Five Ways Bicycle Touring Can Strengthen Your Relationship

Just Don’t Expect It to Improve Your Sex Life

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My partner and I are fresh off our first bicycle tour. We cycled from north of Finland to the east coast of Spain to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. For ten weeks and two days, we were together for almost 24/7 (bar trips to the toilet or shower) and we are now closer than ever.

Of course, there were (plenty of) moments when just the sound of his breathing pissed me off, and I know I pissed him off, too. But, we overcame those moments and 5,518 kilometres since the start of our journey, we are going strong. And already planning our next ride.

Here is how bicycle touring can strengthen your relationship.

Paraphrasing the old saying: couples who cycle together stay together

We first got the idea of cycling across Europe on a drunken night during the first COVID lockdown. It was born out of lockdown boredom and my desire to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

I was diagnosed with stage three womb cancer in March 2019 and treated at the Royal Marsden. The amazing care I received left me with a desire to support the life-saving research they do so more people will have the…