Slow cycling wife

[dirkthedaring71]

Hi,
my wife and I regularly go out on bike rides together which is great. But there's a problem, speed. She has little problem with distance and recently completed a 70 miler. The thing is this took her all day. Her average speed rarely goes over 12 mph even on much shorter rides and this hasn't increased in over a year.

She goes out each day and when the weathers bad she practices on the trainer. Can anyone shed some light onto her failure to improve?

And no, she doesn't want a tandem.

 

[GTTTM]

does she want to go quicker? Maybe she's quite happy with 12mph and would rather you just slowed down and enjoyed riding with her just a thought like and maybe she's desperate to go quicker

 

[rusty bearing]

Mrs Bearing is just the same, she has what she calls touring speed and thats it. So I take the same view, I just slow down and enjoy the ride. Oh and the tea and cakes of course. Never can get her past a good cake stop................

 

[middleagecyclist]

70 miles? 12 mph? Count yourself lucky mate that's what I say!

 

[feelfattergoinguphill]

not an expert on training lol, but when I used to cycle a lot I had same problem even though was getting fitter and could ride further couldnt really ride faster.Was advised going faster on flat and into the wind etc most of energy is used overcoming air resistance. And that I needed more power.
Read a similar thing in one of cycling mags cycling plus I think, member of public had power to weight of 4.6 W/kg(id need chris hoy power too get that high lol, guess my weight lol) but struggled for speed especially into the wind, they advised training for more actual power as I recall too.

 

[ttcycle]

As others have mentioned- does she actually want to go faster? If it's a no and you have to ask without pushing her on the subject, then just enjoy the pace and slow down for a pootle. I know I find this hard - my partner has just started cycling a few months ago and I sometimes just go at an easy pace and turn round and he's far behind - I forget how demoralising this is and apart from sometimes patches where it's not safe to ride more slowly, there's no harm in dropping the speed and just enjoying the surroundings. He seems to think that I like to steam ahead now which isn't always true.

If she wants to speed up then there's specific training for that such as sprints all out to the next traffic sign and then resting and going again etc - sprint intervals but this stuff is only fun and useful if the person wants to do it - and you guys will have to find a way to do it so that it isn't overwhelming

Maybe save the fast rides for when you're either on your own or with others who can match your speed. IF you do go for solo rides, just be clear you need to have a burn on the bike. Hopefully this shouldn't cause any issues

 

[funnymummy]

I drag tow my son on his adapted trailer..about 8 stone in total, my av speed is about 8mph.
I ride in Sportives, my top speed recorded is 42mph, Av is 18mph.
I ride MTB's with my other son, no idea on that speed.

But I'm happiest toodling along at about 10-12mph, There is nothing wrong with a good steady 70 miler ... Slow down & enjoy the view

 

[slowmotion]

Your wife is faster than I am so I won't be offering advice right now...

 

[Night Train]

My recent improvements to Granville means that my cruising speed is around 15-17mph with 20+ fairly easy on windless level or slight downhill runs. My GF rides at around 10-12mph.

Sometimes when I ride in front I forget and leave her behind a little but then I slow or stop for her to catch up and then I ride slower.
Mostly she leads and I follow, as the view is nicer!

Going slowly isn't a problem and can often be much nicer then speeding about.
My commutes to the theatre is at speed so I can get there and back quickly. My rides with my GF are for fun and leisure so I am happy to pootle along chatting, seeing the sights and not getting sweaty. It is all about 'doing something together'.

I also remember when I was really slow (average 6mph) and everyone had to wait for me. It was frustrating not being able to go faster but it was also nice that friends took it in turns, on group rides, to ride with me at my pace to chat and keep me company until I could ride faster. Faster friends sometimes ride ahead and wait or return to the group.

Spandex has even given me a push up hills on a couple of occasions just because he could and I was struggling.
That is still good as it is the fun of riding together that makes it.

 

[totallyfixed]

Hi,
my wife and I regularly go out on bike rides together which is great. But there's a problem, speed. She has little problem with distance and recently completed a 70 miler. The thing is this took her all day. Her average speed rarely goes over 12 mph even on much shorter rides and this hasn't increased in over a year.

She goes out each day and when the weathers bad she practices on the trainer. Can anyone shed some light onto her failure to improve?

And no, she doesn't want a tandem.

If she practices on a turbo trainer it sounds like she wants to improve her speed. From experience it is usually one of three things, an underlying medical problem e.g exercise induced asthma; dietary; poor bike set up. Don't underestimate the last one. I am very very lucky, Mrs TF rides at the same speed I do, mind you she has improved year on year tp the point where she competes very well against some of the best in the sport.

 

[GTTTM]

If she practices on a turbo trainer it sounds like she wants to improve her speed. From experience it is usually one of three things, an underlying medical problem e.g exercise induced asthma; dietary; poor bike set up. Don't underestimate the last one. I am very very lucky, Mrs TF rides at the same speed I do, mind you she has improved year on year tp the point where she competes very well against some of the best in the sport.

or maybe she practices on the turbo trainer because she feels she has to get faster..........not because she actually wants to. You know if my husband (if I had one) obviously very unhappy with the speed I was going and I felt under pressure to go faster then I'd probably be training when the weather was bad as well in order to shut him up keep him happy.........

 

[Broughtonblue]

Just wish I could get my mrs out on her bike, used it once from new about 5 years ago, she describes the cycling I do around country lanes as boring! She is happier watching coro, big brother and other shite on tv

 

[dirkthedaring71]

Some great advice here. Thanks. She does want to go faster as we recently joined a cycle club and though they do a "no one left behind" club run on Sunday, she hates it that everyone has to stop and wait for us.

Her biggest problem seems to be hills where her speed drops massively. We've tried routes with lots of hills to try and help but it hasn't really improved.

She has an allez comp which to my knowledge is set up well so I don't think it's the bike holding here back.

It's got to the point that I think there is a biological reason. What is exercise induced asthma by the way?




It appears that Like many others i am also guilty of cycling at what I consider a steady speed pace (15mph) and then turning round to see a she is a long back which does cause some arguments so i try and keep behind and follow.

 

[Globalti]

Same problem here. She complains that it makes her back ache and I tell her that her back aches because she doesn't exercise and she lacks muscle tone...

 

[srw]

Some great advice here. Thanks. She does want to go faster as we recently joined a cycle club and though they do a "no one left behind" club run on Sunday, she hates it that everyone has to stop and wait for us.

Find a slower club. 12mph is a perfectly respectable average speed over 70 miles - it's classic touring pace, at which you can appreciate the countryside and keep going for day after day.

BTW, she's wrong about the tandem.

[edit: what a weak 5000th post. Sorry about that, folks.]