By: Casey Raye Hakenson | March 10, 2026 at 12:12 am
Like most Americans, I don’t know much about my ancestry. But, I’d like to. So, every time I seem to find a missing piece of the puzzle, I pounce on it. Gustaf Håkansson provides an astonishing example.
In 1951, Mr. Håkansson – later known as ‘Steel Grandpa’ – was a fit 65-year-old bus driver living in the tiny town of Gantofta in southwestern Sweden. Håkansson’s favorite pastime was bike riding, and at 42, he had already ridden the northern Swedish mountains. So, when he heard of a 1,000-mile bike race spanning the entirety of the country, he was all in. Only one problem: Håkansson was 25 years older than the age limit set by the race organizers.
No worries. Håkansson decided he would ride alongside the other contestants to see how he matched with Sweden’s finest professional cyclists, many of whom were half his age. On the day of the race, Håkansson approached the starting line with his magnificent beard under his chin and a homemade bib sporting the number 0. He was prepared to tackle the 1,096 miles from Haparanda in the extreme north to Ystad on the Baltic Sea.
Over the next six and a half days, Håkansson would put in his all, only sleeping for an hour at a time before taking off again. Since actual participants were forced to rest through the night, Håkansson quickly took the lead. As he rode the country, onlookers cheered as they caught a glimpse of the flowing beard and red bib attached to this elderly man of steel.
Yet, despite being a fan favorite, some did not care for this old-timer. Some people complained that he was not an official entrant, while others worried about his health. In Söderhamn, approximately halfway through the race, Håkansson was stopped by police who forced him to take a medical exam. They found him in good health, and he was allowed to continue.
After 6 days, 14 hours, and 20 minutes, Gustaf Håkansson crossed the finish line with a flat tire he’d sustained just 800 yards earlier. The crowd erupted, and children pushed to the front to get a glimpse of the man people were now calling ‘Stålfarfar,’ or Steel Grandpa. The elderly man was lifted onto the shoulders of young men as a parade was held in his honor with a marching band and fire brigades. While Steel Grandpa had not technically won, the crowd didn’t care. This 65-year-old man had beaten his nearest competitor by 24 hours.
Gustaf became an instant celebrity, his name showing up in newspapers across the country. The day after the race, he even got to meet Swedish King Gustaf VI Adolf. His fame also led to paid advertisement deals, and he went on to record music at Liseberg – one of Sweden’s most popular amusement parks. That album made Steel Grandpa the world’s oldest recording artist at that time.
Gustaf Håkansson continued to ride his bike and even cycled to Jerusalem to visit the holy sites. Mr. Håkansson remained active until his death in 1987, just shy of his 102nd birthday. He, his wife, and son are buried at the Kvistofta Church in southern Sweden. The Johannamuseet (Johanna Museum) in Sandåkra has a permanent exhibition about Steel Grandpa.
Stålfarfar, vi hyllar dig!
(Steel Grandpa, we salute you!).
Leave a Reply