tmass

Ok this coming Saturday I'm taking my wife to her second orginized ride and she is going to attempt 33 miles(me w/ her). We did a 20 mile ride this spring.............she has been riding this summer w/ me and has picked up her speed, climbing and other skills. I plan to stay w/ her through the whole ride. The 20 miler this spring was fun but she was only doing about 13 mph......I actually did 24 miles because I would ride ahead and then come back to her. I think now she can probably maintain about 15 or 16 mph over the 33 miles. I would love to go faster because I'm coming back to this course to attempt my first sub 5 hour century. Is there anything else I can do besides sprinting ahead and then riding back to her to keep me from being antsy?? or is the vote that I'm being annoying by riding ahead and coming back to her-just stay w/ her?

10 Wheels

Pedal with one leg.

StephenH

Personally, I'd say you're being annoying by riding ahead and coming back. How I worked hiking with my kids was that I'd take them out on shorter hikes and then go on longer hikes by myself. So I'd suggest to do something like this with her, staying together on this route, and then go do the longer faster rides by yourself. It might help to have a non-road bike so you're not as inclined to ride as fast as you can. If you just want to ride that 33 mile route, you could go back the next day or next week after the organized ride and ride the same route.

A while back, I went on one charity ride here locally, and a guy was pulling a trailer with a nice sound system on it. Turns out this was Bikin' Mike, who organizes several rides in the area, and who is also a major fitness and biking proponent. But what that trailer did, in addition to entertainment, was to add about 50 lbs (via car battery!), which let him get a decent workout while keeping pace with some slower riders.

Nachoman

Do it on a beach cruiser (with a back pack full of rocks).

SpongeDad

Do really hard interval work the day before and take the 33 as a long recovery ride.

redirekib

Actually that's a good idea. I used to get annoyed riding with my wife because of the slow speed and then I Got my old GT Timberline out and stayed with her. I've really come to enjoy the pace and the conversation.

10 Wheels

When you have sexual relations with your wife do you get ahead of her in the other room then come back to see how she is doing?
Riding with your wife means ridng beside her. Pedal in you smallest gear, spin. Pedal in your largest gear, push hard, but stay close to her.
When you want to play Lance, go fast by yourself.

RoadToNowhere

- If you want to attempt your first sub 5 hour century, do it another time. Make this one all about HER.
- You can be PATIENT. Ride for her, for her pace. You can do it. Enjoy it. Not every ride has to be a hammerfest.
- YES, you are being annoying by riding ahead and zipping back. Don't do that. I've seen quite a few couples on organized rides where the guy was riding that way; when you're sprinting ahead like a jackrabbit, you have no idea how annoyed she's getting back there. Trust me, you're just making her feel bad about her efforts by doing that.

Beth

rollin

If you're riding with your wife then ride with your wife! Enjoy the day together.

Spin a lower gear if you like but shooting off like a hare and waiting means she may as well be riding on her own.

Ride safe.

p.s. when I ride with my wife on the road I tend to stay slightly behind her. It helps ward off traffic and let her set the pace, but to be honest I prefer the view

Mr. Beanz

I do! Sometimes I'm just way too much for her!

I'm a stay with my wife type of guy. I rode my mtb with knobbies on our 40 milers when she was building up to speed. I was able to get in a good effort that way. Now that she's much better, she'd spank my arse if I were to try the knobbies again. Gave her time and now she's done 3,000 for 3 consecutive years, a few 72 milers, an 84 miler and dropped quite a few guys along the way!

And like Rollin, I enjoy riding slightly BEHIND my wife!

Yesterday's 50 miler,16.6 average. Her best is 18.2 for the same ride.

hammy56

+1....remind yourself how nice it is to have a girl who enjoys riding...and how bad it might be if she got bored with it...my girl likes to ride as much as I do and I think a lot of guys would agree its a good thing

SKYLAB

"Not every ride has to be a hammerfest."
WHAAAT ! ! When did they decide this and why am I only finding out now??

overthere

I have no problem with my SO riding ahead at all. But I ride alot, so if I get dropped on testosterone-laden group rides, it's a given I'm on my own. I"d expect the SO to hammer too, and I can live vicariously through him...as long as he comes back before too long, and gives me his wheel.

