Get Social - and Start Biking! - Senior Planet from AARP

The fun we had bike riding when we were kids is still fun with bonuses for seniors.According to a report from the National Institutes for Health, cycling by older adults improves strength, balance, cholesterol levels, and muscle mass and much more.Best of all, biking is an exercise thats gentle on the joints.

Knee problems? Bicycling strengthens knee joints and the surrounding muscles.The NIH report adds that bicycling is a mood enhancer, releasing feel-good endorphins, the main reason you feel so good after a ride.Biking and Meeting PeopleSure, you could get some physical benefits just using a bike in your living room or gymbut whats the fun in that? To boost your mood even higher, dust off that bike or rent one and join a bike club.The social interaction of chatting with your fellow cyclists as you ride is a mood enhancer par excellence.

Interested? Heres what you need to know:Biking Club BasicsBiking clubs generally meet weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.The usual gathering time is early in the morning before it gets too hot.Ride length varies, from as little as 10 to 15 miles, to as long as a 50-mile weekend ride that ends at a fun place to unwind, relax, eat and drink.If youre new to cycling, start with the shorter rides.

Soon enough youll know when youre ready for the longer rides.If youre not sure, your new friends will tell you.Where you bike depends on where you live.Generally bike clubs travel on nearby bike paths, trails and roads.

The Rails to Trails conservancy has developed a network of bike trails around the country and offers a state search function.Another cycling resource for paths and trails is Adventure Cycling.Finding Nearby Bike ClubsSearch engines can uncover any number of organizations and private bike touring companies that will take you to new places around your neighborhood or even around the world! Here are a few to get you started:https://epicroadrides.com/cycling-blog/best-bike-tour-companies/https://bicycleadventures.com/https://www.biketours.com/If those options seem a bit too challenging, you can look for a bike group tailored for older people.Possible resources include:Facebook and Meetup: Love them or hate them, Facebook and Meetup both have enormous networks of special interest groups.

If you cant find a nearby senior bike riding group on either site, consider starting your own by (of course!) posting on FB or Meetup.Parks: If you live near a park, especially a state park, there is a good chance that youll be able to connect with riding clubs that use the parks trails; they can guide you to the level of challenge you think appropriate.Trail Link has a searchable database for trails near you.Bulletin boards: Check out postings in obvious locations such as bicycle shops, gyms, senior centers or the local Y.And you can always ask the staff at bicycle shops or senior centers for any leads for age appropriate bike groups.Biking SafetyIf its been a long time, consider taking a seniors bike riding brush-up class.

Bicycle shops and/or senior centers are likely information sources for a class.Make sure that the bike you ride is the right size for you.If your feet are flat on the ground when you sit on the saddle, the bikes size is probably right.Check the tires to make sure theyre properly inflated before you take off.Always, always use a helmet even for short rides.Always.For more senior safety bike tips, check out the tips here.Senior bike riding clubs are a wonderful way to recapture the fun of childhood with new friends.

Try one!YOUR TURNAre you a new or returning bicyclist? Have you joined a group? Share your experience in the comments!Nona Aguilar is an award-winning writer of numerous magazine articles and two books.She has also edited four specialty business newsletter publications.Her work has appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Redbook, Family Circle and Cosmopolitan, and in The Business Owner.