Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

I'm probably a solo rider this spring...

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

I'm probably a solo rider this spring...

Old 03-14-20, 02:48 PM
  #26  
big john
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,099
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8185 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,391 Posts
Originally Posted by eagletree
Well, this club has a nominal membership fee, but they offer a package deal for all the major rides of the year. At the time it sounded like a good idea so I did it. This year it possibly wasn't the best time to do that. I wanted to get the benefits of competitive pacing for fitness, safety to ride roads I would never ride on my own, and possibly cultivate friendships. It just turns out that the freedom sensation of riding alone, just my front tire and a few yards of asphalt in front of me, is likely the major reason I ride outside of fitness.

The regimentation comment is just in comparison to how I live my life. A club ride has a starting line that you have to be at at a certain time, release papers, number tag, approximate schedule to finish the ride, reflectors and fenders required etc. That's what I mean by regimentation. I recognize that to most people, this would not be regimented, but just the things you accept to get to the fun.
Who knows, maybe eventually you'll meet someone you enjoy riding with. I'm a bit of a hermit myself, so I understand the solo thing, and you also seem to be a very analytically minded person which works with solo riding.
big john is online now  
Old 03-14-20, 03:01 PM
  #27  
big john
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,099
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8185 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,391 Posts
Originally Posted by philbob57
I go faster than the slowest group my club has rides for, and I go farther between stops. I'm too slow for the next faster group. Even if I start with a group, I end up riding solo.
I've had the same problem many times. The last few years at work really wore me down until I retired last April. By that time I would get really frustrated on longer rides, partly because of my declining fitness and partly because of younger guys joining our club and trying to drop everyone and blowing up the rides. This also caused a lot of the slower riders to stop coming out or just do their own thing, then there was no "B" group.

It's been better lately since I have gained back a little fitness and some of us have encouraged the hammerheads to cool it a bit. There is a race group they can go with if they want a challenge.
big john is online now  
Old 03-14-20, 03:23 PM
  #28  
eagletree
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Olympic Peninsula WA
Posts: 107
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 47 Post(s)
Liked 23 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by big john
Who knows, maybe eventually you'll meet someone you enjoy riding with. I'm a bit of a hermit myself, so I understand the solo thing, and you also seem to be a very analytically minded person which works with solo riding.
Yes, definitely more nerd than jock, and that segues into the response to the first comment... nerds don't get picked at the dance . Just kidding, yes, it would be great to ride with someone occasionally and I'm sure I will. The opportunity just hasn't arisen, and I haven't stepped out to grab what is there (there was one club ride that occurred in February, and I chickened out at the last minute).

I'm definitely in the solo camp right now. That's probably why I'm on this forum. I have no real person to share my enthusiasm over riding except online.
eagletree is offline  
Likes For eagletree:
Old 03-14-20, 04:09 PM
  #29  
deacon mark
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,964

Bikes: Habanero Titanium Team Nuevo

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 396 Post(s)
Liked 183 Times in 120 Posts
I ride solo all the time. I go out when I want and do the pace I want and start and stop at my house. I ride a bike and the roads are fine right as soon as I get out to start riding with no traffic or city. Once in awhile a group ride would be fine but to me the bike and miles and time all dictate I ride solo. Most of the time I am too early for most riders and I don't like to stop. I like to try and go downhill fast no pace line riding for me it gets in the way of riding by feel.
deacon mark is offline  
Old 03-14-20, 05:35 PM
  #30  
OldsCOOL
Senior Member
 
OldsCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317

Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 313 Posts
I don’t ride with the more organized weekly ride groups but maybe this is my year to start. My prob is going with the guys that love doing rides that guys like me do not. I do hills ok but not 60 miles of them on a wednesday morning. The alternative is the “pie riders” that putz their way to the neighboring village 6 miles away. Pie is good but an 12mi ride shouldn’t take 2 hours. See, ain’t I picky?
OldsCOOL is offline  
Old 03-14-20, 08:55 PM
  #31  
Hondo Gravel
Life Feeds On Life
 
Hondo Gravel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Hondo,Texas
Posts: 2,143

