How to convince someone who hates mountain biking to, er, not hate it?

Get her a YT Capra and shover her down Dollywagon…

Badd-a-bing…

You’ve got a YT Capra!

Have been in a similar position with my partner. I found that infinite patience and gentle coaxing worked!I used to get gently mocked about my slightly obsessive relationship with trais/bikes. Countless summer evenings widowed to the local woods(Chickies)Zero interest!Moved up north with good walking/biking. Couple of years of gentle scenic riding finally led her to complete Whinlatter Reds last year. She absolutely loved it and was shaking like a shitting dog after the Big Dipper (adrenaline etc)Was so proud of her. I’m now in the process of building her bike up for the year and there’s even talk of going on a female specific skills day! Always be prepared and open to modify/shorten routes. A destination (historical/cake/beer based)helped rather than apparently chasing your tail for twenty miles. Above all make it enjoyable! No chasing KOMs, unless she’s that way inclined.

pmsl @ rob hilton 🙂 🙂

Get the train to Rose Hill station in Marple. Make sure it’s Rose Hill not Marple – trains don’t run to Rose Hill on Sunday so it’ll have to be a Saturday, but Marple station is halfway up Brabyn’s brow whereas Rose Hill is at the end of the Middlewood way. You don’t want to start by riding up a great big hill if you don’t have to

The quite simply cycle out along the Middlewood way, and come back along the canal.

There are quite a few places where you can swap from one to the other, usually close to a pub or cafe – The Boar’s head pub at the old station in Higher Poynton (also a small café place on the canal there), The Miners arms at Poynton Marina (or the Lyme Breeze café, not sure on opening times), as far as Adlington if you’re feeling good (drop to the Windmill on Holehouse Lane then back up to the canal) or even all the way Bollington (loads of pubs, there’s a café in Clarence Mill alongside the canal)

Stop for a hot chocolate when you get back to the Ring o’Bells in Marple, then cruise back downhill to either station for the train back to That Manchester

Lucky you’re not married to my trouble and strife, she got so mad she chucked my bike in the canal. (I’d figured a gentle ride along the tow path would be a nice soft introduction, it wasn’t)

The only other time I’ve successfully introduced someone else Mrs actually but still just as resistant, was in Whistler, they have a really pleasant gentle slope green run for beginners and ladies that just want to saunter, it was going really really well, until the bear showed up.

I agree with the trail centres and greens and blues. Also, it would be good if you guys could build it into a holiday where you get to ride a few times together in a new setting as a bit of immersion. France would be my ideal for that, but there are probably places closer to home. One idea is Ballyhoura in Ireland. Loads of trail options; nice villages and food and scenery. http://visitballyhoura.com/index.php/mountain-biking/

Reason it might be a good sell is that Kim Kardashian went mountain biking there in May 2014. It’s a good indicator the place is accessible for beginners, and that facilities etc are at a good standard

http://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/exclusive-kim-and-kanyes-ballyhoura-biking-adventure-before-moving-on-to-kerry-30311401.html

I have nothing to do with Ballyhoura, and am a good Dublin man, but thought this might be of interest.

Cheers

I think it’s about getting her to enjoy the experience of riding and all the stuff that goes with it, before thinking about enjoying nailing berms, KOMs etc.

tow paths / old railway routes… that kind of thing#. Keep it slow and social. Pub lunch / Greggs / cake and tea.

From there, slowly make the rides harder, longer, muddier…

or

accept that this interest isn’t a shared one and that time apart only makes the heart grow fonder. My wife bike-commutes and likes the odd disused railway line ride with a cream tea at the end but will never have any interest in getting cold and muddy and wet and mtb-ing. I enjoy my rides with male friends. She enjoys the stuff she does without me.

nb. your better half’s bike must be working perfectly at all times! If her gears slip / brakes squeal / generally isn’t up to scratch… well, lets say it’s been a bone of contention in our house.

Once this nipper has arrived we’ll be doing a few laps of the blues at ‘degla and numerous trips to the pub with a trailer on the back.

You’d be welcome to join us 😀

The quite simply cycle out along the Middlewood way, and come back along the canal.

Or start at Rose Hill and go all the way to Macclesfield visiting the Vale in Bollington, directly below the big viaduct, and the Water’s Green in Macc just up the road from the station. Then train back from Macc.