Mid life crisis?

potters1863

Was reading in the paper and heard on the radio today about the number of older people buying bikes these days.

It was suggested that for some it was instead of a Porsche and older persons would like to show off their cycling athletic ability on a smart bike?

Other reasons mentioned to do with fitness.

I asked my daughter which one was me and she replied that I am just a middle aged man with a mid life crisis who liked to sit on pavements (following my topple off my bike the other day)

Anyway I am 52 and have had my bike for 12 months now, I used to do quite a bit of running for fitness but started to get back and hip problems. Decided to get a bike for the fitness side without the impact injuries as a result of running.

Best move I ever made, have enjoyed the experience, the fitness is improved and the mileage and climbing targets are being reached, which I am pleased with.

My daughters still think I am going through a mid life crisis but maybe I am but I am having a lot of fun at the same time.

skyd0g

...suggest to your daughter that you are considering giving up the bike and looking for a Thai bride instead.

ceeque

sounds like maybe your daughter would have prefered the Porsche? 8)

night_porter

We ride bikes because WE love them.

Why care what others think?

Oh and I already had the XKR (much better than a Porsche) but got rid of it because it was boring but I never get bored with my bikes.

I am 54 and love cycling even when it rains.

StillGoing

They say this about everything us middle century folk get up to. Fact is, it's only when you reach our ages that you can afford both the time and money to do these things.

daviesee

philthy3 wrote:

They say this about everything us middle century folk get up to. Fact is, it's only when you reach our ages that you can afford both the time and money to do these things.

+1

Oh, and it is not a crisis if you are happy

sparkman

I use to cycle a lot on roadbikes, and can remember having a really good fitness level. Its something I loved.
I stopped after my bike was pinched at age forty, went for a mountain bike but on road, it wasn't the same.
Anyway I now have a defy road, and a ridgeback velocity for the casual stuff.
I love both bikes, and getting fit again. I am 57, :oops:

neeb

The concept of a "mid life crisis" is a classic example of how language (specifically the connotations of the particular words used) influences perceptions and attitudes.

Mid-life crisis is an overwhelmingly negative term for a generally very positive and healthy phenomenon. It's a way for society to keep people in their alloted historical roles and to give them a good metaphorical kicking if they step out of line.

Re-invigorating yourself by taking up new, youthful activities when you reach a certain age and are looking for some stimulus to keep the life force going is surely a very good idea. We should probably do it at least every decade, not just at "mid-life". If it was called "mid life renewal" or "mid life recharge" we would think about it completely differently.

Having just started racing for the first time at the age of 43 it has sometimes occurred to me that some people might define that as "mid life crisis" behavior. They can go **** themselves! Rage against the dying of the light etc..

garryc

I got my first road bike of my adult life when I was 50 after volunteering to do a charity ride. Since then I've bought a nice new carbon superbike and all the proper kit (all I need is the legs to go with it, but I'm getting there). I'm loving it, I'm fitter than I was 10 years ago and have met loads of nice new people after joining a cycling club.

Mid life crisis? that's just what younger people tell 'middle aged' people they are having when they start doing what they want. A lot of these so called 'young people' should lighten up and not worry about what their peers think or being embarssed by their parents.

I do what I want and sod what anyone else thinks.

Rich Hcp

I got my bike because I was not in a very healthy state, trained on an old MTB and it was too slow, so I bought a new roadie and then another MTB.

So I'm healthier, is that a mid-life crisis?

I want to live a long time, I can annoy more people that way 8)

Redfred237

Your kids are probably grown up by now, so you start to get a little more free time to do some new things that you may enjoy.

You start to live again, start to feel good about yourself so then everyone has to label it as a crisis.

My Mother is 60 odd and now does more in her retirement to enjoy life than she ever had time to do.

I say "mid life crisis" bring it on can't wait. Just turned 40 had the heart attack now bought an Orbea ttg . Now getting out, getting fitter and enjoying life.

Perhaps all the 20-30 year olds are all jealous of our free time and financial stability

Just go steady with any modern hairstyles, leave that to the kids.

Moaner

Typical reaction of those who haven't yet built up the self confidence, motivation and money to do the things they want to do - or even know what those things are!

Kids are fine but they're only trainee people - you can't expect too much in the way of insights

bilirubin

philthy3 wrote:

They say this about everything us middle century folk get up to. Fact is, it's only when you reach our ages that you can afford both the time and money to do these things.

+1

STEFANOS4784

Well i'm 25, hurry up and die you lot. Hopefuly it'll bring house prices down

silverpigeon

I'm 41 and have been obsessed with bikes since I was 10.

My wife reckons it's less to do with a mid life crisis and more to do with never really growing up in the first place.

John.T

Mid life crisis. I hope so. Mine has been going on since 1997 when I was 55. It just got better since.

