Need some help with decision



Jarveyd

New Member
Feb 8, 2010
2
0
0
I am 60 years old and in pretty good health. I have been doing some extreme type exercise, but now my knees won't permit some of the hight impact stuff. I want to buy a bike for aerobic exercise. I keep being directed to road bikes, but I worry about the bent over position as it relates to safety. Would I be better off with an upright bike, like a mountain bike or fitness bike. Want to spend less that 1000. but willing to spend that much. any suggestions
 
I wouldn't be concerned about the riding position creating a safety issue.

I think you need to go ride some different bikes just to see what type appeals to you the most.

If you're in good condition and you enjoy riding, I would bet that you'll end up getting a road bike at some point if your riding is done on paved roads or paved cycling paths.
 
Jarveyd said:
I am 60 years old and in pretty good health. I have been doing some extreme type exercise, but now my knees won't permit some of the hight impact stuff. I want to buy a bike for aerobic exercise. I keep being directed to road bikes, but I worry about the bent over position as it relates to safety. Would I be better off with an upright bike, like a mountain bike or fitness bike. Want to spend less that 1000. but willing to spend that much. any suggestions
Go to one of your local bike shops and tell them just what you have told us. They will show you what they have available in your size for the kind of riding that you want to do and the riding posistion that you want. If you have several bicycle shops in your area, visit them all so that you get a really to see and test ride a good selection of bikes.

If you are going to just use your bike for exercise, then there is no reason that you need to have a bike that you would ride in a tucked position. A decent hard tail MTB would probably be a good choice because they are good off road but can become a nice commuter style road bike by just changing tires. Just beware of bikes with suspensions, they are pretty much useless unless you are going to ride extremely rough trails. The suspension components add needless weight to the bike and they absorb part of your pedalling force.
 
I agree to go to a shop and test ride some different frames. Recumbents are also a consideration.
 
Jarveyd said:
I am 60 years old and in pretty good health. I have been doing some extreme type exercise, but now my knees won't permit some of the hight impact stuff. I want to buy a bike for aerobic exercise. I keep being directed to road bikes, but I worry about the bent over position as it relates to safety. Would I be better off with an upright bike, like a mountain bike or fitness bike. Want to spend less that 1000. but willing to spend that much. any suggestions
It sounds as though you have not ridden for MANY years. Is that right?

Have you considered swimming or walking/hiking?

Swimming is problematic if you don't know how to swim or can't join a "club" that has a pool ...

Walking and/or hiking may be problematic because of where you live.

I think that unless you ride in a hilly area, that you won't get a very serious aerobic workout through cycling unless you are very dedicated to riding fast-and-hard for a fairly extended period of time ... and, your trepidation makes it sound as though you would not be doing so.
 
Agree with Kdelong's advice to hit a well-stocked cycling shop--preferably one with 3-4 different makes of bike at least, and of course a good selection of different types of bikes.

I was in a similar situation to yours almost exactly a year ago-- I'm coming up on 54, and after a life time of running/jogging and an unfortunate accident when I was much younger, things finally caught up with me through my back. My running days were over, and it was getting to the point where I was having serious trouble walking more than a block or two.

I went bike shopping for the first time in a long time--last bike I owned was some kind of Schwinn mountain bike derivative that I toyed with briefly in the early '90s...before that, I think my last bike was when I was around 12, LOL.

Needless to say, things have changed a lot--and it's all for the better!! There are all sorts of variations of bikes today, each with their own primary emphasis (road, trail, fitness, commuting, etc.) but most able to do more than one thing well.

I initially went with a hybrid for much the same reasons you mention--concern over riding posit on a road bike, and uncertainty whether my back would permit it. After about a year though, I decided I wanted to try a road bike, as we just found out we're going to be moving to a very bike-friendly location. I was originally gonna trade my hybrid in, but decided to keep it for general running around, less-than-ideal surfaces, etc.. Good news is the docs have done some good work with my lower back issues, and I'm not only able to walk distances again, but riding is a real pleasure.

I think you can achieve reasonable fitness goals with a bike--it's the primary reason I ride, but as suggested above, you need to be able to devote a bit more time to it. I'm currently mixing cycling with time on the gerbil machines in the gym, but plan on doing mostly cycling starting this summer when we move.

You can buy yourself a very well-made, nicely equipped hybrid or road bike for the budget you have in mind--and likely have enough left over for a good helmet, bike shorts, etc..

Happy hunting!!

Bill