How E-bikes Saved a Cycling Vacation—and a Marriage

Whether you’re old or young, single or attached, avid cyclist or just getting started on two wheels—the ties of love are what hold us all together. And what better way to strengthen the bonds of affection than by exploring the world together by bike? On a VBT adventure, you and your partner will make new discoveries together—experiencing a deeper side of each other and infusing your relationship with a fresh jolt of energy and passion.

VBT trip leaders pride themselves on their intuition. In addition to their vast regional knowledge and skills in bike mechanics, VBT trip leaders are also experienced readers of the human heart—finding inventive ways to help heal rifts and bring couples together. But before they can work their magic… into all lives a little rain must fall—and so it was, one sunny September in Puglia where we find our little tale of love and adventure beginning to unfold.

Couples With Mixed Cycling Ability: It’s a Thing

It began the way all VBT vacations do—with an orientation and warm-up ride with VBT trip leaders. Veteran trip leader Debora Trippetti was leading the Italy: Puglia’s Undiscovered Coast Guided Tour in the region where she was born and raised. During the group’s safety and bike fitting session, she met a delightful older couple—but she could see right away there was some underlying tension in the relationship. “The husband introduced himself, and he was delighted to be on a bike tour,” recalls Debora. “He was riding a traditional road bike and was confident and happy. But when his wife introduced herself, she described herself as her husband’s ‘plus one’—and she didn’t seem too confident about the idea of being on a cycling vacation at all.” Fortunately, VBT’s trip leaders are experts when it comes to helping people have the most fun possible on a bike!

A Little Help from a VBT Friend

During the warm-up ride along the spectacular coast of Puglia, with the turquoise waters of the Adriatic shining in the September sun, Debora was riding in the back of the group. As she came around a bend in the road, she saw the couple had pulled over to the side of the road and were having a conversation. “Beautiful day,” Debora called cheerfully. The wife looked at her with frustration in her eyes. “I told him I wasn’t ready for a cycling vacation,” she said to Debora. “I’m not very fast, and now I feel badly because I’ve made us both late.” Of course, Debora reassured the couple that there’s no rush on a VBT vacation—everyone is more than welcome to ride at their own pace. As they talked, Debora made some additional adjustments to the wife’s road bike—raising the seat height to ensure a more comfortable leg extension and positioning the handlebars for an ideal upper body posture.

As the trio got back on their bikes and rode on, Debora fell back far behind the couple “It was obvious there was still some tension between them,” recalls Debora. “I wanted to give them some privacy! And as we kept riding, it was clear the wife was becoming tired and uncomfortable on her road bike.” As the wife explained to Debora later, she was very fit and had been training hard at the gym, but she hadn’t been cycling on the road in a while. And while fitness is tremendously important, there are some cycling skills that only come with on-road experience—including balancing, turning, and traffic safety. As the three of them rode the last few miles to their hotel, Debora began to hatch the seed of an idea.

That evening, while chatting with the couple over dinner, Debora broached the subject of E-bikes. “The E-bike makes it much easier for a rider with limited road experience to enjoy their bicycling vacation,” says Debora. “The pedal assistance means you aren’t going to become exhausted, even after a full day of riding. It also gives you confidence that you can make it up every hill. And sometimes, that little boost of confidence is all takes to just relax and have fun!” Having agreed to check it out, Debora drove her van to the VBT bike storage center after dinner—and after pulling some strings, she succeeded in finding an E-bike in the perfect size and condition to help this couple enjoy their bicycling vacation to the fullest.

The Most Fun You Can Have on Two Wheels

The second day of the bike tour dawned in a state of pure Pugliese perfection—the aquamarine waves of the Adriatic crashing against dramatic white cliffs. Debora met the couple in the parking lot with the new E-bike in tow. “I could tell the wife was a little unsure about the E-bike, so I suggested she ride it around the parking lot to see if she liked it,” recalls Debora. “And as I saw her come around the bend, the enormous smile on her face just said it all. Bellissima!” After that, it was smooth sailing for this couple’s cycling vacation. The husband enjoyed putting in the miles on his road bike—and his wife had no trouble at all keeping up with him on her E-bike. Once at the back of the pack, this couple was now front and center—at the vanguard of discovery. After each ride, they got off their bikes with shining eyes and huge smiles—and it was clear to Debora that the tension had dissipated. “At the farewell dinner, people sometimes get up and make a little speech,” says Debora. “And this lady really touched my heart, because she got up and gave me a big thank you. But the best part was, she made a toast to the E-bike that saved her marriage. Priceless!”

So, to all you lovers out there—a VBT vacation might be just the thing to get the heart strings fluttering! With E-bikes, and the caring support of VBT trip leaders, we’ve got the tools to ensure you and your partner will enjoy the cycling vacation of a lifetime—together.