Something Of A Dilemma

Frank Wilson

I am getting on a bit (nearly sixty) and we never had a lot when we were kids (my first pushbike was cobbled together with bits from the local tip, you could do that sort of thing in them days) and through most of my working life not really had well paid jobs with loads of disposable income, never had Sky TV or the latest I-phone and stuff.

So now I am nearing retirement and I got myself a nice carbon bike (not one that fits in Grill's narrow criteria of a decent bike) with a load of gears and some clipless pedals. I even sent off for some team kit stuff from China (not a popular team like Sky or the likes just a second division outfit)

Anyway I was wondering because I am not a pro rider or belt around trying to kill myself to achieve some extra .1 mph extra will people point at me and ridicule me on my bike doing a sedantry pace (by some standards) in my team kit using clipless pedals, I mean at my age some of the people on here would have me shot!

Jonnyyorks

Crack on, enjoy the bike and the kit. clipless pedals are just part of normal cycling, not just for speed. Kit is kit

My experience is for every "judgy" cyclist you meet they are 20 who just enjoy it

lesfirth

At your age (and mine) you should not give a toss what anyone thinks. If you are happy with it,do it.

ForumNewbie

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19721487#p19721487]Frank Wilson[/url] wrote:

I am getting on a bit (nearly sixty) and we never had a lot when we were kids (my first pushbike was cobbled together with bits from the local tip, you could do that sort of thing in them days) and through most of my working life not really had well paid jobs with loads of disposable income, never had Sky TV or the latest I-phone and stuff.

So now I am nearing retirement and I got myself a nice carbon bike (not one that fits in Grill's narrow criteria of a decent bike) with a load of gears and some clipless pedals. I even sent off for some team kit stuff from China (not a popular team like Sky or the likes just a second division outfit)

Anyway I was wondering because I am not a pro rider or belt around trying to kill myself to achieve some extra .1 mph extra will people point at me and ridicule me on my bike doing a sedantry pace (by some standards) in my team kit using clipless pedals, I mean at my age some of the people on here would have me shot!

Hi Frank, I'm in my late 50s and have a few bikes including a carbon one and I ride with clipless pedals (the doubled-sided MTB SPDs). I wouldn't feel that comfortable wearing team kit, but do wear bib shorts now, and non-team kit cycling shirts and jackets - some from the Aldi sales

I also have a Garmin GPS and download my rides to Strava, which can be a bit addictive. I try not to bother too much about average speed because I'm older and not fast, but when you have a light carbon bike it is very tempting to try to go fast and compare yourself to others. When out on my hybrid or steel touring bike I tend to take it at a more relaxed pace, but I can still have an enjoyable ride on these bikes, sometimes more so.

I'd be surprised if you don't start using a GPS and downloading your rides, if you are not already doing that.

pblakeney

A guy that I know still gets his bikes and components from the local recycling.
Builds some reasonable commuter level bikes and some Frankenbikes just for fun.

It was a trial on one of his road bike builds that showed me the error of my ways in getting a hybrid.

Getting a usable bike for next to nothing can still be done.

tangled_metal

Just get out there and stuff what others think.

I'm early 40s and get overtaken by grey haired codgers in Lycra team colours. I've also overtaken people in the team colours. I ride at an average of 15mph these days, down from about 21mph average. I also.ride at 8mph average when I want to. I use a.fat wheeled drop barred bike on road and off. My skinny tyred road bike isn't used these days but it's a 14 geared 25 year old bike. All I can say is I do what I enjoy. It's as a simple as that.

My family also ride, hence the 8mph rides. It's all fun. I've been ridden lakes bridleways towing a sleeping toddler in a trailer and ridden quiet lanes with the trailer and child (still remember the two old guys on.expensive bikes in Lycra.team.strips going at most 3/4mph faster than us being impressed by our lad reading a book, totally bored by the Lakeland views). It's all about being out there doing what you love. In your case it's good for your health, for some their hobby is not healthy. I know people who basically spend their free time in a pub drinking from opening.time to late (places are open early for breakfast in town and shut after 6am if at all) .

Anonymous

Have you actually seen anyone trying to kill themselves to go 1mph faster?
How do you know that's what they were doing?

I don't think you will get much jip, but as you seem to be judging others, would you really blame anyone for judging you?

pblakeney

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19721566#p19721566]Carbonator[/url] wrote:

Have you actually seen anyone trying to kill themselves to go 1mph faster?
How do you know that's what they were doing?

