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MTB for 77 year old dad

2K views 25 replies 20 participants last post by  Yalerider 
#1 ·
Hello, I am looking for recommendations for a bike for my 77 year old
father.

He has an old 26" mtb and is looking to upgrade.

What I think would be ideal is a simple 29er mtb, low standover, ~2"
tires and room for fenders.

Grip shifters are the easiest but he can operate triggers too.

He can ride well but needs a lower standover as his flexibility is
limited. He is 5'10" His riding will be almost all on dirt roads
and farm terrain so we are interested in anything that might have
wider tires than a hybrid and that has the good rollover of a 29.

He doesn't need suspension but I know most bikes do have front suspension.

Happy to hear about any recommendations from similar riders or kids who have helped find their parents similar bikes.

Thank you. Charles
 
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#8 ·
77 and still thinking about bike upgrades... your dad is awesome! I want to be doing the same thing at that age.

Based on the riding you described, he should at least try a fat bike. One of the guys in our club is 74 and still active, he tried my fat bike and decided that's what he wants because it "takes the edge off".

Regardless of what he decides, tell him he's got admirers on the forum.
 
#14 ·
I'm old, although not quite as old as the OP's dad. My solution was a Farley EX8 - full suspension fat bike. I love it, but I mostly ride rocky single track. I completely agree with a 27.5 inch fat bike for dirt roads and farm land, but full suspension might not be needed in that application.
 
#12 ·
Full suspension does a better job of reducing impact to old bodies than do large-volume tires. And it doesn't make a bike harder to pedal in almost every situation like heavier tires do.

Full-suspension 29er with 2.35-2.5 tires gets my vote for preserving old bodies and pure fun.
 
#17 ·
Thanks all for the suggestions.

He's got a bad toe and can't walk far but wants to bike to stay active. He has tried my Salsa Blackborow 29+ hard tail and likes it. Problem is I won't give it up and we don't live nearby. I do think a simple fat bike should work.

I'll give an update when he's got his ride.

Charles
 
#18 ·
Thanks all for the suggestions.

He's got a bad toe and can't walk far but wants to bike to stay active. He has tried my Salsa Blackborow 29+ hard tail and likes it. Problem is I won't give it up and we don't live nearby. I do think a simple fat bike should work.

I'll give an update when he's got his ride.

Charles
I recommend a Trek 1120, a rigid bikepacking touring bike, 29x3 tires. Almost fat. I have one and love it. I'm 65. Keep him pedaling. If not that bike, try a Trek Stache, on which the 1120 was based. I think a Stache 5 or 7 can be had for a reasonable price, one is rigid, the other a hardtail, I believe. 29x3, tubeless, low pressure. Awesome.
 
#23 ·
Bicycle tire Tire Wheel Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel rim


He ended up with a Specialized Roll Sport - step through frame. 27.5 x 2.3 tires.

If you haven't seen one up close, I'd say its more like a big cruiser than a speedy MTB but it rolls well on bumpy roads. Very glad to have found it for him and he's out on it regularly.

Keep riding!
 
#24 ·
View attachment 1176752

He ended up with a Specialized Roll Sport - step through frame. 27.5 x 2.3 tires....
Never seen those before, but then I never venture into the big stores.

Looks like the answer to getting a leg over the saddle. I'm doing a 24hour in a couple of weeks and that becomes an issue by about halfway through because there's lots of dismounts and remounts.

As for the opposition to electrical assist for the elderly, I'm all for it so long as it is on a bike that only assists during pedalling, ie not using a throttle. The elderly are hardly be going to be ripping up the trails like young hooligans.

It is an option that I will be considering when I get too weak to ride uphill. It's not yet a problem at 72 but I am noticing substantial power losses over the last few years. Plus it's the only legal way to feel 18 again. :)
 
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