Bikes: Too many Motobecanes

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4387 Post(s)
Liked 4,497 Times in 3,009 Posts
Originally Posted by big john
I have a friend who lives in Nacogdoches, Texas. She says nobody rides there and they think she's crazy or weird. She used to run and people would ask her if she needed a ride. I think she likes it there.
Yup, she’s is weird she likes to bike and stay fit . When I first started riding in 1995 the hicks acted like they saw a ghost but today it’s different. I’m just that guy that’s always on that bike.
Hondo Gravel is offline  
Likes For Hondo Gravel:
Old 03-15-20, 03:00 AM
  #32  
gif4445
Senior Member
 
gif4445's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kearney NE
Posts: 598

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Specialized Diverge, Volagi Liscio, LHT, Trek 1.2

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 141 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 32 Posts
I prefer solo, but I do enjoy the occasional group ride, the state rides and just riding with a friend. I love touring and have always done them solo. IMO, it is a definite advantage to tour solo. I know many people think they need a companion, but it would drive me half crazy to run each day or each hour before a decision making "committee". Much better to be solo and fly by the seat of your pants. I think now, with the Covid-19, solo is an even better idea.
gif4445 is offline  
Old 03-15-20, 06:06 PM
  #33  
DaveLeeNC
Senior Member
 
DaveLeeNC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pinehurst, NC, US
Posts: 1,716

Bikes: 2020 Trek Emonda SL6, 90's Vintage EL-OS Steel Bianchi with 2014 Campy Chorus Upgrade

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 452 Post(s)
Liked 162 Times in 110 Posts
Originally Posted by OldsCOOL
I ride alone. Yeaaaaaaah all by myself. You know when I ride alone, I prefer to be by myself.
I agree other than when I ride with my good friends Jimmy Beam, Buddy Wiser, Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker (his brothers Black and Red don't ride)

dave

ps. I wonder how many "not George Thorogood fans" have no idea what this is about (then see..

)
DaveLeeNC is offline  
Likes For DaveLeeNC:
Old 03-15-20, 06:16 PM
  #34  
OldsCOOL
Senior Member
 
OldsCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317

Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 313 Posts
Originally Posted by DaveLeeNC
I agree other than when I ride with my good friends Jimmy Beam, Buddy Wiser, Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker (his brothers Black and Red don't ride)

dave

ps. I wonder how many "not George Thorogood fans" have no idea what this is about (then see..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E9ydw_aDMg )
So true but amongst us oldsters, probably more fans here than we think.
OldsCOOL is offline  
Likes For OldsCOOL:
Old 03-15-20, 09:25 PM
  #35  
sean.hwy
Senior Member
 
sean.hwy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,022

Bikes: Blur / Ibis Hakka MX / team machince alr2 / topstone 1

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 424 Post(s)
Liked 272 Times in 200 Posts
I just started riding xmas 2019. All my rides have been solo. I am actually looking forward to joining some group rides some day.
sean.hwy is offline  
Likes For sean.hwy:
Old 03-20-20, 06:12 PM
  #36  
fastcarbon
Full Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 325

Bikes: SL6 S Works Tarmac, 7 series Trek Madone, Saris Hammer Smart Trainer, Eddie Merckx, Ciocc, Trek 5900, DeRosa, Peugot, Diverge Gravel

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 38 Post(s)
Liked 55 Times in 32 Posts
With the recent corona virus regulations I am now a solo rider; I will miss the group rides as they gave me interval training; now I have to do power meter intervals which seem to hurt a lot more.
fastcarbon is offline  
Likes For fastcarbon:
Old 03-21-20, 03:36 PM
  #37  
rydabent
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times in 634 Posts
When you ride solo, you are the master of everything. Time, distance, route, and speed, so the ride is all yours, and can make snap decisions to change any of those with out asking.
rydabent is offline  
Likes For rydabent:
Old 03-26-20, 12:34 PM
  #38  
zacster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Brooklyn NY
Posts: 7,702

Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22 Post(s)
Liked 455 Times in 357 Posts
I prefer solo myself, always have. I've tried riding with a club but they were always too slow or too fast. Doing mass start events is sometimes OK because you just fall in with the group that is going your speed. Century rides in particular are like that, I always hook up with someone in the first quarter and then finish together, wait for each other. But I've tried signing up for small group rides recently and it is always the same thing, either a hammerfest or a slog. And then I have the non-stop group ride that is Prospect Park and Central Park. Either one and there is always a group nearby and at all speeds. That's nice because you can also ride any kind of bike too, my commuter/mtb or my roadie.
zacster is offline  
Likes For zacster:
Old 05-23-20, 04:13 AM
  #39  
Barrettscv 
Have bike, will travel
Thread Starter
 
