What kind of bike should I buy for my sixty year old mother?

Amy M: What kind of bike should I buy for my sixty year old mother?
My mother wants a bike to ride with the grandkids. My sister and I are torn between a cruiser and a 10 speed.

Answers and Views:

Answer by steppenwolf1a2003
a shwinn bike

Answer by Trent
i would go for the 10 speed because if she finds one gear to hard she can just change

Answer by CalamitySue
Raleigh makes a great one for us seniors. Don’t know the model offhand, but the seat is situated more forward & handlebars are “upright”, within easy reach, allowing upright posture over the peddles….(frame bar below the seat & toward back wheel has “Gruv” imprinted); the handle bars are “upright” and within easy reach…easy to mount and dismount. it’s more of a pleasure bike…wider tires, 7-speed. Handbrakes are easy to use and very reliable. I bought one for myself several years ago when they first came out and love it…beach riding, around the city streets & neighborhood (my young grandchildren love it for themselves). I even got the stand for using it as a stationary, exercise bike. I replaced the seat with a wider, more comfy one for us 60+ gals. A bit pricey, but it’s sturdy, comfortable, and we deserve it. Bless you and your sister for thinking of such a nice gift.

Answer by Lord_Darkclaw
It depends on her level of fitness. I think a Dutch style or town & country type bicycle will be the safest choice.

This is a Raleigh Caprice:
There are hundreds of these old bikes around, you can buy one on Ebay or take a look through the local classifieds ads for a cheaper deal.

It’s a simple steel framed, 3-speed sturmey-archer geared bike with good quality components. Don’t be put off by it’s age, Raleigh made some very good bikes in the 1980’s and you won’t find a new bike (btw, modern Raleighs are crappy – they aren’t made by Raleigh anymore!) with anywhere near the same level of build quality for the price.

Make sure you choose the correct frame size when you are buying a secondhand bike, it’s always a good idea to take your inside leg measurement to make sure the frame is not too big or small

Answer by agb90spruce
It depends on your mother. I ride with 60 year old riders who regularly average 30-32 kph, but I know lots of people that age who would be unable to use any bike. It also depends on her atitude toward bikes (do gears worry her?). Finally, it also depends on the grandkids .. are they 4 or 14 … and where they will ride.

That said, I have to assume your mother is reasonably fit, has ridden a bike before and might, on occasion, like to ride with friends as well as grandkids.

There are numerous options but I suggest focusing on the hybrid category (See link).

Within this category there are bike that are oriented toward different uses, and can have internal hub or dérailleur type gears. The advantage of gears is the ability to accommodate variations in terrain, but the downside is there is more to go wrong or adjust. That said, modern gear systems are pretty robust on all but low end equipment.

A single speed cruiser bike is an option if it will be ridden pretty much exclusively on relatively flat ground. It is also a good choice for someone who like simple (and dependable).

I could go on, but I suggest you read the article at the link, consider your mother’s needs, and then go to a good local bike store and ask for advice. There are really too many unknowns for someone here to advise you on the right choice (including the most important … the right fit)

I hope that helps.

Answer by wle ņ│ã∩╬α ░░▒▓▓▒░░
hybrid

fairly upright seating position

low gears

street tires

$ 300-400 at a bike store

wle.

Answer by Bob A
Get Mom a comfort bike or a hybrid depending on the age of her grand kids and her fitness level. A ten speed is the old term for a road bike and a cruiser only has one speed. The most important thing in buying a bike is to get the correct size. The second thing is where are you going to ride. The age of her grand kids and the riding location will determine the best bike.

Answer by mtrlbiker
There are as many types of bikes as there are potential riders. I am a soon-to-be 60 year old performance cyclist, and I plan on racing next year. I don’t imagine that your mother will be joining me, but she might not enjoy riding a heavy cruiser. A nice lightweight hybrid bike might be just the thing, but a good bike store might be able to find her the perfect bike.

Answer by Mung
Try this…
https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_i_1?rh=i%3Asporting%2Ck%3Abike&keywords=bike&ie=UTF8&qid=1258262610&tag=fast-link-20&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957
Hope this help 🙂 Good Luck!