Dating My Husband Biking Part 2 (Or How It's Really Going)

My husband and I began our e-biking adventure in April of 2023.  Here’s how it started:

My husband did a ridiculous amount of research in selecting the bikes he thought would be best for us. He’s over 6 feet tall, and I barely passed the 5-foot mark. Therefore, we needed to try out the winning bike in person to ensure it would work for both of us. Having located a cycle shop an hour away, we made the trek down. The test ride involved my husband taking the bike down the streets of town and getting it up to its maximum speed of 20 miles an hour. On the other hand, I needed to borrow a helmet, never left the parking lot, and may have squealed several times just trying to make it around the building in one piece. The salesman was nearly as worried as I was.

The first time we went out, we rode the few blocks down the street to a nearby park where we could access the canal path. I was hesitant to ride on the roads, but our options were limited. After surviving and realizing hundreds of miles of canal lay before us to be discovered, we opted to keep returning.

Turns out that was our last incident free ride for a long time.

Our second ride was Mother’s Day. In order to reach the canal path, we needed to cross a foot bridge. On our first trip out, I had walked my bike across the bridge. A false sense of confidence had me convinced I could ride across the bridge. Getting too close to the rail, I reached out my hand to stop my slow movement. My hand off the handlebars, the bike tilted. I panicked. Both of us went down.

The mini crash left me in tears because I broke off my reflector, and scratched my new bike. My husband tried to comfort me. This would be the first of many moments like this.

Since that day, most trips have included one or more near tragedies.
Several times, I knocked my bike over while next to it. (It’s heavy.)
I have broken off my blinker controls and scratched by bike it in several places.

My husband reminds me at least once every trip to remember to use my brakes.
A few times, he has looked back to see me or by bike on the ground and asked, “How did that happen?”
I have skinned my knees, scratched my shin, and gotten several bruises.

All of this paled to a tiny incident in December when a bit of mud had me on my side instantaneously or so it seemed. I landed on my left wrist and knee, followed by my right. With a little blood and a lot of soreness,  we went on our way. Sadly, several months out, I am still feeling the pain in both wrists, my left the most. X-rays, several doctors visits, and I’m still hoping to get things back to a pain free life. I’ll keep you posted. This has hindered our riding a bit, though we have gone a few times.

Here are the ways that I have helped cope with my limitations while I am learning (slowly learning):

1. I go slow. I use power assist one at just over 10 mph is my norm. Occasionally on up hills, I go to power two, just to maintain speed.
2. I avoid roads when possible. I walk across most crosswalks when I need to cross streets.
3. I keep my limits in mind. I walk my bike even when most people ride, like over bumpy ground or through narrow passageways. I know that I’m more likely to be dangerous when I’m tired, so I consider that when making decisions.
4. I bought a safety vest with a blinker. I couldn’t manage the hand signals without crashing, but I could press a button on my handlebars. It also made me more visible to others, something they might need if I had trouble remembering my brakes despite my husband’s reminders.
5. I wear a helmet, an ID bracelet (you know, in case I’m unconscious), and boots along with my fancy blinker vest. I joke that I should wear a camera on my helmet to record my mishaps, but so far I haven’t gotten one.
6. My husband has learned not to tailgate me, especially where I might be slower than one of the turtles we pass on our way. He often goes first, usually at my request, so I don’t get hit from behind if I crash. He also tends to ride on the canal side so I don’t end up in the water, something we both fear.

Maybe, I’ll figure this all out, and not not be a danger to myself and others. I sure am enjoying the view as we ride, minus the mishaps.

Read part one here: https://www.barbaraseidle.com/2024/03/29/dating-my-husband/