Barrettscv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Lake Geneva, WI
Posts: 12,392

Bikes: Ridley Helium SLX, Canyon Endurance SL, De Rosa Professional, Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra, Schwinn Paramount (1 painted, 1 chrome), Peugeot PX10, Serotta Nova X, Simoncini Cyclocross Special, Raleigh Roker, Pedal Force CG2 and CX2

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 910 Post(s)
Liked 288 Times in 158 Posts
I would guess that many of us have become solo riders. I might consider riding in a group again, but only if time trial rules apply.
__________________
When I ride my bike I feel free and happy and strong. I'm liberated from the usual nonsense of day to day life. Solid, dependable, silent, my bike is my horse, my fighter jet, my island, my friend. Together we will conquer that hill and thereafter the world.
Barrettscv is offline  
Old 05-23-20, 06:43 AM
  #40  
berner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bristol, R. I.
Posts: 4,340

Bikes: Specialized Secteur, old Peugeot

Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 663 Post(s)
Liked 496 Times in 299 Posts
Originally Posted by rseeker
/me waves at the group

Also a solo rider here.
Hey, guys, all us solo riders should get together and .. oh, wait, that wouldn't work.
Yeah, Us hermits need to stick together.
berner is offline  
Likes For berner:
Old 05-23-20, 06:54 AM
  #41  
Jinkster
Senior Member
 
Jinkster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Posts: 409

Bikes: 2013 Specialized CrossTrail Disc,2004 Giant OCR3,1999 Trek Mountain Track Sport 800

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 26 Posts
Originally Posted by Barrettscv
First, I'm out of shape and I fall behind on every hill.

Second, it's an election year and it's inevitable that someone will start some kind of opinionated disruption. I don't discuss politics except with a few family and friends. I don't like having opinions forced on me.

Third, I want to empty my mind and enjoy the breeze, trees and sunshine. Everything else is really not needed.

It's not an issue yet, but if the virus becomes ubiquitous, that will be a small but possibly significant risk in a group ride. I was scheduled to be at a trade show in Las Vegas this week. My employer doesn't want employees attending , so we canceled. No one wants to bring this home.

I feel safer from vehicular traffic when riding in a group. But maybe the roads will be a little more empty this summer due to practical restrictions.
LOL!..."opinionated disruptions"...<<THAT....is priceless right there! LOL!

Jinkster is offline  
Old 05-23-20, 07:44 AM
  #42  
big john
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,099
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8185 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,391 Posts
The 2 clubs I ride with have cancelled all club rides so I have been solo for a couple months. It's ok but I really miss the groups. The right group adds so much and it's great to show up to a ride and see a bunch of friends.
Riding solo can never take the place of a fun group ride, it's just not the same.

Drinking alone sucks for different reasons. I don't mean having a drink, I mean drinking.
big john is online now  
Likes For big john:
Old 05-23-20, 10:20 PM
  #43  
Kabuki12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 3,404
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 2,225 Times in 1,248 Posts
I have ridden solo most of the time myself. The exception is Eroica and once or twice a year with a friend. I used to ride. With my daughter frequently until she moved out and on her own. My wife comes with me when she can .
Kabuki12 is offline  
Likes For Kabuki12:
Old 05-24-20, 06:15 AM
  #44  
Jinkster
Senior Member
 
Jinkster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Port Saint Lucie, FL
Posts: 409

Bikes: 2013 Specialized CrossTrail Disc,2004 Giant OCR3,1999 Trek Mountain Track Sport 800

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28 Post(s)
Liked 45 Times in 26 Posts
Originally Posted by big john
...Drinking alone sucks for different reasons. I don't mean having a drink, I mean drinking.
I agree big john and I just posted that music vid because it came to mind reading the OP and low and behold?...DaveLeeeNC had already posted the same unbeknowns to me....hadn't read through all the posts...horrible minds?...LOL!

