i personally like riding with people, but it’s hard to get friends out all at the same time, either because they are riding with the mrs, had their bike stolen, or just busy…so i tend to ride more on my own…but what do you prefer?

If its a longer ride then friends but for bread n butter weekday loops that are shorter happy to go on my own. I’m a shift worker so usually the only option is billy no mates.

I never ride in my own, I lack the self-discipline. An arranged bike ride is what forces me to get my arse sorted.

I bore myself, mostly ride with otters.

Edit – others(!)

what 29er for otters? 😀

Most of my rides are mid week so they’re solo. I enjoy small groups, but sometimes get frustrated with large groups when it turns into a faffathon and you end up averaging 2mph with the constant breaks to take off/put on a layer, fix a mechanical, find something to eat, make/answer a phone call etc etc etc.

I tend to ride with other folk mainly these days. used to ride a lot on my own tho

Prefer solo as a rule, with a group ride once in a while just for variety.

I ride at a slowish pace in general, but don’t tend to stop much. Like a piece of heavy plant – once you’ve fired it up you need to keep it running. The stop-start tempo of a group MTB ride doesn’t suit me.

If you’re learning the ropes / getting into the sport, though, then group rides are very much the way to go.

I ride on my own. The peace and quiet is a major attraction of the sport to me.

Another shift worker here, I find the stop, start, faffing around nature of group rides frustrating.

I prefer riding with one or two other people, but I’m much happier to ride on my own than in a big group.

No preference, I like both. But if I’ve been out on my own for the last few rides I try to find group rides to join, and if I’ve been out with people for the last few then I stop turning up and go out on my own for a bit. Variety, spice of life, etc.

Group rides are more fun but if you wanna get the miles in and u dont have all day its got to be solo. Alteranativley ride to the meet point, extra miles and a group ride 😉

do people really worry about the “safety aspect” ?

No preference, I like both.

+1, but I’ve been working anti-social hours most of the year and it’s getting a bit lonely.

Lucky there are a couple of people who can sometimes do weekday rides with me.

Prefer riding on my own but I also like riding with others as it can push you to do bigger stuff, you feel like you have a kind of safety barrier (or someone to scrape you up) if something goes wrong.

used to be mainly in small group (2 maybe 4 at most)then on my own for quite a few years then in the last year been riding mainly with my brother who has just got into bikes and his mate but like both so not a prob either way 😀

p.s riding on my own today as bro can’t make it out 🙄

Prefer riding in a small group, say <3, and they have to be at a fitness level very close to my own. So, you’d think that would limit my riding buddies, but I can chose between a small set that match the riding I do.
If no one is around to ride with…i just ride flat out on my own.

i like riding on my own because you can decide where you would like to go and your not waiting around for people, but does tend to mean that i can tend to bottle it a little more as there is no one to push me. Today i am riding on my own, and i will be egging myself on

like you have a kind of safety barrier 

its funny i have a go at steeper dodgier stuff when im on my own. having an audience makes me nervous and puts me off.

Always ride on my own, wouldn’t want to ride with others as puts your concentration off. Also I have my own pace which other have found hard to keep up with.

Prefer riding in a small group, say <3

so two then?

I reckon 6 is a good number bigger groups tend to have a big variation in skill and fitness some will spend a long time at top and bottom of hills waiting for others.

if the group ‘works’ then small group, otherwise on own.
works – roughly same ability/speed/interests, reliable, no hassle etc etc.
Sadly my working group dismantled itself a few years ago, it means I do much less ‘different area’ riding as a weekend on your tod just isn’t as appealing as a weekend with mates.

i know what you mean in my previous job they had a mtv club, it opened me up to so many new places even went up to 7 stanes then i left work and we drifted apart. Wish i had kept in contact with them because it was really good

By myself generally. Mainly because I’m socially inept but also because I don’t like working to a schedule when it’s my own time. Never considered the safety aspect really, I suppose if I rode in more remote places then I might.

No preference, I like both.
+1

all alone for me, it’s peace that motivates me to get the bike out

99% of my rides are on my own

I guess I’m used to it now, and its nice just to get away from everything and have some me time

I do enjoy going out with others. but waiting around for people getting ready really gets on my threpennies

I reckon DH/BMX/DJ is better with others but XC better by yourself. Something about being out at the top of a mountain on a bike by yourself that’s awesome.

road = own
mtb = mates

I ride predominantly on my own now that most of my old riding buddies have started families.

I don’t mind it, as I am not a big talker when out riding, but prefer riding with a friend or two, any more than that and it becomes less enjoyable (mainly the risk of punctures – a binomial distribution and all that!)

Going out with others is a big motivator though. When really into road riding I would be out on the bike at 8am all through the winter to meet my riding partner for 8-30. Even today it was 9-30 and yesterday nearer to 10.

Very rarely ride in the afternoon, if I don’t get out in the morning, then all hope is lost for that day.

tends to vary – tend to do the majority of my leisure riding on my lonesome, as I find pootling along is a good place for me to clear my head and do some creative musing. I enjoy heading out to one of the trail centres with some mates though, as I like the banter and the cameraderie.

Most of my riding over the next few months will probably be with groups of kids, as we’ll be starting up our Bike Club at work after the winter break.

both,but prefer company 🙂

70% by myself, but often on account of shift work.

i’d rather ride with others, most of the time. sadly that’s rarely an option for me. 😥

I swing both ways 😉

No preference to either but it can be a faff waiting for others…apart from one group of mates who are now XC beasts, they wait for me.

Todays ride by myself round Cannock with the earphones in was pure bliss though. Almost perfect….just Cannock isnt alpine enouugh but cant complain when you ride from your doorstep.

Complete lack of safety is adhered to at all times!!!

I tend to prefer a group ride, its always nice to share and its the social aspect I enjoy.
Nothing like watching a perseid meteor shower with a couple of mates in the middle of nowhere on an otherwise ‘normal’ night ride.

Depends really. Road is virtually always on my own, although I was going out with a club a couple of years ago and did enjoy it.
MTB can be great with a couple of mates at a trail centre, having a laugh and not minding if you’re stopping and regrouping a lot. But if I’m not in the mood or it’s a mismatched group it can be a real PITA- loads of faffing and different paces. I do like going at my own pace sometimes.
Also, I don’t really have many MTBing mates so that often makes my choice for me!

On my own.
I would be too self-concious to ride in a group of people i didn’t really know very well, thinking about am i too slow, don’t sit right, not got the right gadgets, bike etc.

I would be too self-concious to ride in a group of people i didn’t really know very well, thinking about am i too slow, don’t sit right, not got the right gadgets, bike etc.

I would be very surprised if that was ever a problem. IME that’s not the sort of issues which other cyclists who ride in a group generally have. If they did, then they probably wouldn’t ride with a group which advertises itself as open to anyone.

Anyone on a group ride open to anyone generally accepts that there might be someone slower than themselves or who has a good value bike.

i ride with my best friend Jack Jones.