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Advantages to being a girl in the C&V game

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Advantages to being a girl in the C&V game

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Old 02-05-13, 11:15 AM
  #1  
Cattywompus
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Advantages to being a girl in the C&V game

Let me tell you about my weekend:

The family went to visit my in-laws in Bradenton this weekend. My sister-in-law was riding with us, so I told her to bring her Specailized HardRock along so we could ride out to Anna Maria Island. We roll out at 10:00, it's about 58F with a high of 75F expected. I'm on my SLT 12.2, so I let her set the pace. It turns out to be one of those rides that you would rearrange your life around if you could just have more like it on a regular basis, know what I mean? Here's just one of the sights. The Skyway Bridge is in the background:





She comes back raving about the ride and encourages my husband to go with me the next morning. Now up until this point my husband has been pretty passive about this whole C&V thing. He's had a "I'm happy you're happy" vibe, which I appreciate. But we've never ridden alone together (the logistics with small kids makes that hard). So we go out with the same gorgeous weather and scenery. I'm in front because I know where we're going. He just can't keep up on the bike he's on. I coast a lot. I scrub my speed a lot. I stay with him for the majority of the ride, but he understands how effortless it is to go fast on my bike versus the tank he's rolling.

Now here's where the gyno-advantage comes in:

Most women, had they been in his place, would have gotten frustrated with the disparity and not had as good of a time, maybe called the ride short.

Not a guy. The gauntlet had been thrown down. He now needed to know how fast he could go with the right bike. So we talked over coffee about how after the initial start-up cost, cycling would be a great low cost and healthy way to spend time together, how he wouldn't have to wear skin-tight clothes to be comfortable on a road bike, etc, etc. So he let me buy him an early birthday present.
I brought it home yesterday:





Now I want to know: was it wrong of me to have a bike in mind before we even went out for the ride?

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Old 02-05-13, 11:31 AM
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No, definitely right! Sharing biking with family and friends which weren't bikers before is the best thing there is.

Plus, that's a very nice bike you got for him.
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Old 02-05-13, 11:38 AM
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I got my wife a bike, and a year later we did a weeklong easy cycle tour of the Netherlands, town to town. Best vacation ever. It is indeed a nice activity to share.

I am a little afraid that she'll get the C&V bug herself though. She's an artist, craftsperson, builds cigar box guitars, frequently makes costumes for the entire cast of the HS play, has spun wool for weaving, basically can make anything she puts her mind to. If she gets it into her head to do wrenching, she will overwhelm me.
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Old 02-05-13, 11:41 AM
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Your husband seems to be a lucky guy! So are you, for that matter.

What does all this have to do him not having to wear skin-tight clothes?

(I never wear skin-tight clothes while riding. That doesn't bother my sweetie.)
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Old 02-05-13, 11:41 AM
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What a great wife your hubby has! Beautiful chioce!!!

I wanted to get my wife into C&V... but tiny frames were too few and far between. I'm just thankful that she rides! (And she lets me have my hobby... usually just smiling, shaking her head, and saying: "you and your bikes!"
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Old 02-05-13, 11:44 AM
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Very neatly done Cattywompus. Now he'll be faster and you may have to buy yourself a new old bike to keep up with him.
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Old 02-05-13, 11:45 AM
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Are you sure he was hanging back because he was struggling, or could it be possible that he was enjoying the scenery (the woman he loves ahead of him in tight shorts). Just curious, because I've been known to slow down ocassionally and let my wife pull.
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Old 02-05-13, 11:45 AM
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I had that exact model bike. Its a nice one. I dressed it up with some neon green bar tape and cable housing.

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Old 02-05-13, 11:47 AM
  #9  
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Great write-up. Your husband is a lucky guy.
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Old 02-05-13, 11:48 AM
  #10  
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From your thread title, I was expecting the story to end with you getting a Kewhl bike like that Paramount and the hubby maybe inheriting your old one....
But I guess as long as you are both happy how you are now building up a cycling future with each other!

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Old 02-05-13, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by CMC SanDiego
... I've been known to slow down ocassionally and let my wife pull.
I try that every so often on the tandem but it never works.
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Old 02-05-13, 12:07 PM
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I think the wrong bike discourages a lot of riders as does not being able to keep up with others than want to ride. It's good his mindset is where it is.
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Old 02-05-13, 12:27 PM
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Thanks, guys. I knew you'd be supportive.

I love that color scheme, Thrifty Bill. Mr. Wompus's bike has the red splatter over the blue, so he and I are discussing what colors would look best for tape and tires, etc. I'm going to post better pictures in a new thread so you guys can give me some ideas.

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Old 02-05-13, 12:31 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by Cattywompus
Let me tell you about my weekend:

Now up until this point my husband has been pretty passive about this whole C&V thing. He's had a "I'm happy you're happy" vibe, which I appreciate. But we've never ridden alone together (the logistics with small kids makes that hard). So we go out with the same gorgeous weather and scenery. I'm in front because I know where we're going. He just can't keep up on the bike he's on. I coast a lot. I scrub my speed a lot. I stay with him for the majority of the ride, but he understands how effortless it is to go fast on my bike versus the tank he's rolling.

Now here's where the gyno-advantage comes in:

Most women, had they been in his place, would have gotten frustrated with the disparity and not had as good of a time, maybe called the ride short.

