How do you get your DH/SO interested in riding with you?

[KathiCville]

+1 on the feeling that there's more going on here for him than the biking per se. He sounds unhappy, maybe even a little depressed? Whatever anger he's showing toward you, I bet he's aiming 5x or 10x that much at himself, inside, out o'sight. (Guys! Gotta love 'em....)

The fact that he finds something to complain about no matter what activity you choose is significant. And the crack about 'your boyfriend' is something that someone who is unhappy with himself would mutter....A problem on the job? Worrying about money? Feeling out of shape, unattractive? Frustrated with where he "is" in life compared to friends, colleagues?

If you want to continue trying to do the family ride thing, I'd say it's worth investing in a set-up that lets y'all gather and go quickly, without making a major production of it. Whatever it takes (within $ reason) to make it a snap to load the trailer and the bikes will pay for itself in lowering the hassle factor. You might be able to find what you need on craigslist? Or check with the local bike club to see if anyone has a bike rack they're not using this season?

Is there a road cycling safety class or family cycling safety class available locally? Maybe if you took it together it would help raise his comfort level with the riding-on-the-road issue. Seeing someone on a bicycle get hit was certainly not easy to witness! The memory of it is probably affecting him in ways that he's barely aware of.

As for your own riding, try not to let his current attitude put too much of a damper on your desire and determination to get out there yourself. As long as your biking doesn't put any unagreed-to childcare burden on him, he *should* be glad that you're taking care of yourself. Easier said than done, of course! You know how misery loves company! If he's unhappy with himself at the moment---whatever the root cause---it probably irks him on some level to see you enjoying yourself. And then, because he loves you, it probably irks him that he's irked!!

Finally, if he tends to complain about any and all activities that you try to set up, try inviting HIM to choose and organize an activity. Put it nicely, of course, without any reference to his neg attitude about previous outings. Just a "Hon, why don't you give some thought to what you'd like to do as a family this weekend?" Have on hand whatever local pubs would give him some ideas about what's coming up. If he follows up, great. But when and if he balks, then that might be the perfect lead-in to the "Say, what's been bugging you lately, sweetie?" conversation that others have suggested.......?

P.S. My BF tends to be a glass-half-empty type and it's definitely an "issue" for us!