Getting right to the point. When I first started riding again just over 3 years ago, I road pretty much exclusively on the rail trails. It was a good way to build my legs and my endurance. Last year I started riding across the river from me on the country roads with very little traffic for the most part. My wife would probably much prefer me to sticking to off road riding instead. I think she gets nervous about something happening to me. I do appreciate her concerns, but it's something I really am enjoying and I try to be very cautious taking anything for granted. If I couldn't ride the roads, I think I might just sell the bike. Maybe that's selfish, but that's how I feel. So how does your spouse or significant other feel about your road cycling? Do you get some grief or they totally cool about it?

She told me last week that she's uncomfortable about it, but knows that I won't stop, and she doesn't want to fret over it.

I think my wife would prefer if I road ride. Most of my mtb bike rides I come home cut up or bashed up in someway. She always acts like its some miracle that I've returned safely.

Mine doesn't mind. She knows accidents will happen. Yes, I have wrecked, severely scrapped a shin, hit a car, and my son wrecked on a bike path and broke an arm. She is also a nurse, and sees many more auto accident victims then bike accident victims. While a bike may seem unsafe on the road, it is far safer then an auto.

well after my accident a few months ago, I think she rather I dont ride at all. MY problem is is getting her lazy %$# to go riding. she absolutely refuses too, wont even go riding with me and the kids (even though Im the one pulling them in a trailer). She brought it up the other day, since I dont like to dance, she dont like to ride. Ahhhh.......sometimes I question why I married her!

My spouse likes me to ride - whether it's on the road or cross country through the fields. I think he knows it's good for my health and outlook. I stay off of the congested sections though.

My wife is a congenital worrier (her mother was, too). She is able to tolerate my road riding because she knows that I know what I'm doing. Also, I make a point of "checking in" via cell phone at reasonable points (at the turnaroud of an "out and back", or when I get to work, for example).

She still worries a bit, but she says it beats the heck out of having to worry about my health.
(When I wasn't riding, I was 250+ pounds with a BP of 175/110, now I'm 185 and my BP is 104/62.)

Kotts

She's pretty good about it. I commute to work, race, and ride with her and the kids on the weekend. She knows it makes me happy and healthy.

My dude rides as much/more than I do - so no issues here. I think he is a little reckless on the road sometimes, I tend to ride more conservatively. He sorta tones it down if we are out together, and I try not to think about it when I'm not riding with him. :rolleyes:

My wife loves her roadbike, won't consider anything else, but won't ride what I consider fast enough to stay in traffic, so she actually concerns me more than the reverse.

There is another thing that has befitted my wife from my cycling, but this is the Recreational and Family forum.

Illogically, my wife feels better about this than my motorcycling. I feel much safer on my 1300cc sport-touring motorcycle than a bicycle, but it is a trade off.

With a bicycle, it's more of a worry being clipped or hit from behind.

With a motorcycle, it's more of a worry with deer jumping in front of you or people left turning in front of you. But the motorcycle keeps up with traffic.

Off-road cycling is more likely to get in injured, but a lot less likely to get you killed.

All we can do is try to mitigate the risks. Wear a safety vest, use flashing LED lights at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. (I use an LED headlamp, that I flash people with when I look at them) But the safety vest is miraculous. I'm sure it doesn't look as cool as a proper biker shirt, but by golly it gets people off your tail.

Mine just says, "Be careful." .........And checks to be sure the insurance premiums are up to date.

my segnificant other thinks it's another one of my oddities. I mean I collect and breed snakes and venomous inverts, keep tropical fish, reload my own ammo, play rackquetteball etc. She figures cycling is just another part of my oddly unique intrests that make me always outside the group. She finds the fact that I enjoy this cycling thing, yet won't upgrade from my gmc denali to a better bike extremely amusing. Odd and unique hobbies and people FTW!

My lovely wife is VERY long suffering, she's nursed me back to health through some pretty serious accidents that have taken weeks, months and one very nasty one that took 2 years to get over, her thrill was to put me in hot salt baths to clean the wounds and laugh when I squealed like a girl. :eek: She HATED cycling when I raced, but now we go for "couples rides" and she is starting to enjoy riding again. The future may find us doing some touring and shopping etc......I know who I want to share a 2 man tent with....NOT my racing mates.