I don't think you will get much jip, but as you seem to be judging others, would you really blame anyone for judging you?

Are you judging him?

rumbataz

As others have said, ride your bike the way you enjoy riding it. It's for your enjoyment.

Anonymous

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19721577#p19721577]PBlakeney[/url] wrote:

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19721566#p19721566]Carbonator[/url] wrote:

Have you actually seen anyone trying to kill themselves to go 1mph faster?
How do you know that's what they were doing?

I don't think you will get much jip, but as you seem to be judging others, would you really blame anyone for judging you?

Are you judging him?

Not as a cyclist ;-)

ben@31

On popular routes you'll just be a n other cyclist and how slow you go won't be remembered after 5 minutes.
Each to their own.
I have more admiration for unfit guys who get out and cycle (no matter what their physique, speed or kit) than someone who stays at home sedately.
I remember speaking to a cyclist in his 60's on a long and hilly sportive, who sounded down about his performance. I reminded him he's probably fitter than most of the sedate 20 year olds I work with. It's all relative.

markhewitt1978

Anyway I was wondering because I am not a pro rider or belt around trying to kill myself to achieve some extra .1 mph extra will people point at me and ridicule me on my bike doing a sedantry pace (by some standards) in my team kit using clipless pedals, I mean at my age some of the people on here would have me shot!

Nah, why would they? Often see riders in excess of your age around here, sometimes just pedalling along at an easy pace, sometimes they just drop me, you can never tell

It doesn't matter one bit what people on the street think of you, it matters even less what people on the internet think. (Which includes me so you must ignore everything I just said)

paul2718

In all my riding I've never seen anybody pointed at and ridiculed. Which probably means it's me....

I see people out and about wearing what looks like too much clothing, especially as it's not cold yet, and I wonder 'why?' But team (or fake replica) kit makes sense, because it's easy to buy. You will soon enough find other sources of jerseys; souvenir, club, local shop 'team' etc.

Paul

chris_bass

I will point at you and ridicule you

zanelad

Why worry what other people think? I'm sure that there'll be many more wishing that they'd got off their arse and on a bike.

I'm 57 (although the young girl in the barbers did ask if I was eligible for their pensioners discount this mornng, which rather took the edge of my day). I don't wear team kit, but I do wear lycra and use clipless pedals.

Just enjoy the ride at whatever pace your comfortable with.

socrates

Don't think he is judging anyone. Just using the 1 mph as an example. Boy, some people on here are prickly.

Anonymous

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19722199#p19722199]socrates[/url] wrote:

Don't think he is judging anyone. Just using the 1 mph as an example. Boy, some people on here are prickly.

Maybe not, but its a bad example and my point was very valid.

zak3737

Carbonator ....you're such a c@ck........

laurentian

There's an elderly chap in my village who has a lovely old Colnago Master. He's in his eighties and he probably gets out cycling 2 or 3 times a week - I have no idea how far he goes as I normally pass him on my way to work.

He wears a yellow cagoule and some ancient bib tights. He pedals at a constant but understandably slow rate (always looks like he's grinding up a hill even when on the flat). When the rest of the "fair weather" carbon and Rapha crowd are keeping their bikes dry, this bloke is out whatever the weather. Regardless of how far or how fast I go, there are few cyclists that I have more respect for - he just loves it and does it.

diy

I always thought the finger pointing and giggling went towards the chaps on £5-10k bikes with beer babies.

I love it when some old mountain goat sprints by all the kankled wanabies.

Or you could do as you please and not care. Round my way its club kit that gets you "feedback", particularly if said club is not from round 'ere.

I can't see the point of counterfeit kit though, lots of reasonable gear in LIDL and ALDI

Ben6899

Frank,

Life is too short to worry what other people think. Just enjoy it!

Btw, which team kit did you go for?

keef66

Well I'm 58 now and have both carbon and aluminium bikes. Both have clipless pedals, and I always ride in lycra because it's comfortable, although nothing in team colours unless you count the Planet X tops that were going so cheap I bought a few.

My pace is quite sedate, and I like recording my rides on my Garmin, but have no interest in bothering Strava with them.

Most importantly I have reached an age where I really don't give a flying fcuk what anyone else thinks. You should do the same.