[sambs827]

Today I took my girlfriend's sister on her first "real" mountain bike ride. She's been wanting to get a bike for a while, and her soul searching has finally led her to buying a bike. This past week we went to a couple places, and she ended up with a deal on a 2010 Hardrock Sport disk (the black and red one). It looks sick, and seemed like the best deal she was going to get on a bike in her price range and size.

We went for a 5.5 - 6 mile ride at Pine Bush Nature preserve for her first ride. I had to test out the 07 Trek Session I just built up, and while it was grossly overkill for these trails, it slowed me down a bit so I wasn't leaving her in the dust (as much). Taught her how to get off and behind the saddle on descents, put weight forward for climbs, shift at the right times, brake effectively, and get over logs. She skis a lot and loves tree skiing, so choosing lines wasn't a problem for her.

Her boyfriend has been wanting a bike, but he thinks he can only spend $500 on a bike (he's just being cheap). However, he can't let his lady have something higher-end than him, so I'm sure that budget will get blown up once she starts riding more. Right now he has an ancient Trek rigid something or other with LX and XT on it. Sweet bike, but he wants at least front squish.

You may ask "well Sam, what about your girlfriend?" Well, I'll tell you. She likes a leisurely bike ride as much as the next person, but mountain biking is out of the question. Apart from other things, biking is my getaway, and as much as her biking would be awesome, I would need to find some other getaway, and that's a scary thought.

 

[CrimsonFox]

I'm kinda right there with you. It is nice to have your own hobbies that you don't share so you have some independence.

 

[sambs827]

yeah...girlfriend enjoys a leisurely bike ride as much as the next person, but that's about it.

But with any luck, by the end of the summer I'll be able to say I brought two more people into the sport, and that is an encouraging thought.

 

[Mikecito]

I'm kinda right there with you. It is nice to have your own hobbies that you don't share so you have some independence.

Agreed. I love my wife dearly, but bike time is my me time.

 

[airdonut41]

I'm still in the process of debating if I should bring the gf into the sport; she seems to like trail riding, but she has very little natural ability on a bike and doesn't feel the same need for adrenaline that I do...

 

[Tails8]

Yep same here. Other than short canal rides that's it for my g/f and I. Bike time, along with a few other hobbies, if my time..

Tails

 

[Boylerules]

I'm trying to convince my wife that we need to get her a decent mountain bike. She has a crappy hand-me-down hardtail and I'm trying to bring her into some full squish goodness.

I feel that if we get her a good bike that fits her really well, she'll want to ride even more... which means more riding for ME!

 

[mtnbiker64]

My gf was a roadie until she met me. Now she's got full suspension and loves it. She's taken some hard spills (1 real bad one landing on the top of her head) but has not looked back. I'm use to riding around 15-20 miles but she'll always push for more. Plus it lets me get to a lot of trails that I wouldn't have gone to with the guys. They seem to like riding the same stuff over and over again. So I'm actually glad I got her to try mtn biking.

 

[Bandit402]

Its all about the first hard spill. If you get through that, you're golden. My girlfriend started mountain biking when we started dating (I guess its kind of a prereq) and she can handle any trail that we go on.

 

[upNdown]

Hey, I'm all for having your own getaway or personal time or whatever you want to call it. But I'm uncertain how wise it is to be getting away from your girlfriend WITH HER SISTER!

 

[sambs827]

Hey, I'm all for having your own getaway or personal time or whatever you want to call it. But I'm uncertain how wise it is to be getting away from your girlfriend WITH HER SISTER!

no worries, her sister's boyfriend comes out too whenever I actually have an extra bike built up. And my lady likes taking pictures of cool bike stuff, so the line is drawn somewhere....

 

[JPinFL]

That's cool. It's always nice to have more people in the sport.