Originally Posted by
CliftonGK1
It's good to have company,
and it's easier to push yourself (IMO) when you have a strong group you're keeping up with, not just a target HR/time/wattage you're aiming for. I wouldn't have finished my last 400k if it weren't for an awesome ride partner, and my
PR 300k time was entirely due to the interaction of the dozen or so riders I was with.
Good point on pushing yourself. I found a 150k with a couple of others easier than 120k on my own. That said I'd still rather be in a small group than a large group.
I recently did a 200k and by chance ended up riding with a guy who wasn't particularly fast, to the point I was starting to get agitated whether I'd complete the ride in time if I stayed with him. As it happened I needn't have worried, he had done multiple brevets of 1000k and more so was very good at keeping a consistent pace. Had I not been riding with him there's a fair chance I'd have started too fast and burned out before I got to the end.