xccx

i tell ya, as a single guy, racing weekend in and weekend out and training every second i can, it's hard to meet women. how do you all do it? i see you there, at the races, with your ladies. just last wknd i saw a guy's wife/girlfriend actually rubbing embrocation on his legs. sheesh. so what's the trick to getting a nice laid back female to come to the races with me and walk our black lab puppy and bring my wheels to the pit for me?

drop some knowledge on me, y'all. i'm getting lonely.

jpearl

Herre's the secret; meet the chick during those years that you're out of the sport. I met my wife while on the tail-end of my twelve-year absence from the sport. Being a cyclist, and a competative cyclist in particular, can ebb away at one's personal life. Since I rejoined cycling some three years ago, and started racing agin just last month, I've been spending less and less time with my non-cycling friends and trying harder and harder to spend as much time with my wife as possible.

And dude, you're a CXer. Just go to a bar, flash yo' thigh muscles, and regail some chick with battle stories of muddy run-ups and banging elbows over the barriers. Oh yeah, and buy her lots of good drinks. That, or just start exploiting the black lab puppy. Total chick magnet if you ask me...

sfcrossrider

I'm married and EVERY time I wear shorts I get more attention than any married guy should!

I've raced bikes on and off since I was six. The key to a good social life is balance. If you're super bike geek 100% of the time NO one will want to be around you... even bike racers.

edzo

ur doing it wrong

get your ass on the podium enuf times
the chicks will pop out of nowhere

ryand

Just meet a girl and leave bikes out of it.

If she likes you enough, she will come to the races.

If it looks like fun to her, she will ask for a cross bike.

shapelike

Exploit the puppy. Always exploit the puppy.

Or in my case, spend 8 months straight in the hospital whilst losing a year and a half of your life to an illness and then have your long-since ex-girlfriend's scandalously hot/brutally sarcastic friend start visiting you and keeping you company while you recover, only to drop the "I've had a thing for you all these years" bomb (likewise!). That'll get your life back on track in a good way.

To review, pull an English patient w/a hot girl, exploit the puppy.

xccx

true, true. you are a wise man.

somnambulant

Also: make sure to get out and cheer the women's races. Cheer/make an ass out of yourself enough, and maybe you'll get someone's attention. Then you already know she's into bikes!

billh

yeah, somewhere there is a cx chick musing, "gee, I can't seem to meet any guys . . ."

flargle

Cross is a sausage-fest. And out of the handful of chicks that race cross I'd wager a good percentage are either already taken or bat for the other team.

Look elsewhere for wenching.

Iffacus

I met my other half at a cross race and as she has now started racing as well it means I have someone to chat too about how badly I've gone on the way home

edzo

not where I am at. plenty O wimmins racing bikes in the NE.

flargle

Is Gran Prix of Gloucester a fair example?

449 adult male finishers vs 85 adult female finishers is a greater than 5:1 ratio, in other words, sausage-fest.

And I'll bet the ratio would be even worse if you only counted single men and single women.

jpearl

OK. XCCX, I have a plan to help you get chicks, but it might be a little tricky; race while holding the black lab puppy. It might affect your placing in the race, or even your ability to be competative, but you will be getting "awwws" all around the race course, and every chick there will want to meet you.

pitboss

stop worrying about dating while racing. it will throw off your momentum. you think eating your own face in a sandpit is hot? you'd be better off befriending a bottle of good whiskey - alcohol won't judge you.

wait until post season. that way there is no need to buy gifts and you can pay your hospital bills in cash!

no need to thank me - my advice costs nothing, and is worth just that.

auk

Money saved can also be used for more bike parts. Upgrades will be seemingly free.

M_S

Hold on tight to that woman and never, ever let her go. Never. Ever.

'nother

Fixed

cam117

Tie the puppy to the back of your bike while you race. That'll definitely get her attention.

xccx

i think part of my problem is my taste in women. i tend to like...er..."fancy" girls. you know, the kind that wear heels and stuff. i also tend to like artistic women with avant garde haircuts. when i meet these girls and tell them i bike race they're always like..."oh." i'm really not one to go for the fleece wearing, baseball hat wearing, cross racing type of girl. dont get me wrong....i like them, but they dont necessarily get my engines hot.

maybe its a lost cause.

hmm. cross or girls. i guess i choose cross.

Elliot

Awesome thread. Well, if any of you guys happen to be on the lookout for the fleece wearing, baseball hat wearing, (recent convert to) cross racing type of girl, keep an eye out for me. And if you happen to have a dog, no contest. I don't, however, recommend cam's suggestion of tying the dog to your back while you race. I'll leave the race with your dog and without you...

xccx

wait, wait! i like fleece/baseball hat/cross types too...i mean...i dont discriminate!

Elliot

yeah, but i won't be able to get your engines hot...

'nother

that almost sounds like a challenge

glenng

met my wife at the YMCA during the winter season. That was 10 years ago. She still works at the YMCA and she can still smoke me.