# So You Wanna Teach Your Girlfriend or Wife How to Mountain Bike?



## Guest (Dec 10, 2012)

I hate posting links for stuff I wrote, but shredchic said I should. So I blame her 

It's some (snarky) advice for men who want to get their sweetie into mountain biking, but I think the women will enjoy it more 

So You Wanna Teach Your Girlfriend or Wife How to Mountain Bike? | MTB4Her


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

Good article Stripes. Thanks for posting


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## swcreates (Sep 16, 2012)

I'll be sure to follow these steps as my wife did just recently ask about joining me on a ride


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## SunnyNAZ (Oct 31, 2012)

*Never happens..*

Nice! Made me smile.Thanks for the post.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

lolled at this:

9. Tell her what to do constantly (“Lay off the brakes!”) because she clearly needs good advice. Girls like getting yelled at while they’re trying to survive their first ride.


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## Christieland (Mar 12, 2012)

Love this. My first mountain bike ride was very similar, though it was my own '96 edition hardtail (in 2009) with crappy forks, and a ride up Canyon and Marsh trails at Annadel. "We used to ride this all the time on rigid bikes..."


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## thines (Sep 11, 2006)

This was too funny and I just had to share it with other ladies..

www.facebook.com/midwestwomensclinic

Cheers!
~Tania Juillerat
Founder & Director
Midwest Women's Mountain Bike Clinic
www.midwestwomensclinic.com


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Great piece, Stripes! I was lucky enough to enjoy my first mtb ride with a guy who "got it" and despite having to use one of his bikes, he took the time to make it fit me as best as he could. He was super patient and very encouraging. Despite falling several times, I fell in love that day. Bought my first hardtail and took a class. I've been hooked ever since!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

I was lucky! Unfortunately my friend has since moved west and I no longer get to ride with him, but we still talk bikes a lot. I have witnessed what you described, however, and sometimes I'm quick to butt in and offer my opinion. Like one woman, in particular, was just learning and kept getting pressured by her husband to switch to clipless pedals. Well, she simply wasn't comfortable with the idea. He was trying to tell her that she couldn't climb without clipless pedals. She pointed to me (they had joined us for a group ride for the first time) and stated I was riding flats. He made some comment about I should switch over, too. Uh huh. Well...that was the final straw. I responded back that I HAVE clipless pedals, and HAD ridden them for years, but felt like it was actually hindering me in some ways (in regards to learning the proper technique) and that yes, it's a different technique, but didn't feel that I NEEDED to have clipless pedals to climb well, or enjoy myself. It's fine to have your own opinion, but don't try to belittle or bully someone into trying something they clearly are not comfortable with. Let someone come to their own conclusions, when they are more experienced and confident. 

Anyway - am I to understand you've written other articles as well on MTBforher? I really enjoyed the one about "My Grom Coach", too!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

agreed on all counts Petey. 

nothing like making somebody unconfortable to make them hate the sport!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Stripes said:


> Oh, I looove hearing those "You should ride clipless because of blah.." One of the faster riders I know rides flats. And she's even convinced her husband to go to flats. For me, it was a mental thing. After ACL surgery, I just didn't like being attached to my bike. After that, my confidence soared.
> 
> I never had a catastrophic injury, but got so tired of trying something and failing to unclip in time. It started to really affect my confidence. Once I went back to flats, and I could dab when needed, the confidence came back. Soon I was trying stuff again and succeeding. I think, for me, clipless pedals have their place (on less technical trails, perhaps), but I'm getting so much more enjoyment with my flats.
> 
> Thanks  Yep, I'm a regular there (even posted a video of me crashing), and that's my latest one. Glad you liked it.. I haven't gotten much feedback about it at all, so it's nice to see that people like it.


I loved that article! I identified with a lot of what you said. We have a grom that rides with us, too. He just started downhill racing this past year. He is so incredibly encouraging and supportive - it's amazing how cool kids can be to ride with. Anyway, keep up the riding, you've inspired me to want to take a downhill clinic this year!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Hmm, I messed up the quote part above a bit, and somehow part of my response ended up within the quote. How do you multi-quote a response?


