Oldest rider



Corzhens

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May 26, 2015
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How old is the oldest rider you have met?

When I used to ride with a group once in a while, there was this old guy that caught my eye because he was wearing a colorful getup. But obviously he is already old and in fairness, he cycles good and can still pump up the steep climb. In a pit stop, I tried to get the opportunity to get close to him because I am curious of his age. 70 to 75 was my guess. But he said he was 83 at that time. Gee, that's a great feat for me... to ride at that age.
 
Wow, that's quite a lot. My grandpa is 77 and can't ride like he used to, but still loves commuting everywhere with on his bike. He says that as long as he can ride a bike we don't have to worry about him.
 
I meant a guy that was 89 on the bike path a while back, but he wasn't real steady and he was very slow, but at least he was riding it. He had a really nice looking steel lugged Colnago from around the 70's with the same era Campy stuff. I talked to him for a little while, he didn't seem real healthy, kind of feeble. I too hope I can be riding that long and hopefully longer, in reality for me it's less than 30 years to get that mans age in life.
 
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I saw old people that ride bicycles for commuting to their businesses. I know an old man which runs a car workshop and go there everyday to
tend his business.

Since is pretty usual, I don't see anything special or remarkable, -unless someday I see some old man sprinting non stop across a slope way-. I mean, I'm glad for them but is not a rarity.
 
I saw old people that ride bicycles for commuting to their businesses. I know an old man which runs a car workshop and go there everyday to
tend his business.

Since is pretty usual, I don't see anything special or remarkable, -unless someday I see some old man sprinting non stop across a slope way-. I mean, I'm glad for them but is not a rarity.

It use to be highly unusual for anyone over 70 to be riding a bike, today I do see more of them but it's rare to see someone in their upper 80's and beyond to be riding a bike since most are dead by then! I have an uncle that's 93, and while he doesn't ride a bike, nor ever did, he walks 8 to 10 miles a day!
 
I meant a guy that was 89 on the bike path a while back, but he wasn't real steady and he was very slow, but at least he was riding it. He had a really nice looking steel lugged Colnago from around the 70's with the same era Campy stuff. I talked to him for a little while, he didn't seem real healthy, kind of feeble. I too hope I can be riding that long and hopefully longer, in reality for me it's less than 30 years to get that mans age in life.

Last week, June 12 to be exact, was the 103rd birthday celebration of my husband's great uncle. The old man doesn't really look that old because he is still independent, walks by himself, eats by himself and does anything all by himself. He looks and acts like a 70-year old. Now, this challenge I posed. Since he still have a sound mind and only his hearing is weak, I asked him if he could still ride a bike. That would be a record, right? He said yes but however, on second thought he hadn't ridden a bike for a long time and he might not be sure of his balance.

The old man still smokes 10 sticks of cigarettes a day.
 
Last week, June 12 to be exact, was the 103rd birthday celebration of my husband's great uncle. The old man doesn't really look that old because he is still independent, walks by himself, eats by himself and does anything all by himself. He looks and acts like a 70-year old. Now, this challenge I posed. Since he still have a sound mind and only his hearing is weak, I asked him if he could still ride a bike. That would be a record, right? He said yes but however, on second thought he hadn't ridden a bike for a long time and he might not be sure of his balance.

The old man still smokes 10 sticks of cigarettes a day.

Except now for your uncle to set a record on a bike he'll have to wait till he's 103 because of this guy: http://time.com/5695/102-year-old-cyclist-robert-marchand-sets-world-record/

It's odd how some people can smoke their entire lives and live to be a 100 and others will die at 50 from it. I'm thinking that since smoking supposedly shortens your life by 30 years that I would start smoking when I'm 80 so I'll be 110 when I die from it.
 
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I am really amazed by the age of these riders. I think the old aged people in my country are not motivated at all. The oldest men riding a bike in my state are around 60-69 age. I am really amazed by the story of the 83 year old rider by Corzhens. He is an inspiring man. He proved that old people can be cyclist too.
 
How old is the oldest rider you have met?

When I used to ride with a group once in a while, there was this old guy that caught my eye because he was wearing a colorful getup. But obviously he is already old and in fairness, he cycles good and can still pump up the steep climb. In a pit stop, I tried to get the opportunity to get close to him because I am curious of his age. 70 to 75 was my guess. But he said he was 83 at that time. Gee, that's a great feat for me... to ride at that age.

