Dan Burden / PBIC - note upright riding position, fenders, fat-n-stable tires

The generation that delivered the 10-speed is at it again. AARP bulletin writes:

Sixty-six year old Lucy Rigg McAdams "quickly found out what many other 50-plus Americans have been discovering -- the U.S. bike market is now catering to their wants and needs. Many older bicyclists aren't looking for sturdy mountain bikes designed for daredevils or racing styles for Lycra-clad hard bodies. Instead, they're interests are piqued by the newer, more comfortable models broadly referred to as 'lifestyle' bikes. Lifestyle bikes boast features like padded seats for a soft ride; lower, U-shaped crossbars for trouble-free mounting; low gears for easy pedaling; and a sturdy, upright frame for balance. And some, like Rigg McAdams' new $1,800 wheels, are power-assisted.

Dan Burden / PBIC - note "step thru" frame, upright rider position, fenders, cargo

"This interest has made such bikes the hottest category of two-wheeled transportation today. From an almost nonexistent market a decade ago, these lifestyle bikes now command a third of the 3.1 million bike sales anticipated in 2009. But the most noteworthy shift in the market is who's now riding bikes. 'We've seen riders in the demographics between ages 9 and 29 plummet,' says Loren Snyder, spokesman for Cannondale USA in Bethel, Conn., citing figures from the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association. 'But the number of baby boomers and older riders is skyrocketing. Since 1998, riders over 50 as a category has moved from 7 percent to 21 percent as of 2008.'..."

Dan Burden / PBIC - transportation ride with rear-view mirror, bright colors, upright frame

Hat tip to Centerlines, the newsletter for the National Center for Bicycling and Walking