I'm new to biking and mostly ride solo on my weekday afternoon rides. At first, I just didn't want to slow down my experienced friends and had to build a little fitness. I've got a couple of friends that ride the same routes and now I often hook up with one of them . They're mostly a lot stronger than I am and, though they're gracious and ride my pace, I end up picking up the pace when I ride with them. My wife and I usually take a long weekend ride. She's got fewer miles under her than I do, so that slows my pace but I enjoy the long casual ride and the company. She rides solo if I'm not around and she feels safe on our local bike trail. That's not really an answer but the message is: just ride and your habits will evolve.