First ride with the wife today :)

[JhnBssll]

11.4 miles at an average speed of 8.5mph The first time she had ridden her Raleigh Pioneer and also the first time she had ridden any bicycle in 11 years She had a bit of a panic at one point when the chain jumped off the bottom sprocket going up a hill after some excuberant shifting but a few minutes later we were on our way again. I have since apologised for the poor limit screw adjustment

When we got home she was evidently pleased with herself and a little while later asked if I fancied going to a bike shop with her after lunch I didn't take much persuading so off we popped to Elmy's for a chat with their staff and a look at the shiny new bicycles... Without any prompting she was drawn to the Bianchi's and after sitting on a 50cm Via Nirone 7 she has decided that if she continues to enjoy cycling for the next few weeks she's going to go back and buy it

I'm torn between thinking maybe she should wait a little longer to decide and wondering why she didn't just buy it today Ok, I'm not really torn, I'm going to encourage the purchase every step of the way

Her main concern is the drop bars - In her words they're "scary" and she's struggling to see how she can "just" go from her flat bar bike to a scary bike I see her point. A more confident cyclist would probably just test ride the bike but she's concerned about damaging it and wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. I guess it'll be a case of buying it and converting it to flat bars if she really doesn't get on with them but I'm fairly confident she'll learn to love them

She loves the Raleigh and loves the idea of popping to the next village on it even more. I picked up some unused Raleigh panniers for it yesterday for a tenner so I've got a decent amount of browny points adding up...

She even asked me which bike I was going to get next when we were in the shop - today was a good day

 

[stoatsngroats]

That’s fantastic! My OH hadn’t been on a bike for years, in 2011 when we first met. Since then she’s had a Dutch style bike, 2 hybrids, a Felt road bike, an electric Cube, (the current one - no pun intended!) and shortly will be purchasing via C2W a Brompton.
We also had 4 years riding a Viking tandem, which we did a short Guernsey tour with.
She did a 4 day tour on the electric recently into Paris!
Here’s hoping your wife has many more interesting cycle adventures ahead of you both!

 

[dantheman]

This made me smile for you. I wish my wife would be like this, but no interest whatsoever for her.

 

[Ice2911]

My wife has just started riding this last month. She surprised me when she announced she was going to do the 300 miles in September for Cancer Research. She last rode a bike 12 years ago and fell off. She doesn’t like roads so we started with a 2 mile ride, mile out mile back on Marriotts way. Then we did four. Built up to a 10, then 15 and a 23 miles along Marriotts way. Last week we started riding on very minor roads and 18 miles on consecutive days. I’m very proud of her and the progress she is making and for doing the challenge. She has admitted she can see why I enjoy riding my bike she has complained about a sore derrière though!!! I have worried her a little after I came off and have plenty of bruising and road rash this week when riding with my mates. She was already quicker going up hills than coming down as she is scared by the descents but getting better. Good luck to your wife and I hope she continues to enjoy the ride.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I think your wife would be better off getting more used to the Pioneer first and clocking up a decent mileage. Those flat bars are a lot wider than what you'll find fitted on a female-sized drop bar bike. I haven't ridden with drop bars for years (apart from a spin round the block on a Dawes Galaxy) and although it wouldn't worry me, they do feel very different to steer especially on rough surfaces where the kickback from the uneven ground is worse the narrower the bars are.

 

[tom73]

Well done to her and it sound's like your enjoying yourself too. She sound's a bit like mine. We only went looking at bike's and she come out with an order for one. This was even before i'd taken mine out the box. Mrs 73 not too keen on drops either though I don't think no matter how much I explain it's ok she will become a convert.

We've only been out together a couple of times but are planning ride's. Mrs 73 is even thinking of a few over night stop off's (need to sort out a dog trailer 1st mind)

She love her bike just wish she had more time to enjoy it.

I'd say encouraging them is the best plan i've found it work's wonder's when talk turn's to I need to get .... , oh look xyz have a sale i'm just having a look. The big pay off for me was i'd only been into bike's a few week's and I got the green light for n+1. By the look's you've managed that one already

One word of warning though next thing you know she will be signing up to here too

Hope the pair of you continue to enjoy time together.

 

[MartinQ]

If she does get a drop bar, maybe some in line brake levers would help to begin with
https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/in-line-brake-levers

 

[Cuchilo]

Just go and buy her the bike mate . Its only a toy and if she doesn't like it then sell it .
Just do it .

 

[JhnBssll]

Just go and buy her the bike mate . Its only a toy and if she doesn't like it then sell it .
Just do it .

She earns more than I do and I bought her the first one, it's her turn now I'm fairly confident she'll buy one, she wants to go out again on Monday and try to get to the next village along from where we stopped today

 

[mjr]

All good but warn her that road bike brakes are different. Not weaker exactly, as traction is normally the limiting factor but 52mm calipers are a different thing to 70?mm V brakes on that Raleigh, especially in the wet and trying to brake from the hoods.

Oh and the supplied pads on Bianchis are pants. Replace with BBB Techstop blue or other good ones.

 

[simonali]

Or upgrade to a disc model with shiny Hope 4 pots!

 

[simonali]

There's a new bike shop opened in Marlborough that has some sexy Bianchi bikes inside and in the window. I was explaining to my missus about the significance of the Celeste colour, but I expect she's already forgotten about it.

 

[Kajjal]

Hang on chaps you are doing this all wrong.

You are supposed to ride really fast continually leaving her behind and then start moaning when she eventually catches up. Then just buy her a cheap badly fitting bike and go out when heavy rain is predicted without waterproof gear to complete the experience

 

[JhnBssll]

We had our second ride together last week - 16 miles this time She's now getting a bit of confidence and has started to consider the possibilities of riding out to places on her own instead of taking the car I'm signed up for the 100 mile Ipswich cycle swarm at the end of the month but we're considering entering her for the 25 mile route and doing it together now instead, we'll see how she feels about it nearer the time

 

[mustang1]

Marvelous! Good going!