If you are a little bit older, like the mid-’20s, and wonder if it is too late for you to learn to ride a bike, just go for it! Other people learn to ride a bicycle in their 30’s and 40’s. However, if you are 60 years old already, your body can’t take impacts like teenager cyclists. So, when are you too old to learn to ride a bike?
You’re never too old to learn to ride a bike! Even if you’re in your sixties, you can still learn to ride a bike! As long as you are still healthy and in physical shape, there is no problem. It may be embarrassing to start old, but still, go for it!
Your first day of learning to ride a bike may be awkward and difficult. However, once you have learned to ride a bike, tons of happiness will come! Learning a new skill is pretty hard and takes time. That is why you have to decide if you are going to start. If yes, determine the date of your first practice.
Luckily, learning to ride a bike only takes a day or two. However, since you are an adult, you are busier than you were a kid. So you have less time for practicing riding a bike. Try practicing during your free time and spend an hour or two. I am sure that you will learn to ride a bicycle after two to three sessions!
However, if you want to learn some bike tricks, especially in BMX, it might be impossible if you have some health issues and not physically fit already. Only start to learn tricks if you are still in good shape and have mastered the basics! But don’t put too much pressure on yourself and take your time!
Remember these things below if you are old and want to learn to ride a bike:
- Don’t take too much risk and protect your body.
- Wear safety gears all the time because there are chances you might fall!
- You can get injured, and healing might take longer depending on your age.
If you feel like it is impossible, try to check out the video below about a 107 years old guy that can still ride a bike and travel long distances!
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Learning To Ride A Bike Takes Time
Cycling is something you can learn in a few days. However, it still depends on the hours and effort you put in each day. If you are practicing six hours a day, you can learn to balance your bike within two days. But if you are spectacular, then six hours is enough for you.
If you are in your fifties or sixties, it may be hard for you to learn to ride a bike because you have some disadvantages already like weak bones and poor eyesight. Younger people will learn to ride a bike faster than older people because they are much powerful and do not have any weak bones yet unless they have a disorder.
If you are old, try to learn to ride a bike for at least one hour a day. However, if you are busy, you can do it on weekends or during your free time. But I will tell you again that if you only do it for one hour per day and only do it once a week, your duration of learning to ride a bike may be longer.
Like I have mentioned, you should never do some tricks if you are not ready yet. You might hurt yourself. Also, do not go for long rides immediately after you learn to balance a bike. You are not used to long rides yet because you have just mastered riding a bike. You might get a heat stroke or other accident on the road.
It is better to start cycling on short distances first before going for a long ride. Also, if you are going for a long ride, make sure that you have some companions. Many things might happen along the road that a beginner can’t do, like applying a patch kit on your tire.
Are You Still Fit And Healthy?
Your physical condition matters a lot! If you are in good shape and have strong muscles, it will be easier to learn to ride a bike if you are old.
If you are in bad shape, you need to lose some of it in the gym first or buy a good bike that handles your weight. Mountain bikes or fat bikes are the best if you are overweight. Even if you are in good shape, make sure to wear protective gear.
Beginners are more vulnerable to injuries. Legs and knees are common to injure. Also, your head might get injured as well, so don’t forget to wear a helmet.
Bikes are great for losing weight. However, going for a long ride if you are a beginner and have a bad shape is dangerous. I know some people that have overweight sizes that go for long rides. These people are already used to long rides, which is why they get injured less.
My advice for you is to go for short rides first and then escalate to medium rides. If you already feel you are ready for long rides, go for it! Be sure that you have the things you need for a long bike ride and wear protective gear.
Cycling In Your Twenties
If you are in your twenties and think that learning to ride a bike is already not for you because you believe you are old, you are wrong. Very wrong!
You are still young and have some strong bones! What are you saying you are old?! You are just twenty years old! Learning to ride a bike in your twenties is fine. You can still become a professional cyclist if you put your time and effort into it.
Cycling In Your Thirties And Forties
Now, if you think you are too old to learn to ride a bike because you are in your thirties or forties, you are also wrong. As long as you are still healthy and have no issues with your bones, you are good to go.
Cycling In Your Fifties And Sixties
It is the age where bones start to crack, and illnesses begin to show. If you are in your fifties or sixties, consult a doctor first for a physical checkup before starting your bike training session.
For older people, I would suggest you buy a mountain bike. Never buy a road bike if you have some back problems because using a road bike might hurt your back easily.
