Grands playable by the ordinary

[indianajo]

Just to get rid of that rude topic under instruments on the selector screen:
I played a grand requiring no more strength than my Sohmer 39" console Sunday.  It was a Howard baby grand, with ivory keys.  So probably built before 1956.  Nice and free action, no Prussian musculature required.  I haven't tried the repeat speed yet, to see if it is as fast as my Sohmer. 
I played a grand slightly heavier two year ago, a Willis about 7' long.  As Willis is a Cincinnatti based music store chain, no telling who actually built it.  The case was blonde, so probably 1956- to 1963 build date.  The keys were plastic. 
The Baldwin 9' grand in New Albany doing duty as a plant stand in St John Pres. Ch. is definitely too heavy for me. I get tired after 30 minutes on that.  I should really stuff cardboard in the loose pin hole of the note that goes flat, but it is really too far away (6 mi) to get over there very often on my bike or city bus. 
If you remember, I turned down buying a new Steinway 44" console in 1982 because it was too stiff for me.  Also the sound at the bench wasn't as good as the 39" Sohmer, but may have improved had the soundboard been 6" from a hard backing wall. 
 

[chopinlover01]

I've found anything over 65g/key to be a bit much for me, but damn if it doesn't make playing a lighter piano a breeze.

Much like with weights, I've found that practicing on something like that really doesn't let you get away with any inefficient movements (though they are sometimes necessary on slower things to get the most sound out of your instrument).

[hfmadopter]

I don't seem to be able to ride my bikes much anymore, due to old hernia surgery mesh messing up. I spent all last summer swollen and not able to do much of anything physical much less ride my bike. It seems when I have to push on the pedals it irritates the tissue in there or something. First the doc says 'oh you have a hernia go see a surgeon". I saw the surgeon, he say" I don't feel a hernia "( but of course can see the swelling), take some Advil. Weeks later he says " I feel a hernia" and sent me for cat scans. Then he says, "the scans show nothing" . The final follow up I left the office because he now says "I don't feel a hernia but the swelling has gone down". I got the feeling he had no clue about my situation, period. if I kept up on his rate of Advil I'd have had an ulcer too.

So given that, if I were to repair that grand you speak of and given the choices you suggest for travel, I'd take the bus personally. Isn't there anyone around who could give you a ride ?

[indianajo]

Sorry about your hernia problem.  If you wish to maintain aerobic (heart) health, I recommend swimming 30 minutes, like the 94 & 93 year old couple in my SS class do 4 times a week.  Do what you can do, some things surgery will not repair, and hernia surgery had a very bad rep among my prior co-workers.     I don't like to do swimming; my upper body strength is too poor to keep my head up for breath, and my immune system so poor I catch a cold about every other time I'm in a pool.  But I'm built for bicycling, huge quads gluts & I don't sweat much.  
I'm too independent to cadge rides. I also don't like riding around with 6 explosive charges aimed at my ears either, aka "air bags". I still have 14 khz response in my cochlia and want that maintained.  When my wife's house get restored from the flood, I might take another crack at redesigning my '59 ford to run on LPG, since its illegal to sell me gasoline that works in updraft fomoco carburators after the butane evaporates out.  
I gave up on my 28 year membership in a Baptist church this spring for a new weird custom common to more mainline denominations.
I like the music program at the Presby. church in N.A. with the Baldwin grand in the fellowship hall, and a Skinner/Hook pipe organ too.  But 6.5 miles is too far for attendence in the snow by foot, the bus takes seventy minutes plus wait time (average 35 minutes) and they have the universal Y***** grand in the sanctuary, which I won't sing with since I was laid off (and before too).  W. ***** St Baptist here in Jeff is tiny , but has the Howard baby grand made in Cincinnatti I will sing with.   I got a standing ovation at W. ***** 3 weeks ago when I ripped of a version of "Do Lord"  on the Howard baby grand with hot embellishments both left & right hands for introit.  (very new to me, right hand blue note riffs.  Who says 67 year olds can't learn new tricks?)    Country Western is big with the economic class in that neighborhood, maybe I can interest neighbors with hot gosple covers.  Bought some singspiration and gosple folios from a grocery cart in Salvation Army resale last week - maybe I can find some other hot belters.  I can't play wire string guitar which would be more popular with that crowd, but callouses don't grow. It's keyboard or wear kevlar on the guitar.  Haven't tried kevlar gloves yet on guitar; life is full of new adventures.