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

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

Old 03-12-21, 02:17 PM
  #201  
Harhir
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Solo for various reasons. I love the outdoors with the sights, sounds and smells. I also prefer trails over roads but which are mostly not suitable for fast group rides. And I also often stop and take pictures. For me cycling is not so much about the sport but mental recreation. I love to cruise along and discover new trails or routes and the scenery along the way. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. And on weekends I am often on the bike for a whole day.
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Old 03-12-21, 02:41 PM
  #202  
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Well said. Treating a bike ride as an explorational tour and not a regimented contest is where it is at for me.

Originally Posted by Harhir View Post
Solo for various reasons. I love the outdoors with the sights, sounds and smells. I also prefer trails over roads but which are mostly not suitable for fast group rides. And I also often stop and take pictures. For me cycling is not so much about the sport but mental recreation. I love to cruise along and discover new trails or routes and the scenery along the way. Sometimes faster, sometimes slower. And on weekends I am often on the bike for a whole day.
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Old 03-12-21, 03:14 PM
  #203  
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Originally Posted by CAT7RDR View Post
Well said. Treating a bike ride as an explorational tour and not a regimented contest is where it is at for me.
Are you under the impression that every ride with someone else is a race?
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Old 03-12-21, 03:50 PM
  #204  
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Originally Posted by Eric F View Post
To me, being in a tight pack where you are moving down the road faster, with less effort, than you can by yourself is one of the magical experiences of cycling.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

When everyone in the group is working together and riding well, as you say, it's magic. But if one person starts riding like a squirrel, the magic disappears pretty quickly. That's when I sit up and let them go, sadly.
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Old 03-12-21, 05:43 PM
  #205  
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You already know the answer. It depends.
Originally Posted by WhyFi View Post
Are you under the impression that every ride with someone else is a race?
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Old 03-12-21, 10:25 PM
  #206  
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Originally Posted by pdlamb View Post
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

When everyone in the group is working together and riding well, as you say, it's magic. But if one person starts riding like a squirrel, the magic disappears pretty quickly. That's when I sit up and let them go, sadly.
Probably one of the reasons that when I do ride in a group, which isn't that often, I like to be either in the front just behind the ride leader or in the very back. Each is fine. I probably prefer being in the back. Less problems.
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Old 03-13-21, 01:49 AM
  #207  
eaglesandcycling
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definitely prefer being alone out there. it's my time and more or less my therapy. love it SOLO
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Old 03-15-21, 08:27 AM
  #208  
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The best group rides were the rides I did with my sons, and now my grand sons. To get my sons interested in cycling, most of our early rides were to the ice cream store. It did get them interested in cycling, and two of them raced some. Now my family has at least 12 bikes of many different types.
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Old 03-15-21, 01:57 PM
  #209  
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I prefer riding in a group. I almost always ride solo. I'm another one who wants to go faster than my local club's slowest group, but I can't ride as fast as the next group, and they have a no-drop rule.

30-40 years ago, I rode with a group that was open to anyone, but it was up to each of us to keep up. I was SO proud of myself the first time I got to the restaurant in time for lunch.
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