So I don't think it's a problem, but you need to just ask her. I like the idea of you on a heavy townie with knobbies, and using it as a recovery ride/date with your wife.

RubenX 

To the OP:

+1 on not leaving the wife alone. DO NOT under any circumstances, leave the wife behind. Don't be pushy either, ride at HER pace. Do not mention anything remotely similar to "I can go faster". Draft her, keep your eyes on her lycra and HER lycra only... enjoy the view and tell her she looks hot (never fails). Make sure both saddles are up to the job and no body parts go numb. If wife's speed decreases, take a break. But don't let her know you are taking a break because of her. Rather say that you have a cramp or something, rest 15 minutes and continue.

To Mr Beanz:

You are a lucky man.

jaxgtr

I would stay with the wife as well, that way if she has any issues, she is not having to wait for you to get back to her. Seems rude to leave her on her own.

Tunnelrat81

You really should do one of two things:

- Don't invite your wife along at all if you intend to do the ride in a way that can't include her.

- Put your own wishes aside and just ride with her. Riding together does NOT involved bungee cording off
the front of your 'riding partner' coming back only long enough to make sure she hasn't been hit by a
car or crashed or something..

I've gone through a similar progression with my wife. The challenge that I have with her is that she loves to climb....which means a comfortable cadence on her compact double is around 5-6 mph on a decent grade, while that speed on my standard double means a painfully low cadence. I agree that riding BEHIND her is MUCH easier than trying to ride in front, unless you can keep a consistent speed on your computer, and she's willing to kindly let you know what's too fast/slow. The Mountain bike idea suggested above would probably help me out significantly simply by giving me lower gears so that I can keep my cadence around hers etc.

Ultimately, you need to decide if riding with her is something that you can do....and what scenarios work for you. You're not going to invite her along on a fast group ride with the 'guys,' so why on earth would you try to include her in a sub 5 hr. century attempt? It's the same thing. The best idea if you do want to share riding with her is to keep your training rides and your wife rides COMPLETELY separate. I think you'll find that everyone is happier in the end using this approach. Good luck.

-Jeremy

tmass

Thanks for the feedback. It seems I've gotten it from different perspectives. I will stay with my wife the whole ride and keep encouraging her & just talking. I think I will take the advice to do a training ride by myself the day before and let this be a recovery ride.

blonduathlongrl

I vote yes on being annoying.
that's not support, that's a constant reminder that she isn't fast enough for you and got you bored.

ride your best century on your own or with partners the same strenght, leave the riding time with your wife be just that and remember that many would feel very lucky to even have a wife who shows interests in riding, be patient.. the pay off of having her getting better and enjoying doing something with you will be well worth it!

good luck! dont forget to have fun

CharlieWoo

Ride in a big gear at slow cadence. Better yet, leave her at home.

merlinextraligh

Buy a tandem. Then you can truly ride together. Easy to talk while riding, and you both get a workout.

Otherwise, ride at her pace,and don't push her.

Spartan112

Divorce.

HolyInstantRice

When I ride with my girlfriend, I keep my hand on her ass.

If I want to go faster, I give that ass a push.

Mr. Beanz

Happy Man!

Ed in GA

Here's my take.

My wife, who is 18 years younger than I, is an experienced cyclist. We will do my first organized ride next weekend. It is her plan to stay with me for the entire 22 mile ride. She has the ability to do exactly as you propose but with my being a noob, her choice is to slow her pace and hang with me for the entire ride.

I think you should do the same with your wife.

ciao`

Ed

ken cummings

When I do longer rides with the wife I make the place where we parked the car the hub of the route. So when/if she decides it is not fun any more I can easily go back and get the car. That would be about a 5 mile radius for you two.