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

> Do you find you have more control with your feet on the flat pedals? I do, more of a contact patch from the foot to the pedal (as opposed to that little cleat), so I can definitely move the bike with my legs much better.
> 
> I got completely rid of my clipless pedals last year. Even the flat pedals people use can be an interesting discussion. Not everyone likes the big pins I have in the Straitline DeFactos but I love them


Not only do I find I have more control (I agree with the larger contact patch), but I have a lot more mobility and have had zero knee pain since I switched back. At first I had to get used to keeping my feet planted on the pedal, and not bounce around on the rough stuff, but I think I have that down pretty well now. I'm in love with the looks of the DMR Vault pedals - think they would awesome on my Giant Trance X 29er  (it's all about accessorizing, right?).


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## CyclerDi (Oct 13, 2007)

That was a great article. Liked the part about taking off as soon as she catches up. Can't tell you how many times that had happened to me.


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## thines (Sep 11, 2006)

My husband is the GM of a bike shop... here is his contrabution to your list:

#12. When you go into the bike shop, do all of the talking for her. There's no way she could possibly know what she wants or needs because it's all overwhelming techy "guy" stuff. Buy her only entry level products because you don't want to waste your money on stuff that she's never going to use all that much anyway (and tell her that in front of the salesperson).


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

thines said:


> My husband is the GM of a bike shop... here is his contrabution to your list:
> 
> #12. When you go into the bike shop, do all of the talking for her. There's no way she could possibly know what she wants or needs because it's all overwhelming techy "guy" stuff. Buy her only entry level products because you don't want to waste your money on stuff that she's never going to use all that much anyway (and tell her that in front of the salesperson).


:madman: Oh yeah, because condescension is always a great motivator. Ouch!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

Stripes said:


> Well, yeah, and if you're pedals are all the wrong color, you're definitely doing it wrong


oh gerlfriend bling is a MUST!!!!



and make sure it's pink. "teh bytches LUV pink!"


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

my first real bike was in the 700$ range. good enough to not be a complete turd, but not a huge price risk if i didnt end up riding it much. Then again, i was ripping for 5 months on dept store bikes and loving it, so no risk there!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

NicoleB28 said:


> oh gerlfriend bling is a MUST!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> and make sure it's pink. "teh bytches LUV pink!"


:lol: Thanks for that - I just snorted my coffee!


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

found that bike in the stolen classifieds. IT WAS YOU WASNT IT?!

guess i dont blame you.


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

Wait - you mean to tell me someone stole that bike?


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## thines (Sep 11, 2006)

oh... you guys took that totally wrong! He was adding to the list in the same, witty/sarcastic manner. He was saying he deals with this at his bike shop every day... and it drives him CRAZY to see it happen to a woman coming in to buy a bike!


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## hawkychick (Jun 5, 2011)

Stripes said:


> ..and me in my tea... ROFLMAO!
> 
> A few people said I should do a second part. I prefer being in the conversation this generates here. It's much more fun.


I think that you should write a part 2 just so that we can have more material to have good conversation about. Nicely done. :thumbsup:

While it doesn't pertain to much in my life in terms of the men that I coexist with, there was the time that my ex "taught" me to snowski. The double black diamond reference brought it all back. :madman:


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## SunnyNAZ (Oct 31, 2012)

Shrieking with laughter. Thanks!


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## petey15 (Sep 1, 2006)

thines said:


> oh... you guys took that totally wrong! He was adding to the list in the same, witty/sarcastic manner. He was saying he deals with this at his bike shop every day... and it drives him CRAZY to see it happen to a woman coming in to buy a bike!


No worries - I understood what you meant - he was referring to the husband/SO, not himself (or any shop owner). A shop should definitely not do that, not if they want to get people interested and make money on a sale. It just baffles me that a SO would do that, especially if they wanted their partner to love the sport and ride with them. Maybe he was afraid of introducing her to yet another sport she'd excel at :thumbsup:

I didn't have anyone take me to the shop when I bought my first bike (well, I was visiting my parents at the time, so they came along). I had done a couple months worth of research and was prepared with a good idea of what I was looking for and what I hoped to accomplish. I remember being greeted by the shop owner and his wife. His wife initially started to help me out, but when I started talking components and a few other things, she quickly got her husband, because I knew more than she did! Even if you have no personal experience, I find it quite helpful to at least be up to speed on a few things - kinda like car shopping. For instance, I got a great deal on the hardtail I ended up buying that day, in part because I knew it was the previous year's model.  I enjoyed doing my own research and love the tech side of biking. It helped me gain a lot of confidence and my interest in the sport grew. Having a SO tell you in front of someone else that you know nothing sure isn't encouraging - I can only hope it didn't dissuade her from enjoying the sport.


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