Getting the wife going....

[::dom::]

So anyway, I've been off the bike all winter and just hopped back on it. The good news is that I haven't lost as much as stamina I thought I had (not that I had a great amount to begin with, but still...); the bad news is that my family and I went on about a 3 mile ride today and I just completely, utterly left my wife in the dust. Despite hauling the 8-month old in the trailer behind, and riding on the small rings.

Another problem is that I'm already ahead of her and ride a lot more - if for no other reason that I commute on the bike.

Is there a good way to get my wife up to speed so that we can ride together, or am I just fated to ride alone?

Instead of getting her "up to speed", drop down to her speed when you cycle together My wife was a non cyclist, never had a bike as a kid, poor thing... and only learnt to ride a couple of years ago when I bought her first bike (a Trek 4700 hybrid.She now has three bikes... yea! and ride a road bike most of the time). Even though she can't keep up when I cycle fast we always make time to ride together. I go at her speed and I'll offer a little encouragement "let's pick it up a bit"... or lets race to that sign... I'll give you a head start.

If we're on a long ride I'll some time say that I'm going to speed up and I'll wait for her at a certain point... She knows the extra effort is good for me and doesn't feel guilty "holding me back all the time"

My 2¢

 

[Chavez]

Is she riding a good bike? Wally World bikes will hold her back. Way back in the late 80s my wife started on a K mart bike and I was riding a Giant, I told her to ride mine one day, the next week we bought her a Schwinn (back when they were good), and it made a huge difference in speed and enthusiasm to ride. Since then she has gone through a GT and now has a Fuji and it's hard to keep her off a bike (of course I don't try).

I have a Giant Sedona, she has an old Schwinn MTB.

 

[stlblues]

I have a Giant Sedona, she has an old Schwinn MTB.

The Sedona was a good bike, just heavy compared to what we are riding now. I was never really impressed with Schwinn. Mary's never broke, but it was heavier than the Sedona and just didn't seem to be geared very well. The GT was definately a step up, but she really likes the Fuji.

 

[Chavez]

The Sedona was a good bike, just heavy compared to what we are riding now. I was never really impressed with Schwinn. Mary's never broke, but it was heavier than the Sedona and just didn't seem to be geared very well. The GT was definately a step up, but she really likes the Fuji.

Well, the Schwinn was essentially a cost-effective option - a starter that I got for free from a friend and had tuned up and such.

The Sedona is a nice all-purpose bike. Ideally, I'll find some spare cash with which to buy a REAL road bike, the sooner the better.

 

[stlblues]

Well, the Schwinn was essentially a cost-effective option - a starter that I got for free from a friend and had tuned up and such.

The Sedona is a nice all-purpose bike. Ideally, I'll find some spare cash with which to buy a REAL road bike, the sooner the better.

I'm currently without a MT bike since my son took mine, I'm looking at a Specialized Rockhopper 29r. All Nick had was a 21"frame and I need a 17 so I have to wait till he gets some more in, so far good sellers around here. Its amazing how much faster road bikes are, rolling resistance is greatly reduced with those tiny tires...but not worth a damn on trails LOL.

 

[Chavez]

Its amazing how much faster road bikes are, rolling resistance is greatly reduced with those tiny tires...but not worth a damn on trails LOL.

Ya think?

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Stanley Cup? Is that a big St. Louis High School comp?

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy of pro hockey (NHL) in the US and Canada. The season here is winding down, my area won't be seeing the cup this year as the Bruins were eliminated in a seven-game shootout against Montreal.

 

[stlblues]

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy of pro hockey (NHL) in the US and Canada. The season here is winding down, my area won't be seeing the cup this year as the Bruins were eliminated in a seven-game shootout against Montreal.

Didn't think anyone seriously didn't know what the Stanley Cup is.....The oldest and hardest to win trophy on all of sports. Over 100yrs of blood, sweat, and tradition, taking a min of 16 to a max of 28 games of brutal pounding to hoist the ultimate prize in all of sports, leaving many broken bones, thousands of stitches, lacerations, cuncusions, lost teeth, and in Chris Prongers case a few years back, a stopped heart by a slapshot to the chest, yes it started again, but made for great drama.

Sorry about your Bruins, have friends from Boston... but since my Blues screwed the pooch this season

GO PENS.............. or anyone playing Detroit.

 

[kspangler]

Congrats on having a wife who is into riding.

And LOL about the kids...

Yes, I'll second that. That is so cool.

 

[stlblues]

My daughter overcame her fear of steep hills this weekend. Don't know what came over her since she used to ride the brakes on declines all of the time, but she let loose and hit 29mph. As she got down to the bottom of the hill, she yelled "that was awesome". Now I can't slow her down....which is a good thing, except my son's friend was riding with us and had a hell of a time keeping up.

 

[JSWin]

Lol really. Ride with her. Build it up with her. It will be good for you. If you keep showing her stuff like this she will more than likely stay with what she does. I mean it would be better if you want to do that to just go out by yourself when you want to ride like that. You are not in competition with her. She's your wife.