I have seen the future

pneumatic

. . . and it is not that bad!

Feature article in the Herald about old timers still riding in their 70's and 80's

http://www.heraldscotland.com/life-styl ... s-1.931392

to give you a flavour:

"I’m sitting next to Jimmy Docherty, and he’s telling me about a new Cannondale bike he’s acquired, and how he still has the cycling shoes he bought in 1948. He’s 78, and says he often cycles about 20 miles to meet up with the gang, coming up the long way round on a good day. His wife wants him to carry a mobile phone, but he’ll hear none of it. Her concern would be understandable given his age alone – but the fact he was half-paralysed by a stroke 22 years ago, and still has limited use of his right hand, makes it rather more so. “You won’t stop me cycling,” he says with a smile."

deptfordmarmoset

Lovely article, pneu. I reckon Jimmy's doing the best thing on earth to stop him having another more serious stroke. Respect to them.

desweller

What a brilliant article. I hope I'm still putting in the miles when I'm their age!

markyboy2005

I really enjoyed that.....recovering from illness at the moment and was feeling sorry for myself, that has been well and truly knocked out of me.

Very heartwarming and motivating.

geoff_ss

Great story and, a change for a press report, reasonably accurate I would think. It's similar to our regular Wednesday ride though we're a bit younger (no-one over 80 in our group though plenty over 70) and our 'drum up' takes place in various cafes around Derby. I bet there are very similar groups throughout the country.

Geoff

clanton

I saw a group of "senior" riders in the Surrey lanes a few times this summer - many riding bikes that looked even older than they were and some in appropriate clothing to boot. A great sight.

Crapaud

Thanks for the link, Pneumatic. I'd spotted the story at the weekend and was saving it for later, liesurely, reading, but threw the paper out.

I'd heard of a group of elderly cyclists that cycle out from East Kilbride and I guess that was them in the article.

When I was training up around Callendar / Aberfoyle I used to meet an old boy in his 80s. Although he was too slow for any of the clubs he still went out cycling every Sunday - he claimed it was his religion. I always felt guilty leaving him, alone, after 10 - 15 mins chat. It's a pity that he couldn't find another group like that in the article.