How did you get your girlfriend/wife to try biking?

I think the only way I would have fun riding with a girlfriend or wife is if she is or was a Pro downhiller or full time cyclist.

I still dream of april lawyer some days when the shuttle truck is bouncing back up the hill.

Just simply said lets go. Rented her a bike. Game on. She doesn't like it.. She hates the fact that i ride. oh well?

Sherpa said:

Why someone would want their significant other to ride is beyond me

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from a female biker's perspective...i can't see hooking up with a guy that doesn't ride. if he doesn't share my passion for acquiring a new fork, or new bb, or has no clue on how to change a tire...there is no future

on a serious note, my ex-husband got me into biking - signed me up for a ladies only clinic. i came home after the classes battered and bruised (no armour) but went out and did it again and again. i had the bug. turns out though...he didn't really like me riding after all. hence the "ex".

eaterofdog said:

"Get on the bike!"

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That is the best use of a bent handle bar I have ever seen.
Leave the stem on for bonus points.

My gf didn't really have a summersport so last year she decided to give it a try. Since she likes steep and fast from snowboarding she asked me not to ride the fireroads which she thinks are lame. So first time we went to the trails I got her a commencal 5.1, sweet bike but she hated it. The second time I gave her my dmr trailstar, and she loved it. So my theory is to give newcomer gf's a more dirtbikeish bike if you are going to try it steep at the beginning, she felt awkward on the 5.1, even though she reckoned it pedalls better uphill, "but what's the fun of that if it sucks on the downhill?"-gf

I used to take my wife (then girlfriend) on rides around the neighborhood. Or we would go down to the tow path. I would talk about mountain biking all the time, and she would flip through some of the magazines I had. Eventually she said she would like to try XC. I didnt get her into it right away. After a month she was still asking me to take her so we went out and looked for a bike. She was riding my moms road bike at the time. We got her an entry level Trek hard tail.

Luckily she loves riding and the bike purchase was worth it. Her second time out she took a nasty spill over the bars into a water crossing. She got banged up really bad. She had a 8" round bruise on her thigh from the handle bars for a month. She still has a divot in her muscle there.

She finished the ride that day! And it made her want to go back and make the crossing the next time out. Shes got the will. It makes up for a small lack in reflexes.

Its nice being able to take vacations based around riding. Its something we both enjoy to do. It does make it a little harder to get out for guys only rides. She has found some other girls to ride with, so that helps.

Seems to me that a lot of guys who have girlfriends/wives that don't ride have to fight for ride time. It's awesome having a wife who is just as into it as I am. We go on weekend bike trips together, ride after work and on weekends together, and making bike related purchases is never a source of tension. I'd much rather have a wife to share the passion with than have one who doesn't understand and considers my biking "taking away from us time." The only time she gets upset about my riding is when she can't come for whatever reason.

I let my wife (back when we first started dating) try out my bike in the driveway and she took off with it for an hour so I figured I'd better buy her one. Now I think she rides more than me.

Our main conflict used to be that we both like different styles of riding. I like DH and aggressive XC, she likes moderate XC, road and CX. So sometimes we had to argue over who got to do what. Now we have a kid and we have to divide our time up a little more, I ride one day, she rides the next, but at least she understands my need to ride.

Ours is not a question of are we going to ride, ours is a question of what bikes do we pack in the truck.

Years back I gave her a Fat Chance as a graduation present. I hooked it all up with the prime of the day, and she rode it to an extent. It was too long for her, so she'd get beat up pretty good.

A few years back I was working for a month or so for her dad, and since I was also living in his basement I didn't have any real expenses. I took the proceeds of the month and got her a Stumpjumper FSR. She was in love. I got her the girly seat, some good clipless pedals, shoes that fit, and a good helmet.

After we had our garage flood it was a chance for me to blow some coin on her bike. I went all in, did all the Chris King pink stuff, pink terry seat, pink Giro Xen, red sidi's, the whole shooting match. For some reason with my wife making her still feel like a girl while she does outdoors things is important.

That was three years back.

In the interim I bought her a road bike to help us stay fit, and I just paid off a new Bullit for her as a graduation present.

Its been expensive, but for us its worth it. She's my favorite riding buddy, we exchange who lags and who's ripping it up it seems. We love it, its a huge part of our life.

And it all goes back to a red Fat Chance Yo Eddie...