Gotta build my wife a new bike (again......!)

[bluegoatwoods]

My wife and I are closing in on our twentieth anniversary. Though our personalities clash in some ways, we've somehow managed to be pretty happy and even, occasionally, co-operative.

My one big, big disappointment has been my inability to convince her to ride a bicycle. She "doesn't like it".

She has a way, though, of raising my hopes and then dashing them. Over the years there've been a small handful of times when she has said, "Why don't you put together a bike for me?" Like a fool, I'd set her up with a nice little bike only to watch as it rusts away unridden. She completely trashed one a few years back. One day I passed by her car in the driveway. There was the bike I had put some effort into sitting up on the carrier, but fastened down in the most slap-dash, negligent fashion imaginable. I made a mental note to have a talk with her about it (like that was really going to achieve anything), but the next day she came in saying that the bike "jumped off the car" (or something equally lame) That bike had some nice components that I or someone might have put to use. I made the decision then to simply ignore any further requests for a bike.

Then last spring she bought a bike out of the blue. No complaints here, if she'd just ride the thing. So I tuned it up, replaced the handlebars with something more comfortable for her, etc., and she never rode it. It's sitting out back right now, stiff and rusty.

Now it's spring again and she's been pestering me to "fix up her bike". (Do you remember the old myth about the guy who was sentenced to roll a boulder up a hill again and again and again, forever? I'm feeling something like what that poor guy must have gone through.) So I bought a nice set of fenders, some mirrors, cargo carrying accessories, etc. I haven't even told her about that part yet. But I'm gonna put together a competent machine. If she won't ride it, at least I'll know that I've done, literally, everything I can and there's no point in trying anymore.

So I'm going to sign off soon and get to work on yet another bike for my wife.

Wish me luck, please. I really, really need it.

 

[John in CR]

Fix her up with an electric bike this time, so she can kick your ass on every outing, and she'll love it...and then she'll take care of it too.

 

[neptronix]

I wish you luck. Same issue with my girlfriend. Good weather and she'd rather drive. She's got one electric bike and one pedal bike. Both are in great shape as a result of not being used. Perhaps she's hoping they will appreciate in value over time.

 

[GrayKard]

Fix up a bike that you would ride but say it's for her. It will actually be your spare bike. :wink:

 

[dogman dan]

Same experience with my wife. No big deal, just do it because you love her and stop caring if she rides it. You do it for her, and that's what she appreciates.

31 years with mine. I do try these days, to fix her up with bikes I like to ride too. 8)

Regarding the not liking it, reminds me of my wife and skiing. She did like it, the fresh air, the pine trees, the beautiful snow. She just didn't want to do any sliding. :lol: Amazing to watch her ski, without any sliding. To be fair, on an early date she broke a wrist when I took her roller skating.

 

[wineboyrider]

My wifes cheap ass wallie bike sat in the garage for years until I electrified it! I needed someplace to put my new BMC motor. My wife of 20 years lovingly refers to my bicycles as stupid bikes and other German words that I'd rather not translate. I have more hopes for my daughter and son. My daughter is almost tall enough to ride momma's bike so I'm looking at getting a super small controller for it to got 12 mph or so...
Stupid Bikes!

 

[bluegoatwoods]

As a matter of fact, I have had the notion of getting her an electric bike. I just won't do it until she has proven that she won't trash it. A few years back I put together a gasoline powered bike for her. She just didn't get the hang of it. She beat it to death.

I have three daughters who are capable bike riders. The gas bike scared my oldest. My second daughter liked it. But, like my wife, she beat it up. My youngest daughter did rather well with it. For one solid spring and summer she rode it daily with very little help from me needed. Then she entered high school which is just too far away. Not long after that I gave up on gasoline powered bikes, anyway.

Now none of my girls have much interest in riding. But this bike I'm building is going to be a nice one. If my wife won't ride it, then one of my girls might.

But like dogman (I think) suggested, I'll go ahead and build it for her because I love her. And I'd really like to see her ride it.

My complaining is, really, just for the fun of it.