I want to replace my 25 year old bike but my bf says I should diet and lose 20 lbs?

[Kerry1976]

I live in Aiken SC. It's hot in the summer and it's grueling to go on long bike rides. I love running in Hitchcock trails but I do not run on the days I go biking with bf. His bike has about 200,000 miles on it but he'd rather give his money to charity than buy a new wallmart bike. He makes his own gatorade from salt and sugar and KoolAid. He won't go running or snowboarding because he won't do any sports that requires special equipment or requires you to pay for plane tickets. He goes hiking on old steel toe shoes he wears at the plant. Last summer we went mountain biking in Greenbriar trail and New River Trail in Virginia and West Virginia. since I don't have a mountain bike and didn't have $100 to buy one from wallmart, I rode his spare mountainbike. Since he's 6' and I'm 5 3" it was a very uncomfortable ride not to mention monotonous covering 50 miles a day of boring old railroad track. We have to carry all our own water and food because he won't be ripped off buying drinks at gas stations or expensive little gift shops. he does maximum weights in the gym and I've never seen him out of breath, or sweat or pant. It's no wonder his wife is so mad at him after 29 years of marriage she doesn't even talk to him.

Wait, what? Is he still married?

No real caring boyfriend (or friend, for that matter) would allow a someone 5'3" to ride a bike built for a 6' tall person. That's wrong. You could have gotten seriously injured. Frugal is one thing - cheap to the point of recklessness is another.

And, as a runner myself, total props on 6 miles per day. That's no joke. As was said earlier, you are a rockstar.

I normally wouldn't say this - but I agree with everyone else. Dump the loser boyfriend, get a nice shiny new bike that you love, and celebrate the amazing person you are.

And, welcome to the TE forums. I really hope you stay on here so we can continue to support and cheer you on.

[Savra]

I'll be more blunt than Beth.

Drop the boyfriend. Buy the bike.

Good luck!

Roxy

I haven't read much of what other people have said here but I completely agree on this one. Tell boyfriend to go screw himself as well as to stop disparaging you for being slow and saying you need to lose 20 pounds. Then go buy yourself the bike of your dreams. Even better if he pays for it and then you dump him.
Just saying.

[zoom-zoom]

I am scared I will have lots of flats with skinny tires, and I'm scared the integrated brake index shifters will break constantly.

Nope...I just had my first flat ever a week ago--after logging > 5k miles. My bikes have had 23 and 25mm wide tires. I don't have too much trouble keeping up with my hubby, either, though he doesn't try to drop me. He rides easy and I push myself...though the more I ride, the less I have to push and the less he has to pull back. Because he supports me, I am eager to improve and ride more. My first year on a road bike I logged 3500 miles (in addition to running 1k miles). If he were unsupportive (as it sounds your BF is), I doubt I would have pedaled even half that. He's my biggest cheerleader (it behooves him to be, since now I can't pick on him for all the bikes in the garage--because now a couple are mine. ).

[Biciclista]

and you don't have to buy the super skinny tires kind of bike to improve what you have.
Good luck. he doesn't own you. Take care of YOU...

[tulip]

troll

[Biciclista]

you could be right

[Trek420]

Tulip is very wise. It's possible

[zoom-zoom]

Tulip is very wise. It's possible

I have yellow flags...perhaps not red, but the thought did cross my mind, as well. If the OP is not a troll, then I feel very very sad for her. But I've known women with similar stories, which is the thing that keeps me from jumping immediately to the full-on troll suspicion.

[Kerry1976]

I have yellow flags...perhaps not red, but the thought did cross my mind, as well. If the OP is not a troll, then I feel very very sad for her. But I've known women with similar stories, which is the thing that keeps me from jumping immediately to the full-on troll suspicion.

+1. I thought the same thing.

[Trek420]

Well, can we leave it this way. I don't want to put off the OP (do any of us remember our first post to TE?) and am prepared to welcome her to TE. We're a nice group, really. Cautious perhaps, been trolled before, and doubtless will be again but a really nice group.

[KnottedYet]

Well, can we leave it this way. I don't want to put off the OP (do any of us remember our first post to TE?) and am prepared to welcome her to TE. We're a nice group, really. Cautious perhaps, been trolled before, and doubtless will be again but a really nice group.

An abusive married boyfriend and a bike for a person half a foot taller.

I don't even know where to start...

[marni]

just a comment- unless your boyfriend is 20 pounds skinnier than every other single person he rides with or against, he has no right to tell you how to handle your weight or judge your appearance.

As for flat tires- I have had my semi expensive middle price range road bike for 5 years, and have had a total of 3 flats, the entire time, and I just ride on the type of tire that the bike came with. I have one change out of brakes and gear system due to
worn out issues, and replaced the chain three times. In that time I have put in endless hours and averaged over 5,000 miles a year, but then I am retired and no longer work so I have time. Granted that's not as much as some people ride, but it is more than a lot a people do.

I would also question your boyfriends math of 200,000 miles ridden unless it is his life record. If we're talking say a 10 year period, that's 20,000 miles a year which is 400 miles a week. Is he riding non stop 24/7 or what?

A good bike is a good bike, and a bad boy friend is a bad boy friend.

just sayin

marni

[Trek420]

The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong

[zoom-zoom]

The bicycle is just as good company as most husbands and, when it gets old and shabby, a woman can dispose of it and get a new one without shocking the entire community. ~Ann Strong

I'm pretty lucky. I got a great bike and a great hubby...he's probably more than great. He totally enables my "addiction."

[Trek420]

Obviously Ann Strong did not have as great a DH