Got any dating by bike tips for a magazine article?
Chainlinkers,
A bike magazine asked me to share people's advice on
"How to catch the eye of that special someone on the bike path this Valentine's Day," including tips on how to meet other cyclists and go on a date by bike, for example:
- On a bike date with someone who rides slower than you? Let them ride in front so they can set the pace.
- Bike-friendly transit makes it easier to date people who aren't die-hard riders. Say you meet up with a transit rider for a blind dinner date and you hit it off and want to go somewhere else for a movie or drinks - you can bring your bike on the bus or train and ride there together, or throw your bike in the trunk of a cab.
FYI, below is an old piece retelling people's bike and transit-related romance tales.
Anyone got any advice or stories to share?
Thanks!
John Greenfield
Metra-sexuals
Public transit and bicycling can be routes to romance
By John Greenfield
[This piece also runs this week in New City magazine, www.newcity.com.]
It might seem like living car-free would make dating difficult. But as Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay’s steamy El-train scene in“Risky Business” shows, alternative transportation can actually rev up your love life. Here’s testimony from Chicagoans who really “get around.”
Aurora Butterfly, a poet and co-organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride, says she’s had her share of make-out sessions on deserted Metra cars. But the CTA’s #66 Chicago Ave. bus was where she first flirted with relatively well-heeled suitors. “One was a voice-over artist who was deliciously beautiful, and the other was a successful animator and e-entrepreneur who looked like Batman,” she reports.
“Since it was the morning commute, they were too tired to lay it on thick,” she says. “It was more of a hunt-and-peck, secret glance style of courting, peeking over the marketing textbook.” Dating professionals was a nice change from her usual starving-artist types, says Butterfly. “They were
thoughtful enough about the environment not to drive downtown even though they owned cars,” she says.
“Pete,” a musician, was entering the Damen Blue Line station soon after 9/11 when he saw an
older lady standing on the stairs, wailing. After a young woman helped him get assistance for the senior, the two of them talked on the platform about how after the Trade Center attacks it seemed important to look out for other people.
On board they chatted and complimented each other’s eyeglasses as other passengers looked on. She gave him her business card as she got off the train, saying she’d love to go out some time. “I swear one guy in the train gave me a thumbs-up,” says “Pete.” Three weeks later he finally got the nerve up to call her, she invited him over to her apartment, and one thing led to another.
“Hannah” and “Dan” first met while building chopper bicycles at sessions organized by the Rat Patrol bike gang. She’s Jewish; he rolled with the Scallywags, punk-rock Christians whose members ride double-tall bikes and are sworn to celibacy before marriage.
The two mechanics got to know each other better on the Perimeter Ride, an all-day, all night, 100-mile bike tour around the city, ending with skinny-dipping in Lake Michigan. Needless to say,
“Dan” gave up his vows. Nowadays the couple lives together at the Hub, a housing co-op owned by riders from Critical Mass. Vive le velo love!
A bike magazine asked me to share people's advice on
"How to catch the eye of that special someone on the bike path this Valentine's Day," including tips on how to meet other cyclists and go on a date by bike, for example:
- On a bike date with someone who rides slower than you? Let them ride in front so they can set the pace.
- Bike-friendly transit makes it easier to date people who aren't die-hard riders. Say you meet up with a transit rider for a blind dinner date and you hit it off and want to go somewhere else for a movie or drinks - you can bring your bike on the bus or train and ride there together, or throw your bike in the trunk of a cab.
FYI, below is an old piece retelling people's bike and transit-related romance tales.
Anyone got any advice or stories to share?
Thanks!
John Greenfield
Metra-sexuals
Public transit and bicycling can be routes to romance
By John Greenfield
[This piece also runs this week in New City magazine, www.newcity.com.]
It might seem like living car-free would make dating difficult. But as Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay’s steamy El-train scene in“Risky Business” shows, alternative transportation can actually rev up your love life. Here’s testimony from Chicagoans who really “get around.”
Aurora Butterfly, a poet and co-organizer of the World Naked Bike Ride, says she’s had her share of make-out sessions on deserted Metra cars. But the CTA’s #66 Chicago Ave. bus was where she first flirted with relatively well-heeled suitors. “One was a voice-over artist who was deliciously beautiful, and the other was a successful animator and e-entrepreneur who looked like Batman,” she reports.