The Jack

I don´t know about "midlife crisis". Anyway, it´s a fact that a lot of people buy their first racing bike when hitting 40 or thereabout. The question is: When will manufacturers realise this and start putting out gear -jerseys etc- that suit even us grown ups with our beer bellies?

stfc1

silverpigeon wrote:

I'm 41 and have been obsessed with bikes since I was 10.

My wife reckons it's less to do with a mid life crisis and more to do with never really growing up in the first place.

+1

Except I'm not THAT old yet

pneumatic

My understanding of mid-life crisis is that you become self-conscious as a teenager and the spend the next couple of decades desperately trying to impress people with how clever, employable, loyal, witty and wealth-worthy you are. You wake up one day (metaphorically speaking, as it tends to creep up on you) and realise that nobody really gives a sh1t about all the ways you have tried to impress them and that you haven't even managed to convince yourself.

When this happened to me, I went back to first prinicples. I could remember once being blithely happy riding my bike in the sunshine, so I decided to try that again.

12 years later, I am still blithely happy riding my bike and all the other stuff seems to matter a lot less.

As responses to the crisis go, a middle aged man having another go at riding a bike is a pretty good alternative to trying to recapture the fun you once had by driving fast, having long hair, wearing outrageous clothes or groping teenagers.

Peddle Up!

pneumatic wrote:

As responses to the crisis go, a middle aged man having another go at riding a bike is a pretty good alternative to trying to recapture the fun you once had by driving fast, having long hair, wearing outrageous clothes or groping teenagers.

It doesn't have to be an alternative.

rolf_f

The Jack wrote:

I don´t know about "midlife crisis". Anyway, it´s a fact that a lot of people buy their first racing bike when hitting 40 or thereabout. The question is: When will manufacturers realise this and start putting out gear -jerseys etc- that suit even us grown ups with our beer bellies?

Speak for yourself - 43 and slim as a stick here

C2W kickstarted me. I have done the cliche thing and spent what 2 years ago I'd have considered a comedy amount of money on a carbon framed racer. However, no mid-life crisis here as I got all of that over and done with a few years back. Now I'm just spending some money I know I can afford not having dependants and having paid off the mortgage. Just so happens that that coincides with mid-life crisis time (and not really coincidental).

carbongimp

i rember when i was a kid i wondered how people that was old had all the good bikes and riding gear.now im old with no real outgoings except on going bike projects i know now that you can afford more stuff when you get older because you have done the house and kids thing now more time on what makes us happy.

peejay78

a few years ago my friend with the paragon used to call this phenomenon 'dentist's bikes'; on account of the level of income needed to ride the latest bling thing.

i don't think anything necessarily has changed, it's a sport that lends itself well to all abilities, there's something incredible about discovering cycling at any point in your life - doing so when you have a large disposable income tends to lead to obvious results.

the more the merrier, always, and if it means bike technology advancing and trickling down, being more affordable for me, then great.

potters1863

Suppose it does come down to having the disposable income when you get to a certain age so have the time and money to do as you please.

My daughter is off to uni so I still have some financial restraint to consider.

Hopefully there will be enough left for a new carbon fibre addition for this "old fella"?

peejay78

there will be if you shop at ribble.

Lillywhite

This article sums it up.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Is ... crisis.htm

giant_man

The BBC have got onto the bandwagon of course:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10965608

ilm_zero7

oh dear - I must have a mid life crisis every 12 months then....... 3 new bikes in as many years...... hope to have more similar crisis issues in months to come, now will it be an italian carbon Crisis or and american carbon crisis...... Hmmm

trevtherev

Hi Potters!
You sound rather similar to me....i have always been a keen runner and have for many years been a member of Bitton Road Runners here in Bristol....some years ago an old work colleague said to me....son..(well maybe not son ) when you reach 40 that's when the niggles and little aches start....he was right I was lucky in some ways to be made redundant from that job some 5 years ago and as we all know approaching 50 is a difficult time to start a new career. I began to work as a court usher in central Bristol the pay was lousy but the real perk I did not have to drive but worked out that I could start cycling to and from work each day...and as I was getting more and more "little niggles" from running this really appealed to me ( thats face it as boys we all remember our love of bikes) So at 54 I cycle to and from work each day on either a Genesis ridgeback....but usually the love of my life (sorry to the wife ) my Giant Defy 1 I usually average 15-20miles each day depending on mood..weather etc and have been sometimes known to hit 30 miles ( on a clear day with a tailwind!) The great thing is I still run...amd still a member of Bitton Road Runners and I can still control those little niggles...still manage a respectable 42mins for a 10k...and am running the Chippenham Half Marathon in 4 weeks....as long as my achilles has stopped playing up!! There is nothing worse than not being able to get your daily dose of exercise...we all become grumpy old men...cycling on
my Defy with the wind in my face makes me feel forevers young..in my mind I am still 20 and will forever remain so...