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Biking Seniors: How they do it
We did a quick, informal poll and discovered that biking seems to be experiencing a resurgence of sorts amongst seniors, especially. And so a story was born, when we decided to dig a little deeper. Doug McDonald, owner of Phoenix Cycles in Carbondale, sees a number of middle-aged folks and many seniors trooping into his store every day, in addition to the usual youngsters. "I get people all the time who say they've not ridden a bike in 20 years," McDonald says. "It gets to the point where the doctor tells them you need to lose the weight, or be prepared to deal with sore feet, cholesterol and heart problems. Cycling then becomes an interesting prospect." With bicycle companies having addressed the complaints of most bikers, with the creation of new age bikes, more and more people are realizing that biking can be a fun and comfortable weight bearing exercise.
Designed for comfort, flexibility and stability, McDonald says these bikes come with a shock absorbing seat post, an adjustable stem on the front end that lets you sit upright and a front fork that acts as a shock absorber. The bikes sell for anywhere between $230 and $470 at Phoenix Cycles. "It's a very affordable price range for the quality of bike you're getting," McDonald says. The humble bike has come a long way indeed. It used to be looked upon as a toy. Today it's a tool to exercise, an alternative mode of transportation that lets you commute to work and an individual lifestyle and fashion statement. So whether you opt for a road or mountain bike; a comfort hybrid or a recumbent bike (great for those with back and neck problems); a retro bike (for those wanting a stroll down memory lane) or a unicycle (if you're feeling particularly adventurous); a BMX or racing bike; or even just buy an old bike from a yard sale or auction; somewhere out there, there is a bike made just for you. Perhaps these real-life stories will inspire you to start biking on your own or help you realize that a little bit of biking (or any form of physical activity for that matter) goes a long way in keeping you happy and healthy. Biking after a knee replacement It's been barely five months since his knee replacement surgery, and Nick Philips, is up and about, as active as he can be. At 68, Philips is not your average senior; for he's fitter than most people his age. A social biker, who likes biking two or three times a week, with his wife, Anne, and friends, he says, when you bike with others and look at it as a social activity, you hardly notice the time going by. In addition to the knee replacement, Philips has had spine surgery a couple of years ago, suffers from osteoarthritis and calls himself, "a good example of how modern medicine and exercise can keep you going longer!" A retired professor of computer science from Southern Illinois University, Philips says doing a bit of exercise makes a huge difference in how he feels. "In the periods I haven't been able to exercise, I just don't feel so good," he says. "My doctor said that my recovery time after the surgeries was much faster because I was in such good shape." "Biking is very good exercise, especially after a knee replacement," Philips says. "I still can't get the pedal to the front of the foot, but can get it part of the way. The whole idea is to get the knee to bend more. Just last week I was able to do about ten miles." Any parting words of wisdom? "There's plenty you can do outdoors," Philips says. "Make exercise a pleasure and not a chore." How about a biking holiday? For the past five years, Carbondale residents, Stefanie and George Schedler, have spent every wedding anniversary of theirs on an international cycling vacation. Stefanie is 58 and George is 61 years old. "We do guided trips usually and figure if we're going to see a country, we might as well bike it!" George says. "Since we're both trying to stay really fit, an active vacation suits our lifestyle perfectly." In addition to biking, George is a regular at the gym every morning. Stefanie says she mixes weight training with cardiovascular exercise, and ensures she does something aerobic every single day. "All that exercise has just become a part and parcel of our lives," she says. The couple is just back from an international bike tour that began in Dresden, Germany, winding its way through Prague and the Bohemian Forest in the Czech Republic, and ending in Budapest, Hungary. The group was made up of 20 leisure bike riders, from all over the world, ranging in age from their mid-30s, to many who were in their 50s and 60s. Since this was categorized as an "advanced ride" the group covered a distance of 800 kilometers (497 miles) - over 10 days of cycling, with two days off in the middle to soak in the beauty of Prague and Vienna. That translates into roughly 100 kilometers or 62 miles of biking a day. "After breakfast, we'd hop on our bikes and start cycling at 9:20 a.m., break for half an hour for a picnic lunch, have two breaks during the entire day of 15 minutes each and get off our bikes around 6-7 p.m. when we finally got to the hotel," Stefanie says. "Once we showered and changed, we'd then eat dinner and chat with our co-bikers till about 10:30 at night, before going to bed. This trip was pretty strenuous; we had very long days." Guided bicycle tours and cycling vacations are fast becoming a viable option and wonderful way to see a new city or country, while staying active and fit at the same time. Bike tour packages are available for all ages and fitness levels, from the first time biker to the seasoned professional. "Anybody can do it," Stefanie says. "If you're a beginner or want an easy pace, you can opt for a leisure bike tour that's rated easy." Bike tours are also available to fit all budgets. Not only do you get to tour a region, experience a culture and catch up on its history, see great scenery and taste local food while on holiday, but you also get to exercise, stay fit, and make new friends in the process, all while being totally green and environmentally friendly. "We would not want to sit on a bus for eight hours traveling from one city to another," Stefanie says. "We'd rather bike the distance and get to see the beautiful scenery and enjoy the social aspect at the same time. A bike tour enables us to drink in the details: the things we would miss if we just took a car." It's never too late to start After a hiatus of over 35 years, Pat and Ron Grimmer bought their first bikes. They were only 63 years old at the time. "We had last ridden when we were children," Pat recalls. "But it had been years since those days. At a friend's urging we went ahead and bought bikes (Comfort Hybrids) that were conducive to ride." After practicing a few times on the road leading to their house and building up their confidence, the Grimmers were ready. On their very first ride, they went 17 miles with a friend who was older than them. It was a testament to their fitness levels that they could ride that many miles without breaking into a sweat. It has been two and a half years since that day, and the Grimmers who are now 65 years old, ride 20-25 miles at a time, every week. "It's a good way to firm up and use your muscles," Pat says. "And best of all, it combines aerobic with social activities, since we do it in a group." Since their retirement in May of 2005, the Grimmers ensure they schedule some sort of physical activity every day. They lift weights at the SIU Rec Center about 4-5 times a week and are also part of an informal walking group in Carbondale, where they walk about eight miles once a week. In addition to this, they bike 2-3 times a week and say all the extra exercise gives them added energy, provides stress relief, firms up the tummy and legs and helps them sleep better. "Another thing you can do is ride a stationery bike," Ron says. "But it's more fun to go out and ride, since Southern Illinois is such a beautiful area to bike in. You get to meet interesting people and see great scenery." Some bicycling clubs in the area* • Carbondale Bicycle Club One of the oldest clubs in the area, the Carbondale Bicycle Club has been around for at least 15 years and is still going strong with several rides organized every week. For more information, call Anne Johnson, club president at 618-528-4552 or visit their website at http://members.tripod.com/~PCTT/cbc.htm • The Shawnee Mountain Bike Association A non-profit organization dedicated to keeping trails in the Shawnee National Forest open to mountain bikes, the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association has annual membership dues, of only $10 per year. For more information call Sean Boyle at 618-713-1933 or visit http://smbatrails.com. • The SIUC Cycling Club Access their online forums where new rides are discussed on a daily basis. Visit http://siucycling.proboards42.com/index.cgi to join in the discussion. *Disclaimer: This is not an exhaustive list Comments
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