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It would appear that I'm not alone 😛
Mainly solo but often with my wife and occasionally with a group, this is either MTB or road. Sometimes I'll head out on my own and happen to ride with another rider for a while before going our separate ways.
90% solo.
I have a mate who lives locally who I like to ride with, but he works shifts, I work away a bit, and we both have little kids so we're lucky if our schedules allow for more than one joint ride per month.
We're both doing Ride London - mostly for the 100 miles of closed roads.
I have no interest in joining a club, mostly due to the way I see them behaving when I'm out at weekends (shouting at each other, dropping litter, etc)
I don't know if it's just a coincidence that the 'solo' types are the ones posting but the above has really surprised me.
Not me.
I'd guess that, like me, many people on here have taken up MTB'ing relatively late in life?
Late 30's early 40's probably.
It can be quite daunting to throw yourself in to the mix with other people if you've no real way beforehand of gauging your own fitness / skill levels compared to other people who may have been biking for years.
I've read so many posts on here from people who've been invited on group rides who instantly respond that they'd be terrified that they wouldn't keep up and would hold everyone else back.
It's only natural to be self conscious and it's much easier to stay solo.
Social, but only small groups. Riding with large groups inevitably sucks as the faffing, wingeing, and mechanicals from those arses who can't be bothered to look after their bikes spirals exponentially.
I've ridden with a selective group of gentlemen for about 7 years now. At most our group is 6 on big days, and is sometimes just two. I'm happy with that.
Our life commitments independently push and pull on our ability to ride regularly as a group, but that's cool, because we're all parents with jobs, and all the responsibilities that goes with that.
I don't see the point of riding solo if nobody can't see your latest carbon frame bike, latest groupset or choice of tyres.
I'd say there's a correlation between the personality types that prefer to ride alone and the personality types that inhabit Internet forums. I prefer to ride in groups (though more recently I realise I've been doing more solo riding due to family logistics) - but of the many dozens I ride with, very few post much on here. Mind you, wwaswas makes up for all the rest! 😉
i do plenty of solo rides but only short local blasts to keep the cobwebs away. much prefer a group, 2 or 3 is best. i like the encouragement from having other riders about, bravado kicks in.
im too much of an introvert for large groups tho, end up going mute!
Odd one out here 90% group of well trained mates. Twice a week this time of year, combining road and MTB, faffing is not allowed.
I have just purged the group due to the time thiefs, as mentioned above!
If I am out on my own it's normaly a route finding effort.
Another thought - if I just rode on my own I suspect I'd still be riding my Boardman XC bike and doing more XC riding. It was riding in a group that opened my eyes to techy singletrack, jumps, drops, steep stuff, away trips to interesting places, uplift days and so on - and riding a lot faster downhill and ending up in a bit of a bicycle arms race to keep up! 😉
Mostly solo on the trails,like to pick and choose routes as i go along,go at my own pace and distance,just depends how i feel on the day.
Ride DH with my son and some friends,it's good banter on the uplifts.
Mainly solo, a combination of not really have any other mates who cycle, me liking the time alone and also generally not planning when I will go out. I reckon I do 2 or 3 rides a year with others and very much enjoy them in moderation.
I recent change has been my wife getting into the road side of things so now once a week we go out as a pair and it's awesome.
solo
Mostly, but the groups will be family, or max 1-2 chums.
I like hills, so will often just do a route that involves the most climbing in the shortest possible distance. Surprisingly, most other people don't seem to like this. I like to be able to change the route and take in extra hills when I find them, and get lost.
Also, I have a natural aversion to people with all the gear and no idea, and cycling clubs in packs of 40-50. There are quite a few of these in the Wessex Downs/Chilterns.
Solo mainly as family grown up but when I do ride in a group it is with family.
Used to ride in a group in the 90s we all worked similiar patterns, job promotions and life changes altered that to solo in the 00s plus I liked to ride at my pace no faff and quiet to escape the job......
Family grew up so rode with them and solo
Then injuries really kicked in so really wanted to ride solo to gain fitness/ not be all macho,/ and relax
Still there in solo world but do miss or would like the idea of a group ride sometimes
Prefer solo.
Road - mostly on my jack.
Off-road - mostly not.
Quite like the hive-mind approach to navigation, and the cameraderie and back-up in the event of a crash or a mechanical that goes along with riding in a group.
Quite like the fact that you can proceed at your chosen pace, however fast or slow that might be, when you're on your own.
I prefer riding solo on the road bike,but I'll call in at one of my mates for a brew & socialise. On the mountain bike I rarely ride solo,usually ride in a small group 5 maximum.If I go out with the MTB club it's inevitably lots more which means more faffing about but also more sociable.
It's all good! 😀
Almost entirely in a group. Guys i've been riding with for years and years so we're all the same fitness and skill level, and all drift to the latest interest - currently fatbikes. All like our cider too so plenty of pub stops.
Or group rides with the local club, with enough members to split into similar-pace groups.
Or out with the local roadies, who i've known for 30+ years...
