Hi!

Welcome to the TE forum!

You have been given great advice! I would stress taking your time in finding the bike that's right for you! I know of too many people who purchase and are sorry a month or two later! Some places rent bikes and have quite a selection to choose from. You might want to try that in order to get the "feel" of various types of bikes?

Most definitely shop around...even if you are buying "used."

A really good fit is very important! My LBS offers "fitting sessions" to everyone...even if someone bought a bike anywhere else! It's great PR for them and allows them an opportunity to establish a relationship with bikers who have purchased a bike elsewhere! Some shops will "charge" for an extensive "fitting" session, some will not!

My husband can (and often does) leave me in his dust! We both understand we are at different levels of "fitness" and we both have different needs. So... we often start out together and decide to take different routes which end up in the same place. He may go further and/or choose larger hills, etc. In the end..we are back together! Our next ride might be a "recovery" ride for him... and we ride together throughout most of the ride!

He sometimes rides with friends who travel very fast. I sometimes go on rides with friends who go more slowly.

I think you both can find ways to "compromise" so you can each have your fitness needs met and spend some time together!

Now that we both have gained some endurance (we have just started riding this summer), we are actually looking into various forms of two way communication. He wants to go off and "push" himself in training... beyond what I am ready for and he is concerned about where I am and how I am doing. So..we are looking into a way he can meet his need to train and lessen his concern with whether I am doing okay!

He is much happier if I encourage him to go as fast and ride as hard as he wants to. I am much happier if he also lets me "push" myself at my own pace.
In the end... we have ridden... we have crossed paths... we may have met at a "rest area" to drink water...and ultimately we are both back at the car, placing the bikes on the rack in order to go home!

We both feel better and don't feel "limited" or "pushed" by the other!

Good luck with this!
Congrats on your wedding plans!
Keep us posted on how it's going!