rsbob 

Since you enjoy Bluegrass , You might enjoy this little German band. Hang in there - it gets really good IMO

OldsCOOL

Most of the 20-34’s locally are MTB riders. Not many of us roadies, most of these few are bike path riders dodging strollers and pedestrians.

Night riding? Love it. Here in northern Michigan I ride the winters on an old MTB with a decent light set. The locals have become familiar with my route and ride time. They see me quite well.

SpedFast

I ride a lot at night and during the day and I have become known to the locals as 'That old guy on the bike-he rides everyday and in any weather. Must be nuts.'

irwin7638

I enjoy weekly club rides for the social value. I ride with a moderate speed group (15ish MPH), others are just too competitive. It only amounts to 14-20 % of the riding I enjoy. Most is practical riding to work on errands or a trip to lunch either by myself or with 1 or 2 friends. People who limit their cycling to club rides are really limiting the pleasure it can provide.

Marc

JoeyBike

Solo. I'm slower than the "A" Group and faster than the "B" Group. So even on group rides I quickly end up by myself. So I just ditched the group and ride when and where I want to.

rydabent

Im 85 and usually ride 20 to 35 miles every other day solo, weather permitting. However I do ride 2 or three bike club rides, and rides put on by the local trails group.

This BTW is my 40th year membership with the local bike club.

rydabent

The great thing about being a casual rider is that you dont have to CONFORM to ANY of the rules "real cyclist" claim you have to. Simply ride any bike or trike the way you want to, wearing anything you want to, at any speed you want, at any cadence you want. Simply enjoy riding.

PeteHski

Of course you are totally free to make whatever choices of clothing or gear you like, however poor they may or may not be.

Trakhak

"Real cyclists" enjoy riding the way they ride, just as you enjoy riding the way you ride. Don't keep misinterpreting their enthusiasm about their own way of riding as rules intended for others. No sensible person does.

As Frank Zappa once remarked from a stage, in response to a guy in the audience yelling about the "pigs in uniforms" standing around in the theater --- "Don't kid yourself: everyone in this room is in a uniform."

Iride01 

Seems like your idea of being a non-conformist is conformist in itself.

calamarichris

And if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice! [nar-nar-narp]

(God I love Rush,)

big john

You just can't resist, can you?

rsbob 

I could swear there is a Recumbent Forum, where your views would probably be very much appreciated by like minded people.

big john

And then he said "You'll hurt your throat, stop it."

I-Like-To-Bike

Ha ha, funny you should mention that. Have you noticed that there is a Training and Nutrition Forum? Oh wait, some like minded posters post similar if not identical Training and Nutrition subject matter on this list too.

zacster

I tried riding with NYCC on group rides for my ability at the time over 10 years ago and just hated all the rules and all the stops, and even the routes. They were more interested in getting to the diner than the ride itself. It was early in the season and still cold outside so I just wanted to keep riding, or just a quick break while they wanted to sit for pancakes. And not just 1 or 2 people, the entire group of 10-15. We also would meet and then stand around in the cold morning waiting to get started. The pace was too slow. The pace was too fast.

A few months later I ran into a woman that was also new to the group that I usually hung with on the rides and I asked if she kept going, because I just stopped. She ripped it to shreds, with the same complaints that I had, and said I was the only reason she kept going as long as she did because I rode at her pace.

The only group rides I do anymore are the big organized events, where you always find people that are riding at your pace. I otherwise ride alone, at my own pace, on my own spur of the moment routes, at my own time. If I happen to find someone en route that is doing the same we may hang for a while for the company but when it's time to split, I split. Oh, and I'll do rides with my adult kids sometimes. I've built up bikes for them that are better than my own in ways.

rydabent

Define "poor".

rydabent

Yes I resist being told what to do, in any arena I take part in.

PeteHski

Look it up in a dictionary.

rsbob 

Hysterical!

I-Like-To-Bike

"Poor" choice as used in this context means a choice not favored, approved or considered desirable by posters (often lacking in empathy for those not in their social circle) who believe they know what are the best or preferable choices for other people regardless of circumstances.

PeteHski

In other words it’s completely arbitrary, which is why I actually said however poor those choices may or may not have been.

My point was that we are all free to do whatever we like, but that doesn’t say anything about the quality of those choices. They could be good, bad or indifferent choices depending on the individual and their circumstances.

I-Like-To-Bike

Agree with all of that , and would add that there is not much to be gained by gratuitously evaluating or implying the quality or value of the bicycling choices made by someone else are not up to the standards held by self-appointed experts.
The evaluation of choice quality can be best made by the individuals involved, not some random dude(s) on the Internet.

PeteHski

Well that depends entirely on the knowledge and experience of the individuals involved. That’s why newbies often ask for advice from random dudes on the internet. The replies tend to reflect the full spectrum of good, bad and indifferent.

I-Like-To-Bike

Agree that it can be helpful when suggested choices and solutions are provided to people who ask for advice; not so much if the advice and opinions about others' choices is gratuitously furnished and come across as smug and snarky putdowns of others' choices.