Post by: Tracey McCormick
Originally posted on MTOBikes.com
Lucky you. After years of agonizing bachelordom you finally found a great girl. She understands your need to control the universe of the remote. She doesn’t nag you about the toilet seat. She’s a gourmet cook. Maybe she even enjoys SportsCenter. She’s athletic and beautiful and sexy and she loves you.
But she doesn’t ride. Why not?
Maybe she’s not comfortable on a bike. Or maybe she’s comfortable on a bike but has visited you in the emergency room too many times. Could be some past boyfriend ruined any chance of her ever riding again. Probably she thinks mountain biking is too hard core.
But wouldn’t it be great if the two of you could ride together? Wouldn’t it be cool if once a week the two of you could go for a jaunt or if (someday) she could come along on a group ride?
Well, she can, but she’s going to need your help. Below are Tracey’s Top Ten Rules for getting your girl to ride. The rules don’t guarantee success but might increase your chances.
Rule 1 – Start the discussion.
Begin talking about how great it would be if the two of you rode together. Promise it’ll be just the two of you until she’s ready to ride with others. If she has girlfriends who ride, encourage her to ride with them a few times before she ventures out with you. If she doesn’t have any female friends of the dirt variety, find a local group of strictly female mountain bikers and drive her to her first ride. She’s intimidated by your riding ability, the sport, and her own insecurities. Tread carefully.
Rule 2 – Do not over invest.
If she doesn’t have a bike, borrow one or get a used one cheaply. Buy only the essentials: bike shorts, glove, and a helmet. A thousand dollars is a lot of money to spend on what could turn out to be only a one-day outing. You don’t want her to feel guilty about the $600 Trek spending the rest of its years in the garage.
Rule 3 – Tell her the basics.
Knowing how to corner is important, but not necessary for the first ride. The most intimidating, confusing, and important things about mountain biking are shifting and braking. Give her a lesson on shifting gears and using the back brake. Tell her about cross-chaining so she doesn’t work against herself. Do this in the parking lot right before the ride so she remembers. Teach her trail etiquette and explain why uphill riders have the right-of-way. Stop there. Answer her questions, of course, but resist the urge to tell her about torque and ratios. Her eyes will glaze over under the haze of too much information.
Rule 4 – Start slow.
Maybe your girl is a yoga instructor or world-class skier. Doesn’t matter. Take her on a beginner ride. Remember mountain biking is an inherently dangerous sport. Just because she’s in shape doesn’t mean she’s ready for an intermediate trail. She needs to focus on braking, gearing, and trail etiquette. Throw a rock garden or steep uphill into the mix and the chances for failure increase exponentially.
Rule 5 – Be a gentleman.
Give the bike a once-over and fix any mechanicals before the ride. Get her bike off the rack for her. Put the front wheel on. Carry everything except her water. This means all tools, extra tubes, and the windbreaker.
Rule 6 – Watch your language.
I’m not talking f-bombs here. I’m talking about how to give her advice while she’s on the trail. Women speak more indirectly than men. Ever notice how, if your girl wants you to take the garbage out she says, “Do you want to take the garbage out?” Of course you don’t want to take the garbage out, but she wants you to, and this is her way of asking you. Replace “You need” with “Why don’t you try” or “It might be easier for you to do x if you do y.” Practice using these phrases before you hit the trail. Remember it’s not what you say but how you say it.
Rule 7 – Be patient.
There’s a good chance she’s going to get discouraged and angry as she’s fiddling with the gears and trying to stay upright. She might even yell at you—even though you’ve done nothing wrong. Whatever you do, do not yell back. She’s frustrated and wants to impress you. Try not to shake your head when she walks her bike over what looks to you like a couple of pebbles. Do not laugh when she has the fall of the century. Most importantly, stay within her field of vision. There’s nothing scarier than being left to your own devices in unfamiliar territory.
Rule 8 – Watch her body language.
Even though you’ve told her “We can stop any time you want to,” she’s not going to be as vocal as she should. She knows you’re hard-core and hardly ever stop; she doesn’t want to ruin your fun. But if she’s huffing and puffing after the first half-mile, take a rest. Don’t ask her “Do you want to stop?” because chances are she’ll probably say no. If she refuses to make eye contact with you, she’s angry. If this happens, get off the bikes, enjoy the scenery, and kiss her sweaty forehead. If she wants to turn back after ten minutes, tell her the first twenty minutes of any ride are the most difficult. Determine her level of frustration/anger and decide if negotiating another ten minutes is going to be worth it.
Rule 9 – Lie.
Tell her how great she’s doing even if she’s not. But don’t overdo it because her BS meter will go off. If you can’t think of anything positive to say, tell her “You’re a beautiful rider” or “You look sexy on bike.” Then you won’t have to lie.
Rule 10 – Accept that this is not a real ride.
Chances are, you’re not going to get a workout: you’re going to be stopping, starting, encouraging, and explaining. Both of you are paying your dues on this initial ride, but who knows? With a little effort, patience, and tongue-biting, she could turn out to be the best riding partner you’ve ever had.