could have a word with the dealer you buy from to see if he/she would be willing to fit smaller gears for a small fee.
Over the years (the last decade especially) many more different types of bike have been introduced by the industry. We now have road bikes, flat bar road bikes, hybrids, 26", 29", 650b, 27.5" and all sorts of other wheel sized mountain bikes. There's touring bikes, gravel bikes, cx bikes, roughstuff bikes etc etc. Many of these niche bikes are considered to be fashion accessories by some and essential by others.
I'd be looking at the type of cycling you'll be doing and any detours you might have from that style in the future before choosing a bike that might limit where you can go.
As for cost, that really is up to you.
Most folk have worked all their lives and at retirement age are sure as hell entitled to treat themselves to whatever they wish in their financial grasp.
It's not so much a case of will this bike make me faster/stronger/better, but whether the extra or fewer pennies spent on it help you enjoy it. If you're going to be leaving it outside cafes etc, are you going to be able to relax knowing it might get nicked? Damage? Happens to every bike no matter how well its been looked after. As mentioned, what if it ends up sitting in the garage/shed after a few rides. Can you live with that?
On the other hand, you only live once. Splash out, go wild. And enjoy it.

 

[roadrash]

If you have the money and nothing else is going to suffer or go short, then go for it, if its what you WANT, it doesn't all have to be about NEED

 

[ianrauk]

I ride with a couple of great 70+ cyclists who ride road bikes.
If you want one, get one.

 

[confusedcyclist]

When it comes to your health, as they say, use it or lose it.

 

[vickster]

Whereabouts in the country are you?

Says Whitby in profile

 

[DSK]

I would say, try before you buy but, absolutely noting stopping you from riding a road bike if thats what suits.

As mentioned they have come along a way in recent years, they appear to be further adaptable with varying wheel/tyre choices, carbon or aluminium frames etc.

A 65 year old bought my Boardman Team Carbon. I happily welcomed a test ride. Either via leaving cash or, I ride my other bike with him. Went for a 3 mile ride, he liked the bike and appreciated the fair price for a bike in perfect shape with upgrades. He collected it the following week. Any reasonable/genuine seller should welcome you to test ride providing you leave them some security so bear that in mind. This should allow you to be able to choose between a used modern road bike being sold privately and new/ex-demo from a shop.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Yes. Bicycles promote good health. You may have another 20 years of riding going on, all helped by the fact that you have a new enough bicycle to help smooth out the rough spots. I have some quite old fellows still on their road bikes around these parts, no sign of them giving it up soon, either. Exercise, good health, and independence all seem quite positively enhanced by cycling.