So is this what you’re accustomed to hearing when you ask your special lady to go for a ride? Sound familiar?
I love to ride, but this wasn’t always the case. I consider myself a recent convert, riding for about 2 years now, mostly weekends.
The sport didn’t appeal to me, but my husband was persistent. If you dream of riding with your girl, here are a few things that helped me along the trail.
1. Keep it positive.
RL would often encourage me to try it out. If I declined, he’d sometimes get frustrated, total turn off. Any negative pressure made me want to rebel. So keep the tone positive fellas.
2. Bargain.
I have yet to go out with a girlfriend who just didn’t enjoy the trails. No matter what shape, size or age. So I think just getting your girl out there is the task at hand. She’ll love it once she gets out there. Sooo, guys we shouldn’t be above some old fashioned bartering.
Is there something your wife wants you to try that she enjoys? It’s only fair, right? If you want her to be willing to try out mountain biking, then you need to be willing to do the same for her. Soooo, have you been putting off those Salsa Dance lessons? C’mon man,take one for the team! It’s for the trails!!!
3. A family affair.
Right about the time I had agreed to try out riding, I had a girlfriend who was just trying it out herself. Nothing better than riding with buddies! So our husbands would set up group rides for all of us. Before I knew it, my girlfriend and I were out on the singletrack on our own.
If you have kids, include them also. Nothing melts my heart more than seeing our family doing things together and having fun. My husband scores brownie points when he sets up family rides. It could just be to the local park or to the ice cream shop. The point is to create a positive and fun environment on the bike for everyone.
**By the way RL, I’m still waiting for our ride to the beach…hint hint…Help me out here fellas. I’ve been waiting for about a year now. 
4. Ladies first.
Don’t forget your manners guys. I love it when my husband takes care of me. So once you get your lady to commit, make sure that you treat her like the queen that she is. My husband would get everything ready for me. He’d set up my bike, gloves, helmet, even fill up my water bottle. My gear awaited me as I opened our front door. I love it! Again, that’s another positive part of the experience.
You will also need to set up babysitting before hand. Sure it’s alot of work to begin with, but it’s well worth it!
5. Looking Good.
Having the right apparel doesn’t hurt either. I love wearing cute fashionable mountain biking apparel for my rides. There are some great women specific clothing companies out there such as Terry Bicycles and Loeka for us gals. We still like to look cute while we play in the dirt.
6. “Hey! Take it Easy!” (Nacho Libre)
Ok guys…So you get your lady out on the trails. DON’T MESS IT UP by expecting her to ride as fast as Tinker Juarez or to be taking any sweet jumps. Sure there’s a small percentage that may take to mountain biking really quick, but if that was the case, then you wouldn’t be reading this article. So take it easy fellas, no rush. Go at the pace she is comfortable with. I’d also recommend taking a basic trail at first. Leave the rough trails for you and the boys later on. She’ll let you know when she’s is ready for more technical rides.
7. Keep it rolling…
This has to be the most important factor. Like I’ve mentioned in step 1, you have to keep it positive the whole time.
All throughout the ride, let her know how good she’s doing! Don’t forget to ask her once in a while how she’s handling things. Remember, show no signs of impatience!!!! Just make sure that the whole experience is as positive as you can. If there are any physical hindrances, we need to be sensitive to that. If she hurts herself, don’t laugh at her. Be compassionate!
Last but not least….
8. Count the cost.
Ok guys! Here’s the real deal. You really need to think about this one, especially if you have small kids. So your lady loves to ride and now she wants you to stay home with the kids while she goes out for a ride. This could happen. Make sure you are willing to share the trails. Ideally you’ll have babysitters so you can go out together often, but there will be times when she wants to ride with the girls. Remember, sharing is caring. Make sure you are willing to share your ride time before implementing the steps above. But remember guys, the benefits of having your lady as excited about your sport as you are is priceless, and anyways all the guys will be jealous of you, even better!
So there you have it. I suppose the same principles could apply to the wives that can’t get their husbands to ride a mountain bike. (I’d like to hear of anything like that! )
I believe ladies just need to get out there and give it a try. They’ll fall in love with the sport!
Just follow those easy steps I mentioned and you’ll get her on the bike in no time. It worked for me. I was one bitter woman towards my husband’s love of the sport, but now I’m writing my own articles and helping out on the site! LOL!
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