Wife doesn't appreciate my Strava KOM's

Penny_Lane_Cyclist

There are a few segments on my daily commute. I ride them every day and can see my times steadily improve on Strava. Every now and then I have a special day and manage to take a KOM. I arrive home to share the good news with the wife...

The thing is she doesn't seem that bothered! She doesn't even look when I wave a picture of the Strava leaderboard in front of her.

She quickly moves onto other fascinating topics like, "What do u want for tea" or "Its your turn to change the babies nappy" even "Can you empty the bins (no question mark as its an instruction, not a question)."

I think a KOM that has taken months of riding to achieve deserves a bit more fanfare. Do others receive the same kind of underwhelming response or are your achievements suitably recognised?

2013 Rose Carbon Pro 3000
2011 Boardman Comp
2001 Kona Dawg

Grill

Your wife is spot on. KOM's are clownshoes.

TheSmithers

It's a bloke thing I guess.

lawrences

I often ring ahead and have my flatmates come outside to cheer me back in from my ride.

pinarellokid

major achievement,, but only us guys seem to be bothered.....

but if it matters... WELL DONE..

my segment is my work route and 2 months ago i managed to get it down to 09:59 i was buzzing

now my KOM is at 09:08 and hurts.. but its still my KOM..

and i love it

ednino

divorce

Bordersroadie

Excellent posting on a very serious subject, OP!

I made a 9 mile detour on my commute yesterday to recapture a KOM on a local big hill, and I got it (am I allowed a small "yipee!" to myself?). On past experience (exactly like yours!) I decided not to mention it to the missus as it would have dented my ego.

I'd have preferred adulation/hero worship but had to settle for silent smugness which, to be honest, is not a bad second option.

sloppyschleckonds

Domesticity kills relationships

Pumpkin Positive

Count yourself lucky!

I made the mistake of introducing my wife to cycling by buying her a cheap bike telling her she manages to average 200 miles per month for 6 months I'll get her a new bike. Needless to say the bike lay in the shed unloved and unused. “If I had a NICE bike like yours I’d use it” she said

That should have been the end of it but in a moment of weakness I thought “maybe she would use that nice bike if I bought it for her?”.

So I bought her a Trek Madone and she hasn’t looked back.

Mission accomplished?

I suppose so, but my altruism has backfired in that I now have to compete with her for time to go off and ride my bike. We have two small children and only one of us can be out at any one time so Sunday morning club runs (yes, she’s a member too) have to be negotiated and agreed between us.

Having not learnt my lesson I suggested that she attend the ladies only TT training session at the club. She protested that TT’s didn’t interest her much but I sent her anyway to show support for the club. It turns out she’s reasonably good and now wants to ride in all of the club TT’s!

OP – enjoy her indifference and just get out on your bike.

MountainMonster

Even if my wife is lying to me, she pretends to be interested, which boosts me more. Shame I'm a lazy bugger the last month or so, but I'm on my way back to the UK now after my holiday with a new motivation.

ugo.santalucia

She probably thinks you are immature... If I was your wife (not that I want to apply for the post, being the wrong gender to start with) I would think you are immature and would probably start looking elsewhere.

It is difficult to see from the inside, but WE cycling enthusiasts come across as a bunch of lobotomised individuals...

In essence, total sympathy for your wife...

peat

ugo.santalucia wrote:

If I was your wife I would think you are immature and would probably start looking elsewhere.

Fickle, fickle women.

mpatts

1 KM from my house I have set up a 'flame rouge' by suspending some red bunting across two flag poles. This is where I start my sprint towards the official finish line (complete with huge ticking clock and automatic camera flashing). As I cross the finish line I launch into my well practiced "michaelbot", which basically involves me flexing my impressive biceps and donning a visage akin to 'blue steel'. I collapse into a heap, and am congratulated by my directeur sportive for such a manly effort.

