Welcome to our new Boomer blogger!
Diane Jenks is a 45-year veteran of the bicycle business in Northeast Ohio. A Boomer in her 70s, she is a professional bike fitter and a certified yoga instructor who owns Daily Yoga Studio and specializes in yoga for active seniors. Her straightforward motto is, “If you can get your ass on a mat, you can come to my classes!” The average age of her yoga students is 60.
She is also the host and producer of The Outspoken Cyclist Podcast, which broadcasts and podcasts each Saturday from John Carroll University’s WJCU-88.7FM. Diane authored the HubBub Guide to Cycling, a practical how-to and humorous guide about taking a bicycle tour, available online for Kindle.
Diane and her husband Brian, who owns and operates HubBub Bicycles, is a mechanical engineer, a master mechanic and wheelbuilder, and a bicycle designer and builder. They ride a custom Bushnell tandem bicycle and can be found on many local trails, including The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath, The Summit County Bike and Hike, The Maple Highlands Trail, and the Western Reserve Greenway Trail. One of their favorite long-distance trips was touring Iowa with the infamous RAGBRAI ride in 1999 and riding through Israel with a group of Americans in the fall of 2017.
Not sure you’re ready to get back on a bike? Diane makes the case for Boomer biking. Enjoy her initial blog entry below…
Bike Your Way to Good Health
By Diane Jenks
Riding a bike is more than fun. It’s great exercise, especially for people 50+. Autumn’s cooler temperatures make this a perfect time of the year to explore the region’s bike paths and trails.
As someone who has been in the bicycle industry for over 40 years, rides a tandem bicycle with her husband, teaches six yoga classes per week, and is almost 73 years old, I can attest to the health benefits of biking. Here are my rebuttals to the concerns I hear most often.
Objection #1 is usually about the bike itself. It goes something like this: “The seat is uncomfortable, the gears are complicated, and those skinny tires are scary.”
Most people think that a seat or saddle, as I refer to it, needs to be wide and cushy, like a John Deere tractor seat. Truth is, the saddle needs to be shaped correctly, offer support and be positioned correctly. Seamless, padded cycling shorts also help to make the ride more comfortable. My recommendation: see a professional at the bike shop for a proper fitting.
“But those gears…”
Shifting gears is truly click-click-click. Twist the shifter and the gears shift seamlessly. With the addition of a small motor, you can pedal an E-bike for up to 40 miles at a constant speed on the road or on a path. With their wide range of easy-to-change gears, you can also navigate almost any hill while sitting down.
“And the tires…”
With many folks riding paths such as the Ohio-Erie Towpath trail, the Maple Highlands Trail and the Summit County Bike-n-Hike, wide, comfy tires are very stable and comfortable. They also last a long time and are less prone to flat tires than skinny tires.
Objection #2 is usually about difficulties with riding on the roads. Northeast Ohio has come a long way in that regard. In addition to the above-mentioned trails, there are more and more local bike paths, bicycle lanes with sharrows, and, in the not-too-distant future, there will be cycle-tracks — buffered lanes separated from traffic.
Our region also has a large older adult cycling community that welcomes new members. Bicycle clubs in the area ordinarily divide into groups depending upon the average speed you ride with a ride leader assigned to each group. You won’t be left behind, you’ll feel and be safer and you will learn a lot about cycling.
Objection #3
I actually don’t have a #3. What I do have are suggestions to get you started:
● If you do no thave a bike, you can go to
● Wear a bicycle helmet when you ride. There is no law that says you have to, but today’s helmets are lightweight and effective. I also recommend a rearview mirror mounted to your helmet so that you don’t have to turn around to see behind you, risking losing control of the bike or drifting out of line.
● Learn bicycle etiquette: Indicate turns with your arms, pass only on the left and let those you are passing know by stating, “On your left.” Don’t forget to smile and wave to other riders.
● Lastly, if you want to purchase a bike, remember, you are also purchasing the bike shop and its employees’ expertise. Shop around, make sure all your questions are answered, take a test ride and confirm that you can return for more help as you as you become accustomed to your new machine.
Pam Boothe
I’m not able to ride a bike. I am interested in beginner yoga. As well as other highlights in Boomer magazine.
Thank you