Advice for aging would-be biker

[dgmaxfli]

I'm a 56 year old guy who has yet to find an aerobic excerise activity that I can stick to and am now thinking of giving cycling a try. Some confounding issues are that I have a lumbar spondylolisthesis which has intermittently bothered me for years -- never to the extent that I can't do something -- just an annoyance. Also have occasional prostate problems. So... 1. is it wise to even consider road biking for exercise? 2. If the answer is yes, what type of bike should I consider?

I've heard from one shop owner that a hybrid would be good yet others (and an ironman friend of mine) counsel that they've never known anyone happy with a hybrid. Then the issue of how much to spend. For me to stick with a program, it will have to be enjoyable. So will the amount I spend possibly dictate whether cycling is an activity that I would like and stick with or would I be just as well off buying something cheap? At the moment, I've mainly looked at Trek Pilot 2.1 and a Cannondale Syanpse model. I was impressesd with the cannondale but that was based on its weight and the fact that it was all carbon fiber which to me means it might be more comfortable and as a result something I'd be more likely to stick with. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[rparedes]

I'm a 56 year old guy who has yet to find an aerobic excerise activity that I can stick to and am now thinking of giving cycling a try. Some confounding issues are that I have a lumbar spondylolisthesis which has intermittently bothered me for years -- never to the extent that I can't do something -- just an annoyance. Also have occasional prostate problems. So... 1. is it wise to even consider road biking for exercise? 2. If the answer is yes, what type of bike should I consider?

I've heard from one shop owner that a hybrid would be good yet others (and an ironman friend of mine) counsel that they've never known anyone happy with a hybrid. Then the issue of how much to spend. For me to stick with a program, it will have to be enjoyable. So will the amount I spend possibly dictate whether cycling is an activity that I would like and stick with or would I be just as well off buying something cheap? At the moment, I've mainly looked at Trek Pilot 2.1 and a Cannondale Syanpse model. I was impressesd with the cannondale but that was based on its weight and the fact that it was all carbon fiber which to me means it might be more comfortable and as a result something I'd be more likely to stick with. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

well, I don't know what lumbar spondylolisthesis is. I've had lower back surgery (I'm 54) and my back has always bothered me somewhat. In my case stretching and keeping my abs strong has helped. Biking actually motivated me get more fit and has helped my back. I started biking a couple of years ago and bought a hybrid, then as I got stronger and lighter (lost several pounds, which BTW helps your back), i moved to a road bike. If you have not biked before, the road bike posture may be a problem at first but you'll get used to it, specially if you take it easy at the beginning.
You can buy a nice hybrid for $300 to $450 (mine was a Giant Cypress DX) ride it for a while see how you like it and then you can move to a road bike if you stick to it (my LBS takes 33%of original price trade-ins, if you bought the original bike there). Later on, I chose a "relaxed geometry" road bike which is a little more upright stance (not a "low" racing stance). They are typically in the "sport" category. Cannondale makes the Synapse alloy or the Cadd 8 which are both great bikes. Giant makes the OCR 1, 2, or 3. I ended up buying the Giant purely because my LBS did not have either of the Cannondales in my size and the Giant was on sale. Trek, Specialized, and many others are good bikes too. Go to your LBS and become familiar with the brands they carry and ask a lot of questions.
Whether you buy a hybrid or a road bike spend the time to have it properly fitted. It may take a couple of trips back to the store to have it "tweaked" for a perfect fit.
Because of your prostate problems I suggest spending time to get the right saddle. Try different ones if you can. It took me 4 saddles to finally get the one i like (it's a Rido; not that well known but it's great) Most likely the saddle that comes with the bike you buy will have to go.

Good luck with your fitness training...