Mr. Beanz

Mine does. This is a pic of a SoCal forum ride we did on Saturday. That's her on the right with the blue jacket. Maybe 40 riders climbing up Glendor Mtn Rd near Mt Baldy in California. The ride was nearly 4k ft of climbing. She's not a climber so we we at the back throughout the 9 mile climb,but she made it! We did do a flat 84 miler about a month ago with the forum people. She kicked butt on that ride. Now it's about getting her up the hills.

She's about 175 so I think she's qualified as an "Athena". Got the idea for this thread after reading the FCR1(mbeutler) post. The guy is getting married so I wanted to show him that he should get his wife involved. Only means more cycling for us, right?

Congrats on the new bike and new wife!

She's onthe right in the blue jacket. I'm on the left in yellow but you can hardly see my 235 little body behind the skinny guy in blue!

(51)

My wife has a bike, but she doesn't ride very often, she walks or runs daily. Maybe this summer we will get out more.

martianone

wife and kids are my riding partners,
don't ride with anyone else. we
commute and just ride for the
pleasure of it.

jaxgtr

She used to, but once I started doing more than 5 or 6 miles and more than 30 mins, she bails on me. Trying to get her to join me more this summer.

Mr. Beanz

That''s cool! We ride on the trail down to the beach most of the time. Run into several friends so always something going on. Many riders so it's nice cause you're never alone.

We always meet new people. One family always rides together. A guy, his wife and son. Sometimes the father rides a tandem solo. Cool to see them out ther together,all the time.


We started out on dept store bikes, then hyrids, then roadies. Seemed the better the bike, the more distance she rode. I think having a good bike has something to do with the amount she rides. Maybe cause it's easier doing a 40 miler on a roadie than on a Target special. 5 milers on the dept store bike, 20 on the hybrids and now easily 40's on her roadie. Make sure your wife has a decent roadie, I bet she'd ride more with you!

CliftonGK1

My fiancee was in a really bad car wreck 9 years ago and she can't do more than a few minutes at a time on our stationary recumbent bike at home. I put my commuter up on the mag-trainer and ride with her in our living room.

Mr. Beanz

That's cool! Is there any chance that she will get to the point where she can ride outside much further, on a upright or recumbent?

About 7 years ago, my wife donated a kidney. We used the bike to get her into shape before the operation. We did a centruy on our tandem about 5 days before. She did the donation,the next day she was walking around but for only 3 or 4 minutes before she got dizzy. But her legs were strong.

After a month, she was back on her comfort bike riding a mile or two. That was right before they came out with the micro surgery, so she has a 10 inch scar on her side.

I'm just wondering if your fiance can use the cycle to help her back to good health? How long has she been riding the bent indoors?

cfblue

We are a tandem team doing metric centuries as well as solo off road rides...yes! Not to mention kayaking too, not bad for old folks....

JumboRider

clifton I was going to recommend a tandem or a trike recumbent with motor assist.

Mr. Beanz

Yeah, I've seen old folks out there. They are some of the main kickbutt riders!

What am I thinking? We're no spring chickens ourselves. At 44 I think we're doing pretty good. If we can still ride at 60, I'll be VERY happy!

JumboRider

Mr. Beanz,
I have only been on a tandem once as a kid and hated it. Is it fun as a couple on a tandem? Does the guy in back get frustrated with not controlling where you are going?

CliftonGK1

Beanz and Jumbo,
I'd dig it if she would be able to ride the MUP with me, but it's just not gonna happen. The car wreck broke a lot of bones, all over. She's able to walk, but is getting fitted for a steerable leg-cart scooter next week because the forearm-style crutches aren't comfortable for all-day use. Her balance is totally based on sight due to inner-ear damage from the accident so riding a 2 wheeler is pretty much out, and trikes are too low to the ground for her to get in/out of.
It was quite a time finding a stationary bike that she could ride, with the limited range of motion in her right ankle.

JumboRider

Sorry to hear clifton. best of luck to you and her.

Mr. Beanz

IS it fun as a couple?.......Bwahahahahahahaha!... I laugh cause we have bumped heads so many times on the tandem. Once you get it down, it's VERY FUN. But getting there was tough. We have had other riders compliment our riding so many times. Some say it looks like we are dancing. Some say we look so smooth. It takes work and plenty of compromise. Well it did for us anyways. I'm sure there are those that fell right into it.


I work on climbing when I'm on my game, she avoids it. If we encounter a ride with climbing, I get frustrated. I know I can push harder but if I do, the bike just won't go. I feel bad cause I know she's not as competitive but I guess it's natural when you feel the pain. I finally learned to put the feelings aside and remember she's just out here for fun and I'm lucky that she is. So holding back is something I had to learn. Other riders don't mind, but I've always been competitive so I had to learn.

