What age is it dangerous to have a fall

[Rainydaydreamer]

I'm in my sixties and have recently dusted off my bike after many years and I'm ready to go out for a spin .

I'm wary of falling off and ending up at deaths door. So many stories on this board about elderly people having a fall going into hospital and not coming out or having a fall and their quality of life diminished.

It depends on how fit you are. My dad is 69 and still does regular 50 mile cycles but he is very fit. Are you generally well in yourself? If so, go for it!

I had a serious accident many years ago while running in the woods. A simple slip on mud resulted in serious fractures with multiple surgeries. I wasn’t anywhere near sixty.

I am now a bit unstable but do body pump.

My physio advised a three wheeler bike for safety.

It is amazing, the cars give you loads of space and the bikes are so solid and balanced you can’t fall off.

You can also get them electric for a bit of help up the hills as these bikes are very heavy.

Thanks for that insight HeySummer but I’ll stick by what I said…
60s is not ‘elderly’ and the suggestion that it is, is frankly ridiculous.

One thing that might be worth considering is learning how to fall well so you don't hurt yourself as much. I used to do Aikido and Judo and we spent time at the start of every session practising falling over and learning to roll with the direction you're going in when you go down. I'm in my 60s now and a very active life has meant a few tumbles here and there. I haven't always got it right, such as when slipping on wet slabs and landing hard on my back, but learning how fall has helped with many other fallings-over.

Cycling in general is a really good form of non weight bearing exercise, so would definitely do it if you can. I cycle almost every day, not far, but love it.

But ideally we should be doing some weight bearing exercise too.
Apart from trying to maintain bone density, keeping our limbs strong and maintaining flexibility and balance should help protect us as we age.

I'm in my early 60s and I ride bikes AND horses. Go for it OP.

Get out and enjoy yourself. If you are on facebook then I recommend Women’s Cycling Over 50. It’s full of women 50/60s getting back into cycling and is a lovely supportive group.
I’ve started back up and get so much out of cycling in nature. Beautiful scenery and I can feel my spirits lifting straight away 🚴‍♀️

But 60s is (mostly) still working age - you could be commuting by bike to a full time job! It isn't elderly.

Take the usual precautions, definitely. My local council offers an intro to riding on the roads for people who haven't cycled for years or are new to it which seems like a good idea.

Potholers and climbers carry on into their 70s without a second thought, then in their 80s they seem to take up cycling instead.

I’ve fallen over in a supermarket car park because of uneven surfaces. And I’m still living to tell the tale, but I do think as you get older the reflexes are slower. Everyone who watched, thought I’d be able to recover the fall, but sadly not!

So, so good for you in your 60's. Just be careful where you cycle.

Not elderly - excellent exercise that keeps you not elderly regardless of your age.

There's a difference between 'having a fall' and 'falling over'. If you're able to ride a bike, you're not in the 'having a fall' category because you have good balance and muscle strength.
If you fall off your bike (try not to!) you may injure yourself more than a younger person would (bones likely a bit thinner etc) and take longer to repair.
But keeping active is the best way of delaying the onset of 'having a fall' territory.