Good Samaritan Cyclist Loses the Girl
I was out cycling this past weekend when I came across two preteen girls on their mountain bikes. One of them was totally frustrated with her bicycle, so the two of them swapped and they started pedaling again. In short time, the other girl became frustrated, too. Seems the chain on one of the bikes was getting caught in the derailleur.
Of course, I stopped to help.
It’s an unwritten rule of cycling that you should offer assistance to any downed cyclist. If an adult is on the side of the road, they’re probably fixing a flat. You say “need anything?” They say “no”. And you both feel you’re part of a larger group that is collectively watching out for each other. (Plus, on rare occasion, someone actually does need help. And you help them.)
If it’s a kid on the road? Forget etiquette, you simply help them.
I asked these two girls if they needed help. “YES!” they said. They were totally happy to be rescued.
Modern bikes have three rings in the front, and seven or nine in the back, giving the rider a ton of gear ratio options. The problem is, if the chain is on the left-most ring in front, and the right-most ring in back, (or vice versa, right to left), the crossover is too severe for the derailleur mechanism, and the chain gets caught.
This is a very common problem with beginning cyclists. And it’s exactly what happened to these girls.
I fiddled with the chain, changed some gears, got things fixed – then explained to them how to avoid the problem. (The simplest approach: keep the chain on the middle ring in front, and go between any rear rings you like in back, and you won’t have problems.)
Back on their way, the girls were totally happy.
At that point I noticed two hottie women in their thirties, across the street, out for a long run together. They were heading the direction I had just come from. As a single man, my immediate thought was to get one of their phone numbers. Yeah, guys think like that. At least I didn’t immediately picture spooning naked with them. (Or I won’t admit it. Ha.)
One problem – it’s pretty near impossible for a cyclist to hit on a runner. Believe me, I’ve tried. Romantic conversation starters are hard to pull off when you’re working out. For a cyclist to hit on two runners who are really going strong? Even harder.
And then it struck me – if the preteen girls hadn’t had their chain problems, I would have whizzed past the runners while I bombed downhill.
So I should be happy that my good Samaritan act gave me a chance to not only help two stranded cyclists, but gave me extra time to view the hottie women running past.
Right?
(I still feel like I should be on a hot date with one of those runners right now. Oy!)
- Father Son Manfest – Peloton of Two
- Father and Son, Sharing a Cycling Passion One-on-One
- Father and Teenage Daughter Go For a Run
- Shirtless Runner
- How Tall is Lance Armstrong?
- Tour de France Autographs
- Podium Girls Polka Dot Passion
| 
Subscribe | © 2008-09 David Mott, DadsHouseBlog.com. All rights reserved.
Comment by Mark
| October 27th, 2009
It is good that you stopped to help and that you had a chance to enjoy the view.
Comment by Ginger Magnolia
| October 27th, 2009
Ah, rats!
Comment by Senorita
| October 27th, 2009
Well, you still didn’t tell us if you talked to the pretty runners or if you just whizzed on by. Sometimes you can be so slicky vanilly.
Something tells me you did talk to them, but it’s probably too soon for you to tell us what really happened. Maybe you have a date with one of them, or plan to hang out with both.
So nice that it was you that helped those teen girls and not some pervy, McNasty dude on the side of the rode.
Senorita´s last blog ..Open letters to my yoga classes………..
Comment by butrflymom
| October 27th, 2009
I love the cyclist etiquette. I’m new to cycling (though not a teen) and have been helped out on the side of the trail a couple of times. There is much to learn out on the bike. maybe next time you could help me.:)
Comment by Heather
| October 27th, 2009
oh the price you pay for being a good samaritan! :) That was awesome of you to help those young ladies out! Maybe they have hot single moms?
Comment by T
| October 27th, 2009
Good cycling etiquette David.
And gratitude that all happens exactly as its supposed to!
(Besides, knowing you, you did get their phone numbers and are possibly dating one or both of them now.)
Hee hee!
T´s last blog ..Who I am/Who I was
Comment by Abby Carter
| October 27th, 2009
There are a ton of hot cyclists in my ‘hood, but as you say, the problem with cycling is how does one go about meeting them? I guess if I hung out at the Starbucks at 9am on a Sunday, I might get lucky, but alas, I usually have a bathrobe date with a cup of tea and the New York Times about then.
I guess taking up cycling myself might be an option, but it is a rather lone sport. Plus I haven’t got a clue what you were talking about with regards to all those gears. Oh wait, maybe that would be a good thing. Damsel in distress. Hmm. Gonna have to work on that…
Abby Carter´s last blog ..My Serendipitous Road to Getting Published
Comment by Matthew
| October 27th, 2009
Yea, hitting on girls while working out is a tough one. I run all the time and even trying to hit on women runners when you are out and about is tough, especially if they’re going the other direction… not to say I haven’t tried though:)
Matthew´s last blog ..Vegetarian Dating Options?
Comment by BigLittleWolf
| October 27th, 2009
Hmmm. Hot cyclists. I never thought of that. A whole new target market. Clearly I need one, since lately, I haven’t been having much luck at my usual spots, surrounded by books. Where are all the hottie READERS? Okay, time to see if I’m too little for my kid’s last teen bike.
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Breast-fed boomer boy: how NOT to pick up a girl
Comment by Keith Wilcox
| October 27th, 2009
you should have thrown the bike down a ravine and started running to catch up! :-)
Keith Wilcox´s last blog ..Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Buy Frozen
Comment by Danielle
| October 27th, 2009
You have serious issues. One track mind! :)
Danielle´s last blog ..The great the bad and the REALLY ugly!!!
Comment by Lance
| October 27th, 2009
This one I would just go for. Just pedal up, say hello with your best smile, note body language, and plow forth. If it bombs in the first 20 seconds, that’s ok, just excuse yourself and take off. No harm done.
Lance´s last blog ..The Hottest Kiss Of My Life
Comment by dadshouse
| October 27th, 2009
Lance – I’ve tried that move a few times before, and it didn’t work. The women got really uncomfortable. In this case, I was on a road bike and the women were on a trail just off the road. But it was on a hill, so they were 10 feet up. It would have been like calling to Rapunzel to throw down her sweaty runner-girl hair.
Keith – ha! A tangential approach, throw down my bike and feign injury. Then I’m the one needing rescue. Though with my luck, the preteens would have come back and given me Girl Scout first aid, rather than the women fawning over me.
Abby – can you get up 10 minutes earlier, change out of the bathrobe, and have that coffee at a coffee house? Your son is old enough for you to do things like that on occasion, no? Or get him to a sleepover the night before, to clear your morning.
Comment by meg
| October 27th, 2009
Cycling was HUGE where I was use to live. my road was non stop cyclist. it was rather annoying because my dog would not stop barking at them.
meg´s last blog ..Where Did Fall Go?