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Whats your preferred number of riders in a group?
And does it change for night rides?
Solo or no more than 4 for a night ride.
If i'm out for a all dayer then 4/5 is nice.
A tit about and high speed chases no more than 4.
Big groups become more of a tour, but friends are made, things are taught/learnt and tales are shared, so long as i'm riding i don't really care.
A different frame of mind is needed for each of these scenerios though..
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night rides are somewhat lonely and I don't have much choice[/url]
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I usually ride with the same 2, get's a good balance of not waiting around and banter. We are shockingly going to be adding a fourth member to our group and I am pondering how it will change our group dynamic.
As for night rides I'm afraid I couldn't say, but I expect 3 is the prime number, as it were! Everyone knows where they are and you won't be waiting for anyone for too long.
I'm happy riding on my own.
I'm happy riding in a group.
Day or night.
Night rides are better/easier to manage with a relatively small group, say from 2 to 6 people IMO (I don't like riding on my own, find it too boring!). Anything more can be a bit of a ballache for the person leading the ride, trying to keep everyone in check.
Day rides, anything from 2 upwards. Depends more on the company than the outright numbers (quality, not quantity of course). I've been on awesome rides when there's been just me and one other, i've been on similarly good rides in a group of 20 or more! The bigger the ride, the more of a social thing it is though, and less about the actual riding of the bikes and the terrain in my experience.
I wouldn't say I have an outright preference as to the numbers in a group, it's more dependent on my mood. If I'm feeling in a head down, hit the trails hard kind of mood, then just 1 or 2 other people I know well that push me and my riding abilities is ideal. If I'm in a laid back social mood, then however many you want really. Would suggest that getting much 15 to 20 people in a group, even in daylight, begins to be uncontrollable for the group leader so isn't ideal though.
Usually about 4 to 6, but more important for a group ride is to establish some common sense ground rules such as- nobody leaves the group without telling somebody, when you come to a junction make sure the following rider is actually following you, and if you do get separated don't go looking, go back to the last place you saw the group. Obvious really, but if you've ever spent an hour in dark woodland searching for somebody who hadn't listened to the route, taken a short cut and then gone for a ride on his own because nobody was waiting .....
richpips - Member
I'm happy riding on my own.I'm happy riding in a group.
Day or night.
works for me too, although would sooner be out with a mate
nah! to be honest will ride with anyone so long as i'm out :D(bit of a ride whore really)
Day rides I like to ride solo or with a couple of mates.
Nightime no more than 8 and it helps if everyone is riding at a similar speed and knows the route.
There is a regular 12-15 for the Keswick Tues nights, thats in the winter! 1 night last summer there was 27. There is a regular 3-4 from Penrith,(Hi guys), 1 from Egremont (1 hour each way) and sometimes one from Dumfries(1hour+each way)
Used to ride solo lots (all the time, a group was the exception rather than the rule). Reversed now and lots of group riding which is ace. But occasionally I go out on my own for rides, nice just to go at your own pace and be self sufficient and ride things on your own terms without pier pressure or fear of holding others up.
Last 3 night rides have been epic, 20, 21 and 16 people. Normally get around 10-12 for a weekend ride.
Ride in Newcastle with Midaircrisis