She is a strong rider on the flats best average being 18.1 riding my wheel on a 42 miler. She loves the big gears and I am a spinner. So riding the tandem, we have to find a gear that works for both of us. The more we ride the tandem, the better it gets. Now we are riding mostly singles since she got the new bike, so getting back on the tandem takes a bit of remembering the skills.

She is a very relaxed stoker (person in back) so it's great when we ride. I have had another chick actually jump of as we headed down and up an underpass. Scared the **** out of me as I almost lost the handle bars. Never again with her! When the stoker moves, as the captain (in front) I really feel the movements. If she lets go of the hadlebars, I feel the loss of leverage. If she raises her hand to wipe her brow, I feel the movements. I'm a non-stop pedaler so I'm used to a constant pressure of the pedals. I feel everything that happens. If a couple is the sight seeing type of rider, wouldn't be a problem. But sudden movements really affect me.

I really have to pay attention to what I do as it affects her too. When I start to pedal, I must start with a a slow gentle movement or I'll rip her legs off. If I stop, must be with a slowing movement or I'll jam her knees as her feet are always clipped in. We've gotten really good with the communication. If she has to get something from her pocket, she lets me know so that I ease up. When we hit a downhill, we will stand to relieve the buns for a bit. If she stands and I don't she lets me know. But I can usually feel when she sits back down so I know when to start pedaling again. It's kind of wird but when you practice, everything that you had to think so hard about at first, jsut feels so natural.

Now that we have it down, it's great. We can climb, just not fast. But the downhills are scary. We hit 56 mph on one downhill within a quarter of a mile without pedaling. Good thing it was only one mile long. Like I said she is very relaxed and just went with it. She doesn't mind not having control. Does very well even if I make a mistake, she will roll with me for the correction. She's got plenty of trust in my skills though. I don't do dumb things even on my single. If we approach a crowd or obstacle, I slow. No chances.

But once you get going, it's great! We ride on the path and hardly ever go without a group on our tail. It's a blast doing 23-24 with a group of 5 or 6 guys on your tail. Into the wind, same thing. Everyone wants to draft a tandem. I know some really fast tandem teams that have plenty of fun as married couples. We are fast, but they are REALLY fast and better climbers!

I'd say more fun as a couple depends on you and your style. If you want to compete, then she must be willing to follow. If you want to sightsee, then samething. If you like to push for speed at times and she doesn't I wouldn't go tandem. It will be more hassle than fun. I have seen many couples on centuries and the trail. All seem to be having plenty of fun. My wife knows I try to compete with other riders so she goes with it. One thing I don't do is mount a speedometer in the rear for her to see. Or she'll ask,"why are we going so fast?".

We bought an inexpensive tandem ($800) to try it out. Took about 3 months, then we upgraded to a more expensive tandem($2100). We still learned even more after the upgrade. Now that all the bugs are worked out, it's great and well worth it. I'd say probably the best toy I've ever had.

Mr. Beanz

Yeah, sorry to hear that. When he mentioned trikes, I thought of the old Schwinn type. I don't think those are too low and no chance of falling over. And the basket on the front would be cool for groceries!

Well good luck to you and her. I'll just hope that she can someday make it outside on the bike.

Mr. Beanz

BTW Jumbo, they can be expensive to maintain. I had to buy 3 chains to replace the chains on the tandem. Paid about $80 for the the three. One long chain on the drive side and the timing chain on the opposite side of the bike that keeps the pedals together.

Then we are a heavy team so we are on our 3rd wheel in the rear since '98. I'm 230 and her maybe 175. Don't tell her i mentioned her weight or she'll kill me!...48 spokes on the wheels only adds that much more to the cost of rebuilding a wheel.

CliftonGK1

I never thought about the Schwinn T&C! Dang... How many times have I seen pix of Bailey in the rear basket of one, and never thought about whether it would work for 'Nista? Geez, the (possible) answer has been right in front of me all along and I never even saw it.

Mr. Beanz

We see the trikes at the shops sometimes, or even Sears. Gina talks about how cool it would be to ride one. I won't get her one cause she'll probably never touch her other bikes again!

BigRock

My wife and I have been riding together for a little over 6 years and 5 RAGBRAI's. Sometimes its difficult to go by myself since its more fun riding with her than without her.

PATH

My wife has a Walmart special, a Royce Union. It is a piece of junk! I wanted to get her a nice touring bike but she is having none of it. I was trying lately to either let me get her a spcialized Sirrus or Globe City for knocking about. No dice so far! I am working on it though!

Mr. Beanz

Everytime I bought a new bike for my wife she said No!..SHe's now on her 5th!

PATH

I guess I should surprise her for her birthday!

Tom Stormcrowe

Just buy it for her as a surprise!

PATH

I guess it is settled then! A surprise for my wife for her birthday!

Tom Stormcrowe

Cool!