Whether you’re already in a committed mountain biking relationship or looking for love on the trail, Sports Garage fully supports a “play together, stay together” lifestyle. You gotta have your #boyzclub, and the #ladyshred is here to stay, but we’d put our money on these Top 5 MTB Date Nights to keep the fun rolling this summer – literally.
#1: Blood Road at the Boulder Theater on August 19th
Tickets are on sale for Red Bull’s first feature length film….about mountain biking. Blood Roadfollows the journey of ultra-endurance mountain bike athlete Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner, Huyen Nguyen, as they pedal 1,200 miles along the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail through the dense jungles of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Their goal: to reach the site where Rebecca’s father, a U.S. Air Force pilot, was shot down in Laos more than 40 years earlier. Come early to belly up at Boulder Theater’s bar, and then snuggle up for a mountain biking movie. All of the profits will be donated to trail building in Boulder County. This is a no brainer for the #1 MTB Date Night. Learn more about the event or buy tickets now. ($10 Advance / $12 At the Door)
Photo: Red Bull Media House
#2: “Ride-And-Then-Dinner”
The most traditional and obvious MTB Date Night, “Ride-And-Then-Dinner” deserves differentiation from “Ride-And-Grab-A-Beer”. We’d like to share our favorite trail and dinner pairings in Boulder County:
Hall Ranch & Farmer Girl: Park downtown in Lyons, and roll on the pavement to either the Bitterbrush or Antelope Trailheads. Proceed with single track. Return to Farmer Girl, a fresh farm-to-table restaurant with a garage door that opens onto the sidewalk. Nice job, Lyons.
Walker Ranch & the Dining Hall: Park at the trailhead, ride clockwise. Load up after your ride and cruise directly down Flagstaff to the Dining Hall at Chataqua Park. The Dining Hall has a fantastic post-adventure vibe, and keep your fingers crossed for elk sausage on the menu.
Heil Ranch & The Greenbriar Inn: Dinner at The Greenbriar Inn after a down and dirty lap at Heil is a well-earned massagemetro.com/shop/xenical/ indulgence…and an unexpected MTB Date Night move. Choose this option when looking to impress your sig other riding partner.
Hot Tip 1: Wear your trail attire. It’s part of the adventure.
Hot Tip 2: Always, always sit at the bar for the Ride-And-Then-Dinner.
Photo: Boulder Lifestyle Magazine
#3: His-and-Hers Demo
This is the mountain biking couple’s equivalent of dressing to the nine’s to go out for dinner. No matter your riding style and trail preference, make your regular after work ride into an MTB Date Night by picking up his and hers demos from our fleet. We’ll suggest some appropriate models, dial in your suspension settings, and even send you out the door with a couple of cold beers for post-ride. It always feels good to get fancy every now and then, and share the stoke with your honey. #mysgdemo
#4: Night Ride Picnic
Everything is more romantic after dark, right? The night ride picnic is about the adventure, not about Strava. With the use of appropriate lighting, there are plenty of places in the Boulder area to ride when the sun goes down. Trade your energy bars and gels for charcuterie and antipasto in your hydration pack . Ride out about 30-40 minutes, find a comfy spot to watch the stars, and enjoy a wilderness picnic. Boulder Mountainbike Alliance has a useful night riding guide. In general, trails on U.S. Forest Service and City of Boulder Open Space are accessible. Boulder County is not. I guess the county’s just not that into love.
Photo: White Pine Touring
#5: Private Maintenance Class
By special request, Sports Garage mechanics offer private maintenance classes. Bring your own bikes, ask whatever you want to ask, learn whatever you want to learn, deliver whatever pizza you want to deliver, dial up whatever ZZ Top you want to dial up: a private maintenance class is your night, and we will tailor the instruction to you and your honey. Talk about romantic….we give you free [chain] lube.