"My honey is the climbing QUEEN!", said the husband.

I got my bike a little over a year ago from the components on my husband's old bike and a new frame. I've had trouble doing hills from the get go and figured I was just dorky and slow. In the past month or so I have really improved my climbing, after my professional bike fit, which was totally great. But, as it turns out, I've been doing even better than I thought and just didn't know it! Check out this email I just got from my husband today.

I just took a gander at your back cassette. I couldn't remember if you had a 27 as your easy ring in the back or if it was a 26 or 28 (common changes I made to the bikes last year.) It was a 25! That's more difficult than I thought you were riding. I'm giving you the tandem 11-28 for your Saturday ride. You should see a huge difference and climb quick IF you commit to a faster spin of course.

Wow... sorry honey!!! I thought you had a 27 all this time. I never gave it a second thought! But you IS the climber for doing that with a big ring up front and a "standard" "guy" gear in the back! That's not all that easy. The change I'll make should give you as much difference as switching to a compact crankset with your "present" rear gearing. You should enjoy this.

This is such a crack up. I don't know whether to ring his neck for making me feel like such a climbing doofus for the past year ... :mad: ... or kiss him for figuring out why! :D Now, all of a sudden, I'm apparently the "climbing queen" for doing the hills I've done on my bigger ring.

Now let's just hope that fixing it will actually make a big difference!!! I'll keep you posted. :)

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Originally Posted by Jiffer

I got my bike a little over a year ago from the components on my husband's old bike and a new frame. I've had trouble doing hills from the get go and figured I was just dorky and slow. In the past month or so I have really improved my climbing, after my professional bike fit, which was totally great. But, as it turns out, I've been doing even better than I thought and just didn't know it! Check out this email I just got from my husband today.

I just took a gander at your back cassette. I couldn't remember if you had a 27 as your easy ring in the back or if it was a 26 or 28 (common changes I made to the bikes last year.) It was a 25! That's more difficult than I thought you were riding. I'm giving you the tandem 11-28 for your Saturday ride. You should see a huge difference and climb quick IF you commit to a faster spin of course.

Wow... sorry honey!!! I thought you had a 27 all this time. I never gave it a second thought! But you IS the climber for doing that with a big ring up front and a "standard" "guy" gear in the back! That's not all that easy. The change I'll make should give you as much difference as switching to a compact crankset with your "present" rear gearing. You should enjoy this.

This is such a crack up. I don't know whether to ring his neck for making me feel like such a climbing doofus for the past year ... :mad: ... or kiss him for figuring out why! :D Now, all of a sudden, I'm apparently the "climbing queen" for doing the hills I've done on my bigger ring.

Now let's just hope that fixing it will actually make a big difference!!! I'll keep you posted. :)

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whether you go faster or not will depend on what sort of cadence you can maintain...but i'll tell you this, it'll feel easier regardless of whether you're getting up that hill faster or not! lol

Granny gears reign!

You have a lovely husband who should be cloned. Several times.

I'm still struggling with my miniscule hills that would take a geiger detector to register any elevation changes; but, like you I'm getting better. Achievements however small still feel wonderful.

"guy" gear? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by jobob

"guy" gear? :rolleyes:

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Sometimes you just need to cut them some slack. they really do mean well but face some chromosomal challenges to recognizing others' abilities (and asking for directions).

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Originally Posted by liza

Sometimes you just need to cut them some slack. they really do mean well but face some chromosomal challenges to recognizing others' abilities (and asking for directions).

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Couldn't agree more!

Sometimes you just have to think of their other wonderful qualities.:p

Funny story, jiffer! Don't you just love when you find these things out?

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Originally Posted by jobob

"guy" gear? :rolleyes:

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He means the easiest gear that typically comes on guy's bikes. My bike is not women specific, which would have had a smaller ring to begin with if it were. That's all he means.

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Originally Posted by pardes

You have a lovely husband who should be cloned. Several times.

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Thank you, Pardes. He's a keeper. ;)

Reading things in context is compassionate reading. If our radar is always maxed out at 10+ all the time then anything written by anyone will "prove" any thesis we like. I do not think the Suffragettes had in mind that we would be picking over every man's every word and punctuation mark like picking scabs and looking for a little blood.

A sweet and endearing letter from a husband to a wife was posted that witnesses his love and concern for her and the humor they share. Bravo!

I just thought that was a pretty funny (as in humorous) way to put it.

Oh, and btw, WS bikes don't necessarily come with "girl" gears. ;)

I think those of us who've been talked down to by guys in shops think it was pretty funny. There are plenty of women who ride those "guy" gears and leave the "guy" in the dust.

Guess that means you don't "ride like a girl", SK.

duckin' & runnin' :D

Or mebbe the guys ride like me? Some of those girlie types were smokin' the dudes around Mt Bachelor this weekend.

I actually descended faster than the two big dudes I was riding with. What's with that? You say I need to duck and run from the ice cream?