bendembroski

I've got two bikes, a Bullitt cargo bike and a Brompton. I'm a regular transportation cyclist, and my wife isn't. She doesn't want to spend any money on a bike of her own, but she likes the Brompton quite a bit.

So far, she hasn't ridden more than a couple of miles on the thing, but she's making noises that maybe some more regular, longer (10 miles) family rides might be possible. I'd be on the cargo bike, she'd ride the Brompton.

Only issue is I've got a Brooks Flyer on the bike, and I wonder if the saddle will get 'confused' being ridden by two people on a regular basis.

Any thoughts?

Retro Grouch 

Why you're just doomed.

I doubt it matters two different ways. It doesn't sound to me like she's likely to use that bike enough to "confuse" the saddle. Even if she does confuse the saddle, what are you going to be able to do about it anyway? See what I mean?

bendembroski

I could use a different, non-conforming saddle. I'd like to avoid this, as I love the Brooks.

wahoonc

I ride my Brooks saddles for a while then give them to my wife and they are already gently broken in for her. Her mileage probably isn't going to make that much difference on them.

Aaron

bikepro

Or . . . buy a second saddle and seatpost for her. Mark the seatpost insertion point beofre you switch them. If you keep the saddle and post together, you don't have to worry about readjusting it after you switch.

bendembroski

I thought about that for a second, but swapping the seatpost on Brompton involves removing the saddle. I think we'll just share as long as she's happy. I'm hoping that she'll eventually get the bug and get her own bike, with her own saddle.

Truth is, as long as she's riding with me, I don't care about the why, where, or how.

Thanks for all the input!

martianone

my spouse (28 years) is my primary riding partner, at first she would only ride a few km. over time and different bikes she would ride longer. a few months after our first son was born, we got her a very nice green nashiki mtn bike -she really liked this bike and wanted to ride more - saddle comfort seemed to be a limiting factor. over time the green bike had a number of different saddles on it, one day out riding, she complained about the saddle. right there i pulled over and insisted she try my brooks saddle,swapped saddles - off we went. before then, when i suggested she try a brooks saddle - her response was something to the affect she would rather ride on a fence post. well, that brooks saddle never made it back to my bike and now rides on the pink mtn bike that replaced the green machine. she now has three bikes, mtn, touring and road - all with brooks saddles. she also now can ride comfortably for hours. once you give up your comfortable nicely broken in brooks to your partner, you are doomed to getting new brooks and bikes..

Yo Spiff

I've suggested a Brooks to my wife as well, especially since I just put a Honey B17 on my end of the tandem and she likes things to match. But right now she is still dubious and wants as much padding, gel and springiness as I can manage to put on it for her. I might eventually just go buy one and let her try it. I can easily sell a lightly used Brooks if she doesn't like it.

Camilo

I'm not familiar with the Brompton and why you'd need to remove the saddle to change the seat post. I believe you, just not familiar. But, a couple of things:

First, the comfort of the saddle is ESSENTIAL if your wife is going to take a liking to riding. I don't know about Brooks, but I do know that my wife and I have significantly different saddles. And, until she found a saddle and adjustment that was comfortable and avoided numbness "down there" she really wasn't all that enthusiastic about the sport.

So, I'd recommend you seriously consider getting your wife her own saddle, based on the advice of the best woman's fitter/bike shop in your town. And, then it would be a simple 2 minute job to install it whenever she wanted to ride the bike (or vice versa for you if she uses it more than you). Simply mark the rails for position and using a small, cheap level (I have a ~8" cheap level in my bike tool box that works fine for this), note the exact degree of "level" the saddle should be.

Now, if she's perfectly comfortable and never complains about the brooks, disregard what I wrote, but once you get set up and everything marked, it should be a trivial effort to swap saddles .

MisterJ

Do you sleep in the same bed?

bendembroski

Yes. If she isn't happy on the Brooks, then something else will be worked out. However, so far it's fine for her. I suspect is will remain so for a while until she spends enough time in the saddle on trips that are longer than a 1/2 hour. However, we won't be swapping saddles at that point -- I'll suggest that she get her own saddle, and a bike to go along with it.

She gently tipping her toe in the cycling water right now, and more than anything she doesn't want me spending any money on bike stuff -- even if it's for her.

In the meantime, I didn't want the Brooks becoming uncomfortable for both of us. I think we're safe.

bendembroski

Only when we are both tired.