Old fat Bloke..

[martin_b]

Gents, what type of Bike ( Road or MTB ) would you recommend for an Old (63) fat bloke to use to cycle to pubs slightly further away from home, with a view to kidding himself he's losing weight and keeping fit? Knees, Hips, back and neck have all seen better days, but I'm not quite ready for Velcro shoes (or electric bikes) yet. Money not a big issue, as its the daughters inheritance I'm spending, so I quite fancy something in TI, however I don’t want the embarrassment of having to be picked up from the pub because of my knees/back have gone.

 

[hamster]

I'd say get something secondhand like a rigid MTB / flat bar touring bike, ride it a bit and see how much your flexibility and fitness improve.

At that stage you will know what riding you like, what you intend to do with it and can start to know exactly what you want.

 

[pigman]

personally, i'd go for an older steel, used 26inch MTB, no suspension and fit road tyres and see how you fare if the pubs are within 10 miles. If you want to go further, then get a basic road bike as roadbikes roll faster by their nature. If you take to the hobby, maybe then look at spoiling yourself with Ti exotica. If its not for you, you won't have lost much money and could recoup most of your outlay

 

[greencat]

Key thing is riding position. You probably don't want arse in the air crouched over the handlebars like older MTBs. But with some tweaks to the handlebars and stem of them, you can end up with something comfy.

Fit and comfort is going to be key to getting (and keeping) you riding. A trip to a friendly local bike shop might not be a bad idea - and if you are seriously unfit/have a lot of hills, I wouldn't discount an electric bike. The best bike is the one you ride - and a lot of people of your age (and younger) are coming back to cycling because of them. They'll make you feel like a 20 year old (just don't tell the missus).

Hiring or borrowing a bike for a day, maybe even a few different ones over a few days might also help give you a flavour of what you prefer.

Keep some budget back. The first bike you buy, might not be your last. As you hopefully get fitter etc, your needs and wants will change - and then that's the time to upgrade to a svelte looking lovely (titanium rather than human, of course)

 

[novocaine]

audex or tourer. flip the stem, keep the drops.
if you want to slpash some cash, look at Bombtrack.
if you want something special, check out Olsen
if you want off the peg, acceptable price, Planetx hurricane.
if you want retro, look for tall head tube tourers.

 

[The History Man]

First find a pub that’s uphill from your place.

Steel Hard tail with lockout on fork will cover pretty much everything. Tyres are the biggest decision after that.