Cycling Tours for the Aging Baby Boomer

I am 66 years old and ride my road bike 125 miles a week on average. In the past eight years I have ridden my bike about 40,000 miles, almost as many miles as I have driven my car. In the same period I started and sold a bike shop and became a certified bikefitter.  I have done bicycle tours in Europe, ridden the California coast, scaled an 8200′ mountain  and done numerous fund raising rides. I don’t say this to brag, but to say that cycling has given this aging boomer a whole new lease on life.

If you asked me ten years ago that I would become a passionate cyclist I would have laughed at you. At the time I was a full time pastor of a Methodist church.  I was always active in sports and loved to play basketball. Unfortunately due to rheumatoid arthritis I could no longer raise my arm enough to shoot a free throw.  Like many boomers I took up golf. That was even worse. I took lessons, went to golf school, but never improved. Needless to say, I was depressed.  I couldn’t run and I hated going to a gym sitting on a spin bike.

About this time my denomination was planning a fundraising bicycle tour for Habitat for Humanity from  Fullerton, California to San Diego, a 100 mile trip. I thought maybe I could try to train for this trip. I dusted off my cheap mountain bike and started to ride the 16 mile round trip to my church and boy did it hurt. I was also about 30 lbs. overweight which didn’t help. I decided to put on some lighter tires which helped a little, but real relief came from one of parishioners. He said I could borrow his carbon road bike which was hanging in his garage. Slowly but surely I picked up speed, gained endurance and lost weight. I was still intimidated by hills so joined the Habitat ride at mile 30. It wasn’t easy, but I finished the ride and I was hooked.  

My next challenge was training for a bicycle tour sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society called the MS 150. It is a 150 mile ride over two days.   Having a captive audience as a pastor, I was able to raise over 00.  I have found participating in fund raising bicycle tours to be totally satisfying. The ride is great, the people you meet are great, and the good feeling that comes from doing something for a great cause. This past summer I participated in the California Coast Classic for the Arthritis Foundation. The tour covered 520 miles over eight days from San Francisco to Santa Monica. It was an experience of a lifetime, riding the route at 15 miles an hour and stopping to admire the view instead of whizzing by at 70 miles an hour.  Camping along the way and making some great friendships. Raising money for arthritis research was a no-brainer for me. If you an aging boomer like me, signing up for one of the many fund raising bicycle tours is a great way to get started.

Bike Europe (or anywhere else in the world)

If you love to travel as my wife and I do, do it on two wheels. There is nothing quite like exploring the European country side and ancient villages on a bicycle.. One of our best bike tours was a week in Riccione, Italy. Riccione is located on the Adriatic Sea about eighty miles south of Venice. Riccione has over a dozen hotels that cater especially to cyclists offering great daily guide tours in the gorgeous surrounding hills. When you finish your ride you are treating like royalty with the best food and drink. Cycle touring in Europe can be remarkably affordable, especially if arranged by local tour operators. Most of Europe is extremely bike friendly. Drivers are courteous and most of the roads are well paved.

This year we are organizing a bike and barge trip along the Danube River in Austria. The Danube Cycle Path is one of the most popular attractions in Europe. You cycle along the mostly flat bike path and the barge follows you from town to town and serves as your floating hotel and meal service. This is an excellent starting place for the novice cyclist as the bikes are comfortable and the pace is fairly easy.

Obviously, biking as become a passion for me.  How I ended up starting a bike shop is grist for another article.  Since I sold my shop my new venture is organizing and booking bicycle tours, especially group tours. Traveling with a group is what makes cycling even more worthwhile. In fact cycling with my local bike club group usually includes a stop at Starbucks.  I have made more friends through cycling than any other activity in my life. Cycling forces you to slow down and smell the roses.

My purpose in writing this article is to whet your appetite for cycling. If you are like me and you can no longer run, play tennis, golf or any other demanding sport, try cycling.  I would offer the following advice to help you start.

1)      Find a professional bike fitter to make sure you are buying the right size bike or that the bike you currently ride is the right fit. I have spent the last eight years as a professional fitter and cannot overemphasize the importance of proper fit

2)      Don’t overspend on a first bike. Start with a decent hybrid bike to make sure you are serious before spending 00-5000. for a carbon road bike. Be careful of buying a bike online unless you are sure it is exactly your size.

3)      Start training slowly. Ride 8-10 miles 3 times a week and add 1-2 mile each time. You might consider commuting to work if the distance is feasible.

4)      Join a local bike club. Most cities have them and welcome new members and new riders. You will usually find compatible riders at your level.

5)      Sign up for a fund raising bike tour or local century ride in the not too distant future. This will give you added a goal and motivation for training.

6)      Set a goal for an extended cycling tour either in the US or overseas. 

7)      Email me if you would like any advice or recommendations. I am always happy to talk cycling.

The bottom line for me is that cycling has been a godsend in my life.  I have maintained my weight without dieting, lessened my arthritis pain, given me a great network of new friends and a whole wide world to explore on two wheels.