My Beginner’s Journey

I’ll be 64 this September. Last year I bought a bike to help alleviate worsening health issues that had cropped up as I got older. I found that it was just too difficult to keep my heart rate up long enough to make any real difference when fitness walking.

Many years ago, while serving in the military, I blew out my right knee while on deployment. Not a big deal at the time, I recovered quickly. It’s only been the last few years that the old injury has slowed me down. Some days, I’d be out for a walk at a very slow pace with the intention of keeping my heart rate up in the Aerobic Zone for 20 minutes or so, then, ‘bang!’ my knee would twist out, causing a limp, and taking me out of commission for at least a week or two. After healing up enough, I’d start walking again, I’d raise my heart rate, Then ‘bang!’ all over again. Very discouraging…So last year, I thought I’d try something totally different.

I bought a Mountain Bike.

From Amazon.

For $350.00.

Fully assembled except the front wheel, I found the Schwinn “hardtail” Mountain Bike to be a good, if not outstanding deal for the goals I had in mind as a first-time rider. – And as a bonus, the allowed return window was just long enough for me to find out if Cycling was something that’d fulfill my fitness needs or not. Local retailers and online centers promised me the moon if I was willing to part 1500.00 or more. – not a chance I was going to lay out that kind of cash for something I might not even like doing.

Buying the Amazon way, I avoided the sales hype, banter, and especially the monster pricing. Cycling was supposed to be low impact, (yay knee!) and if done right, would enable me to keep my heart rate up long enough to benefit my Areobic health.

Gym memberships are okay, but in my area, there’s a two-year financial committment that i just don’t like.