Other than that?...Glory be to God I'll have 10 years Clean & Sober this July 27th.
Jinkster is offline  
Old 05-24-20, 08:02 AM
  #45  
big john
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,099
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8185 Post(s)
Liked 8,843 Times in 4,391 Posts
Originally Posted by Jinkster
I agree big john and I just posted that music vid because it came to mind reading the OP and low and behold?...DaveLeeeNC had already posted the same unbeknowns to me....hadn't read through all the posts...horrible minds?...LOL!

Other than that?...Glory be to God I'll have 10 years Clean & Sober this July 27th.
That video comes up every time there is a thread about riding solo.

Good job on the ten years! I quit back in the 80s after getting quite sick.
big john is online now  
Old 06-01-20, 09:36 AM
  #46  
MntnMan62
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 123

Bikes: Road - Motobecane Sprintour / Mountain - Schwinn Mesa GSX

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 49 Post(s)
Liked 72 Times in 45 Posts
Solo rider here. First, I'm not fit enough to ride with other people. So my rides are my exercise. I don't know anyone else who rides so if someone I know were to join me, either they would leave me in the dust and show me how out of shape I am or they would hold me back and I'd feel that I wasn't doing enough to progress fast enough. So I've been riding alone. I don't mind it. I'm only riding at an average pace of about 11.5 mph. I cover about 1,300 ft of elevation gain over 20 miles so I'm not too upset about my mph after only 3 weeks of riding. But I'd like to increase that rate to around 15 mph. At that pace I think I'd be able to keep up in group rides, if group rides ever can be done safely again. Until then, solo rider.
MntnMan62 is offline  
Old 06-01-20, 02:25 PM
  #47  
bruce19
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
I prefer solo. Always have. But, I also enjoy an occasional ride with a few select friends. People I know are a good wheel. Pre-COVID I did a regular group ride with my club. It was OK but sometimes a bit sketchy because we are all recreational riders and some of them have no idea what cycling is about. They ride a bicycle. These days of sequester have me riding with my GF any time I ride. That's OK but I miss my solo rides.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 06-05-20, 07:19 AM
  #48  
jleeg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Dauphin, PA
Posts: 88

Bikes: Moseman with Campy NR circa 1979, Merlin Titanium from1993 with newly installed Campy Chorus 12, Raleigh Tamland II gravel grinder, Tommassini XFire with Campy Record

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 104 Times in 38 Posts
Alone and together, and sometimes alone together.

I have fond memories of my earliest riding and the 3 others in our group. We got into the sport together as a transition or adjunct to our climbing. You get close to a partner on the other end of your rope. We rode hard (more legend than truth) and played harder.

We got older and transitioned. Two of the group moved West and the third left cycling. I fell in with another group, guys I knew and liked. Just wasn’t the same. Should one even think you can recreate magic.

i did the bike club thing when I was pulling a kid in a bugger. Figured it’d be safer. More than once the group pulled away as I was changing a diaper. Eh, ok, but sorta not. Don’t think I’m a bike clubber.
.
Since my return to cycling this past January, I’ve ridden alone but for 3 longer rides with my 50 yr old tri-training fly fishing buddy. I was nervous at the beginning of our first ride together. For years I had told him how much I used to cycle....uh oh. I had no sense of my relative fitness. Anyway, I hung on, barely in the early miles, but waited on him several times on that 50 miler. Still love the competition.

For me, riding with one or two close friends is better....but riding, anyway you do it is so good. (Sorry to be so self-indulgent)

Best, j
jleeg is offline  
Old 06-07-20, 07:39 AM
  #49  
crtreedude 
Third World Layabout
 
crtreedude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Costa Rica
Posts: 3,136

Bikes: Cannondale F900 and Tandem

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 397 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times in 22 Posts
About the only time I ride with someone is on a tandem. My wife rides indoors, everyday, 30 minutes. I have no idea how she stands it. She is not find of riding outside, except on the tandem. What we do is go a while and then turn back, normally I start to fade the last 30 minutes, and that is when she starts stoking!
crtreedude is offline  
Old 06-09-20, 07:40 AM
  #50  
downhillmaster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1,682
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 980 Post(s)
Liked 776 Times in 402 Posts
Originally Posted by Biker395
Why?
Because the majority of recreational group riders are spandex-laden tools.
downhillmaster is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.