I am a bike path rider for exercise. I am not fast and I don't ride nearly as much as I would like, but I am excited about spring weather. My hubby, who needs the exercise just as much as I do, claims to want to ride with me. He is a big guy and decided last year (after I bought a new road bike) that he needed a bike that fit him better than his hybrid (which doesn't carry his weight very well.) So he bought a frame to refurbish and build what he wants (and has made very little progress.) In the meantime, my first bike path ride of the season was last Sunday (Yippeee!!). He agreed to go with me, which I was happy about, but that means we ride slower and not as long. I want him to ride with me, I want him to get the exercise too, but I'm dying to leave him in the dust (such that it is, at my speed!) But I don't want to make him feel bad. Would you hang back and try to talk him into joining in as often as possible, knowing it will be less of a ride than you would like, initially? The payoff would be that eventually he could handle longer rides with me. Or, would you stop asking and head out on your own? I would, of course, be happy to have him come with me when he brings it up, not me. This got kind of long, but I'm torn between what I want to do and being patient while he eventually meets my level and we can easily ride together. What should I do? I confess to living for the moments when I ask and he says he doesn't want to go riding. (This whole thing makes me sound like a terrible person! )