Redwood City resident Rich Habeeb, 82, on his bicycle. (Donna Habeeb)
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - An 82-year-old Bay Area man is on the verge of completing 50,000 miles on the same Schwinn Varsity 10-speed bicycle he purchased 50 years ago.
"It's been literally 50 years in the making," Redwood City resident Rick Habeeb told KTVU on Thursday, at which point he had logged 49,950 and on schedule to hit his milestone.
August goal
Habeeb plans to pedal into mile 50,000 on Aug. 8.
It’s a journey that has taken strict discipline, meticulous planning, and a keen attention to numbers and mileage clocked.
The backstory:
This idea came to him about five years ago, as he sat at his desk at home thinking about how his trusty Schwinn was coming up on 50 years since its purchase in the summer of 1976.
At that point, his bike showed 42,800 miles on its odometer, and so he started doing the math.
"I'm going to have to put 7,200 miles on it in just under five years. And slog through five winter seasons," he calculated.
And that’s just what he began doing. He set out to put the extra miles on his bike to hit 50,000 in the next five years to coincide with the 50 years since he purchased his Schwinn.
The process has involved lots of planning, often working around the weather, frequently splitting up the daily rides to pedal once in the morning and then again in the afternoon, and making scheduling adjustments during the shorter days of winter.
When he first started riding his Schwinn, he said this was not something he even considered.
"I never gave a thought to an annual mileage plan when I got the bike," the bicyclist said. "I was just out riding around like a lot of people."
That riding around also included biking to commute to work during his days before retirement as a biotech lab support technician.
Felt regret
Habeeb said when this plan was hatched he couldn’t help but feel like he should’ve started much earlier.
"This whole thing started out from a significant regret. I was sitting at my desk on the evening of October 21, 2021. And I realized, I missed a big opportunity to put more mileage on it than I have," Habeeb explained, describing the action as saving for retirement. "The earlier you start, the better off you are, right?"
SEE ALSO: 'Old boys' rugby club, with Bay Area players in their 60s, tours overseas, returns undefeated
The bicyclist said he’s long enjoyed the convenience of his two-wheeled vehicle.
"I ride the bike all over the place," he shared.
His rides help him run all kinds of errands and take him to various places including the park, shopping centers and the neighboring city of Atherton.
"It’s that in between transport between walking and driving," he noted, adding to that philosophy, "You get back and forth faster. If you don't need to haul anything with you, you don't need a car."
Even for the octogenarian, it seems like an incredible feat what he embarked on.
"If somebody told me when at 18 or 20 years old, I'd be on a bike in my 80s, I would, I probably would have said, you're kidding, right?" Habeeb mused.
Bike shop still open
Even more extraordinary, is the fact that the shop where he bought the bike half a century ago is still open in the same Belmont location.
The family-run California Sports and Cyclery on El Camino Real has served the community since 1968.
In 1976, Habeeb walked into the store to buy his trusty Schwinn.
"What Habib has done is a remarkable accomplishment," shop owner Troy Schreier shared with KTVU in an email. "He has been a loyal customer for many years and loves to tell his story."
Continued maintenance
Extra notable is the amount of maintenance and ongoing investments he’s put into his bicycle to keep it running.
"I'm on my 20th set of tires, the third set of pedals, the second handle bar, the second set of wheels, the third chain of gears and rear gear set," he listed, also noting the bike had four new seats.
‘Continuity and stability’
Dig deeper:
And when asked what has compelled him to hold on to the same 40-pound bicycle for all these years, he said it’s the consistency of it all.
"I have a craving for continuity and stability in my life. I'm not only buying the next great thing out. I'm satisfied with what I have," Habeeb said.
His ability to celebrate and enjoy these routines and steady accomplishments are what make him so special to his family and friends.
What they're saying:
"Rick Habeeb is indisputably an original fellow, a unique bird, a quirky dude on a vintage velo," his family shared in a write-up about the cyclist.
Good health
At 83, Habeeb acknowledges that he’s been lucky enough that his good health has allowed him to go after this challenge.
And his "50/50 Schwinniversary," as his family is calling it, is a testament to that.
"I have helped myself considerably. I exercise, I have a decent diet, not a lot of junk food. I have not had any problems with alcohol, drugs or tobacco. I don't seem to have much stress in my life at all, kind of remarkable," he said. "I have been healthy for good stretches at a time."
And he feels extremely fortunate for that.
"My mother would say, when you have your health, you have everything," Habeeb shared.
50K celebration
His family plans to hold a celebration in his honor on the Aug. 8th date when he's set to ride into his 50,000th mile on his beloved Schwinn that he first purchased as a much younger man of 32 years.
He said on that Saturday, he’s already planned to do the first five miles in the morning on his own, and then complete the final five miles with his brother-in-law Chris Anderson joining him.
What's next:
And when he officially marks that "50/50 Schwinniversary," it won't be the end for him and his dependable ride.
As he’s known to do, Habeeb already has meticulous plans for what’s next, plans that take him into the age of 90.
"Some of my friends think if I keep staying on the bike and don't get off for any appreciable stretch of time, I can make it to 90," he said, noting, "Now, if I do that, I'm going to front load the schedule."
If he does indeed go for his next challenge, he hopes to complete 60,000 miles on his original Schwinn.
His supporters are celebrating the dedicated cyclist who has demonstrated that remarkable feats come from good planning and steady and consistent effort.
"I hope he continues for many years to come," the owner of California Sports and Cyclery said.
Big picture view:
In a fast-moving tech-driven world, in which consumers are constantly seeking the next upgraded model, the latest in innovation, Habeeb is in a lane of his own.
The bicyclist said he appreciates the items he has acquired over the years, those that continue to serve his needs.
"When you’ve had something for a very long time, be it a bike, a car, what have you, you think of all the things that have gone on your life, since you acquired those things," Habeeb reflected.
He said they also tell a story, representing and symbolizing all that he’s experienced in his life.
"They've been part of my life, through the history from that point to now, the common denominator, if you will," the bicyclist said. "These articles have been part of my life over the decades, when a lot of people, jobs, and everything else came and went out of my life. They're kind of like anchors."
This browser does not support the Video element.
San Francisco bike shop owner traveling to 10 World Cup matches as superfan
A San Francisco business owner is taking his soccer fandom to extreme lengths this month, logging thousands of flight miles to catch World Cup matches back-to-back across North America.