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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
Hello,
Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. b. The bike is really heavy. Steel frame, probably. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob |
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#2
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On Sun, 10 Apr 2011 13:39:16 -0400, Bob wrote:
Questions: a. I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. 90-100 is what my tires take -- I have, of course, no clue about yours. Pump them up to what you think is right, then drop the bike from about an inch up and feel how bouncy the tires are, and listen for rattles. (You should bounce your bike before every ride, to find out about things you'd rather not find out about a mile down the road.) If the tires don't squash too much when you mount, and if you are not at risk of cutting the inner tube with the rim when you bounce over a pavement flaw, they are hard enough. But if your tires been sitting around unused for twenty years and you can no longer read the labels, take a close look for cracks and alligator skin. If they are brittle, replace them before you get past the circling-the-parking-lot stage of resuming activity, lest they fail you when you are a mile down the road. After you pump the tires up for the first time, let the air out again. Repeat inflating and deflating until you don't hear any crackling and popping as wrinkles come out of your inner tube, and places where the tube has stuck to the casing come unstuck. b. The bike is really heavy. Steel frame, probably. No sweat -- you aren't carrying the bike, the bike is carrying you. If you get into hill climbing you'll want less weight -- but odds are that the weight you can take off the bike is a small fraction of the weight you can take off your body. And you can always get off and walk when the going gets tough. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? Yes -- and also meaningfully more expensive. If you have a bike that works, don't buy a new one until you've ridden enough to know what you like and don't like. How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? They look heavier than road bikes; I haven't paid them much attention. They also look easier to mount, and I'd been fearing that I'd have to get one when I could no longer mount my road bike, but I've got the hang of mounting (knee first getting on, foot first getting off) -- and crank-forward bikes have come onto the market. I wouldn't be able to ride a crank-forward bike any farther than to the nearest grocery store, but when I've gotten to the place where I can't ride a road bike, I probably won't be going any farther than that anyway. The crank-forward bike looks perfect for the person who can walk, but not very far. But I haven't asked my sister to try one (she lives on a gravel road that's regularly fluffed as if for the express purpose of stopping bikes, so there is no point), and I had only six feet to ride forward and back in when I tried one in the showroom. (But you *can* back them, which I consider a big plus in a pedal-powered wheelchair.) c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. A helmet is an optional extra -- if you bump your head, it's probably a good idea to have some foam on it, but what helmets *mainly* protect against is getting yelled at. A properly-fitted helmet is also a good place to hang a rear-view mirror, and mine holds a linen scarf in place when I need sun protection but don't want anything tied around my neck. How you wear it is more important than the quality of the helmet: fasten the chin strap, fit the helmet so closely that it doesn't shift on your head at all, keep the brim level so that the parts that need protection are inside the helmet, etc. (A good bike-shop should be able to help you with this.) It should *not* be possible to get your helmet off without unfastening the chin strap or making something bleed. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Watch the knees -- when in doubt, use a lower gear, so that you spin faster and don't push very hard on the pedals. Start off really, really easy -- one lap around a small parking lot, then at least an hour of rest before trying again. Increase your distances a little bit at a time -- and don't stop increasing them until you feel that you are spending too much time on the bike. Even then, your distances will creep up, because you'll gradually be able to go farther in a given amount of time. -- Joy Beeson joy beeson at comcast dot net http://roughsewing.home.comcast.net/ The above message is a Usenet post. I don't recall having given anyone permission to use it on a Web site. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On 4/10/2011 12:39 PM, Bob wrote:
Hello, Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? Mostly likely steel. If a magnet is attracted to the frame, almost certainly steel. That being said, steel is a perfectly fine material to build a bicycle frame from. The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. 20-year old tires have likely deteriorated from age, and likely should be replaced, particularly if any deterioration of the casing is noticeable. b. The bike is really heavy. Steel frame, probably. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? A new bike of similar class is likely about 4 to 6 pounds lighter, but this is only a small part of the total bike+rider+accessories+bags weight. c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. All bicycle foam hats provide about the same (minimal) level of protection. If you wish to wear one, go to a local bicycle shop (LBS) and buy the least expensive model that fits your head well. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob If you are not a competent bicycle mechanic, take your bike to a good LBS and get the tires and tubes replaced, bearings lubed and adjusted, etc. -- Tºm Shermªn - 42.435731,-83.985007 I am a vehicular cyclist. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On 4/10/2011 1:39 PM, Bob wrote:
Hello, Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. Yes, but you're probably overdue for a new set of tubes and tires. Try to buy the fattest tires that will fit the frame/fork/brakes. Try not to buy really heavy tires, either. Something like the Panaracer Pasela is reasonably light and reasonably priced and available in up to 35mm width. Your selection may be determined by your rim size. That vintage bike was right around the time when the standard wheel size changed from so-called "27 inch" to "700c" (slightly smaller diameter). b. The bike is really heavy. Steel frame, probably. Fuji made a broad range of bikes, from pretty basic to pretty nice, with corresponding differences in weight. All the frames back then were steel, but better ones used stronger alloys to make thinner, lighter tubing. Frames are only one component, usually in less expensive bikes the other components are similarly heavier. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? Sometimes, but weight isn't usually a pressing concern for non-racers, and saving a little weight costs a lot of money. How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? Usually heavier, suspension forks add quite a bit, and frames and components are generally a bit beefier. c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. Helmets are all made to the same spec, so it's a matter of what you like and what you feel like spending. They all seem to be made with the same process and materials, so I doubt there's much weight difference, they're all pretty light. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob I went through the same process 15 or so years ago. It's likely that your old bike can be updated a bit and that may be the way to go. Tires make the biggest difference in bike feel and handling. Usually saddles need to be replaced after that many years, saddles and handlebars make the biggest contributions to comfort. Many older bikes have narrow handlebars and hard saddles (either by age or design), and handlebar height may be too low. All that can be changed, though perhaps only with a bit of trial and error and perhaps guidance. Vintage brakes are usually OK, although the pads may be hardened and need replacing. Shifters may be functional, but newer components may be significantly more convenient. I'd start by getting some new cushy tires and saddle and go from there, see if you want to stick with it. I wouldn't worry so much about weight, focus on comfort and safety to start with. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On Apr 17, 2:25*am, Tºm Shermªn™ °_°
All bicycle foam hats provide about the same (minimal) level of protection. *If you wish to wear one, go to a local bicycle shop (LBS) and buy the least expensive model that fits your head well. Foam hats are one of the few things you might as well purchase at a Wally World. Same protection, and they usually have sizes for gargantuan suburban heads. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On Apr 10, 9:39*am, Bob wrote:
Hello, Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. *I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. b. *The bike is really heavy. *Steel frame, probably. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob Bob: go to the forum www.bikeforums.net. There's an over 50 forum that is excellent. Also many other forums depending on other technical or other issues you'd like to discuss. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On Apr 18, 12:59*pm, Camilo wrote:
On Apr 10, 9:39*am, Bob wrote: Hello, Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. *I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. b. *The bike is really heavy. *Steel frame, probably. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob Bob: go to the forumwww.bikeforums.net. There's an over 50 forum that is excellent. *Also many other forums depending on other technical or other issues you'd like to discuss.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excellent suggestion as I started that forum about 5 years ago - really it is a good place despite that. |
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Sr. Citizen Taking Up Sport Again Questions, Please
On Thu, 5 May 2011 19:52:16 -0700 (PDT), Colorado Bicycler
wrote: On Apr 18, 12:59*pm, Camilo wrote: On Apr 10, 9:39*am, Bob wrote: Hello, Haven't gone biking in probably 20 yrs, but would like to do a little, again, for some light exercise. Would have to be light, as am now in my 70's. Have a 20 yr old, possibly more, Fuji bike. Pretty much the regular, normal, looking style. Road type, Not a Mountain bike style. Think the frame is steel ? The tires are the narrow road style. Questions: a. *I can't read the psi inflation info on the side. I seem to remember about 90 psi. Does this sound about right. b. *The bike is really heavy. *Steel frame, probably. Are the new Road bikes, certainly not not "racing" bike styles, meaningfully lighter ? How about the Mountain Bike styles; significantly lighter ? c. Guess I should also get a helmet. Was in Sports Authority, and saw a Giro "Indicator" model for about $ 35. Is this a good brand ? The reviews in Amazon for the Indicator model seem a bit mixed. Would really want as light a weight as possible, and not any more than about the $ 35. Other suggestions, and opinions would be most appreciated ? Much thanks, Bob Bob: go to the forumwww.bikeforums.net. There's an over 50 forum that is excellent. *Also many other forums depending on other technical or other issues you'd like to discuss.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Excellent suggestion as I started that forum about 5 years ago - really it is a good place despite that. All the people in that thread ride expensive bikes and haven't slowed at all. They're all in better shape then they were at 25. I think I was the only one who posted that my knees hurt, my lungs wheeze, my eyes tear, and I bought a nice comfortable hybrid because my back doesn't like riding hunched over any more. But BikeForums does have a bunch of great forums on all kinds of biking subjects. Yes, even the over 50 thread. |
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