Different fitness, technical ability, and skill set
So, one of you has been cycling for much longer than the other or is simply a more gifted athlete? Welcome to the majority of cycling couples! The good news is that there are many ways you can deal with this. You can try and equalise the playing field, plan your routes differently or just focus on having fun. What matters is that you find ways to enjoy riding together.
Find ways to equalise the playing field
If the difference between you and your partner is in fitness, there are a few ways you can make it harder for the stronger cyclist while doing essentially the same ride together.
Add extra intervals – Before heading out, choose segments where the stronger cyclist is going to sprint ahead and then wait or circle back to regroup. These could be climbs or nice flats where it would be tempting to push it.
Add weight and drag – The fitter partner can take a gravel bike or even an MTB on a road ride. Plus, they can be the ones carrying the supplies for an all-day adventure. Of course, the stronger rider also rides in front to absorb all the wind.
Add distance – Plan routes that include loops or shortcuts where the faster cyclist can push ahead and loop back, giving the other time to ride at a comfortable pace.
Plan routes together
Even if one of you is the expert and knows all the great places to ride, you should still both have a say. It helps to plan a route that suits the less experienced cyclist, and, maybe even more importantly, a route that has something to look forward to for both of you. You can include an optional big climb for the better cyclist and maybe some fun downhill for the other partner, whatever they prefer. And if your partner is still kind of new to cycling, you can plan to stay away from vehicles and stick to bike paths, parks, and forests.
Planning routes together is also a good way for the less experienced partner to take on a manageable challenge. For example, conquering a smaller climb may be encouraging as opposed to killing their legs on a big one, which could lead to avoiding climbs completely.
Make it fun
Let’s face it, trying to make a training ride work for two cyclists with substantially different fitness levels is not going to be practical or even enjoyable very often. That’s why cycling couples often go with a different approach – optimising for having fun. Here are a few ways to infuse fun into cycling even when one of you is new to cycling or not nearly as athletic.
Coffee stops – Make the point of the ride something outside of cycling. Plan a stop at a fancy ice cream place or a great coffee shop. Make the highlight of the ride some cool views or notable places.
Bike and chat – Instead of focusing on speed, distance or elevation, plan your route so that you have enough space and time to chat. Ride at a pace that is comfortable for the weaker cyclist and make it a time for hanging out. And hey, you’re probably doing some solid zone 2 training without even trying.
Celebrate improvements
The last thing I want to mention is that simply by riding together, having fun on the bike, and encouraging each other to take on challenges, you’re more likely to be closer to each other in terms of your cycling skills, technique, and even fitness. And that’s why it’s important to celebrate improvements. Whenever your partner masters a new skill, it could be as simple as hopping onto a sidewalk without having to stop and unclip, you have to celebrate!
