"My predominant feeling is one of gratitude. I have loved and been loved;I have been given much and I have given something in return...Above all, I have been a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet, and that in itself has been an enormous privilege and an adventure." O. Sacks
Perhaps you should show your wife this thread and she can join the forum. It would be more for her rather...than for you.![]()
Don't know what your cycling interest is but think that you need to turn your attention to ..your wife at this time. Maybe lots to learn from her instead from a bunch of nameless women here at this time.
My Personal blog on cycling & other favourite passions.
遙知馬力日久見人心 Over a long distance, you learn about the strength of your horse; over a long period of time, you get to know what’s in a person’s heart.
Is this going to be another one of those 6 page threads where we try and kill eachother??![]()
I'm chuckling here, because I'm actually reading this thread with great interest. This weekend, I'm going on a trip to northern michigan with my boyfriend. I've never ridden with him before, and have been kind of really nervous about it. I've always been of the mindset that most any guy in reasonable shape could beat me riding a bike. Not that I care. Endurance-wise, I could easily "win". I just always figured that men have those inherently bigger muscles than women have.
HOWEVER, I brought my BF's bike home with me this last weekend, and noticed when I unloaded it that the gears were set at 1 (big ring) and 4 (small ring)!!! Now, we are in a swamp area down by Lake Erie. There are literally NO hills here. What the heck was he doing on his bike when he rode it?? Ummmm....1-3????
In other words, I have a strong feeling I'm gonna kick his butt....![]()
I think it just depends on the woman. Me and my BF are about the same heights as you and your wife. He can climb up hills like a scared cat, I can't but I can overpower him on just about any long sprint and I can maintain near max speed much longer and easier than he can. Don't know why this is but it's just how it is sometimes. He makes comments about me "Handing him his a$$" but it doesn't really bother him. We actually like pushing each other it makes for a great workout so let your wife do that for you. Try your best to stay with her up those hills, you'll get stronger but it doesn't happen over night.
I wouldnt mind another guy in my club so I guess I'll root for ya and hope you do
I think if the hill was just straight up for a 1/4 mile I could probably take her (in a short burst of muscle). The hill we climb isn't too steep but it goes on forever. It's an endurance and leg burning nightmare. The first time she beat me (and waited for me), she claimed she timed it from the bend in the road where said stretch of road begins. She says she won by 37 sec. Recently during our rematch she claimed victory by 40 sec on the button, so apparently now the gap is widening.![]()
I can kick butt up hills toward the end of the season, and leave my husband in the dust , but he usually catches me later. I don't do downhill well. Also, if he's been out of town for work I will ride alone, and I will ride VERY hard, because I don't like to ride alone and I want to get it done quickly. I suppose that just makes my training that much more effective. He is our pace setter and I just recently gave him a little computer for his bike so he can set a higher pace for us. It's early in the season, and he is still faster than me at this point. I acknowledge that he has a higher muscle ratio than me, I just wish I could offer him a more competitive riding partner this early in the season.
That is kind of like us in a way. She started biking to lose 30-40 lbs so the occasional rides I have gone on, I always tried and set a good pace to keep her on target.
Now she has a little cycle computer for pace setting.... but luckily I'm not obsolete yet. I can still tag along for companionship and she likes that.
I regularly beat guys and plenty of guys beat me.
My roomie got me into cycling and he had been at it for years. After 2 months of regular riding I was beating him on the hills. He was 35 and I was 40. 2 years later it isnt even close. I dont rub it in. He knows.