yea, the stronger rider, if the person would consider cycling with extra weight, as a form of "training" which it truly can be if you plan to go long-distance touring through mountains...you had better first try grocery-shopping with panniers on a long route with multiple long hills at home..
I think the above reason is that's probably the reason why my partner doesn't get bothered lugging more groceries, but often only if I OFFER initially to carry my share of the weight first. It gives him the option to turn me down. And I have no problems if he turns me down....after all I had to lug all the grocery weight on bike for 16 kms. for several years when he and I lived in different cities.
He is the one is stronger rider , and has done several rides across the continent.
We ride together but he does tend to ride ahead because he is stronger, and on quiet routes, does loops for me to catch up. Each of us also ride solo, so he gets to train at his pace and I ride to please myself or do stuff on my own.
It's truly important for the weaker rider, to become strong, independent rider mentally by not feeling "left behind", particular if the stronger rider already in good-spirit, does reliably wait at different points ahead or slows down abit. The weaker rider should also try riding some long routes at their own pace, at 50-120 kms. solo, to become more indpendent and self-reliant. Then riding with stronger partner still ahead on a different ride, the whole bike ride will be enjoyable for both.
Often I do lose sight temporarily of him..usually on routes that I know already. So no point worrrying nor feeling left out. If you are touring in an area you don't know, it is important that a couple try to stay within sightline of each other somehow. Otherwise, lots of wasted time, backtracking/hunting for each other.
by the way, as a couple, we don't talk much while we are cycling. Yelling and not hearing each other while trying to cycle at a fit speed, is not ideal to loving communication. We have a wonderful unspoken cycling language together!





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