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DenDen06 09-22-11 11:38 PM

Your Wife Likes to Ride Bikes
 
Hello,

I am a noob-sauce to this forum and riding.
I joined because my husband encouraged me to sign up. We usually ride together, but he always leaves me behind, so if anyone could give me some endurance tips, that would be great.

Thanks

Rhodabike 09-23-11 01:23 AM

This topic has been covered a lot on the Clydes and Athenas forum, although offhand I can't remember the exact thread.
Basically, the suggestions boil down to:
- You need to be riding an equivalent bike. In other words, if he has a decent quality road bike, you should not be trying to keep up with a heavy cheap mountain bike.
- If he knows he's faster and he really wants to ride with you, he should let you set the pace, or at least double back to join you if he drops you.
- If you have the room and the budget, consider buying a tandem. You will always be able to keep up while on the same bike!

z90 09-23-11 05:24 AM

Do you draft him?

Cyclaholic 09-23-11 07:17 AM

A few tips for you...

let some of the air out of his tires
Slip a couple of valium into his drink bottle
adjust his brakes so they're rubbing on the rims ever so slightly

:innocent:

...and welcome to bikeforums.

10 Wheels 09-23-11 07:26 AM


Originally Posted by DenDen06 (Post 13266230)
Hello,
I am a noob-sauce to this forum and riding.
I joined because my husband encouraged me to sign up. We usually ride together, but he always leaves me behind, so if anyone could give me some endurance tips, that would be great.
Thanks

Welcome to Bike Forums.
He needs to Slow down until you get faster.

billyb0b115 09-23-11 11:17 AM

Welcome to BF!

shadoman 09-23-11 12:41 PM


Originally Posted by Rhodabike (Post 13266376)
- You need to be riding an equivalent bike. In other words, if he has a decent quality road bike, you should not be trying to keep up with a heavy cheap mountain bike.
- If he knows he's faster and he really wants to ride with you, he should let you set the pace, or at least double back to join you if he drops you.

These points exactly.
I built my gal a lighter bike and she enjoys riding so much more now.
We play "Hare and Hound" sometimes, too. I'll sprint out and she tries to catch up, or I'll let her get ahead a bit and then sprint to catch her. It's made a great improvement in her stamina and speed. And I bark really loud just to embarrass her. :)

justfitme 09-23-11 01:11 PM

My wife was always behind me ..until she decided to start ...weightlifting a year and a half ago.
Yes... not running, not any cardio training (she does it too and she always did), but the simple weightlifting.
She is 5'2" and it was always difficult for her to keep with big and strong man.

Her average speed increased dramatically - 15-16 mph when she was 30.. Today she is 41 and it is no problem for her to keep 19 mph for more than an hour..
It is more than enough for me.

Of course I'm trying to stay in the front and she is sitting on my wheel.
Of course she has comparable bike and decent wheels, nice shoes etc...

But she was riding the same level of equipment and 10 years ago and it did not work unitl...like I said.
Also, she is not only faster on teh road, she became much better on the trail....

Doohickie 09-23-11 01:14 PM

As the hubby, I always ride as slowly as the wife. There are two kinds of riding for me- riding with the wife and all other riding. When I'm riding with her, the emphasis on the her. It's time spent together, just the two of us. When I'm not riding with her, I'll ride at whatever pace I want. But when I ride with her, I ride with her.

justfitme 09-23-11 01:23 PM


Originally Posted by Doohickie (Post 13268873)
As the hubby, I always ride as slowly as the wife. There are two kinds of riding for me- riding with the wife and all other riding. When I'm riding with her, the emphasis on the her. It's time spent together, just the two of us. When I'm not riding with her, I'll ride at whatever pace I want. But when I ride with her, I ride with her.

And this one too... Obvious for me.
I also ride with my 7 y.o. daughter next to me or 2 y.o. son in the trailer.... This is third kind of riding for me. Sometimes pretty fast too. :)

chris ss 09-23-11 01:45 PM


Originally Posted by Rhodabike (Post 13266376)
consider buying a tandem.

+1 for a tandem. We've been on ours for 25 years, what a blessing. Best investment we ever made in US.

Zephyr11 09-23-11 02:07 PM


Originally Posted by Doohickie (Post 13268873)
As the hubby, I always ride as slowly as the wife. There are two kinds of riding for me- riding with the wife and all other riding. When I'm riding with her, the emphasis on the her. It's time spent together, just the two of us. When I'm not riding with her, I'll ride at whatever pace I want. But when I ride with her, I ride with her.

+1

Congratulations on taking up the sport, and welcome to the forums! Now, get your husband on here so we can kick his butt and make him understand what it means to ride WITH someone! ;)

In the meantime, check out the training forum!

Joe360 09-23-11 08:17 PM

So... I've been on the BF for a while now and after reading all of your responses I may not be able to come back. I'm the OP's husband. I have, for the most part, let my wife set the pace. However, I become a bit inpatient and end up leaving her behind. I will definitely take all of your advice and let her get away and sprint to catch her. That sounds like a lot of fun. She's reading all your posts over my shoulder and said "awww" to you all welcoming her to the forums.

justfitme 09-23-11 08:23 PM


Originally Posted by Joe360 (Post 13270765)
I will definitely take all of your advice and let her get away and sprint to catch her. .

One more - get yourself an MTB single speed with 32-16 rings and knobby tires - you will get a lot of fun sprinting...

DenDen06 09-23-11 08:33 PM


Originally Posted by Cyclaholic (Post 13266872)
A few tips for you...

let some of the air out of his tires
Slip a couple of valium into his drink bottle
adjust his brakes so they're rubbing on the rims ever so slightly

:innocent:

...and welcome to bikeforums.

Thanks for all the advice. I will try all of the above. I am too afraid to go fast on my bike, the max speed that I will hit is 25 mph, so a tandem is out of the question because my husband likes to go 35+ down GMR and Azusa.
I actually crashed last summer going downhill on a bike path near Azusa thus resulting in my slow downhill speeds. So please no tandems. eek....

I am definitely going to check out the Clydes and Athenas forum for tips. Thanks a lot ladies and guys.

justfitme 09-23-11 08:39 PM


Originally Posted by DenDen06 (Post 13270848)
I actually crashed last summer going downhill on a bike path near Azusa....

Trying to catch your husband ? (just a question)

DenDen06 09-23-11 08:41 PM


Originally Posted by justfitme (Post 13270876)
Trying to catch your husband ? (just a question)

yeah, i was trying to keep up with him.

CbadRider 09-23-11 08:45 PM


Originally Posted by DenDen06 (Post 13270848)
Thanks for all the advice. I will try all of the above. I am too afraid to go fast on my bike, the max speed that I will hit is 25 mph, so a tandem is out of the question because my husband likes to go 35+ down GMR and Azusa.
I actually crashed last summer going downhill on a bike path near Azusa thus resulting in my slow downhill speeds. So please no tandems. eek....

I am definitely going to check out the Clydes and Athenas forum for tips. Thanks a lot ladies and guys.

Check out the Southern California regional forum, too. Lots of GMR/SART riders hang out there.

justfitme 09-23-11 08:52 PM


Originally Posted by DenDen06 (Post 13270887)
yeah, i was trying to keep up with him.

It is good you are not doing mountainclimbing with your hubby.


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