Originally Posted by
westlafadeaway
Thanks for everyon'es input.
Well, we are starting at Union Station because we live in the Valley, so we'll take the subway over to Union Station and then go from there. We don't have any particular destination- just she thinks she can bike that distance and she's biked the **** Coalition's River Ride, so that is what we know. I hadn't thought of going down to Capistrano and then up to newport. What do you (anyone else) suggest???
Her inability to stand up freaks me out. If she suddenly has someone coming at her or needs to move fast- she can't just haul ass. And going up hills is a problem.
My wife has an 09 Specialized Vita (probably similar in build to the one your wife has). Considering it has a triple crank, and a low range cassette (probably 25t), I'm pretty sure your wife will be good with any type of climb in the area. With that in mind, there's really no substitute for communication and awareness while on a ride. Instead of being freaked out, try to be more aware of your surroundings. Also, develop some form of on-bike communication with your wife. You can easily alert her to obstacles that may come up, such as traffic dangers or a gnarly climb. This works for me considering my wife rides recreationally (20miles/week).
I tried getting my wife to stand up last year, but my attempts didn't go so well. People need to develop confidence on their bikes before they try "acrobatic" things. While standing up and mashing or sprinting may be second nature to you, it might be scary to your partner. Hell, when I started biking the year before last, I'd have to mount the bike like an 80 year old....nowadays, I practically mount/dismount as if I was in a cyclocross race. Just give her some time and she'll come around.