Do you mountain bike?
Do you have a significant other?
Did you try to meld both worlds only to have them implode?
Why would joining the two things you love the most be a recipe for disaster? Sure, sports teams can cause a house to be divided. But mountain biking? How is it possible for one to be so madly in love with mountain biking and the other think it’s the scour of the earth? I have seen many relationships strained from long-time mountain bikers trying to get their significant other (SO) to take up the hobby. And I’m not just referring to guys attempting to get their girlfriends (or wives) hooked on the sport, I’m referring to ALL relationships. That includes seasoned women mountain bikers taking their men out on the trails, too. Handle the situation poorly, and you may end up with an SO that absolutely despises mountain biking. Hopefully you never find yourself in this position. However, if you have, I now give you 5 possible reasons why your SO has decided against partaking in the amazing sport of mountain biking with you.
1. Misconceptions about mountain biking
If you’re reading this article, it’s likely that you spend a fair amount of time cruising the interwebs for all things mountain biking related. It’s also quite possible that you’ve shown your SO more mountain biking videos than they would like. With that, the SO may have developed very biased views as to what mountain biking is like and what your hobby entails. A passing glace at your computer screen may involve the following:
Wilder Kaiser extreme from Big Col on Vimeo.
Coming home with scrapes and broken bones only adds to the belief that you only ride trails wherein an ill-timed sneeze will send you to your death. I can’t imagine why someone would be reluctant to join you on a “casual” bike ride in the wilderness. Especially when that someone may or may not have a life insurance policy on you.
2. Mismanaged expectations
Most people haven’t ridden a bike since they were small children. At that age, a double black diamond more than likely consisted of riding in the grass of someone’s front lawn or going off a curb. Taking your SO out for the first time on even green trails with rocks, roots, and off camber sections may throw them for a complete surprise when they anticipated very groomed, road-like trails. Though your SO may know how difficult the trails are that you ride, they trust you to take them on trails that they can ride. Expect an intense backlash when the ride doesn’t meet their expectations.
The inverse is also true. You may expect your SO to be able to tackle “simple” trails… when, in fact, they aren’t comfortable even walking said trails. Since you expect them to be able to ride over mere rocks, you try your best to be encouraging and positive. However, your “encouragement” may cause more harm, as it shows you clearly don’t know what they are capable of riding.
Hubby: “You got this. It’s not even as big of a drop as the last one!”
Me: “Who do you think I am? Rachel Atherton???!!”
3. They may think you’re already crazy
As if incessantly talking about mountain biking, watching others mountain bike, or going mountain biking wasn’t enough, it has now come to the level that you must watch fake mountain biking.
And then there’s Danny MacAskill’s Imaginate:
Impressive skills, but I have no words to fully justify to anyone outside of the sport why this video exists. It’s Red Bull Rampage meets PeeWee Herman. “Yes honey, please pass me some of your Kool-Aid so I too can join in the insanity.”
4. You know them too well, and they know that
While some may consider the fact that you know your SO extermely well to be a positive aspect, in some instances that very aspect of your relationship may work against you. You know your SO has an intense fear of heights. Yet you take them on a ride that has exposure, even if minimal. You know your SO has a strange phobia of puncturing their eyeballs, yet you take them mountain biking in the desert with cacti-lined trails. If you think you will get a pass on a blatant disregard for fear, you are quite wrong. Even close friends are more likely to be forgiven. But you? You knew how deep the fear was. Even if 90% of that knowledge is obtained through ESP.
5. Egos can destroy the best of intentions
This may apply more to women introducing their men to mountain biking… though it can definitely go both ways. Egos can take people outside of their boundaries, pushing them to climb hills faster than they ought to in order to not be dropped. And even following lines behind you that they are not physically capable of taking without possible injury.
Hubby: “You should walk this next section, it’s techy.”
Me: “Challenge ACCEPTED!” (followed by a faceplant)
Taking out a new person, regardless of relationship status, can sometimes be an excruciating experience. Sure, it’s fun seeing that new person experience the thrill of the ride. However, slow rides with the SO can leave you salivating for more on the trails. You may find yourself practicing track stands and jumping over large rock features just to keep your sanity and have fun. Or perhaps even showing off how good you are at jumps and drops. You’ve told your SO numerous times how you can finally huck off that large drop. Now they can finally see you do it in person! Though you may have the best of intentions, I assure you that these “tricks” likely came across as pompous, and back-fired big time.
Unsolicited Relationship Advice
Taking your relationship to the next level by melding the personal/social world with mountain biking can seem like a no-brainer. What better way to spend time than with the love of your life doing what you love most: mountain biking? However, relationships can be made and broken on the trails. This has a particularly higher probability if you are a veteran mountain biker introducing a newbie to the sport. The introduction to the sport must be done with careful planning and forethought so it doesn’t result in an SO that absolute hates mountain biking. Even a lifetime of shared mountain biking on green trails is far superior to a lifetime of mountain biking by yourself.
Your Turn: Have you introduced your significant other to mountain biking? Do you have any good tips to share to prevent a catastrophe?
6 Comments
Mar 10, 2015
Oct 24, 2019
Mar 22, 2015
At least my non-riding friends have managed to keep texting me. We hang out sometimes. On rainy days. I cherish my couple riding buddies. I really need to make some more.
Oct 25, 2015
Mar 12, 2015
Mar 9, 2015
I did teach my 22 year old daughter to ride a few years ago and she does great 90% of the time. It's the other 10% that scares the crap out of me because when she falls, it's always a doozy.