New and perplexed

[bikegranny]

Hello all, This is such a great site! I'm very happy I found you. I'm a used to be and now a wanna be biker. Loved bikes when I was young, and things were a lot simpler then, and nothing hurt! Now I'm old and fat and short, nothing fits and everything hurts. So, what I need is lots of advice: have read a lot online. Some say the "crank forward" bikes are great for the old and fat, some say they are harder to pedal, especially on hills. I'm leaning toward a Trek Pure, but have not tried it out yet. I'm not interested in racing, long distance (yet) or even tours. I just want to ride a bike around on paths and enjoy being outside without unbearable pain. Any opinions on the crank foward or advice on a different type bike?

I love reading your posts and am learning from them.

Beth

[Bike Writer]

Welcome bikegranny and congratulations for taking up the sport again. Well to borrow a saying from years gone by..."the proof is in the pudding." The best way to determine what hurts and what does not hurt is to go test ride several different styles of bikes. You will soon find out what kind of bike makes pedaling feel like a breeze to you.

I have a Specalized Sport Expedition and the angle of the seat tube is called slack meaning that it is considered less aggressive because it angles back putting the seat behind the pedaling just a tad. I found the bike far easier to pedal than my previous upright bike. I wouldn't have known that from looking but I felt it immediately when I rode it. I'm not a great hill climber no matter what kind of bike I ride so I can't comment on that. Also, I have knee problems and this style of bike does not make that problem worse. When I am at my worst with knee pain and have trouble with walking I can still ride.

[bikegranny]

Thanks, Muirenn, No, have not tried any bikes yet. A bit intimated by young, slim, muscular boys and girls at the shops. Trying to figure everything out in my head before I go! guess that's not the best approach, huh. Will try a more practical approach and actuall go to the shop!

Beth

[bikegranny]

Thanks Bike Writer, Yup, I absolutely need to get to the bike shops and ride a few bikes. Trying to figure which ones to try......

[Melalvai]

What city or region are you in? You might be able to get some advice here on which bike shop. Some bike shops cater to a certain type of cyclist, like racers. Helps to find that out in advance so you know who to avoid.

[PamNY]

Hi and welcome to TE. I'm 62 and don't plan to give up cycling anytime soon. My current bike is a hybrid from the Trek fx series.

Is trying rental bikes an option for you? I did that and found it helpful. Not sure what you mean by "everything hurts" but I was able to fix all my cycling-related pains on my own. Info on saddles from this forum was very helpful., and building core strength solved the backache.

Good luck getting back into cycling -- and keep coming here with any questions or concerns. This group is very helpful when you are scared, sore or discouraged. Everyone loves to hear success stories as well.

Pam

[bikegranny]

Ok, I'm scared, sore and discouraged! tried riding my old bike today, after about 10 years. Was barely out of the garage when I fell; thankfully, no injuries..........think my helmet saved my life, it was a faceplant into the paved driveway. Now I'm very very sore, but mostly discouraged, and scared to try again. If I can move tomorrow, will try again. I'm thinking a Day 6 bike. hope to find a dealer to try them out, in Columbus, OH.

thanks for words of encouragement and good advice.

[goldfinch]

Oh ouch!

Do you know why you fell? Does you old bike fit?

You might find it easier to track down the Pure and the Townie for a test ride than the Day 6 but the Day 6 is a mighty cool bike. Depending on your budget one of the best crank forward bike probably is a Rans.

You might also consider a recumbent trike, like a Terratrike Rover. People have a lot of fun with them but recumbent trikes do tend to be pricey as compared to bikes.

I sympathize with being short and fat and finding a bike that fits. I bought my bike when I was short and fat. Riding and more riding helped me drop the weight. But I am still short.

[Bike Writer]

Ok, I'm scared, sore and discouraged! tried riding my old bike today, after about 10 years. Was barely out of the garage when I fell; thankfully, no injuries..........think my helmet saved my life, it was a faceplant into the paved driveway. Now I'm very very sore, but mostly discouraged, and scared to try again. If I can move tomorrow, will try again. I'm thinking a Day 6 bike. hope to find a dealer to try them out, in Columbus, OH.

thanks for words of encouragement and good advice.

