Are you currently in a relationship with a cyclist? Or about to be in one? Honestly, it’s awesome! They have so many great qualities that an average person may lack. Plus, they’re in the happy middle of being physically fit but with a tendency to snack all day. Could anyone be more perfect?
These are just a few qualities that make dating a cyclist awesome:
This is pretty self-explanatory and there’s a reason it’s at the top of the list. They’ll encourage you to stay fit not in an “in your face” kind of way — more like you’ll be inspired by their lifestyle and it urges you to workout. The longer you stay in a relationship, the more you tend to mimic the habits of your loved one. While you may not be training for the next Tour de France, you may find yourself at the gym more often. In addition to that, you can equate your significant other to a personal trainer or a gym buddy. They can give you exercises to do at the gym to target particular muscle groups, think glutes, that you want to improve. You don’t have to pay extra to see a personal trainer because you’re already dating one! If that’s not a significant amount of savings, we don’t know what is. Or, if you don’t want to pay for a gym membership, you can always borrow one of their many spare bikes and go for a ride with them. Trust us when we say: in the eyes of your significant other, going on a ride with them is oh so romantic.
Assuming you’re not a cyclist, you’ll get plenty of me-time. Cyclists are out for long periods of time, some of them even train two to six hours a day. During that training period, you’ll have the house all to yourself. This means you can read, work, get some laundry done, or have friends over while your cyclist significant others are out in the wilderness, braving the elements training. Your personal space isn’t just limited to when they’re out for a ride. If you ask them for some me-time even when they’re around, they’ll understand. Cyclists respect other people’s alone time because they too need plenty of alone time to train. In that sense, you can say that a cyclist isn’t too clingy or needy. They’re self-sufficient when they’re on their own, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t appreciate your company. In fact, a nice warm hug would do them wonders after a long and gruesome ride. After they shower, of course.
Cycling is typically a summer sport, but cyclists need to train all year round to stay in shape for competition season. They’re eye candy from summer through winter. Trust us, you’re getting way more than you bargained for. To put it into perspective, toned glutes from January to December. Cyclists need to retain the fitness gains that they worked so hard for in the summer. Six weeks of stagnation is enough to erase six months of intensive training. Additionally, it helps them from packing on the pounds during winter. People typically gain around ten pounds during the winter, which is normal might we add. For optimum performance come springtime, cyclists can only gain a maximum of three to five pounds during the winter. Most of them have a preferred riding weight for peak performance. Expect them to be working out even in the dead of winter.
Studies have shown that cyclists live an average of 6.3 years longer than the average person. When you’re training and exercising at that rate, you’re bound to reap the benefits of all that cardio. This means that you can keep your loved one a little longer because of all that biking. Isn’t it romantic? In fact, cycle commuting is associated with a lower risk of CVD, cancer, and hypertension. Many people believe that being physically fit requires doing regular structured exercise. However, recreational or commute cycling is equally as good when it comes to keeping your body healthy. Your significant other doesn’t have to be a hard-core competitive cyclist to reap the benefits of extended years to their lives.
Cyclists have an excellent sense of direction. They can go just about anywhere without getting lost. Pretty impressive right? Cyclists enjoy seeking new routes and discovering new places. It gives them a sense of freedom and bragging rights. If you’re trying to find the new restaurant near your place but can’t seem to, ask your significant other to take you there. Cyclists have mastered the art of weaving through traffic and finding the best shortcuts to take so that their ride runs smoothly. The shortcuts they take become paths ingrained in their memories for succeeding rides to come. They basically have a database of landmarks, establishments, and street names in their heads waiting to be pulled out when someone needs directions.
They’re the same behind the wheel as they are on their wheels. Studies have shown that cyclists tend to be better and more careful drivers than the average person. They understand road safety better than anyone because they’re normally on the receiving end of reckless driving and accidents. You don’t have to worry about anything when your significant other is driving you to work because they’ll be extra careful on the road. Did we tell you that they follow traffic lights religiously? Yes, people like them actually exist.
Cyclists are the true eco warriors. Because their bicycles run on force and willpower, they produce no carbon emissions! Yes folks, that’s right. Not only will your lover live longer than the average person, they will also save the environment while they’re at it. Honestly, we couldn’t think of anyone more perfect than a healthy, eco-friendly partner. We stan.
Enough has been said, this is self-explanatory.
Like many sports that rely on speed and momentum to win, cyclists need to keep their entire body smooth and clean shaven to prevent the hair from creating friction in the air. Hair may seem like an insignificant detail, but they will ultimately slow an athlete down. Hair removal is something that cyclists take very seriously. It’s almost like hugging a dolphin — but on dry land. Facial hair, leg hair, arm hair, you name it, GONE. Also, to some degree, it’s more hygienic. You don’t have to worry about dirt or debris getting caught in their body hair while they’re out for a ride because they don’t have any. Assuming your partner is male, don’t be surprised to find your razor missing.
After all these years of riding bikes, they’ve learned how to fix things up around the house. If you’re dating a cyclist, you’re basically with an all-in-one handyman! When you’re so used to riding a trail alone, you need to learn how to do your own repairs. If your bike happens to break a chain or lose a grip near a bike shop, then hooray! But that’s not always the case. What if you’re doing a cross-country ride or taking your bike uphill? There are no mechanics to help you, so you’ve got to learn to do everything yourself. The tinkering doesn’t stop at a cyclist’s bicycle. It applies to household utilities and sometimes even your car too! The best part? They won’t stop until its fixed.
One of the best ways to save time and money is by meal prepping. Cyclists are on a strict diet to maintain their figure and they often rely on meal prepping to make sure they’re getting the right macros for their body type. If you want to save money throughout the week and get a healthy meal while you’re at it, get in on the meal prepping trend with your loved one. Not only it is a practical way to eat, it’s also a great time to bond with your significant other in the kitchen.
Cyclists are constantly snacking on the things they prepared because of the number of calories they burn during their ride. Homemade granola bars and yogurt? Check the fridge. Vegetable sticks and peanut butter? Probably sitting on the counter. Rice cakes? Stocked in the pantry. Nuts? In a jar inside the cupboard. You can snitch from their stash and they probably wouldn’t even notice because of the amount of times that they restock.
Buying bike parts (or an entirely new bike) isn’t easy. Dating a cyclist means that you need to make informed decisions before spending anything big — assuming you’re married or have a joint bank account. They’ve got to be frugal about daily life so that there’s a little extra to skim off the top come race day. The next time you pick up that $10 galaxy bath bomb from lush, think twice.
Cyclists train five days a week, sometimes even more than that. Usually, it’s during the late afternoons when the temperature is comfortable and there are less people on the trail. So, if you show up for dinner with unwashed hair, it’s totally fine because their sweat negates yours. And if they ever call you out on it, know that you have the upper hand. But hey, who’s keeping score?
One of the many benefits of dating a competitive cyclist is their love for travel. Most of them join at least one big competition a year — the tour de France. While they’re racing through Paris, you not only get to be there to support them but also explore the beautiful city that some people can only dream of! But if they get a little too carried away after the race, you can always snag them off their bicycle and tell them to explore with you.
Have you ever dated a cyclist? Or are you dating one now? If so, you can attest to everything that we say. Dating a cyclist is awesome! See for yourself.