Fifty Plus (50+) - I Rode 15 Miles....

After being out of riding for 30 years, my wife & I bought Trek Navigator 200's. Today I rode mine for 15 miles! We just returned from Mackinac Island, MI where we both rode 11 miles. I am 50 and she is 46, we are in pretty good shape, but we both could loose a few pounds. I can see that I aspire to ride more distance and faster than she wants to. We live in the country where it is about 12 miles to town. We load the bikes and do 5 miles on a Greenway Trail, but that isn't really very much. Do you have any recommendations on getting her to ride more? Any tips will be appreciated! :D

After being out of riding for 30 years, my wife & I bought Trek Navigator 200's. Today I rode mine for 15 miles! We just returned from Mackinac Island, MI where we both rode 11 miles. I am 50 and she is 46, we are in pretty good shape, but we both could loose a few pounds. I can see that I aspire to ride more distance and faster than she wants to. We live in the country where it is about 12 miles to town. We load the bikes and do 5 miles on a Greenway Trail, but that isn't really very much. Do you have any recommendations on getting her to ride more? Any tips will be appreciated! :D

How about offering taking her out for dinner after the ride?
;)

A tandem might work well for you. You won't be dropping her, and she can only go as fast as you are willing to work as a team. But caution is a must with a tandem, they say a tandem can bring out the best or the worst in a marriage. We love ours.

I'm thinking of buying a tandem for my spouse as well. She isn't comfortable steering in traffic (SERIOUS bifocals..) and would prefer that I lead. With a tandem, we could ride together..

How about offering taking her out for dinner after the ride?
;)


You know what? This works. We have an OK restaurant just off a bike trail and on a nice creek that is about 6 miles from my house. I have successfully gotten the better half to ride over there with me for dinner or lunch on a few occasions and she's like it. She used to ride a lot in college but is not as active now, so I am happy to find various ways to entice her back on to the bike, and this one is tried and true.

Just give her some more time. Her time schedule for advancing in mileage is likely much different than yours. Also, be sure to have fun things on your ride.

This Friday, my wife, 67 yo and I rode together for 24 miles. But, we stopped for luinch at a nice sandwich shop in the middle of the ride, and we rode at HER pace, not mine. She likes to stop a lot and readjust things, etc.

This followed a 14 mile joint ride the day before.

When I want to go at my pace, I ride solo. I generally go about 30 miles at a much faster speed.

Isn't it great that in our middle to late 60's we can ride together?

It is very cool that you guys still ride the way you do! My wife likes to fly... but only if we are going to see the grandkids in Virginia Beach or if we are going out to eat somewhere. It's a little more difficult with the bikes as we live about 10 miles from anything. I will keep encouraging her to ride and like you say... when I want to go fast, I'll just go alone. Thanks for the tips! Keep 'em coming too! :D

Rick Fox (in the slight rolling hills of the flatlands called..... Indiana)

get her to try a recumbent LOL

and if...... she likes it she'll probably want to ride farther than you ;)

Why not ask her why she doesn't want to ride further or faster? Then the answer will give you the information you need to help her go f&f or to let it alone.

A tandem might work well for you. You won't be dropping her, and she can only go as fast as you are willing to work as a team. But caution is a must with a tandem, they say a tandem can bring out the best or the worst in a marriage. We love ours.

It took me 4 attempts to find a suitable co-rider on my tandem. If its that many for you and it finishes up being the young pretty blonde down the road, then you must have a trusting partner. If a tandem is contemplated, (and they are fantastic bikes to ride) then hire one for a couple of hours first.