"over 40"...show of hands?

[runningcyclist]

Hi everyone, space for a foreigner here?

I'm from the UK and took up cycling as a complete beginniner 5 years ago when I was 42. Not made much progress in that time as I 'parked' the bike for a few years because I was too scared to go out on the road.

Finally started commuting to work about 18 months ago and am loving cycling, even during the winter .

[ShubieGA]

52 here - and returning to cycling after a 8 month break. It's been too long. I missed it!

[stokerpam]

57 here - riding stoker since Dec 2007 - really prefer that to my own bike. Way too distracted by wildlife to steer, etc in front, plus it's fun to backseat drive : ) (and I love the view) Still don't have perfect saddle or fit after 10K mi but not giving up. Wondering if menopause may be affecting some of that too.

[Chemagne]

I'm over forty and getting started, again. :O)

[ekcjwc]

I didn't start riding until I was 41 which was last year!

[Marionette]

I'm 62. Riding definitely keeps me feeling young, especially when I ride to the gym and back! It annoys me when I can't go as fast as I used to, but I still climb hills, and I don't balk at 60-mile rides. Centuries do give me pause, though! Except for days when the headwind coming off the ocean is strong, it's all still fun, and sometimes it feels like my most natural position in life is perched on a bike saddle.

I'm having kind of an eyewear problem at the moment, which does affect my riding. My contacts have been drying out, even when I wear wraparound sunglasses. So I've been thinking about switching to bifocal sunglasses and researching the various kinds of lenses, such as bifocals vs. progressives. Does anyone have an opinion on that? This page about bifocals made me think about where the closeup part of the lenses should be: at the bottom I guess, since I'm looking at the distance through the top part. But is it better and more comfortable to have the near vision segment as a small spot lower down or as a "ribbon" that divides the upper and lower distance parts of the lens? If you look at the bifocal diagrams on that page you'll see what I mean.

My optometrist said I should just use distance glasses for riding and change the eyewear when I stop for lunch or whatever. But I hate taking extra glasses with me anywhere and would like one pair to do it all.

[Marionette]

Finally started commuting to work about 18 months ago and am loving cycling, even during the winter .

Now that's brave! Living in southern California I rarely have to put up with wet streets, but they scare me because it's so easy to slip and crash.

[Rebecca19804]

Hi everyone, space for a foreigner here?

I'm from the UK and took up cycling as a complete beginniner 5 years ago when I was 42. Not made much progress in that time as I 'parked' the bike for a few years because I was too scared to go out on the road.

Finally started commuting to work about 18 months ago and am loving cycling, even during the winter .

A quasi-foreigner here!

I'm 42, took up cycling exactly a year ago as a complete beginner. I too commute in London rain or shine... and even, as last winter, in snow and ice. I was very anxious about going out on the roads. A two-hour one-on-one training session with Cycle Training UK kick-started me, giving me the confidence and 'tools' to get started.

Just leaving for work now in a soft summer rainstorm - accompanied by a 22-year-old university student doing a thesis paper on 'Cycling in London' - he gets to follow me for 10 miles with a video camera!

[nuthatch]

I'm having kind of an eyewear problem at the moment, which does affect my riding. My contacts have been drying out, even when I wear wraparound sunglasses. So I've been thinking about switching to bifocal sunglasses and researching the various kinds of lenses, such as bifocals vs. progressives. Does anyone have an opinion on that?

I've stuck with my contacts and I have to drink way more than I used to since I turned 50. I don't know what that's about, but I seem to have more trouble managing dehydration now that I'm ancient. Pair that with a bladder the size of a thimble and I'm in the bushes a lot.

I'd highly recommend ONOs. They're the best bifocal sunglasses I've ever seen and I love them for glancing down at my cycle computer or changing a flat. ONO makes prescription versions of their glasses, too. I love mine! I wrote a review of them for the magazine I work for.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

This thread should really be titled "over 50". 40 is way too young to make a big deal out of! Even 50 is pushing it.

50 is the new 40. 60 is the new 50. 70 is the new 60.....

[shootingstar]

50 is the new 40. 60 is the new 50. 70 is the new 60.....

We're jumping the gun abit, aren't we? Am not deluding myself that reaching 60 will be another hot number. (will be awhile for myself to get there)

Just ask a 25-yr. old. : 50 yrs. is OLD.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just ask a 25-yr. old. : 50 yrs. is OLD.

Why would I ask a 25 year what old is? They know nothing about age!

If 50 is OLD, then 25 is basically a toddler. LOL

[tulip]

This thread should really be titled "over 50". 40 is way too young to make a big deal out of! Even 50 is pushing it.

50 is the new 40. 60 is the new 50. 70 is the new 60.....

+1. I completely agree. Over 50, maybe, but there ain't nothing different happening at 40 (or 42-43 in my case).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

+1. I completely agree. Over 50, maybe, but there ain't nothing different happening at 40 (or 42-43 in my case).

Well I realize we are all different, but yeah- I didn't really feel any different at 45 than I did at 35. In fact, I felt pretty much the same all the way from 25-45.
But when I turned about 53 (I'm 56 now) I began to notice some changes due to my age. My mid fifties seemed to bring a few more generalized aches and pains and stiffness, a slight lessening of my endurance (such as it is, LOL), and definitely less tolerance for high heat and humidity.
To keep fit I do biking, fitness walking, gardening, and dancing. Nothing competitive though, I've never been much of an athlete.

[Marionette]

They're the best bifocal sunglasses I've ever seen and I love them for glancing down at my cycle computer or changing a flat. ONO makes prescription versions of their glasses, too.

Thanks for the info on these. I'm still deciding whether to give up contacts or not. Maybe I should be switching contact lens brands to something that doesn't dry out my eyes so much. I have an eye exam coming up, so i'll ask a lot of questions before deciding.