Slow cycling wife

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

david k

Hi
Location
North West
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.


my wife dont drive that fast
 

jackthelad

Well-Known Member
The wife was doing hills but found it difficult, with having a 12/25 cassette,I changed the rear derailler to a deore lx and the cassette to 11/32, and the chain.she now finds hills no problem with the extra gears,before this she dread large hills,maybe this would be a way to help only a suggestion.
 

twobiker

New Member
Location
South Hams Devon
It always seems wrong when you see what is obviously a couple out for a ride and one of them is half a mile behind the other, why go out together and then ride apart ? My wife only rides as a last resort and I would not expect to her to keep up with me so I slow down for her.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
I sound just like the OPs wife, with MrS being much faster and having to wait.

But it's me that has (jokingly) suggested a tandem, and MrS won't hear of it. Probably suspecting (correctly!) that he will end up putting in most of the effort on the hills! :whistle:
 

fimm

Veteran
Location
Edinburgh
I don't get the "put her in front" suggestion... if she can learn to draft you tightly on the flat, that is much more energy saving for her than you sitting behind. Oh, and I'm 39 and got serious about cycling (and triathlon) about 5 years ago - I'm still getting faster.

I've also suggested a tandem, but Mr fimm isn't keen... I think he fears he might have to slow down going downhill!
 

al78

Guru
Location
Horsham
I don't get the "put her in front" suggestion... if she can learn to draft you tightly on the flat, that is much more energy saving for her than you sitting behind. Oh, and I'm 39 and got serious about cycling (and triathlon) about 5 years ago - I'm still getting faster.

I've also suggested a tandem, but Mr fimm isn't keen... I think he fears he might have to slow down going downhill!

If she is in front she is setting the pace and it is much easier for the couple to keep together. If you put the stronger rider in front the stronger rider has to keep shoulder checking to make sure he isn't pulling ahead, which firstly is awkward and secondly takes his eyes off any hazards ahead.
 

srw

It's a bit more complicated than that...
But it's me that has (jokingly) suggested a tandem, and MrS won't hear of it. Probably suspecting (correctly!) that he will end up putting in most of the effort on the hills! :whistle:

Not true, actually. A tandem somehow, miraculously, evens out the effort, so that each rider contributes just the right amount to hills.
 

Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
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.


Have you considered riding behind her with a riding crop so that you can give her a tap when she slows. Also you might consider a loud haler to shout motivational slogans at her. (I would add the disclaimer that this advice is purly for entertainment purposes and should not be followed. I do not now nor have I ever condoned the use of violence to increase the average cycling speed of a spouse or lover)
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Have you considered riding behind her with a riding crop so that you can give her a tap when she slows. Also you might consider a loud haler to shout motivational slogans at her. (I would add the disclaimer that this advice is purly for entertainment purposes and should not be followed. I do not now nor have I ever condoned the use of violence to increase the average cycling speed of a spouse or lover)

I suspect that, if that advice was to be followed, severe injury to the OP may well result...
 

david k

Hi
Location
North West
Have you considered riding behind her with a riding crop so that you can give her a tap when she slows. Also you might consider a loud haler to shout motivational slogans at her. (I would add the disclaimer that this advice is purly for entertainment purposes and should not be followed. I do not now nor have I ever condoned the use of violence to increase the average cycling speed of a spouse or lover)


icon_sad.gif
icon_sad.gif
icon_sad.gif
icon_sad.gif
 

JonnyBlade

Live to Ride
I don't get the "put her in front" suggestion... if she can learn to draft you tightly on the flat, that is much more energy saving for her than you sitting behind. Oh, and I'm 39 and got serious about cycling (and triathlon) about 5 years ago - I'm still getting faster.

I've also suggested a tandem, but Mr fimm isn't keen... I think he fears he might have to slow down going downhill!

I don't think I'd like to teach a novice to draft! I'd go with the encourage from behind tactic. In running the lead naturally wants to lead
 
Top Bottom