Bike rides are nice (maybe the best?) but not everyone is the same. My mother in law is awaiting hip surgery after a lifetime of being physically active. Her husband, who lived the same life, is older, has no such problems. Of course genetics plays a part, that's the point.
You're clearly wrong as it relates to the post you're responding to. This one data point is going to get him to engage in a behavior that's healthier than the one he otherwise would've been engaged in, which is clearly good. Thus, the data point is useful!
Not everything his to be a double blind study showing significant effects to be useful.
Suppose that 99.99% of the 80+ year-olds who try this end up breaking their leg, getting a heart attack, etc., and this one data point is from the 0.01% which benefits.
Likely not - but that's why we have double blind studies.
Last summer I bought my 80-year-old father a bicycle. Just a few weeks later, his doctor said, "last time I saw you, you were pre-diabetic, now your readings look great. Whatever you're doing, keep doing that."
Unfortunately he didn't keep up, kept complaining about the seat being uncomfortable… what I eventually figured out is, he was riding in boxer shorts >_<
There is a variety of seats, some are truly uncomfortable for people.
I am not sure how it works for a 80 year old, but if I spend a long time without riding, I'll be uncomfortable too (for a couple of days after the ride too). I don't know exactly what adapts, but it stops after some time.
> At age 111, America's oldest veteran is still smoking cigars, drinking whiskey and loving life
> Richard Overton smokes 12 cigars a day, eats grits for breakfast and spends his days on the front porch of his Austin home.
https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/2017/06/02/at-...