JOY RIDE

JoyRide

Cycling for exercise AND fun

Cycling is an activity that can unite families, knows no age barriers, and is accessible to people with a wide range of ability and interest. Whether casual exercise or a full-on fitness regimen outside or indoors—we’ve got you covered. Capital Region experts and cycle enthusiasts with decades of riding experience shared their knowledge on technique, safety, must-have gear, and places to roam with 55 Plus Living. Cycling Health and Wealth Benefits

This low-impact recreational activity can improve cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and joint flexibility. Whether you’re riding solo or in a group, cycling can decrease your stress, strengthen your bones, contribute to weight loss and improve your mental well-being.

“As far as my retirement is concerned, bike riding is going to be a big part of it,” says 61-year-old Ed Brennan, president of the Albany Bicycle Coalition. As empty nesters, he and his wife have managed to be a one-car family for the past nine years. On most days, Brennan bikes to work. “I will be retiring soon with more money and healthier,” he says of their choice. “How many years do you want to spend working for your car?” Brennan says cycling is “a different way of seeing the country. You won’t see everything going 55 miles an hour that you’ll see on a bicycle.”

A fun, safe way to travel during the pandemic, bicycle sales continue to soar. Unfortunately, manufacturers have yet to catch up. Although the demand for bicycles is high and the surplus is low, you still have options.

Repair Your Old Bike or Upgrade It

“I’ve worked on more bikes from the ‘70s than I did in the ‘70s,” says Jeff Pepper, owner of CK Cycles in Albany. “We’re doing the best we can to repair everything that comes in the door.”

Matt Devlin, owner of Mad Dog Bicycles, agrees. “The repair business has been crazy,” says Devlin. “Everybody is bringing in bicycles from their attics and basements, bikes that haven’t been used in 30 years.”

If you can’t find a new bike, consider an upgrade. “We have e-bike (electric bike) kits that we can put on a bike you already have,” says Pepper. If you have a quality bike, we can put an electric assist on it.”

Electric Bikes (E-Bikes)

Steiner’s Sports, Ski & Bike Specialists, which has stores in Hudson, Glenmont and Valatie, expects to have Trek electric bikes in the showroom available for a test drive in the fall. “Especially during the pandemic, electric bikes have become very popular among people who are not your regular cyclist or someone who does not normally think of riding a bike,” says owner Dave Endy. “The electric bike gives them a little more confidence that they can ride five or 10 miles and be able to get back.” He says e-bikes attract older cyclists because they provide that “boost” some cyclists need to keep going uphill.

The battery, motor and control unit are the three main components of an e-bike. The motor on an e-bike is engaged either by throttle delivery or pedal assistance. For a pedal assist e-bike, start pedaling to engage the motor and set the amount of electrical assist you need. A full-throttle electric bike can be started with the press of a button and does not require startup pedaling.

In New York State, Class I and Class II e-bikes are allowed on roads posted at 30 mph or less. For off-road trails, check local regulations. The only distinction between Class I and Class II e-bikes is the addition of a throttle. Class II e-bikes still have the 20 mph limit but allow you to use a throttle.

New Bikes: Be Prepared To Wait

A good bike may come to those who wait—a few months, especially if you call local bike shops and place your order. “We’re telling people to call every bike shop in town to see what they have,” says Devlin. “Everybody gets a trickle of bikes coming on the floor; most shops have a waiting list.”

Talking with experts becomes more crucial when there aren’t enough bikes on the showroom floor to take a test spin. “We try to find out what kind of riding they do, how often, how much, what they want to use it for, to get the customer into the correct bike,” says Endy. “If, for any reason, when it shows up they are not happy with it, we give them a refund. We don’t want them to feel like they have to buy something they haven’t been able to see or touch.”

If you decide to go the online route, take note: chances are you’ll have to assemble it or find someone who can. Not all shops assemble bikes bought online direct from the manufacturer, but that’s where Steiner’s comes in. Endy says it’s not uncommon for someone to bring bike parts into the shop and say, “‘I tried to put it together but, I don’t know what I’m doing.’”

For Tips on how to stay warm cycling as the weather gets colder visit 55pluslivingguide.com

Cycling in and Around the Capital Region

CapitalNYBikeMap

The Albany Bicycle Coalition’s online interactive bike map features low traffic, low stress routes around the Capital Region within the cities of Albany, Troy and Schenectady, also Rensselaer, Delmar, Colonie and Niskayuna. The ABC is an advocacy organization that promotes cycling and safety. “We’re more leisurely kind of cyclists,” says Brennan. Riding around city streets is also convenient in winter when trails may not be plowed.

Art on the Rail Trail

The Albany County Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail features Art on the Rail Trail, with unique artist murals to gaze at as you ride. This paved, nine-mile, non-motorized traffic bike-and pedestrian-friendly trail stretches from South Pearl Street, Albany, to the Village of Voorheesville.

Empire State Trail

The 750-mile Empire State Trail has been completed and welcomes bicyclists to experience the state’s diversity of communities, history and landscape. In sections, the Hudson Valley Greenway Trail connects New York City with Albany, The Champlain Valley Trail goes from Albany to Rouses Point, and The Erie Canalway Trail runs from Buffalo to Albany.

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