5 ways to get your friends bicycling

Photo courtesy of Aaron Vargas Rourke.

Do you remember what it’s like to bicycle for the first time? Balancing on two wheels, dodging suicidal squirrels on the path and trying to have a conversation all at once… it can be a little daunting!

If you’re trying to convince your friend, colleague or partner to get out and ride for the first time, here are five ways that will up your chances of having them fall in love with bicycling this May:

1. Make something else the main event. 

Invite your friend to lunch, coffee or the farmers market and ride bikes there. The key here is to make the riding easy, and make it secondary to the main event. Three to five miles will feel like a long ride for anyone new to bicycling, and having a destination that includes fun and food will make the ride that much more enjoyable. Don’t be that guy who takes his girlfriend on a black diamond for her first ride. Go for the bunny hill.​

2. Offer to help trick out your friend’s bike (or just get it functioning).

​If you got mechanic skills, use them! If you don’t, go with them to a bike shop and help translate mechanic-speak into normal words.

3. Make a goal of your own and ask your friends for help.

Maybe you are a weekend warrior trying to commute to work in May, or maybe you just want to get on the bike every day. Share your goal with your friends and ask for their help to accomplish your goals! Friends want to help friends, after all.​

4. Pick a beginner-friendly bicycling event and invite your peeps.

Cascade's Woodinville Wine Ride and Seattle Night Ride are great choices for beginners! Also, Lake Washington Bike Sundays begin in May, where the streets are open to people walking, biking, skating and closed to cars.

5. Wear normal clothes. 

Also, pick a sunny day for someone’s first ride. This should be obvious. But I feel like it needs to be said.