Oh my goodness Ow ow ow! I can certainly understand why you would be scared and discouraged. Hope you feel better soon, from the sounds of it you avoided breaking anything but took a big blow to your confidence. Been there. When I re-took up biking again a couple of years ago I'd been through a period of inactivity for a few years. Prior to that I was pretty athletic and strong with good balance. It's amazing what a few years of inactivity can do to a person, fortunately all of that can be reversed with persistance and work. Speaking from one who was in your exact spot not long ago I can empathize with the fear and discourgament. I fell a lot the first few months. I'd bought a craigslist bike and the person was taller than me, I made some adjustments and it helped. Since this was your bike before it probably fits you and is set up for your height so I'm guessing that the fall was a result of lack of strength, balance and confidence with handling skills. Often I had no idea why I fell, I just did. I came to realize it was lack of skills coupled with too much bravado. I should have spent more time practicing before I ventured out into challenging situations. Oh well.

You said you are scared but you also said if it dosen't hurt too much you'll try again - you've got spunk! Working on some core body strengthening will help you gain confidence because you'll be better able to handle your bike.

Feel better soon and best of luck.

[marni]

welcome to the journey. Remember all you have been through so far. Getting on a bike is nothing. Take time, have patience, enjoy the learning curve and don't let anybody tell you they know better. You can do this!

[OakLeaf]

Aw, sorry that happened to you - hope you feel better soon. They say you don't forget how to ride a bike, but it surely took me a few rides to remember how, after I came back from my long hiatus. I felt VERY wobbly at first on my very stable hybrid bike ... and when I returned to road cycling two years after that, I did have a couple of failure-to-unclip falls. It happens. It will come back.

I don't know a single thing about Northland Cycle - the only Columbus dealer Day 6 lists on their website. I'm about 99% sure that Bike Doctor in Heath doesn't stock them on their floor, but it's not that far of a drive for you if you call and find out that they do have a bike you could test ride. Do try out as many bikes as you can before you make your decision. Don't commit yourself to a particular style of bike before you take your test rides - you may find that what's comfortable for you isn't what you'd assumed.

I think as long as you're staying in and around town, you don't have to worry too much about gearing or climbing geometry. The grades you'll encounter in Franklin County may not be easy for a newly returning rider, but they're plenty doable with some training - they're not the kind of hills people talk about having trouble with a crank forward or recumbent bike.

Welcome to TE and happy shopping!

[bikegranny]

Thanks so much for the kind words, everybody.............you guys are nice! I'm taking today off because my body hurts! had a bit of trouble sleeping, but still think there is no real damage. I have two knee replacements, and one of my knees is very sore, that's my main concern. the Day 6 interests me because I think my feet could reach the ground and thus prevent falls . Looked at the TerraTrike online, don't like it much. The Rans are wonderful, but way out of my price range. That would be my choice, if money grew on trees. and the real problem with me is I'm terrified to get back on the bike. The old bike does not fit, I didn't know anything about fit when I bought it. So today is a resting and thinking day, by the weekend I will be ready to test bikes.

[PamNY]

Yikes! Sorry you had a fall. But that does happen. When I first returned to cycling, I had several inglorious moments -- once running into a large, highly visible concrete bench while I was going very slowly. I'm impressed that you are eager to continue cycling despite a brief setback. As someone said upthread, you've got spunk and that will take you a long way.

Yyou are wise to rest for a day or two and be careful of your knees. I hope you get a chance to try the Day 6 as soon as you are feeling better. Let us know how it goes.

[bikegranny]

Guess what, guys!!! I just heard about a thing called bike stabilizers for grown ups! Tell me the truth: would I be a total loser wash-out hopeless sissy if I used those just for a little while? just for a few rides until I have a bit of confidence back? have any of you heard of them or used them at all? it looks very appealing to me, in my fear and hesitancy, yet with a strong desire to ride. If I used them, I could get a "normal" bike like I really want, instead of the crank forward type. maybe. Would like to hear your thoughts, kind and fearless women.

[bikegranny]

Thanks, NY, I just called a bike shop in Columbus and they do have Day 6 bikes in stock, so I will go try it on Monday, when i have a free day. and time to shop for other bikes also. excited!