Good friend, bad rider

[BluePeace2]

could you maybe take him on a group ride. Maybe you telling him just isn't going to work but if he sees how the other guys ride and that you aren't just trying to get him to do what you want he will start being a bit safer? Guys are like that, some girls too. I went on one ride with my sister during our holiday and she wouldn't listen to me telling her that spinning is much better for you than mashing, she even laughed at me and told me her fiance rides like me and she doesn't understand why I would do that, it makes your heart rate go up and her cardio is her running. Riding is just for fun.

[Bad JuJu]

I had the same problem with a friend who wanted to ride with me several years ago. She'd do a similar thing to Kermit's friend: pedal, pedal, pedal, coast...pedal, pedal, pedal, coast--for the whole ride! At least we never did more than maybe 15 miles together. No matter what I said about trying to spin, or how much I suggested shifting in particular ways, it did no good. On the rare occasions when she did shift, she slammed the levers around, as if she were angry with them.

Sad to say, but I just had to quit riding with her. Even sadder, she's no longer getting any exercise of any kind and her once-sweet Bianchi Volpe is rusting away in her garage. Some people just refuse to accept advice or to be helped.

[aicabsolut]

I don't know about dragging him to a group ride. I wouldn't want to be responsible for bringing such a safety hazard to a group. There's often that guy who can't hold a line or who can't pedal smoothly, but cutting people off in turns or riding dangerously in traffic is even worse.

[bluebug32]

Thanks, everyone. I already have friends in the group ride who say they won't ride with him after hearing about his technique (or lack thereof). It's weird to have a good friend and then suddenly want to kill them when you start a new activity together. He got into road biking so he could spend more time with us (since we were spending less time on the trail).

[Trek420]

B'bug, Obviously I don't know your friend, though I've ridden with folks like him. You'd know better what is the cause or cure for this.

Sometime the rider is plain ol' stubborn. And sometimes not everyone has the mind/body connection to make the jump to learn gearing, spinning.

I find that saying. lecturing, finger pointing does not work well for many. Heck, it does not work at all. Showing works. Follow me, ride like this But then he has to want to follow another rider. There again not all can see one thing and then make the connection to do the motion.

I'm not saying he's dumb, uncoordinated, it's just a skill not all have or learning style.

I'm very picky about who I ride with. Meanwhile, invite him to the recovery meal

[ny biker]

Give him the name and phone number of a good orthopedic surgeon, and tell him it's for when (not if, when) he destroys his knees by refusing to shift down on hills.

[smurfalicious]

Hmmm, I say ditch him too. I won't downshift on hills, into my granny anyway. I know it sounds st00ped but I'd rather walk than grunt around in my granny. Part of this is not wanting to get used to having a triple and relying on it, and part of it is me not realizing that I am not racer girl of years before powering up and down a short steep hill for "fun" waiting for my friends. Would I do this in a group though? Nevah!