On the trail system I ride the most of I can only get a signal on the top of the ridge. I just have to hope I wreck up there :).

I don't mind riding alone (it's how I used to ride as a kid) but it's more fun to ride when I'm with my hubby :) At the very least there's another person there to share the joys and pains (Wow, we beat our average time! Ugh, this headwind won't let up!).

Mind your surroundings, Use the silence to focus on the flow, don't try to go fast Instead try for smoothness.

Every time I do this strava say's I turn a faster time..

When I'm alone I get better, when I ride with faster riders Its a race, I take chances and make mistakes, but still I learn things.
When I ride with slower riders I can take a closer look at trail features, sometimes riding ahead then stopping to watch the others deal with spots that trouble me, again I learn things..

It's all good..

I never worry about crashes, I prefer to stay 110% focused on what lies ahead :P

Just out of curiosity, how many of you have had a serious crash (broken bone(s), hospitalization, concussion, etc.) and still ride alone a majority of the time? For me, it’s just not worth it. If a pickup truck (with two very nice people in it) had not come along after my crash, I’m not sure how long I would have been out in the woods. And just to clarify, I do not really consider riding on a trail that is being used by numerous other riders at the same time, to be truly riding “alone”.

No serious injuries ever on a MTB trail. Closest call on a bicycle in general has certainly been from cars doing extremely close fly-bys while road biking. A few inches and I'd be in the ditch with at least a broken leg. No one I know has died on a MTB trail, whereas road bikers get runover all the time.

I would say that anywhere you have cell phone coverage you're not really alone.

I agree that road riding is certainly more dangerous, if for no other reason than the speed and mass of the vehicles involved. I mean, I have had my share of negative encounters with automobiles and their drivers, but oddly, I have never actually been injured (directly or indirectly) during one of these encounter. However, this is the mtn bike thread, so I was curious as to who has had a serious crash while mtn biking alone, and still continues to ride alone. I mean, I've never had to go to the emergency room after a road bike ride, but have been to the emergency room three times after mtn bike rides (trip one = separated shoulder; trip two = separated shoulder, sprained ankle, wounds needing stitches, pulled neck muscles; trip three = collar bone :)).

I've got hurt a few times riding alone - stitches, hematoma, separated shoulder (over 25ish years). Still ride alone.

I ride alone most of the time....sometimes i use the Road ID app on my phone to keep the wife from worrying (happy)....