Is anything different for women?

fatdaz

So Mrs FD would like to come cycling with me. I am incredibly pleased and loving the idea of doing something together but I don't want to be an over bearing know it all. I know the bits of advice which really helped me when I started but I don't want to end up droning on, is it any different for women? Is there any advice I should be focussing on or is it the same regardless of gender?

Cheers

eyepic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKr2n-9p7WM

olake92

That's great to hear! The most cycling I'll ever get my gf to do with me is an easy spin around some lanes on town bikes or some off-roading. One thing I would say is this, please please please NEVER drop your wife on a ride. Some people do this, I will never understand why.

Additionally, lots of encouragement, compliments and positive reinforcement goes a long way. Focussing compliments on her effort input encourages even more effort - you want to reinforce the idea that by trying and getting out there, she will receive a 'reward' (in this case, positivity). Sorry if this sounds a bit like a psychology lesson, but treating the human brain a bit like an animal's allows you to properly train it :P

On the whole make sure you both enjoy it! Take her desires into account and NEVER drop her. Otherwise, I will hunt you down and drop you a thousand times!

Pezzle

Olake92 speaks a lot of sense.

I got dropped on my second sportive by my OH who was too busy riding with the others he hadn't noticed I wasn't there till the next stop :roll: Let's just say it hasn't happened again. It's amazing how much ground I made trying to chase him down in a temper :evil:

Go at her speed don't sit out front and push the pace or sit behind her and ride up her back wheel. Stop little and often and make sure she drinks and eats frequently.

Finally enjoy being out there together.

Miss Pootle

I find I need to eat and drink a lot more regularly than my OH. He can go for ages on one chunk of Yorkie bar and then have a massive burger and chips later. i prefer to stop for a scone and some tea mid-ride! Ride behind her to start with (without burning the back wheel, please!) - easier to keep the same pace. Until she asks you to do your turn at the front, having realised it is less of an effort...

Cyclum

I'm actually the better cyclist between me and my husband - I've been cycling almost daily for years, he goes out once every few months on a nice day when there's a full moon.

However he runs, and he's very good at it. He tried to get me into it and I started to improve (slowly) when he joined me on a run round the block. All it did was absolutely knock my confidence. I felt like I was am awful runner (I am), I was holding him back (I was), and I generally felt a hindrance. He was trying to help but all the advice did was to give me too much to think about when I at that level I really wasn't ready for fine tuning.

So. I would go at her pace, Don't push her to go faster/further , don't go too far, and just let her catch the cycling bug. Initially you just want her to enjoy having been on a ride rather than come home feeling like she's been on boot camp. There will be plenty of time for you to impart your advice later.

And finally, when you get home, make a point of telling her how much you enjoyed the ride.

kingstonian

Only piece of advice I can give is if your wife is struggling up a hill, don't ride alongside her and try to engage her in conversation. I did that once and my wife would happily have decapitated me with her bike chain.

Just enjoy it, see it as a fun activity for the two of you and not a training ride.

olake92

Kingstonian wrote:

Only piece of advice I can give is if your wife is struggling up a hill, don't ride alongside her and try to engage her in conversation. I did that once and my wife would happily have decapitated me with her bike chain.

I've learnt that this goes for everyone, regardless of gender!

lindsey80

I used to ride with my husband and while I found it ok to sit out front and have him try and catch me up, it is not ok for him to leave me miles behind!! Just make sure you stick with her but don't try and advise too often especially if she struggles, it can get annoying!!

downhill paul

I think womens cycling equipment is a huge con. I was in a shop the other day looking at clothing. I was looking at a pair of mitts for £17, the same pair with women on the label was £25. apart from the size and maybe the colour there was no difference. the same goes for the specialized bib shorts, jerseys and jackets I was looking at. the mens are full of logos and actually look nice. the womens are just plain blank colours with a tiny logo on the chest of the jersey or jacket and on the front of the thigh. it doesn't seem fair does it. think of it like buying a Ferrari without any badges or logos on it.