Once recovered, I mount the platform I have made in my garden and my good lady presents me with one of the following:

1) For a PB on the route home, yellow jersey
2) For beating "that bloke on the fixie" on the intermediate sprint, green jersey
3) For PB on the minor incline, polka dot jersey

The neighbours also come round and take photos, and their 18 year old daughter hands me a bunch of flowers and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

For longer rides I am presented with a trophy. AS I live in MK, this is a parady on the Paris Roubaix, being a mounted roundabout.

ugo.santalucia

mpatts wrote:

I KM from my house I have set up a 'flame rouge' by suspending some red bunting across two flag poles. This is where I start my sprint towards the official finish line (complete with huge ticking clock and automatic camera flashing). As I cross the finish line I launch into my well practiced "michaelbot", which basically involves me flexing my impressive biceps and donning a visage akin to 'blue steel'. I collapse into a heap, and am congratulated by my directeur sportive for such a manly effort.

Once recovered, I mount the platform I have made in my garden and my good lady presents me with one of the following:

1) For a PB on the route home, yellow jersey
2) For beating "that bloke on the fixie" on the intermediate sprint, green jersey
3) For PB on the minor incline, polka dot jersey

The neighbours also come round and take photos, and their 18 year old daughter hands me a bunch of flowers and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

For longer rides I am presented with a trophy. AS I live in MK, this is a parady on the Paris Roubaix, being a mounted roundabout.

Best post of 2013?

pinkteapot

Oi! It's not a bloke thing, it's a cyclist thing.

My husband isn't very excited by my QOMs. But then when he comes home all excited because he played really well on his golf round, it's normally greeted with a "that's nice dear" from me. So it goes both ways.

LeicesterLad

mpatts wrote:

I KM from my house I have set up a 'flame rouge' by suspending some red bunting across two flag poles. This is where I start my sprint towards the official finish line (complete with huge ticking clock and automatic camera flashing). As I cross the finish line I launch into my well practiced "michaelbot", which basically involves me flexing my impressive biceps and donning a visage akin to 'blue steel'. I collapse into a heap, and am congratulated by my directeur sportive for such a manly effort.

Once recovered, I mount the platform I have made in my garden and my good lady presents me with one of the following:

1) For a PB on the route home, yellow jersey
2) For beating "that bloke on the fixie" on the intermediate sprint, green jersey
3) For PB on the minor incline, polka dot jersey

The neighbours also come round and take photos, and their 18 year old daughter hands me a bunch of flowers and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

For longer rides I am presented with a trophy. AS I live in MK, this is a parady on the Paris Roubaix, being a mounted roundabout.

Chapeau. (coffee spluterred on office computer not so good though.)

Pumpkin Positive

mpatts wrote:

I KM from my house I have set up a 'flame rouge' by suspending some red bunting across two flag poles. This is where I start my sprint towards the official finish line (complete with huge ticking clock and automatic camera flashing). As I cross the finish line I launch into my well practiced "michaelbot", which basically involves me flexing my impressive biceps and donning a visage akin to 'blue steel'. I collapse into a heap, and am congratulated by my directeur sportive for such a manly effort.

Once recovered, I mount the platform I have made in my garden and my good lady presents me with one of the following:

1) For a PB on the route home, yellow jersey
2) For beating "that bloke on the fixie" on the intermediate sprint, green jersey
3) For PB on the minor incline, polka dot jersey

The neighbours also come round and take photos, and their 18 year old daughter hands me a bunch of flowers and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

For longer rides I am presented with a trophy. AS I live in MK, this is a parady on the Paris Roubaix, being a mounted roundabout.

Glad to know I'm not the only one to celebrate in style when coming home!

Great post!

sloppyschleckonds

pinkteapot wrote:

Oi! It's not a bloke thing, it's a cyclist thing.

My husband isn't very excited by my QOMs. But then when he comes home all excited because he played really well on his golf round, it's normally greeted with a "that's nice dear" from me. So it goes both ways.

Chapeau :!:

markhewitt1978

My wife is similarly unimpressed. I could come back and say that I've just won the Tour de France and she'd be like "Oh right".

drlodge

My OH takes slightly more of an interest (bless her), but then the number of KOMs I've held you could count on the fingers of one hand that belonged to a one fingered bloke. And I held it for all of 2 days. But then it was a real segment, about 5 miles long with up and down bits, and I took the KoM with a headwind.

She does like to view my Strava output, particularly the route (proves I'm not stopping at some other woman's house for a "rest").

Pumpkin Positive

markhewitt1978 wrote:

My wife is similarly unimpressed. I could come back and say that I've just won the Tour de France and she'd be like "Oh right".

