TE Forum Age Distribution

[sarahspins]

Heh, I feel rather young, looking at the age distribution here...

Me too.. and I have three kids!

[deedolce]

Oh my, what a lovely little bell curve...so far! I'm right there in the 'bump' at 50yrs...

[Reesha]

Wow, where are all the young female cyclists at!?

[Aggie_Ama]

Wow, where are all the young female cyclists at!?

I am 28. DH thinks I am a complete freak because I am actually excited that I will be 30 soon. I am so done with my 20's. He is turning 30 next year and is dreading it.

I love that a woman who is 63 leads rides weekly for women mountain bikers. That is SO inspiring. I also have done many centuries with people in there 60-70's. Heck I did the MS150 with a man riding that was 90! He made it all 150 miles. I love that this board is a mix of ages, locations, experiences.

When my Mammaw was in her 70's she had a 1/2 acre size garden she tended to. At 92 she has a walker but she still does the NY Times crossword in pens and all kinds of crafts plus walks herself around the grocery store (we can't get her list right you see). I can't wait to be old AND active. Old and sitting on my butt eating bonbons is only for after the long bike ride I did that morning.

[ASammy1]

I'm 30 and agree with Aggie_Ama. Turning 30 was great! I too was done with my tumultuous 20s. I'm looking forward to see what my 30s will bring

[Reesha]

I'm certainly not afraid of aging! Indeed, seems like the best is yet to come

[Biciclista]

the interesting low point 1975-79 - are those the women with kids who are too busy to play?

[Owlie]

Wow, where are all the young female cyclists at!?

This is a rather expensive sport (like I needed another one!), and requires disposable income, something which one doesn't always have in one's 20s.
The only reason I could afford the new bike was that I got a nice, cushy summer job in a chem lab.

[Reesha]

This is a rather expensive sport (like I needed another one!), and requires disposable income, something which one doesn't always have in one's 20s.

Yeah, I spent 10% of my pre-tax annual income on my first roadbike! It was a LOT of money back that. I just make the necessary sacrifices to support my hobby.

[Becky]

Wow, where are all the young female cyclists at!?

My observation is that there's not many of us, and it seems like Mimi's theory holds water. The younger women seem to have kids and jobs and no time for cycling.

I certainly wouldn't have time for the bikes if DH and I had children. As it is, my bikes don't get enough attention!

[GLC1968]

I agree that often the younger women are home with the kids. I can't tell you how many comments I got when riding in NC where I rode with primarily men. They all would comment 'if only my wife could ride!' when I would join the group. When I asked why she didn't they always said - "well someone has to stay home with the kids".

[Becky]

I agree that often the younger women are home with the kids. I can't tell you how many comments I got when riding in NC where I rode with primarily men. They all would comment 'if only my wife could ride!' when I would join the group. When I asked why she didn't they always said - "well someone has to stay home with the kids".

These are the women that I see at the bike shop. They're there with their husbands and children, and the wife corrals 3 young squirmy children so that the husband can look at more bike stuff and talk about his stats and bike equipment and how he did 300 miles last week.

(I realize how bitter that must sound, but it's not- just frustrated.)

[Reesha]

I'd like to think that will never be me, but who knows! I would want to be the mom tugging her kids in a trailer around the park 20 miles!

[shootingstar]

I can't tell you how many comments I got when riding in NC where I rode with primarily men. They all would comment 'if only my wife could ride!' when I would join the group. When I asked why she didn't they always said - "well someone has to stay home with the kids".

Kind of thing disgusts me, and I say this within the context of having 3 sisters who are all mothers of young children (or 1 did have young children. 2 mother-sisters are also working in jobs that put them on a defined career-track) and each sister works out the regular scheduling really well with hubby, to take turns for childcare, while each person goes out jogging/cycling or does yoga on their own. It's mutual cooperation and some awareness that some fitness and good health can add some positive vibes to the marriage.

TE forum offers great value for such women who want to cycle but don't have in-person support in their social circles/family.

[HappyTexasMom]

I have to speak to my earlier post in defense of my husband. I'm the working parent, while my husband stays home with the kids during the day. Not my ideal by far, but it makes the most sense for us financially. So my not exercising was in part due to my not wanting to (I'm an easy couch potato), and in part because I wanted to spend some time with my kids. When they were younger (and therefore required more sleep at night), that meant spending time that I'd be willing to exercise (basically mornings and early afternoon/evenings) with them. I had my morning ritual of making breakfast for them, and my evening ritual of spending a little time with them and cooking dinner (hubby will cook, but if I want real food, I'd better cook it ). By nighttime I'm just done...I'm not a night person and nothing in hell is going to motivate me to do something I'm not keen to do in the first place (riding is the one thing that I do feel a desire and drive to do...everything else is just "because I should").

Now they are older and can get their own breakfast; they also stay up enough past the time that I get done with work that I don't feel deprived if I take off for some me time after work (although I don't right now, since it's also really hot around that time).