Hornbiker

Not on all climbs, but long ones. I'm doing a nasty century ride on Sunday, with 10,500 feet of climbing. This season I have been regularly dropping my dear significant other on pretty much every long mountain climb we do. This is a new phenomenon this year, used to be the other way around. Anyway, this century has three huge climbs (the last is 14 miles), and I would like to ride my pace since it's what I'm comfortable with. Is that bad? I'll wait for him at the top...

He will of course totally drop me on all the descents.

(I've probably hexed myself by writing this, and will get dropped by him on every hill. And get 6 flat tires.)

voltman

Why would it be wrong?

Sprocket Man

Dropping your husband on climbs will emasculate him. In order for him to feel like a man again, he will start having an affair with someone who won't hurt his fragile self-esteem. So the answer is, it's OK to drop your husband on climbs, but make sure that you have a good divorce attorney programmed into your speed-dial.

Hornbiker

He gets strangely quiet when we meet up again..seems pissed. I think having the tables turned after dropping me all the time is not sitting well with him!

Hornbiker

Or my own hottie on the side?

Sprocket Man

Make sure your hottie is a better climber than you. Or if he's not, at least make him think he is. Men have fragile egos which must be treated with care.

DrPete 

I would love for my fiancee to drop me and be waiting for me at the top of a climb. You rock.

superdex

As long as you wait, yeah, go r0ck on

TheKillerPenguin

Only if you're carrying him at the time

GuitarWizard

Keep going at your own pace, and wait for 'em at the top. Or, if you really want to piss him off, ride alongside him for awhile, and then as he's sucking wind and praying for a lower gear, just stand up and sprint up the hill. That should make for an enjoyable conversation piece later on in the ride.

Is he a bit overweight?

mollusk

What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Drop him and don't wait at the top. Wait at the bottom.

ranger5oh

I say ride your pace... as cyclists we all understand how annoying it is to ride slower than you want to. So Drop him like its hot.

smoke

yes. it's wrong of you to drop him.

i assume, since you can drop him, that he's a girly man. i would suggest you keep him and get yourself a hottie, but make sure your hottie isn't a girly man. maybe all prospective hotties should race uphill to prove their worth. take the fastest guy - as long as he's faster than you. if not, look for more hotties

smoke

HigherGround

Not only should you drop him like a hot potato, after you reach the summit you should circle back and finish the rest of the climb with him... again. Comment about how you're thinking of switching to a cassette with a higher gear range, since you're simply not using your lowest gear(s) any more.

Ask him lots of open-ended questions that can not be answered with a "yes" or a "no". "So honey, what do you think of the situation between Israel and Lebanon?" "What's your favorite childhood memory?" "What do you think about doing one of those guided bike tours through the French Alps next year? I've always wanted to go there." Ask how long his brake has been rubbing the rim. When he stops and realizes that it isn't, reply, "Oh, my bad."

Of course, if you want to stay married, you will disregard all of the advice above. It sounds like his ego may be taking a kick in the chamois. So be it. It's time to put on the big boy pants. In 20+ years of cycling, there have been some days where I have been the hammer, and many more where I have been the nail. And yes, I have been dropped on climbs by women. Oh well. The best way to get stronger is to ride with people better than you, regardless of their gender. Call it tough love.

Dead Roman

I know a girl who can drop me on th eclimbs(shes damned fast). I gotta say, I find myself extremely atracted to her. Shes fast everywhere though, Id like the competition.

Jakey

Yes its okay to drop him...but you have to give him 'the look'. And do it...everytime.

Stallionforce

Have you talked to him about it?

Instead of sulking, he should be congratulating you on your development as a rider. The best thing for any rider -- as already mentioned -- is to ride with those who are stronger. So, really, it's a double-boon for him: he's got a great rider as a partner, so he can brag; he's got a perfect training partner, one that will help him develop.

Seriously, I think a good partnership should be able to handle things like this; in fact, it's through things like this that a relationship has a chance to flourish or fail. If he continues to sulk, you'll have to sit him down like a child and talk to him about it.

ken cummings

So get a tandem, one where YOU ride in front up hills and swap for the descent.

HigherGround

Heck, I was about to ask if she has any single sisters!

zimbo

Sounds like there's no reason to wait for him at the top.

--Steve

kingsfan4life

THE LOOK!

+1

UmneyDurak

Many moons ago someone mentioned a jersey that in front had two cyclists (male ane female) ride up a hill, it said Joe and Jane went up a hill. At the back female cyclist is near the top while male is still near the bottom and it says, and she dropped him.

teamawe

When doing a ride that is going to be really hard you should just do your own pace. You have a lifetime to live together but only that day to perform your best during the event. When my GF drops me I prefer that she just do her ride this free's me up to ride my own pace. Otherwise I'm always trying to keep up with her and riding over my head.

Kiss at the start and ride like you're two single people then you'll still want to kiss each other at the finish.

hokie_girl

no man would ask this question. DROP HIM.

USAZorro

It says "Jack and Jill rode up a hill..." on the front. "And she kicked his butt!" on the back. One of the female members of our club has this jersey. She is actually named Jill, and she does kick a lot of peoples' butts riding up hills.

No doubt this does bug your husband, but that's his problem. You can perhaps help him save face by telling him that you have the energy to go up the hills faster because of the energy you saved from riding on his wheel before-hand. Ultimately though, he needs to be able to accept that there are some things he does better, and some things you do better. If it really bothers him that much, he'll train really hard to improve.