I'm 76-years old, EL GRINGO VIEJO EN BICICLETA, and still at it. Just cycled up to the top of the Sierra Nevada Las Montanas from Monachil where I live now -- on a loaded heavy bike ('Senor Fetes').
I spent 7 years (2006-2013) cycling around the world.
My raison d'être now, to get older people riding.
Thanks, for the discussion!
F.A. Hutchison
'Hutch'
www.cyclingpeace.org (for blok and many fotos.)
P.S. No, I'm not Spanish, pero naciemento in the U.S. Just living in Spain, after living in Bolivia for three years (cycled the Andes and the Salar de Uyuni).
 
I'm 76-years old, EL GRINGO VIEJO EN BICICLETA, and still at it. Just cycled up to the top of the Sierra Nevada Las Montanas from Monachil where I live now -- on a loaded heavy bike ('Senor Fetes').
I spent 7 years (2006-2013) cycling around the world.
My raison d'être now, to get older people riding.
Thanks, for the discussion!
F.A. Hutchison
'Hutch'
www.cyclingpeace.org (for blok and many fotos.)
P.S. No, I'm not Spanish, pero naciemento in the U.S. Just living in Spain, after living in Bolivia for three years (cycled the Andes and the Salar de Uyuni).

Gee, I think you now hold the record of the oldest biker in this forum. May I congratulate you on that feat. And that line that says cycling around the world is truly amazing for me. Do you know that your post instantly gave me inspiration and encouragement to pursue biking? If you still do not know, I am getting discouraged because I had quit riding for almost a year now because of the occasional swelling of my right leg. The doctor and I had an agreement that I would only ride again when that bulge on my leg would not appear for 3 straight months.
 
OK, so I just met el gringo with 76 years, go for it magic dragon! :)
I am really amazed by the replies as I don't know what is the secret of the health of these people. I don't know that they do but I do know that exercise is very important for us and that may be the secret of some of these old riders. These are really an inspiration for us.
 
I think that the secret is that we do what we love, when we do what we love we live longer.
 
Just turned 66, last month, and still riding as much as ever, usually 800 to 1000 miles a month. I'll never quit riding. Have been an addict all my life. I'm grouchy in the morning till I've had my coffee AND my ride. :)
 
I think also the secret is long term consistency...and retirement! I don't have time to ride 800 to 1000 miles a month, in fact I did just a bit more than that when I was in my 20's and 30's and racing putting about 1000 to 1200 miles a month, but again that is very impractical to do while trying to work, raise a family (this is now done for me) a full time and a part time business like I do. Once I "retire" then i will sell the full time business and keep the part time one going till I die, then I will have the time to ride a lot more miles. I never really ever quit riding either, although since moving to a cold winter state I don't ride as much as I did when I lived in a warm winter state, so location I'm sure plays a part in how many miles a person rides a year. Even when i retire I doubt I'll be able to average 800 to 1000 miles a year due to the snow and the cold weather where I live.
 
The most important is that we still love it and that we adjust the effort to our age so that it's still a joy and not an obligation.
 
"The most important is that we still love it and that we adjust the effort to our age so that it's still a joy and not an obligation."

Amen to that. I can give you a long list of reasons why I've been a bicycling fanatic all my life, but it all just boils down to the fact that I love it.
 
Oh man I hope to be able to even know what a bike is by that time I am up there, so that is quite amazing for this guy and good for him. I am always amazed at how people can live such long and happy lives, and I am glad for them and it seems like they enjoy every last minute. I just know that I won't last that long given some family history and past behaviors, but I hope to try and hold on for as long as I can.
 
My parent's neighbor is 87 and cycling! Ever since I was a kid, I remember going to school and see that guy coming back from riding. He used to hit the road super early, like 6 am or something, he was always wearing a fancy helmet, black one with green flames, and very wacky socks, colorful and funny. I really would like to get to his age doing the same, cycling and enjoying the road.
 
I read that if you continue to ride a bike well into your upper ages, your coordination stays sharper than other people your age and the chance of falling while walking or in the shower is a lot less; also because we are constantly watching and paying attention to traffic while riding we are better drivers as we age; so cycling does other things for us that's good as we age besides keeping us mobile and fit.
 

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