Yes, but not quite the same as KOM on that Strava segment you've been chasing all year, is it?

dennisn

Penny_Lane_Cyclist wrote:

The thing is she doesn't seem that bothered! She doesn't even look when I wave a picture of the Strava leaderboard in front of her.

Sounds like you're trying to impress your wife with your feats of daring do, but in the end all that's happening is you're riding a bike. To be honest very few people care about your skills at video games and isn't this all that is. Just a version of video games. Can't blame her. Sounds like much ado about nothing.

plowmar

Look it's early days Kate will come round and after you've given the sprog to nanny all will be well.

P.S. watch him when he gets older as there can only be one king.

charlie_potatoes

dennisn wrote:

Penny_Lane_Cyclist wrote:

The thing is she doesn't seem that bothered! She doesn't even look when I wave a picture of the Strava leaderboard in front of her.

Sounds like you're trying to impress your wife with your feats of daring do, but in the end all that's happening is you're riding a bike. To be honest very few people care about your skills at video games and isn't this all that is. Just a version of video games. Can't blame her. Sounds like much ado about nothing.

I asked my young lad as he is into video games and he says no, Strava is nothing like a video game. He also said that it was obvious that the OP was just joking and he wondered why you couldn't grasp this?
I said I'd ask

dennisn

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

dennisn wrote:

Penny_Lane_Cyclist wrote:

The thing is she doesn't seem that bothered! She doesn't even look when I wave a picture of the Strava leaderboard in front of her.

Sounds like you're trying to impress your wife with your feats of daring do, but in the end all that's happening is you're riding a bike. To be honest very few people care about your skills at video games and isn't this all that is. Just a version of video games. Can't blame her. Sounds like much ado about nothing.

I asked my young lad as he is into video games and he says no, Strava is nothing like a video game. He also said that it was obvious that the OP was just joking and he wondered why you couldn't grasp this?
I said I'd ask

I do have my doubts as to the reality of the OP's post, but on the off chance that he is for real I thought I'd give him a real answer. It's a creepy thought that he might be real but ya never know.
As for the video game comment I'm going to stick with my thoughts that Strava is simply something for people who can't take their eyes and ears off a phone or computer screen.

charlie_potatoes

dennisn wrote:

I do have my doubts as to the reality of the OP's post, but on the off chance that he is for real I thought I'd give him a real answer. It's a creepy thought that he might be real but ya never know.
As for the video game comment I'm going to stick with my thoughts that Strava is simply something for people who can't take their eyes and ears off a phone or computer screen.

As it is his one and only post I would say Troll. Albeit a light hearted one.
I'm sure there are Strava users who can't take their eyes and ears off a phone or computer screen (when they are not riding a bike presumably) but to tar every user with the same brush comes across as a little bigoted don't you think?

Mikey23

What's a KOM ?

charlie_potatoes

Mikey23 wrote:

What's a WIFE ?

FTFY

dennisn

Charlie Potatoes wrote:

dennisn wrote:

I do have my doubts as to the reality of the OP's post, but on the off chance that he is for real I thought I'd give him a real answer. It's a creepy thought that he might be real but ya never know.
As for the video game comment I'm going to stick with my thoughts that Strava is simply something for people who can't take their eyes and ears off a phone or computer screen.

I'm sure there are Strava users who can't take their eyes and ears off a phone or computer screen (when they are not riding a bike presumably) but to tar every user with the same brush comes across as a little bigoted don't you think?

It is a little bigoted, I will admit. I guess I'm thinking more about people whose whole lives are wrapped up in the beepings of their phone and computers. You know, the kind of people whose only interest is the little world they make for themselves and it's all on a small screen. It's their real world and they have complete control of it. You and I, being real people, are not involved because we offer way too many variables and they don't want that because it's out of their control. But I rant on. Sorry.

charlie_potatoes

dennisn wrote:

But I rant on. Sorry.

Nothing wrong with a good rant

sloppyschleckonds

dennisn wrote:

I guess I'm thinking more about people whose whole lives are wrapped up in the beepings of their phone and computers. You know, the kind of people whose only interest is the little world they make for themselves and it's all on a small screen.

Is this about the new Strava feature for premium members that alerts you when you are starting and finishing a segment?