Might try this solo thing one day!
Vast majority of it is solo, but that's mainly as the few guys is used to mountain bike with have all either given up due to family / partner commitments or have crossed to the dark side and become roadies. Saying that I don't mind riding on my own as its a great way to clear my head and just focus of the task at hand rather than extranious life rubbish. Only time I miss riding with others is for the post ride pint & debrief on how we all almost died on x or y section, or when wanting to try some new technical section (drop, gap jump or so on) out of my comfort zone - useful to have someone to call the ambulance for you! Although solo seems the majority here, out on the trails I find its c 80% groups 20% solo
I've read so many posts on here from people who've been invited on group rides who instantly respond that they'd be terrified that they wouldn't keep up and would hold everyone else back.
It's only natural to be self conscious and it's much easier to stay solo.
Made me think did that.
I've tried group rides (not from here I'll add). Been mountain biking on and off since the 90s but a few years ago got diagnosed with a crap pancreas so not fast and, thanks to the drugs, can bonk (hate that term) getting up off the sofa.
In the past I've had a phone call from the organiser of a social ride suggesting that people would be expecting a good days riding and would not want to wait for me or worry about whether I'm having problems.
Perhaps the likes of that phone call I had is why people are terrified of keeping up - because the experience is that you are expected to keep up.
Spotted a beginners ride at a trail centre recently that also had the small print, make sure you're fit enough to keep up, beats me how anyone new would know if they are fit enough.
That's pretty much why I ride solo. I don't expect that people would understand my own difficulties, so if I ride on my own I don't have to worry. Not found a useless older riders group in my area yet 🙂
Can't imagine what it would be like if I needed an e-bike as well.
99% solo - as above it's "me" time in an otherwise hectic life. So value the peace and quiet and chance to escape. Ditto skiing, much prefer to ski n small groups - never more that 3-4. Saves the phaffing, debates and general waste of time..
Most of my local mates are roadies too. But would like to ride more with better riders as I need to be pushed out of my comfort zone and told to stop mincing when the gnarr appears!!!!
Spotted a beginners ride at a trail centre recently that also had the small print, make sure you're fit enough to keep up, beats me how anyone new would know if they are fit enough.
Strava should have a feature that matches you with people with similar times to you on the same segments rather than focusing on the fastest all the time. Maybe it does?
It's interesting that there are so many solo riders on this thread. Reading the coverage of MTBing in mags etc you'd think that it was a sport that you could only do with your mates. You hardly ever read a ride report in Singletrack (or any other mag for that matter) written by a solo rider.
Personally I prefer to ride on my own. Ideally (and frequently) I wont meet another soul on a ride. I do ride with others occasionally. Maybe one or twice a year. I enjoy it, but that's enough group riding for me 🙂
Roverpig, when you have a regular group you ride with you can do all the gear pondering with real spoken words instead of writing essays online, hence the need for forums is much less! 😉
I mostly go out with 3 or 4 friends who are about the same skill and fitness levels. As one of the guys is now on a different shift pattern to the rest of us, it feels like herding cats to organise a suitable day sometimes, but always have a good laugh when we do manage it.
I have done a couple of solo rides, but prefer the banter in a small group.
I do want to go out with the local MTB club, but as others have said, I worry about my fitness and don't want to hold people back, so until my fitness improves I'm holding off.
Bit of everything really.
Solo rides are great for exploring, scoping out new trails and riding from the door.
I have group rides with friends of similar ability where its all banter and egging each other on.
I have group rides with faster people where I'm trying to push my technical ability, and the limits of what I can ride.
Not sure what all these 'mechanical' stops are that people moan about. With tubeless and modern bikes, our group rides rarely have any.
Though I like the solitude of solo peace & quiet of which I get none for a month at work offshore. Nowadays it's a small group of great lads who are good mates, done the large group thing & hated it, faffing about Oh i'll change my tyres at the car park, have i got enough layers on will it rain, etc it was ridiculous so I keep it simple, get on the bike big days out lakes etc & crack on.
I am the only person on here who enjoys Club rides?!? Maybe it's more a road thing, but I really enjoy being part of a cycling club and the regular weekly rides. Good for my training (I can always opt for a "hard" ride if I want to push myself), great social craic, cafe stops, help when you're tired or have a mechanical, and most of all have made several good friends 🙂
Equally I ride several times a week on my own - love the flexibility to choose when and where I go, and will happily head off on a solo 100 mile ride through the mountains.
Plus, ride out regularly with my partner - we're fairly evenly matched and both training for the Marmotte, so will both aim for similar training rides.
Personally, I think it's great to have a bit of diversity - sometimes solo, sometimes just two of you, and other times a 'mini-peleton' on a club ride 🙂
Bit of everything for me.
Racing at the weekend, solo on Tuesday, with a mate today. All riding is good riding though!
