Not sure why but I can’t stand riding with no one else to talk to? If I turned up for my weekly ride and no one else showed up I wouldn’t even bother to go for a solo ride even though I was kitted up for it. I just find it boring and every climb seems to drag on, while every downhill leaves you with no one to verbally high five.
Riding for me, is all about the banter with your mates and sharing the experience.
Am I just very social or a little bit strange?

Why not just go to the pub if you like talking

It all gets easier if you ride more than once a week.

You need more friends.

I like company off road, not fussed on road.

Used to be like that, but as mates got older, fatter and had kids I ended up on my own more and more. Don’t mind it now. Don’t particularly like night rides on my own in areas I don’t know well though

Ride at whatever pace you want, go wherever you want, nobody wanting a “high five”, fewer mechanicals, no waiting around for someone to puff up the climb or mince down the descent even slower than me, more time to reflect without inane chatter… love riding alone.

Different strokes for different folk I guess, the general public consider us all a little bit odd to start with for continuing to ride bikes at our age.
I’m at the polar opposite end of the spectrum from yourself, I intensely dislike riding wi others.

Much prefer riding on my own. For me it’s always been about the ride not the social aspect.

Riding with others always means a compromise of some sort, route, time etc. Also love the aspect of pushing myself on my own. Still like to occasionally ride with others but not all the time. I guess it’s my introvert side coming out where I don’t really care about what others do and am just into the experience.

Ride at whatever pace you want, go wherever you want, nobody wanting a “high five”, fewer mechanicals, no waiting around for someone me to puff up the climb or mince down the descent even slower than me, more time to reflect without inane chatter… love riding alone.

+1

In fact I prefer it on my own.

Mechanicals are much better with mates.
You get to stand around and take the p#%s while they faff about getting muddy.
I do understand that some people just like to get their heads down and beat themselves up about their Strava times.
It didn’t used to bother me going out on my own, but maybe I now I find mountain biking more of a social thing than a sole means to keep fit?

Either solo or small group ( 5 or less) for me.

You could help them of course 🙂

I prefer to play with myself.

Help them!
Where’s the fun in that? 🙂

Most of my riding is done alone as I never find mates I want to ride with .The young ones are way to fast and I cant keep up and the couple my age are slow on and off road I dont enjoy it with either group

Riding with any more than 1 other person slighty annoys me, the amount of faf increases with every other person.

Hang on a min I just have to
.change my music.
.put my jacket/jumper/trousers on/off
.have a wee/poo/fag
.check my mech/tyre/brakes/wheels/lights
.phone my wife/kids/landlord/archbishop

Argghhhh Lets Ride!!

If i do a lone MTB ride I tend to go to a trail centre, at least there you’re likely to meet some people and usually have a few minute chat with. On the road I’m not really bothered, I like to ride at my own pace and zone out so an not good company anyway.

I like both solo and group rides tbh.

Group as you say is more social but solo rides I can tow on, and ride at my own pace. Find it great for clearing my head by myself too.

On my own- I love to stop and take in the beauty, think, drift. Best place for riding solo was the Alps, I’d take my I.D/insurance details and just wander over to Switzerland etc on the bike using the lifts. You tend to relax more when alone- ergo ride BETTER IMO.

Not sure why but I can’t stand riding with no one else to talk to?

With you all the way. Same with Skiing, both are individual sports that I find difficult to do on my own. I love to ride but the social side makes it so much more, so much so that the idea of going alone is not particularly attractive. Ultimately wouldn’t stop me if push came to shove and no one was around but…

Last orders on a cold night ride wouldn’t be the same without good company.

I like riding on my own…at least no one can tell me how slow i am!

Ride at whatever pace you want, go wherever you want, nobody wanting a “high five”, fewer mechanicals, no waiting around for someone me to puff up the climb or while I mince down the descent, more time to reflect without inane chatter, no one to dispute the 100ft drop-off and general gnar shredding, freedom to bimble and no one needs to know about me getting lost in a trail centre… love riding alone.

+ 1.

Yes we can….’YOU’RE TOO SLOW’

I enjoy my own company every so often, as get very little time to myself between work and home with 2 young children 😉

Mountain bikes always with mates. Half of the fun for me. Bragging rights on climbs and descents. Much more fun to share the experience. Cross Bike tends to be just me but only because I’ve failed to convince MTB mates they need to buy one.

I’m with the OP, riding alone doesn’t do it for me.

Another kids related enjoyer of riding on my own. Mind you I would also like to have the chance to ride with other people too, particularly on the road.

I keep thinking of setting up a dads (and mums so parents really, I guess) ride at 8pm or something so that the we can get the kids off to bed and then get out for ride during the week without dumping everything on the other half.

So much better going out in a small group of mates than solo.

Depends on the ride. If it’s a training ride, then it’s better solo, focusing on what you’re doing etc. Anything else, then it’s more sociable.

No, not just you, I never ride off road on my own, I’m not really one for chatting and high fives but I just don’t enjoy it. Can’t really put my finger on it because I actually love road in my own.

Maybe I’m a big mincer?

Agree with Onza and rickt,Group off road, either/or way on road.

Reason: group MTB outings provide multiple comedy moments. There is nothing quite so amusing as the witnessing of man meets muddy rut, followed by a rapid dismount….no wait, the front wheel ½ endo, slow mo, gonands meet headtube has to be up there….happy days ?

Onzadog – Member
I like company off road, not fussed on road.

+1

I have no one to ride with ( would just slow them down if I did) but I enjoy the time alone and quiet.

In contrast to the majority of miserable, anti-social, Victor Meldrew types above, I much prefer to ride socially in small groups when I’ve got the time. Other people notice different things about their surroundings and often help you push a little harder than you might otherwise. I especially like it when others organise rides (my group had a roster) that way the rides is a nice surprise.

On the flip side, I much prefer to commute alone…others don’t seem to share my 30min-heart-rate-must-not-drop-below-160 approach to commuting. If I don’t arrive at work unable to speak due to exertion, it’s been a bad ride.

At the weekend I’m more relaxed. 🙂

I’m a lone rider as well, mainly because I can’t plan my riding up front so organising things is difficult but also because I’m a grumpy sod and like my own company.

Same as OP – I prefer riding in a group, either a small group of riders who are similarly matched so we can all maintain the usual “more than 2 men on bikes = a race” rule, or a bigger, purely social ride.

Can’t be doing with pure solo riding, I get bored too easily and don’t like that solitary feeling.

Interesting to think about all the different riders I know – seems the XC/marathon/SS types prefer solo riding and “clearing their head” solitary time, while more gravity focused riders prefer groups as it’s a bit easier to get hyped up.

Most of mine is Solo, but I quite like it. Whilst I like riding with others, the opportunity doesn’t always arise, so I end up usually not.

Maybe I’m just getting a bit too sensible in my old age, but I’m not keen to do remote/big mountain hike-a-bike tech stuff alone.
I appreciate having someone along who a.)can give a grid reference reliably, and b.)would be capable/willing to stick his knee in your groin if you “did a Cedric”.

I think this could be the reason I’ve not really considered road riding. I guess its a lot harder to chat to your mates when you’re trying to avoid potholes and irate drivers?

choppersquad, it’s also a lot harder to talk to your mates on the road if you’re blowing out of your backside going up a hill.

I appreciate having someone along who a.)can give a grid reference reliably, and b.)would be capable/willing to stick his knee in your groin if you “did a Cedric”.

^^This.