Family support

[Matthew_T]

I have always had support from my family with regards to cycling. They arent too happy with me spending money on my bikes all the time and tell me to 'take care' whenever I go out for a ride, but they actively support me cycling.
My dad is always interested to know what I have bought lately and where I have been cycling.
My mum always says that the cyclists she sees on the way home from work always remind her of me (and she thinks that they are me!).

Mother is an excellent driver around cyclists (and in general). She always gives them room and is a very safe driver (from my perspective). However, she does have a tendency to get a little aggravated when other drivers act like twunts (she always comes home with a story about a near miss). I am thinking of setting up a camera in her car just to see exactly when happens.
Dad is a bit of a bad driver. Not only does he come a bit too close to cyclists, but he often overtakes even though he has nowhere to go (MGIF syndrome). He has picked up a few bad habits in his time.

If I ever want to take part in a race, they always find the time to take me and show support.
Does anyone else have very supportive families when it comes to cycling?

 

[Sillyoldman]

Mrs Silly is delighted that since her man got the cycling bug he is now 3 stone lighter and once again has only one chin. In fact last week she said I looked handsome. Praise indeed and most out of character. I have booked her an opticians appointment and plan to have a careful look in her wardrobe and shoe rack.

 

[Saluki]

Hubby is totally supportive of my addiction, even more so now he has his carbon jobbie. The outlaws think that I am bonkers and cannot see why I want to be thinner and fitter. They think that it is me who is weird.

 

[Sillyoldman]

Saluki, I have heard of taking stuff to put lead in your pencil but what do you feed him to give him carbon jobbies?

 

[Cuchilo]

My cat doesn't like my bike in the front room .

 

[Shut Up Legs]

My Dad spent a few decades trying to convince me to get a driver's licence, but finally gave up. I think he's (just about) accepted I want to be a cyclist and never a motorist. Hopefully my parents and siblings drive carefully around cyclists, but I wouldn't know, as they're on the other side of the country (and it is a fairly wide country), so I rarely see them. They've all seen the physical effects of cycling on me, so I think they're happy it keeps me healthy.

 

[Irishrich]

My wife at first thought it was a fad and worried when I first went out on the road. Now she doesn't bat an eyelid when I leave for a 3 hour ride and thats just one year later. My dad got out the old MTB earlier this year as he saw me cycling and has been asking questions about road bikes. I even tried to get him started by suggesting the BTwin entry model but he's still a bit too scared. Maybe it didn't help that he fancied a go on my road bike which has clipless pedals and he had trainers on so he didnt get far before falling into a grass verge. Soft landing thankfully

 

[roadrash]

Mrs road rash doesn't cycle,never has . She has always supported me in what ever I have chosen to do. My kids now aged 26 and twins aged 22 don't understand why I choose to cycle anywhere when there's a car on the drive .

 

[Kies]

Mrs Kies loves that fact I have lost weight and have a decent wardrobe now. She has always been slim, even after having 2 children, who are now 21 and 17. The kids like my cycling and have some interest. My son has stolen my Triban 3a .
My father loves my cycling and tells everyone about my recent charity ride from Bristol to Slough, which raised £700.
My in laws don't get it at all and worry about cars etc

 

[Hacienda71]

My dad cycled from Manchester to Paris in the fifties. He commuted to Manchester for 20 years on his Carlton Corsair and still rides it sometimes despite suffering from Parkinson's. He always encouraged us to cycle. Strangely my mum has never had a bike during my lifetime.
One of my brother's commutes by bike to Stockport every day.
As kids we always had bikes and used them as everyday transport through to university days.
My wife is pretty good about me cycling and encourages the kids to cycle as well. She gets a little irritated by bikes and parts lurking in the dining room rather than being kept in the garage.
So yes I think my family are pretty supportive.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Mine are 50/50.

It's perfectly acceptable to go for a ride and I'll get asked how far/total ascent/who with and the usual small talk - but try explaining anything relating to n+1

The grief I got with 5 bikes in the house bloody non-cyclists, should be paying road tax or...... oh

 

[wilkie]

My husband is a star he has tea ready when I get back from cycling after work, I also ran the Brighton marathon 2011 and 2012 he came to both to cheer me on even though he hates running what a gem :-)

 

[Mo1959]

My Dad keeps telling me about nice routes that have "just little hills" and then when I go and investigate I find they are bloomin mini mountains!

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Mrs Mick doesn't get it at all, after 3 yrs of me road cycling. She doesn't understand that consumables such as pads, tyres, chains etc should be replaced. I save over a grand a year from commuting without fuel expense but she said she'd rather me spend money on fuel rather than on that b..... bike. I, on the other hand, support myself wholeheartedly.

 

[Herzog]

After a broken leg suffered in a bike accident, my wife is still "letting" me race...I think she understands what a d*ckhead I'd turn into if I wasn't allowed to cycle.

Saying that, if she told me I wasn't allowed to, I would probably ignore here anyway