As much as I enjoy a group ride - there are a couple of mates that you simply know will more than likely be the ones with the "technical issues". It's dawned on me that this is not bad luck (we all snap a chain or get a flat from time to time) - but a couple of mates who's bikes are not well looked after tend to be the ones with continually hold the rest up. Be it a bendy bus back end where pivots have come loose, lack of stans, trying to repair an innertube with 35 patches on it already....you know the sorts....
Be it road or mtb the vast majority of time it is a solo ride for me.
Very occasionally a friend or family member may tag along. Biggest group I ride with is 4 and that includes me and is on the mtb.
I do, now and again, end up riding on the road with another solo rider for a part of a ride. But that is only if we are both friendly and seem to be similar pace, etc.
Nearly all of my riding is solo.
I like the freedom to go where I want without having to consider anyone else's opinion and I can go at what pace I feel like on the day.
The downsides as I see them are:
If I can't find motivation, it's too easy to slack off if there's nobody else to let down by staying in.
There's nobody to talk over the highs and lows with afterwards.
Riding with faster riders makes you faster.
No one at hand in case of an accident.
I do the odd event here and there and occasionally (hardly ever) go on group rides, but mostly it's Billy No Mates.
Back in the 90's I used to ride with my brother and his mate around the Box Hill area and I loved it. My brother now lives in Oz and his mate moved away. Now I ride solo but would love to have others to ride with as I really miss the company/banter.
Anyone else who wants a riding partner around Swinley etc. , let me know.
I hope this doesn't come across as too desperate 😳
I've just done a quick ride before going work. Found myself singing to myself on the flat bits.
No one within earshot so no one to scare with my dreadful singing. Great fun.
I do both but only ever on the road bike these days. If I'm honest I prefer riding solo but not sure I'd only ever want to do one or the other.
I think my ideal ride would be me and 2 or 3 friends.
I go out with the local club and whilst I like the social aspect the actual riding in a large group doesn't always appeal to me- its quite easy to clog up the local lanes if there's too many of you and whilst I appreciate the need for the "rules" of group riding I sometimes wonder if the regimented aspect of it sucks all the fun out of riding.
I'd probably prefer to just go out on my own and then meet everyone else for a coffee in the local cafe and just omit the group ride altogether. Met some sound people though.
Usually on my own, given a choice I usually like riding with 1-2 others. I dislike bigger groups; on the road I just get stressed by everyone else's lack of road craft, unless they're all really good riders (which is rare these days!), off road there's too much faffing.
Always loved riding solo but used to ride regularly with friends then they moved plus juggling family commitments & work meant arranging meet ups was nigh on impossible.
So now mostly solo with a couple of meet ups for rides with mates every year.
Joining a club... I think I'm too Groucho Marx for a commitment like that (over the green from my house is the bus shelter that is a regular chaingang meet/re-group spot for all the local clubs)
Until last April is was maybe 70/30 split in favour of group riding (some long time friends and a few newer ones). But this past 12 months or so were riddled with mysterious and not so mysterious injuries/illness which have prevented any saddle time. I've been back on the horse for about a month now and all my subsequent rides have been solo. Enjoyable as always but i tend to push myself harder when riding alone (probably to make up for the lack of decent hill where i live). I also stop a lot to maintain/build trail features as well as session little interesting bits which rarely happens on group rides. That's something i used to do a lot when i was into BMX as a youngster and i don't think it'l ever leave me.
My plan is to spend maybe another month riding solo in an attempt to get my fitness to a level where i can rejoin the group rides (always big days in the mountains and always new trails to explore) without feeling like i'm spoiling the ride for the gang.
off road there's too much faffing
Innit though. 🙄
80% just me and Mr TW.
20% just me.
Off road I prefer to ride in a small group of similar pace. The reality though is these days I ride 95% solo off road, big groups have far too much faffage.
On road shorter weekday rides by myself, weekend club rides. I like the social aspect club rides but not groups larger than 10, our Saturday group is also scary as although most are fit they have no road craft where as the Sunday group are generally more old school.
What I have noticed is that many cyclist are introvert or have borderline personality issues compared to people I meet in other parts of my life.
I love riding alone and I love riding with other people (up to 2 or 3 others).
I have been introduced to a lot of new trails, which I probably wouldn't have ridden if I was still riding solo.
Don't really ride road (am I in a minority here!?), so 99% solo for me. Unless you count hacking out on bike alongside the OH or one of our sharers on the horses 😉
Basically solo, apart from when the boy is with me on the Trailer-bike.
So, that's about 85% in company, 15% solo. 😕
Years ago I used to frequently ride with a bunch from all over the country. We'd meet up and gnerally have a great time but after a few years of doing this we basically ran out of places to ride that were guaranteed to be good and that everyone would enjoy
Some people wanted to go further afield, some wanted to stay local, some CBA and so the group fragmented. A big group became smaller groups and the smaller groups became threes and twos and ones
We keep in touch but it's surprising how few out of that bunch of 20 or so are still biking
Only on my own, but I used to ride with a couple of other guys and I miss the comradery now. Didn't miss the screwing around at the time though.
Ultimately we all ride alone.
err...Grasshopper
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