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Is 55 to old to ride?


HuskerDawg

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You are not too old to learn at 55, I'm 59 and learnt to ride my first wheel last year.

I'm a similar height and weight to yourself and had no problem in learning to ride, I had a few falls for the first few days but only minor scrapes that I'd kinda expected. My first wheel was a Inmotion V5F, it was a cheap entry level model that I bought knowing my first wheel would inevitably get scratched during the learning process but it was fine to learn on.

I've since upgraded to a KS16s and I ride most days so it's been well worth the effort of learning.

 

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I started just after turning 59. Started with a V5f but it has a hard time going up the hill to my house. Waiting for new Version of V8 to help. At your weight you do need a big motor and most of those are on 16 or 18” wheels. The first couple of hours learning are hard. I practiced on the grass in a soccer/baseball park. Made the falls soft and help me learn how to ride over uneven ground.

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Age is just a number of reference. The real question is, do you feel young enough and is your mind clear enough? Ive met some 20 year old where the answer is no and some 60 yr old that is yes. For a point of reference, I learned am not in good shape. Somewhat of a potato for years. Aside from knees, ankles and thighs and hips being a little sore for a week, its not OVERLY demanding. If you can walk a couple blocks, Id say you can give a try, just pace yourself. Fwiw, its not as easy as they make it look. I would compare it to the difficulty of learning to ride a bicycle the first time. Im about 200 miles in and still not rock solid on mine. Its been about 2-3 months.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Thank You very much!!!! I appreciate all the comments. I will be moving forward with this project :) First things first I will look around for a good pair of gloves/wrist protectors and elbow/knee pads. Not sure where to buy a starter wheel, I'll look on Amazon first. 

I really do appreciate all the encouragement. I am certain I can learn this and I know I'll enjoy the heck out of it. 

I'll keep posting here on progress and if anyone has starter wheel suggestions let me know.

Thanks again

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FlexMeters for wrists get my vote. You will open a can of worms if you ask opinions about first wheels. Head over to bigwave's topic about it and youll see many.  Just remember, theres only ONE wheel holding you up, so perhaps to err on the side of quality over  cost is a healthy consideration.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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32 minutes ago, HuskerDawg said:

First things first I will look around for a good pair of gloves/wrist protectors and elbow/knee pads.

I highly recommend a casual motorcycle jacket/hoodie ... will make you feel invincible. Don't forget a helmet and some eye protection.

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I found a mesh jacket from olympia (bicycle) that shocked me at how breezy and useful it is. Very minor protection for the supermoto, but its gna be perfect for summer euc. Good advice on browsing the bicycle line of gear. I use a heavier moto jacket with liner in winter. The newer CE type armor can be VERY comfy, if you go that route.

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It does take time for most people to learn, yet I have not found anyone that could not learn to ride. Some people like my daughter can learn in 15 minutes and never look back. I wish I had a video of her hopping on for the first time. It was kinda freaky. She  started out rough and wobbly and 50 feet ( 5 seconds later ) smooth as can be. :shock2:    My wife was not so lucky. It took her weeks but she loved... almost every minute. 

 In the beginning it is important not to push too hard for too long. It takes time for your lower brain to process the new feedback information. I suggest just 15 minutes at a time with at least an hour in between. With just 15 minutes each day you can become a pro in a few months. Your feet and calves will very likely get sore but that mostly goes away once you learn to ride.
 

Speaking of that I hit a new personal record.  My daughter is training for a triathlon. I rode as her support vehicle last weekend. I rode 38 miles at an average speed of 18 mph without putting my feet down. At the 38 mile mark my old MS3 was down to 38% and would not likely make another 12 mile loop at speed, so I had to race 100 yards back to the car, swap out to the KS18XL and catch back up to her.  I then completed 25 more miles without putting a foot down.  In the end I was sore and frozen. It was 45 degrees Fahrenheit 

 

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1 hour ago, JustChris said:

Welcome to the club! You're going to love this new lifestyle.

Thank you. The wheel (Tesla V2, 2k, 1480) should arrive in a month or two from China, but it's too cold to ride now anyways :-) Found a helmet that I liked from England that will get here in a week, and knees, elbows, wrists I have from inline skates since before.

1 hour ago, rainystateguy said:

...but I was getting more exercise than I had in years, while having a lot of fun.  

I share that philosophy. I think the joy in itself is healing for the body! (might be needed after scratches after an unplanned grounding...)
And regarding your whole story: Sir, you are an inspiration to anyone, me included obviously. When in darkness, light a candle! :-)

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