When do I trade my bike in for a comfort bike?

Let me preface this whole post by saying I love it when people are on two human-powered wheels, no matter when/how/where/why it is taking place.

As I mentioned before, I was down to one singlespeed mountain bike and a classic bike from Schwinn that I can't really ride more than around the block. I was slightly depressed by this fact, but on Wednesday my wheels came in, my Moots was back up and running, so I obviously had to go out riding on it. Since the Kona is down for the count, I have now switched my morning rides to the mountain bike, at least until the Kona is back up and running.

Anyhow, I did my ride and was on my way home, riding on a little stretch of the bike path that leads to my street. This path goes through a little greenway/park area. As I am pedaling, I see someone pedaling toward me. As the person gets closer, I realize it is a man. As he gets closer, I see it is a man that is around my age, maybe a few years older. And as I get closer I realize he is riding a fucking COMFORT BIKE. What? Seriously?

When does this happen in a cyclist's life? When do I say, "OK, I can't take riding off-road or all hunched over on the road anymore, so I think I'll get a comfort bike"? As of right now at 39 years old, I don't see myself getting on one anytime soon. But who knows, maybe there is a day it becomes painfully obvious that you need to get one. It is kinda like a minivan. Is it the coolest way to move yourself around? No, but you realize it makes the most sense at that stage of your life.

So, I've relegated myself to the fact at some point in my life I'll have to trade my bikes in for a comfort bike. Maybe a whole fleet of comfort bikes. One for the concrete bike path, one for a dirt bike path, a singlespeed and a vintage one. Yep. Perfect. I just don't know what age that will take place. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, maybe never.

Joking around the other day, I asked my "boss" at work (that is a hyper-active, skiing obsessed 60'ish year old) when a person trades their road and/or mountain bikes in for a comfort bike. He said, "When they grow-up". Perfect! I'll never have to worry about trading in for a comfort bike then.