Yes, you can definitely take a break and come back later! I've done it many times. I've been riding off and on for close to 20 years now, since my DH sweetly bought me my first road bike for a long-ago birthday (he hid it in the guest bath shower behind the curtain, so cute!) Since then I've had countless bikes (a recumbent, an upright tandem, a 10' recumbent tandem, a hybrid, three additional road bikes, a Bike Friday, and two mountain bikes!!) I've taken breaks for as long as 3-4 years off bike, but something always draws me back in, I get seriously addicted, but at some point, I stop to focus on other things for awhile and take years off.

I took several years off while dealing with our infertility too. We went through years of trying, surgery, tests, two ICSIs, and a pregnancy that ended in miscarriage at 12 weeks. It was an emotionally wrenching time in both of our lives, and our focus was definitely not on bikes at that time!

Started riding seriously again several years ago, thought I'd never quit again, but a cycling accident resulting in a fractured pelvis in April 2005 sidelined me for several months. Then after slowly getting back out on the roads, I was blindsided again when my beloved father died in a car accident last October. After that, I just couldn't bring myself to ride for many months. It was a combination of grief, fear, insecurity....I just didn't have any desire.

Finally, the desire did start returning. I first started mountain biking earlier this summer, which felt safer than the road, and just within the last few weeks, I finally felt ready to ride on the road again. But on my terms. I'm not doing fast-paced, aggressive club rides or even aggressive rides with my DH, who, like yours, is much faster on climbs, causing me to work so hard that rides sometimes lose the "fun" factor. Instead, we're riding to the farmer's market and food co-op with panniers on our Bike Fridays, averaging 12-13 mph, smiling and waving at everyone, and having 10x more fun!

So, take your break; take as long as you need. Do other things and don't feel bad about riding! While I wasn't riding, we had so much fun hiking and gardening, and I discovered a love for mountain biking when I tried that that I might never have found if I'd kept on road riding. I also found a friend at work to mtb with, and we have such fun riding once a week together. She's better than me, but there's no competition. We gossip and laugh and have girl time, and it's something I do just for "me" instead of always riding only with my DH.

And when you do come back, maybe do some different types of rides. Find a girlfriend or friends to ride with, or a slower-paced social club ride. Riding doesn't all have to be about increasing your average speed and killing yourself to keep up with your husband. That can be fun and exiliarating at times too (been there, done that), but it can also be frustrating and lead to severe burnout on the bike! I've been there too, and I've had tearful rides when I got dropped and felt like such a loser. Now my rides are slower, more casual, and a heck of a lot more fun. Even my DH (former hammerhead) is having more fun going slow with me instead of pushing himself to do A-paced club rides.

You are perfectly normal -- and your bike (or a new one fit just for you!!!) will be patiently waiting when you're ready for it again.

Emily