“Since it was the morning commute, they were too tired to lay it on thick,” she says. “It was more of a hunt-and-peck, secret glance style of courting, peeking over the marketing textbook.” Dating professionals was a nice change from her usual starving-artist types, says Butterfly. “They were
thoughtful enough about the environment not to drive downtown even though they owned cars,” she says.
“Pete,” a musician, was entering the Damen Blue Line station soon after 9/11 when he saw an
older lady standing on the stairs, wailing. After a young woman helped him get assistance for the senior, the two of them talked on the platform about how after the Trade Center attacks it seemed important to look out for other people.
On board they chatted and complimented each other’s eyeglasses as other passengers looked on. She gave him her business card as she got off the train, saying she’d love to go out some time. “I swear one guy in the train gave me a thumbs-up,” says “Pete.” Three weeks later he finally got the nerve up to call her, she invited him over to her apartment, and one thing led to another.
“Hannah” and “Dan” first met while building chopper bicycles at sessions organized by the Rat Patrol bike gang. She’s Jewish; he rolled with the Scallywags, punk-rock Christians whose members ride double-tall bikes and are sworn to celibacy before marriage.
The two mechanics got to know each other better on the Perimeter Ride, an all-day, all night, 100-mile bike tour around the city, ending with skinny-dipping in Lake Michigan. Needless to say,
“Dan” gave up his vows. Nowadays the couple lives together at the Hub, a housing co-op owned by riders from Critical Mass. Vive le velo love!
Views: 208
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on
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A tandem will probably take your relationship wherever it'd otherwise go, but faster.
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Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on
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Either one. I think the focus will be on meeting people who already bike,
while commuting or at bike events, but tips on dating newbie cyclists,
people who don't ride as often, fast or far as you, would be useful,
and I'll also probably mention how transit bike-and-ride programs are handy
when you're meeting up with someone who got there by transit.
Thanks!
John Greenfield
Jennifer said:Is this feature about about a date with a fellow cyclist or with a n00b whom you'd like to turn into a fellow cyclist?
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Permalink Reply by Duppie on
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In that case I got a few. As the better cyclist throw all expectations about distance or speed out the window. Focus on your date instead and listen to his/her needs. If your date wants to stop for ice cream/coffee/bathroom break, stop for ice cream/coffee/bathroom break even if you'd like to pedal for another hour or so. I learned the hard way that if you don't do that you end up going on a lot less bike riding dates.
Of course the best place to go for a date is the Botanic Garden. Bring some sandwiches at home, enter through the south entrance, get a soda from machine next to the washrooms and sit down on one of the benches overlooking the pond. Of course, first verify that your date is willing to ride about 40-ish miles or so.
John Greenfield said:Either one. I think the focus will be on meeting people who already bike,
while commuting or at bike events, but tips on dating newbie cyclists,
people who don't ride as often, fast or far as you, would be useful,
and I'll also probably mention how transit bike-and-ride programs are handy
when you're meeting up with someone who got there by transit.
Thanks!
John Greenfield
Jennifer said:Is this feature about about a date with a fellow cyclist or with a n00b whom you'd like to turn into a fellow cyclist?
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Permalink Reply by Marco Rayos on
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I don't know who this "Dan" is that I read about because I'm a Scallywag and I never met him before.
Marco
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Most of the names in that article have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent.
The guy who fell off the Scallywagon left the group several years ago.
John Greenfield
Marco Rayos said:I don't know who this "Dan" is that I read about because I'm a Scallywag and I never met him before.
Marco
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Permalink Reply by Matt on
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If you want to live the bike lifestyle, forgo the car and be in a lasting and meaningful relationship, do not attempt to live in the suburbs. The older you get, the more this is so.
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Permalink Reply by Kelly on
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Dating no-no. If your date is not into cycling, don't stop at bike shops for hours on end "just to look". Don't be caught looking at bike porn either. ;-)
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Permalink Reply by Kelli on
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Go to dinner (via bike) with your friend near your place when there is rain in the forecast. After dinner offer to let them up for a bit to wait out the rain even if it's not raining anymore. Make out. Date happily ever after.
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I probably know him if the names were changed. I started riding with them back in 2005 so there is a chance.
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