Many conversations with girls and guys about cycling has led to this blog for women about happy cycling with men. In due course there will be a guide for men, too! If you chat to most women (and men) cyclists you will hear tales of

couples who have fallen out occasionally – and sometimes irrevocably – while cycling together. The complaints are many, including: He goes too fast; he’s too strong/arrogant/useless; he expects me to keep up all the time; he tells me to draft him and I can’t; he just thinks he’s better than me and so I don’t bother cycling with him anymore.

A guide to happier cycling with your man

Some of this is serious, much of it is tongue-in-cheek, but hopefully a little of what I’ve learned while cycling with various partners over the years (and, indeed, what I’ve learned about me and cycling) will bring a little more harmony to cycling couples.

The fact is that when couples do cycle together in harmony it can lead to great days out and touring holidays, and set a brilliant example for children and friends!

These suggestions are in no particular order:

• Eat. And often. Women seem to suffer far worse from low blood sugar levels while cycling. Newcomers to cycling might not notice the depleting blood sugar signs until too late. In fact, in my experience, the worst arguments and tantrums occur when riders lose their intelligence and common-sense to a LBS moment. So, even if you don’t feel hungry, make sure you eat a snack at least every 40 minutes and stop for something more filling every two hours.
• Sometimes being force-fed is ok. If you’ve “lost it” to LBS allow your partner to hold you down and force feed you a Mars bar/energy gel/jelly babies. It will quickly help the harmony to return.
• Draft your man. Don’t feel too proud to recognise when the conditions are against you and remember that most men are stronger on a bike than women (I am generalising here so please do not email me with sexist accusations!). If it’s windy and you’re tiring, let your man become your drafting fodder. Read about the time I drafted two guys for 100 miles and felt fine all day long! How to cycle 100 miles without feeling broken
• Don’t be intimidated. We all have good days and bad days. We all know women who are better cyclists and who might have recently cycled with your man. But remember that cycling as a couple is supposed to be fun. It’s not a race and if your bloke needs to slow down a bit to ride with you, then so be it. When he feels the need to go out and beast himself he can go with other guys!
• Let him carry a few things. I don’t agree that you should cycle without any kit or, if you’re touring, without panniers, but if you are lighter than your bloke and not so strong it is perfectly reasonable to ask him to carry a few of your things. Sneak them into his rucksack/panniers if he doesn’t agree (although you might need to have a strong argument in the B&B later on if you’ve added your hair straighteners to his pannier!) What I’m saying is, you’d be a fool to be too proud not to ask for some assistance. You could suggest it on a body weight to pannier weight ratio.
• Take a GPS. Most men think they are the world’s best navigators but they do get lost and take wrong turns. Instead of arguing about it at the time or, worse still, ending up on a 20-mie detour, you should know what the route is before leaving and take a GPS gadget/map so you can follow the route.
• Book the accommodation yourself. Men often like to save money on overnight accommodation, women prefer a bit of luxury. If you book the B&B or hotel you’ll make sure it suits your standards.
• Buy a good bike, and just as good as his. So often, I see couples out riding together yet his bike is all carbon bling and hers is starter bike aluminium (if she’s lucky). If your man is buying a gorgeous lightweight bike, or a fabulous tourer bike or whatever, make sure your bike is just as good. Riding a lightweight and well-tuned bike is so much easier.
• Know your limitations. Be realistic about what distance you can cycle and don’t let your man take over with the route planning. Guys have bigger egos – and a larger amount of testosterone – so it’s worth reining back their plans if you think they look too ridiculous.
• Ditch your bloke. I don’t mean that you should divorce or leave your partner but if you find that cycling with him is simply too stressful it might be worth finding another cycling pal. There is no point in ruining a marriage over a bit of cycling. Join a women-only club or cycle with people who you know are a similar standard to you.

Do any women have other tips for riding in harmony with their man?