Bicycle group helps seniors cruise through their golden years

Mike Louder doesn’t let much stand between himself and his bikes.

Less than a month after a recent triple bypass surgery, Louder, 78, of Plum was back on the trail with the Easy Riders, a senior bicycle group in Western Pennsylvania.

“Everything that was ever wrong with me, I’ve been able to cure through biking,” Louder said.

The group meets a couple of times a week to bike anywhere from a few miles to 20 or 30. On Monday, the group hit a new section of the Armstrong Trail in Gilpin.

Easy Riders formed about 10 years ago as a way to stay active — and hit a few ice cream shops along the way. It’s one of several collections of older riders that frequent the region’s growing trail network.

Doctors say biking can be an accessible, low-impact way for older adults to stay fit and get some fresh air.

Low-to-moderate intensity bike rides can promote cardiovascular health, weight loss and mental acuity, according to Frank Velasquez Jr., director of sports performance for Allegheny Health Network. It’s easy on the joints, too.

“When you’re stepping on the ground, your joints are supporting 100% of your body weight,” Velasquez said. “With a bike, it’s zero. There is no impact.”

E-bike is better than no bike

With a rise in e-bike availability, it can be easier than ever for adults to pick up biking later in life or keep biking longer than they could have otherwise.

At Gatto Cycle Shop in Tarentum, e-bikes rival traditional hybrids — a cross between a road and a mountain bike — as its bestsellers.

“The baby boomers buy bunches of them,” said manager Gregg Stitt. “They like the idea of having a motor.”

Cycle Symphony Bicycle Shop in Adamsburg sees similar interest in its e-bike selection. Co-owner Aum Davis said around 80% of e-bike purchases at her store go to older people.

According to bike shop owners, the going rate for a high-quality pedal assist e-bike is between $1,000 and $1,500, with mid-drive motors costing more. Stitt noted that cheaper e-bikes are available on sites like Amazon for as low as $500. The downside: Many bike shops, including Gatto, don’t have the correct parts if any maintenance is needed.

“You’re probably going to have to do all the maintenance yourself,” Stitt said.

No one from Easy Riders brought their e-bikes Monday. Member Theresa Frankiewicz isn’t a fan of these bikes, which use an electric motor to amplify the rider’s pedal power.

“I had one and it’s too heavy for me to lift,” Frankiewicz said. “And it was was hard to pedal.”

Others have more positive things to say about e-bikes.

Harrison residents Vicky and Jerry Taylor also hit the Armstrong Trail on Monday afternoon, though they’re not affiliated with any particular biking group. They bought e-bikes during the pandemic and have regularly rode them since.

“We’re able to go 20, 30 miles without a major problem,” Jerry Taylor said. “If you get tired, you just put the power assist on.”

Social benefits

Easy Riders have ventured far and wide, from the Canadian side of Niagara Falls to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

“We’ve done many places over the years, but we like local places the best,” said member Judy Davis.

Some of the group’s favorites spots nearby include the Little Boston Trail in McKeesport and the Westmoreland Heritage Trail.

All this activity is a far cry from the conventional image of aging, as noted by member Adelaide Wagasky.

“I think back to when our parents or grandparents were our age,” Wagasky said. “They were pretty much sedentary.”

There’s a social aspect to biking, too. Pit stops for ice cream are common, reflecting a desire not just to exercise, but to connect with others.

Research points to a U-shaped curve in adults’ social lives, where they’re least engaged with others during their younger years and again as seniors. Joining groups like Easy Riders is one way to combat that.

Member Chuck Hackman, 84, hopes to keep biking until the day he dies.

“I hope I’m going to be 104 and fall off my bike in a trail somewhere and that’s it,” Hackman said.