Feeling nervous!

[domtyler]

Having just bought my wife her first bike since she was a little girl from the shop near where I work in the City, she is coming to pick it up and I have to get her and the bike home back to East London seven miles away this lunch time!

Should be interesting. The last time we went out on bikes was at my parents holiday cottage in France and she ended up cycling straight into the ditch!
Hopefully I can keep her from any left turning lorries, white van men, 4x4 mums.

 

[beanzontoast]

Mrs B hadn't cycled for years either and now she's a commuting and leisure cyclist. Think of the fun you're going to have!

Let us know how she gets on!

 

[curve]

Does it come with stabilisers? :grin:

 

[domtyler]

Well that was interesting!

I thought she did really well actually. A bit of trouble getting used to the gears and boy does it feel slow riding with a beginner! We started off on fairly quiet roads out towards Bethnal Green, then off onto the canal for a mile, into Victoria park for a further mile then along a long stretch of cycle path along a fairly busy road and stuck to the cycle path through the big junction at Eastway. Along Temple Mills road where all the Olympic work is going on it suddenly clouded over and the wind really picked up turning it into a bit of a dust storm, with all the construction lorries thundering by she got a little spooked and had to stop for a minute or two. Then it started to hail and we got drenched on the final leg into Wanstead.

All in all she really enjoyed it and is looking forward to going out again tomorrow.

 

[beanzontoast]

Glad it went ok.

Sounds like the ride was quite a good mixture of conditions with a dust storm and hail thrown in. Now you need to arrange sunshine for tomorrow!

 

[Twenty Inch]

Get in touch the Tower Hamlets Wheelers through their website. They do bike buddy and group rides, which are great for a newby. Also means that you don't have the responsibility for it all, thus saving your relationship.

 

[yenrod]

My, if she can put up (enjoy) with dust/hail/blustery wind then she'll love a 1st class sunny day !!!

 

[beanzontoast]

Met Office forecast for Derby on Saturday says light rain followed by sunny intervals, sunny, heavy rain showers, sunny intervals and clear skies to finish. That'll be 4 minutes of actual sunshine then...

Hope London fares better for you!

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Met Office forecast for Derby on Saturday says light rain followed by sunny intervals, sunny, heavy rain showers, sunny intervals and clear skies to finish. That'll be 4 minutes of actual sunshine then...

Hope London fares better for you!

We've only just had the National, surely it's too soon for the Derby

 

[Monkey Boy]

Going out tomorrow??......that sounds very keen. I bet she gets a great sleep tonight and her legs will be ready to burst tomorrow! I'd give her a few days to recover.

 

[beanzontoast]

We've only just had the National, surely it's too soon for the Derby

 

[Dayvo]

Having just bought my wife her first bike since she was a little girl

You married her when she was a little girl!!!

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

DT - do you ride behind her or infront?

I am introducing my gf to the roads, and she is loving it, but as our schedules mean we can only really go for rides around midnight, there is very little traffic to contend with.

If we cycle to the shops or something during the day, she can get pretty nervous in traffic. I like to ride behind her (not only so that I can look at her bum) but also I am more confident and ride far enough out from the kerb to be safe, but she can't seem to break free from the yellow line.

She is slowly getting better, but also wants me infront when negotiating the local one way system and gyratory. She has a good turn of pace, but is lumbered with an old mtb made from depleted uranium's fat older brother.

Any tips on encouriging her to cycle as per Cyclecraft (which she dutifully has read and flicks through quite often), I have just about broken her habit of riding in the door zone.

 

[mickle]

Many local authorities have free adult cycle training available BTW. Contact your Cycling Officer, every LA has one.

 

[beanzontoast]

When Mrs B and I go cycling, I tend to ride behind. As she is the lesser experienced, I prefer to be able to see her road position and to match her pace.