Do you prefer solo rides to group rides, and why?
 

Does anyone out there prefer solo rides, and avoids group rides. Why do you have that preference?

solo. If my equipment fails, I don't inconvenient the group, even though, all the groups I've ever known will help to the extreme level even if you tell them to keep rollin.

I ride from Home.
No other roadies live here.
Besides the last 1.75mi and 450 vertical feet can be a muscle builder, with vintage gearing.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d34c6b853.jpeg
Or maybe me and a close friend have no personality

Typically I do one group ride and 3 or 4 solos a week. Both offer something different; the group ride is more of a social activity and a shorter ride compared to solo where I can push myself in distance and climbing and not worry about waiting for others to catch up or them waiting for me.

I wouldn't say that I avoid group rides, but almost all of my riding is solo, for many reasons. I can ride on my own terms, at my own pace (slow), choose my route, and largely avoid disrupting traffic. Also, I'm a sociable person, but riding gives me a chance to be by myself and clear my mind of thoughts.

Solo for the most part or just a very few that ride at about the same level as I do. But groups are nice for the social. However when the group has too many mismatched abilities and desires then it's hard to keep from not feeling like it was a less than great ride my solo's almost always are.

Big difference might be whether you are asking about groups that are a big disorganized group or a group that rides as a rotation, pulling turns on the front to achieve a certain fast speed for a particular route. Then members by default will have to be more matched in ability.

I prefer solo for a number of reasons. I ride from home. (Exceptions - I love Cycle Oregon - where the vast majority of the time I can ride solo in places that are magic - and usually a ride a year for a cause; often a century.)

Riding in groups means: perhaps not getting the stretching and warmup my body and especially my knees need, a real risk of touching wheels and yet another concussion - I have "loose brain syndrome" from a TBI. I also love the silence of solo riding, seeing nature and the sky; not just the butt in front of me. It is a part of, at times the whole of my spiritual journey. That happens far less in groups.

That said, I am a sucker for riding with women who are strong and good riders. My strongest summer as a racer (back in a distant millennium) I rode about a 1000 miles of training with a woman. She was a joy to ride with. Never became more than a riding partner but sweet memories of those rides. Funny, I was riding to her house to meet up with her boyfriend to do a crazy group ride when I had my TBI.

75/25 solo versus group. Like others, my group rides are social rides, with the wife and another couple on our way to get a cold beverage. On my solo rides I don't slow anybody down, nor do I have to chit-chat, and can think about whatever it is I want to think about. I enjoy them both.

My favourite rides are on my Single Speeds and Solo. I ride where I want and at whatever pace that allows me to enjoy the "scenery".....

solo or small groups. the larger the group is, the more chance there is of getting held back by someone with a mechanical failure or someone setting the pace too fast or straggling because they are too slow. large groups get annoying fast.

99% solo. That way I ride when I want, where i want and as fast as I want.

1% group for the social interaction. i'm a bit fast for a "B" ride and a bit slow for a "A". So i go on "B" rides and hang in the back to help sweep and take my turn at the front doing pulls.

BTW, there's not many people that are willing to ride when it's 20* outside.
https://www.glenn-ring.com/emonda/birthday_ride2.jpg

I've never done a group ride in my life. And I'm old so I've had plenty of opportunity. But I don't know that I would enjoy it. I've had profound hearing loss for over 40 years. That combined with the wind noise, freewheels/hubs, tires, etc. would make it almost impossible to be a good enough listener to be any enjoyment to another. In fact my wife explains that my lack of hearing sometimes makes it appear to people that I'm not interested in what they have to say. I do enjoy riding by myself though so I don't know that I have a lot of interest in riding with a group.

I do run in a group though that trains with delinquent and at risk youth to complete half marathons. The hearing is not as much of an issue because I typically am able to pair with a youth that I can hear their pitch well enough and running doesn't have all the other noises that cycling does. I don't enjoy running alone though so I get some solace in knowing I'm just not any more antisocial than my hearing impairment makes me.

I have considered though after this half marathon season is over to put out a call on facebook for friends that enjoy cycling to begin meeting up Saturday mornings for a loosely organized group ride where they make the came call on their facebook pages. I think that arranging for these rides to end near a coffee shop, small restaurant for brunch or the local craft brewery may lead to some social interaction and renew interest in cycling in my town.

Group rides. I need the extra motivation to really push myself.

My favorite is a great group ride with people who really now how to paceline and keeps it smooth. Those are pretty rare since people tend to break up the group by attacking hills or Stava segments ( pet peeve!) or riding too long on the front and burning out. I really love solo rides and mellow rides with my wife as well. Damn, I just love riding my bike!

David

Me. I prefer riding solo. I'm an introvert with low social needs, and I ride to be in my own space.

I've done enough group riding to appreciate how much fun it is, flying along in a peloton of strong riders, going WAY faster than I could on my own. But in the end, I prefer riding alone. I don't have to make small talk, I don't have to live up to anyone else's expectations, if I have a slow day I don't hold the group up.

Luckily there's room for all of us in cycling - the extroverts and introverts. Not sure there's room enough for the extroverts on the road, though :rolleyes: - at least 4 times on today's ride, I had to swing WAY wide to pass groups of 3 rider strung out from the edge of the road to the middle, which on that particular road is a Bad Idea.

All my rides are utility or commuting, so the question never occurred to me. I've ridden with others a few times, but cycling has always seemed a solo activity.

Paceline. That's the word I was trying to think of. I don't know why it keeps escaping me. Every time I want to use that term for a group of riders pulling turns on the front, I can't come up with that word. Even though I've known that term for many many many years!

Paceline, paceline, paceline, paceline, paceline.............

A group ride where everyone knows each other and are of comparable fitness/speed is the ideal. Solo otherwise. The problem is that it's hard to maintain the first circumstance.

I guess I am the opposite I enjoy group rides. I enjoy spending time with others that have the same interest. I have been a ride captain in my club for 20 years. Enjoy teaching new riders how to become a better rider. I spend many days riding workouts everyday if the week. Indoors and out but always try to ride at least to group rides a week. I always learn something from other and enjoy meeting like minded riders. If you ride solo all the time you are really missing out on the whole rest of the hobby.

I enjoy both. When I'm solo I can choose my speed and route and I see more birds and varmints. With the group I have to ride faster so I get a better workout. Plus I enjoy chatting with my cycling friends. I try to avoid pacelines anymore. If I can't keep up riding a few feet off the back I'll pick another sub group or continue alone. I know that at my age my eyesight, reflexes and concentration have deteriorated, whether it's apparent to me or not. I anticipate getting my 2nd Covid shot in a couple of weeks and look forward to resuming a few group rides each week.:hug:

I don't mind training on my own but group rides and races are more fun. Best are cycling vacations with 5-10 good friends. Riding 4-5 hrs every day, stops for coffee or lunch along the way in some little European town, rolling back to base for drinks and dinner - great times.

I use to go on group rides, but I have gotten stronger, (HIIT Training) and enjoy climbing. The group , now prefers MUP's , and are getting E-bike's, all not of interest for myself .KB

I think you'll find most people in the world are quite happy riding in 20° weather.

20*C = 68*F

Yes then i agree.