10 Tips To Learn To Ride A Bike When You’re Older
1. Get Yourself The Best Bike In The Market
The first tip I got for you if you are an old human being that wants to learn to ride a bike is to get the best bike in the market.
Getting a high-quality bike will make your practice sessions smoother. Also, you don’t have to worry about the parts of your bike getting broken because usually high-quality bikes’ parts last longer.
Go for some Giant or Trek bikes. But if you want a cheaper but high-quality bike, you can get Trinx. Trinx is China-made, but it proves that they can compete with larger brands like Giant. Try checking my post here where I compare Trinx mountain bike and Foxter mountain bike.
2. Lower Down Your Seat Post First
Don’t get your seat high. Instead, lower it down first. Since you are a complete beginner that does not know how to balance a bike, you need to be able to touch the ground with your feet while riding on your bike. So in case you fall, you can use your feet to prevent your whole body from falling to the ground.
Once you learn to balance a bike, you can get your seat high. Setting your seat high will enable you to ride longer and push harder. However, not so high that you don’t feel comfortable. It should be high, but you should still be comfortable.
3. Wear Protective Gears And Proper Shoes
To prevent injuries, you should wear protective gear. As you get older, it is harder for you to recover from injuries, and falling in your bike will have more impact.
You should wear a helmet, knee pads, glasses, and shoes. You should get some high-quality shoes. Running shoes is great for beginners, and it is what I use when I go for a long bike ride.
But if you get used to long bike rides already, you might want to consider buying clipless pedals and a pair of cleats shoes. However, it may be dangerous, so you need to practice it first in a safe place before going for long bike rides with it.
4. Start On A Flat Road And No Cars
While learning to ride a bike, you should start on a flat road with no uphill and no cars. It is much safer and less hassle for you. Never ride your bike on busy streets immediately! You need to get used to your bike first before using it as your vehicle. Try riding your bike around your village first.
5. Learn From Your Friends
If you have friends that know how to ride a bike, ask them and learn from their experiences. You can also go to Youtube. There are lots of videos there about how to learn to ride a bike.
Since you are a complete beginner, you have no idea about bike parts too, for sure. Ask your friends too if you want to upgrade some of the parts of your bike so that you will not waste your money or buy anything that is not essential.
6. Inspect Your Gear And Bike Before You Start
It is essential. Inspect your gear and bike before you start to avoid any injuries caused by the sudden breakdown of your bike. Check your tires if it has enough air, check your pedals if it is properly attached, and check your brakes if it is working.
If the brakes are not working, you should take them to the bike shop near you to fix them. Otherwise, lower down your site so that your feet will be the ones that will serve as your brakes just like what BMX riders do.
7. Don’t Forget To Warm-Up
Before you start your session, never forget to warm up and do some stretchings first. Once you get older, you get muscle aches often if you neglect stretching. To prevent this, warm up first! You can go for a walk first or do some proper stretching. There are videos on Youtube that show the right way of stretching.
8. Don’t Be Embarrassed
Yes, it may be embarrassing for you to learn to ride a bike with such old age. However, don’t feel embarrassed. It takes time before you feel comfortable riding a bike, and everybody feels uncomfortable during their first time. Feeling embarrassed might hold you back from learning to ride a bike.
If someone tries to ask you if you are too old to learn to ride a bike, just laugh it off and don’t take it personally. Agree and amplify, my friend!
9. Once You Are Comfortable, Try Cycling In More Distant Places
Once you get comfortable with your bike and you master the basics, try cycling in far places. However, it is still essential to bring some companions in case accidents happen.
When I plan out to go for a long bike ride, I always invite some of my friends to come with me. If one or two of my friends agree to join me, the long bike ride will happen. But if everybody is busy, I usually don’t go alone unless I badly want it.
Yes, you can go for a long ride alone, since many of my friends do it. However, do this only if you have some knowledge on how to apply some patch kit on your tires because it is the common problem of cyclists, tires. Also, bring enough money so that when your fork or other bike parts suddenly broke, you have pennies for commuting back to your house.
10. Respect Your Fellow Cyclists
Be respectful with your fellow cyclists. Cycling is one of the reasons why I have so many friends. You can have many friends inside the cycling community if you know how to respect others. They will be supportive when you ask for guidance.
Final Verdict
Now, let me tell you this again: There is no age limit to learn to ride a bike! As long as you are healthy and have no bone complications, you can do it! But make sure to follow some of my tips above because it will surely help you in your beginner stage and the long run! Get it, my friend! Learn to ride a bike now!