Not a guy. The gauntlet had been thrown down. He now needed to know how fast he could go with the right bike. So we talked over coffee about how after the initial start-up cost, cycling would be a great low cost and healthy way to spend time together, how he wouldn't have to wear skin-tight clothes to be comfortable on a road bike, etc, etc. So he let me buy him an early birthday present.

Now I want to know: was it wrong of me to have a bike in mind before we even went out for the ride?
The exact scenario happened to me on a trip to Nantucket, on similar rented bikes, but the outcome was exactly as you described, my girlfriend never recovered from being DFL, even with my efforts to ride soooo slowly. Our 5+ year relationship went downhill since that vacation and eventually ended soon thereafter.

Your husband is lucky that he has a wife that knows her steel C & Vs. Tell him getting a vintage Paramount is like getting the Porsche of bicycles!

May you both enjoy plenty of miles and smiles!
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Old 02-05-13, 12:36 PM
  #15  
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Oh, forgot- I bought the bike sans pedals for $230. Fair price?
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Old 02-05-13, 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted by peter_d
Very neatly done Cattywompus. Now he'll be faster and you may have to buy yourself a new old bike to keep up with him.
+!
Time to reward yourself for being such a good spouse, and ratchet it up!
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Old 02-05-13, 12:46 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by CMC SanDiego
Are you sure he was hanging back because he was struggling, or could it be possible that he was enjoying the scenery (the woman he loves ahead of him in tight shorts). Just curious, because I've been known to slow down ocassionally and let my wife pull.
Originally Posted by jimmuller
I try that every so often on the tandem but it never works.
And that is the ONLY reason I've been hesitant to buy a tandem.
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Old 02-05-13, 12:52 PM
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Originally Posted by auchencrow
+!
Time to reward yourself for being such a good spouse, and ratchet it up!

Oh don't worry. I have this in reserve for when things start getting competitive:

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Old 02-05-13, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Cattywompus
Oh don't worry. I have this in reserve for when things start getting competitive:

THAT's what I'm talkin' about!
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Old 02-05-13, 01:05 PM
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I built my wife this from the frame up.
she is 6ft, this frameset had the longest wheelbase I ever saw,
there is a nexus 8 IGH in the back, and a dyno in the front
I painted it for her to match classic nordic style bikes.
this is one of the first bikes she did not complain about.




I then bought Nelli her first roadbike...


WOW!!!
said the wife- now she had the bug.
I then gave her a nice Crescent Mixte with Suntour indexed deraileurs, its too small for her but with the seatpost up high she does OK it is on the left of the tent in tri colors




She rode it a bit now and then but never when Dad and Nelli went out for 40km rides

I then found a tandem for us all- I thought this would get my boy into the game


well...things did not go as planned in my house


your hubby is a lucky man, to join in on your fun with you,
to have a spouse who is interested in your activities is great luck...you chose your mate wisely!

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Old 02-05-13, 01:10 PM
  #21  
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Suh-weeet!

Originally Posted by Cattywompus
Oh don't worry. I have this in reserve for when things start getting competitive:

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Old 02-05-13, 01:17 PM
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Great story, and Mr. Cattywampus is a lucky man
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Old 02-05-13, 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Cattywompus
Let me tell you about my weekend:

The family went to visit my in-laws in Bradenton this weekend. My sister-in-law was riding with us, so I told her to bring her Specailized HardRock along so we could ride out to Anna Maria Island. We roll out at 10:00, it's about 58F with a high of 75F expected. I'm on my SLT 12.2, so I let her set the pace. It turns out to be one of those rides that you would rearrange your life around if you could just have more like it on a regular basis, know what I mean? Here's just one of the sights. The Skyline Bridge is in the background:





She comes back raving about the ride and encourages my husband to go with me the next morning. Now up until this point my husband has been pretty passive about this whole C&V thing. He's had a "I'm happy you're happy" vibe, which I appreciate. But we've never ridden alone together (the logistics with small kids makes that hard). So we go out with the same gorgeous weather and scenery. I'm in front because I know where we're going. He just can't keep up on the bike he's on. I coast a lot. I scrub my speed a lot. I stay with him for the majority of the ride, but he understands how effortless it is to go fast on my bike versus the tank he's rolling.

Now here's where the gyno-advantage comes in:

Most women, had they been in his place, would have gotten frustrated with the disparity and not had as good of a time, maybe called the ride short.

Not a guy. The gauntlet had been thrown down. He now needed to know how fast he could go with the right bike. So we talked over coffee about how after the initial start-up cost, cycling would be a great low cost and healthy way to spend time together, how he wouldn't have to wear skin-tight clothes to be comfortable on a road bike, etc, etc. So he let me buy him an early birthday present.
I brought it home yesterday:





Now I want to know: was it wrong of me to have a bike in mind before we even went out for the ride?
Wow nice bike! but an even better story! Wish my wife was a cyclist, but shes far from it. I had a series 7 once upon a time, and I sold it like a dope.
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Old 02-05-13, 01:30 PM
  #24  
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I then bought Nelli her first roadbike...



I've got a juvvie road bike on the stand right now, awaiting upgrades. Hopefully my daughter will follow yours in the love of cycling. She rides a banana seat right now, so theres' going to be an adjustment period. Wish me luck on that.


well...things did not go as planned in my house

Sorry to hear that, Mike. Best of luck for the future. I hope things work out for your family.

...you chose your mate wisely!

Thanks. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
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Old 02-05-13, 01:34 PM
  #25  
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I don't see anything wrong with having the bike in mind before hand.

My questions is... how do you ride out to an island?
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