How old (or young) are you?

[Bluetree]

I'm just curious. Most cyclists I know are within ten years of my own age (40 soon) and I'm kinda curious why I don't see more of the younger sect. Is it the affordability of bikes? Or would a 20-something be less inclined to spend time on an online bike forum? Like I said, just curious.

I'm going to hold this poll open for a week, so vote away!

[DrBadger]

28 as of Sat. I got into biking (other than just riding my bike around campus) a little over a year ago when I realized that biking was the only way I was going to keep my pos-ACL reconstruction knee strong so i could do the other things I wanted to (ie. skiing). Found a nice Trek 1500 on craigslist, and have been biking ever since. Just now starting to look at upgrading to a nice new bike when i start working next fall (just finishing up graduate school).

I would guess that $$ is part of the reason you don't see a lot of the younger group. This is an expensive sport! and most of us are just getting out of school and doing that whole first job thing.

[Kitsune06]

I see a lot of younger people on bikes, but not a lot of younger 'cyclists'... the differentiation being the kids on bikes are on mountain bikes wearing baggy shorts etc and hang out on forums like mtbr.com etc, and are teenage boys, and 'cyclists' are roadies in lycra sipping cytomax and caring about clipless and watts and lung capacity etc etc.

I think it's a priority shift, coupled with the $$ factor.

[chickwhorips]

PABadger - happy birthday a couple days late. the good people of the world have their birthdays right now.

26 as of yesterday. i've wanted to get into it for a while, just didn't have the money to do it. that was my problem. it helps having a SO that was into it, showed me the ropes.

[Eden]

I see a lot of younger people on bikes, but not a lot of younger 'cyclists'... the differentiation being the kids on bikes are on mountain bikes wearing baggy shorts etc and hang out on forums like mtbr.com etc, and are teenage boys, and 'cyclists' are roadies in lycra sipping cytomax and caring about clipless and watts and lung capacity etc etc.

I think it's a priority shift, coupled with the $$ factor.

I've been a roadie since I was about 12, but that was back in the stone age before clipless, lycra and cytomax existed..... (though I admit to liking all of the aforementioned these days) I even had the first Bell hardshell helmet - the big white one with the orange reflecty tape...

[7rider]

I'm also looking at 40 this year (hey....isn't there a Jimmy Buffet song about that???).
This past summer, when doing our weekly group ride (quit about September for many reasons..plan to go back in the Spring), there were a fair number of young 'uns. And, yeah...you 20-something'ers are young 'uns in my eyes! And, they're outside the 10+/- range of which Bluetree spoke - isn't that scary BT? But I mean these kids were KIDS...16-18 y.o. On nice bikes that daddy bought, but on them nonetheless.
So, perhaps the younger ones find more interesting things to do online than hang at these discussion forums. They're young yet. They'll learn!

[DrBadger]

PABadger - happy birthday a couple days late. the good people of the world have their birthdays right now.

26 as of yesterday.

Hey Chickwhorips-
Happy birthday a day late! The end of Feb Pisces are the best Pisces (IMHO )

[DarcyInOregon]

I am 53 and these are the best years of my life.

The strange thing about where I live and bike is that the cyclists are primarily older men in their 60s, 70s and 80s. I rarely see a female cyclist except now and then in a pack. I can say the older men are inspiring and I sure hope I can bike those miles every day when I reach age 70 and 80. I met a few of the old guy cyclists and they all say the same thing, that they ride by themselves and they bike 50-75 miles everyday. They go on tours and event rides to socialize, but they avoid the clubs.

Darcy

[Kitsune06]

so lonely... so very, very lonely...

[Jenn]

I just turned 34 and with my age my taste has changed also. When I was in my 20's I loved mountain biking, now I'd rather just be on the road. I get a much better high now then I use to then when I ride. It's definately different but in my 20's I wouldn't have even considered road biking, mainly because there was NO way I could have afforded it being single and all. I was alot braver then to.

[DebW]

I've been a roadie since I was about 12, but that was back in the stone age before clipless, lycra and cytomax existed..... (though I admit to liking all of the aforementioned these days) I even had the first Bell hardshell helmet - the big white one with the orange reflecty tape...

Wait a minute, Eden. I thought you were only 35. You're a youngster. I bought one of those original Bell helmets in 1977 when I was 21.

[Eden]

Wait a minute, Eden. I thought you were only 35. You're a youngster. I bought one of those original Bell helmets in 1977 when I was 21.

Yup - you've got my age right - but that big clunky white bell was still the only one when I got my first - or at very least it was the only one available in my area.... heck it couldn't have been too much later anyway - maybe '82 or maybe even earlier when I got it - (of course I didn't have the 1st one made, but it was that original hard shell) I guess that makes me a roadie since before I was 12 then. I had that big heavy helmet for a long time. When I replaced it I got a cherry red Vetta that was still a hard shell - I think it was made of Lexan.

[Trek420]

Wait a minute, Eden. I thought you were only 35. You're a youngster. I bought one of those original Bell helmets in 1977 when I was 21.

I thought so too.

On the Ride to Redhook Eden blew past us one way with her team, turned 'round, caught up, rode the 20 something with us and then some after.

She's spinning so easily ahead of us, no hands at some points. Granted I'm slow, real slow, granted I'm on a Raleigh Hybrid (Thanks Mimi, really a great bike) but I thought "well of course she's a way stronger rider, she's a 20 something racer gal".

Do the math and helmet styles folks, Eden does not look ... or ride her age.

[Aggie_Ama]

26 as of the 17th! Around here a lot of people my age are still doing the bar scene several nights a week. If all your money is being drank away and you don't have much to begin with, well you can't afford cycling. Also I hear a lot of excuse out of the youngsters I work with, they all claim to have ailments that keep them from being active. I do notice I am about 10 years younger than most of the women I see. Of course many of those 35+ women are dropping me.

[Eden]

Interestingly enough I'm probably around the median age on the team (and we have around 90 members), though this year I think we picked up some younger gals. We have several very fast and very talented 50 somethings that can kick my butt and two juniors, both of whom I think are 16 this year.