A Bicycle for older people

A few years ago, my wife wanted a new bicycle.  I had a pair of tall Schwinn Continentals that I had bought  new in 1973 and they were just like brand new whe we got married in 93'  the first wife didn't like hers because of the bar just like my new SWAMBO didn't like the one I had for her.  Any way SWAMBO was just going to go and get a woman's trail bike from WalMart and call it good.  I told he that the bikes from WalMart wouldn't last as we are both big tall people.

That kind of ended the discussion for about 8 months or so, until one day she called me from work telling me to look up a new bike invented by a man from Logan Ia.  It seems that my wife's patient was getting one of these new bikes from her son she was in her 60's as a gift, as her son was best friends with the inventor.

Long story short, we ended getting two of them.  semi recumbent, 21 speed, large seat, back rest, low bar to step through.

We have now had them for 6-7 years and have been very happy with them.

Here is a link. 

http://www.day6bicycles.com/contact.html

After two hip replacement surgeries a year  ago,  I have been unable to walk well, and have lost a lot of thigh strength.  3 Weeks ago, I started riding around  St Paul, NE, nice concrete flat streets and almost no traffic at 7AM.
Thanks to the comfortable seat and back rest,  my thigh muscles are coming back quickly.

The biggest thing I like about them is that you don't have to ride leaning forward resting your weight on your wrists and palms of your hands.

Looks like those seats are a lot more comfortable than my SIL's at I used to keep up with my granddaughters. My rear end took a week to recover!

Jeff said:

Looks like those seats are a lot more comfortable than my SIL's at I used to keep up with my granddaughters. My rear end took a week to recover!

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Yes,  the seats are very comfortable.  They have 3 styles, narrow (conventional) Modified Tractor, (My definition) which is wider and and nicely padded ;D, and semi-bench which is much wider for those of us who now are much wider too. 8) 8)

That does look more comfortable than a conventional seat, I would be interested in trying one. Would want fenders here on the wet coast though.

Fenders?

Fenders ?  Your GCWR will decrease...  ;D

RoyM said:

That does look more comfortable than a conventional seat, I would be interested in trying one. Would want fenders here on the wet coast though.

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I  didn't realize it, but fenders are available,  we have never needed them as we only ride on nice cool mornings and we don't want a black racing stripe running up the back of our cycling togs. ;D

Those are nice, but since I like to nap, We chose Tadpole Recumbent Trikes. Also I couldn't get my bad knee to work at the angle that the lower crank assembly was in relation to the seat on those bicycles. The recumbents are like sitting in a recliner, and I can't see exercising unless it's from a recliner. The wife and I do 10 miles a day together, and many times I do an additional 10 miles by myself. That's flat roads, and hills as well, so I guess I'm just satisfied that I can exercise as much as I do.

[NOTE:] Bad knee is from a fall from a wet ladder on back of coach and landing on a tomato stake that went through the knee.


Lee

I think this topic ought to be "A Bicycle for WEALTHY older people".  I just wish I could afford a 1000 dollar bicycle!

bertnspike said:

I think this topic ought to be "A Bicycle for WEALTHY older people".  I just wish I could afford a 1000 dollar bicycle!

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Try pricing out a regular racing bicycle these days.  The prices will astound you...

How about $3000.00 for recumbent trike and $8000.00 for my son's recumbent bicycle? I guess I'll have to stick with the trike.

Not to worry tho, as there are quite a few trikes for a little less than $900.00.

Even the older style bicycle like I bought back in the late 40's for $25.00 (fully loaded) will run over a hundred and up to two hundred, provided you don't want any add on's.


(Note I just checked on a tire, tube and rear wheel last week for going from a 20" rear wheel to a 26" rear wheel $300.00.


Lee

Don't knock Walmart's bikes.... DW and I have put well over a thousand miles each on a La Jolla brand bicycle. The way
I look at it, the popular mode of travel in China? Bicycles. They know how to make them, and under a $100 bucks. 

Dan 

dan2 said:

Don't knock Walmart's bikes.... DW and I have put well over a thousand miles each on a La Jolla brand bicycle. The way
I look at it, the popular mode of travel in China? Bicycles. They know how to make them, and under a $100 bucks. 

Dan

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I wasn't knocking WalMart Bikes. 

The problem with them is, I am 6'5" and 300+ and SWAMBO is 6' and 200+ and we would look and feel like a pair of circus bears riding  kiddies bikes.  I am sure they are wonderful, if you are normal Chinese size people and like riding with your body bent forward resting on your hands.

I figured out long ago riding head down leaning forward conventional style of riding is to uncomfortable to do it very much.  I end up being sore after even a short ride and if it makes me sore, I probably won't do it to much or to often.

The Day 6 bikes are built for upright comfort and bigger heavier older people.

How about a $100 Walmart bike and one of those seats? ;D

Same issue.  Seat would cost over $100 and you would still be sitting face down weight on hands and arms. 

Comfort is the point. 8) 

If price is the issue, so be it. 

I only brought the whole thread about to show a new comfortable bike for old people who would like to ride. 8)

Price is why some people drive MH and some people pull TT and some stay home. ;D

I think that what Tom is saying is that in order to go very far or often he needs better comfort than the old style bikes are capable of. The diamond frame is good for use as a mountain bike, but for long rides they are death on the back. My dentist loves riding his old diamond frame road cruiser, but it has damaged his back over the years, and so now he rides a recumbent in order to keep riding. Every bike or trike has a different purpose for that particular design, and that way many people who would otherwise have to quit riding due to age/medical reasons can still enjoy a nice bike/trike ride. There are now a few companies who manufacture hand operated units that can be ridden by those who can no longer peddle a regular bike/trike.


Lee

Ours are street cruisers: single speed, boring type, nothing fancy.... Wide tires, big seats. I have seen bikes with tall
goose-necks for tall people 

Dan

I have a Trek mountain bike that works well on the streets. But it came with short, straight across handlebars, so I had a totally different set of handlebars installed so that I can sit upright and take most of the pressure off my wrists and arms (all, if I sit back and grip lightly with one hand, but that's not always safe, even on the side streets I ride).

That bicycle looks like the only bicycle I would be willing to ride nowadays!  It's brilliant and actually looks comfortable.  My complaint is that very often sensible designs are more expensive.

Everyone who lives in a motor home does not have deep pockets, and the price of a motor home versus a travel trailer had nothing to do with it.

bertnspike said:

That bicycle looks like the only bicycle I would be willing to ride nowadays!  It's brilliant and actually looks comfortable.  My complaint is that very often sensible designs are more expensive.

Everyone who lives in a motor home does not have deep pockets, and the price of a motor home versus a travel trailer had nothing to do with it.

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Dear Bert N Spike, 

I believe you first brought up the price.  Every one buys exactly what they want, not necessarily what they need.  Every one has reasons for what they do. 

It only costs a lot of money if you don;t really want it.  It's relatively inexpensive compared to most of the stuff sold at bike shops now days.

Am not really sure why you are disparaging something over price? 

Most times it's a matter of life style vs cost.

Besides we are speding our kids inheritance and they say go for it...