The "mixed marriage" topic came up a few times in the tandem cake topper thread, so I thought I'd move it to a new thread.
Originally posted by Trek420
I've gotta question that is vauguely but directily related to this for the group...obviously you folks both ride but how many of you have a significant other who rides? is it a problem that they don't? You guessed it I met someone who doesn't ride, or workout, I'm thinking it could be a problem. Do "mixed marriages" work?
Originally posted by Irulan
I think it depends on what you have that you DO do together.

I'm a little more crazed about biking than he is, ,but he introduced me to it. We both ski, He's crazed about whitewater and I barely can handle it. We have different house hobbies, I sew he does woodworking, but we garden and do projects together. I think he's going to get crazed about SCUBA.

hmm, it looks like we do more together than not together. I guess I'm no much help.

...never mind....

Irulan
Originally posted by SheSpeeds
Mixed relationships can work!

Brian and I are both very enthusiastic about all things bike and all things whitewater kayaking. I had just started to ride on the roades when I met him. He introduced me to mountain biking and helped me through the...er rocky start. He has also helped me push my kayaking skills further than I could ever imagine, running waterfalls and class V rivers. When we travel to our adventerous destinations it is very common, especially in kayaking, to see the hubby without the wife. There are often jokes flying around about "I escaped today, but can't paddle tomorrow." Many people seem envious of us that we can play together and our time together is boundless. Brian and I can spend almost every minute of our lives togther, but that's not a trait that every person has. In some relationships, a weekend boating trip let's both people have their independance and personal time.

It has to do with communication. Cycling and almost anything else is a sport that for the people who do it, are passionate about it. The other member of the relationship has to appreciate (not just accept) that is that important to the other person. But I would suggest, that if you are spending more than 15 hours at your sport on top of leaving for work each day, that you have to discover if that kind of "distant" relationship is something that you want. If you think you will wish he was with you to share in the experience that may pose a long-term problem.

Of course...and I meant to finish it there...we do have all our sports in common, so sometimes there's little to talk about. I can't really interest him in the realm of my unique experience (such as scuba diving) because we do the same thing. "Then there was this big 16' foot waterfall, the right side crashing into jagged boulders..." he'd say, "yea, I saw it." So we are a little limited in that aspect.

PS
My parents said that the only thing they had in common when they got married was that they liked to party together. She was a music major, he was a business major...they've been married nearly 50 years.
Originally posted by pedalfaster
Ohhh tough one. I'd like to think I could date a non-cyclist, but the not having a sport(or working out) at all part would bother me. Part of it is that physical fitness and activity is important to me and I want to see the same values in my partner.

Annnd...to me there is a difference between just "working out" and having a sport that you are passionate about. I don't think I could date a "gym rat" or someone who walked 3 miles a day for exercise. I think I *could* date someone who hiked regularly and was planning to through-hike the AT. The difference is the passion, the commitement, the drive.

Does that make any sense at all?