Are you old enough to want to start cycling or get back into it? Don’t know what to look for? Or maybe you already have an eye on a model, but you are not sure if it will meet your requirements? These few tips will dispel your doubts!
It is impossible to buy a good and cheap bike. This does not mean, however, that we have to spend 15 thousand on it at once. You can’t expect to ride a bike for a few hundred zlotys smoothly, and this value is crucial in case of a bicycle for seniors.
Fortunately, nowadays there are many ways to cut down on costs a bit. You can do a lot on your bike yourself or with the help of a service technician, who will be happy to help you improve your equipment.
Above all, a bicycle should be lightweight. Professionals’ equipment never weighs more than 10 kg, which makes it easier for them to accelerate and achieve great results. How do they achieve such weight? Mainly thanks to carbon frames, which are not only light but also very expensive. Such a frame may cost even a dozen or so thousand zlotys.
Unfortunately, although it is light, it will not meet the requirements of seniors, who want to focus mainly on recreation, because it is very susceptible to deformation when used improperly. For this reason, a much better choice is an aluminum frame, which, although heavier, will be a much better option for an amateur. Of course, such a bike will already weigh about 15-20 kg, but it’s not so much that you can’t carry it a few centimeters over a curb.
Since we are already at the frame, it must be well fitted. We can’t imagine walking in shoes that are too small or too big, so why do we ride ill-fitting bikes? Every manufacturer gives the dimensions of the bike in the product description, which is worth checking to properly fit the rider. However, it’s best to go to a showroom and check out a few models to see for yourself which size is best suited for you.
Of course, you can’t forget about comfort. In addition to the weight, size and all the “trinkets” that a bicycle can have, it would be impossible to sit on it for even an hour without a comfortable saddle. The choice of this element will depend on the type of bicycle, gender (men’s saddles are profiled differently), but above all on your own preferences, so it is worth testing several models before choosing the perfect one.
What bike model for seniors to choose? In this case, a city or trekking bicycle will be the best choice, unless you plan to ride in the mountains (for performance) or on the road (for sport). It is also worth remembering about the tires which suit our needs. In the case of older people, wide tires are better, as they provide better grip and often just ‘ride on their own’.
They appeared a few years ago and flooded the market. What is more, their popularity is not decreasing – quite the contrary. E-bike, or popularly known as “electric bike”, is a bike that looks very similar to the classic one, with one exception – it has a motor and a battery. But it is thanks to this difference that riding an “electric” is much less tiring and faster. At the same time, electric bikes are very easy to use and efficient. Manufacturers ensure that on a single charge we will be able to ride up to 150 km, and although it is not quite true, because it is from 50 to 100 km, it is definitely worth thinking about such a solution.
Unfortunately, “electrics” have two quite serious disadvantages – weight and price. Although the price can be relatively easily overcome by converting your classic bike to an e-bike, it will not be so easy with the weight. In this case we will have to choose – the comfort of the ride or the weight of the equipment. Or maybe those few kilograms more will not make such a difference?
Before making any decision you should definitely have a look at the bike market, which is very wide. You can also ask for advice in smaller bicycle stores. Why in smaller ones? Because that’s where it’s easy to come across a bicycle specialist.
Featured photo: Freepik
