Barrettscv 

Has riding with a group or riding alone given you better results as far as fitness? I define fitness as the ability to travel faster over greater distances.

"Group" is any planned ride with you and one or more other rider(s).
It does not include solo rides with unplanned match-ups.

DScott

Fast group rides make you faster.

saratoga

They both have their time and place.

Machka 

It depends.

Barrettscv 

If you had to do just one, which would you choose? (excluding social reasons)

botto 

if you're a newb: incorrect.

Barrettscv 

This is about personal results and preference. There are no incorrect answers.

Machka 

I prefer riding either solo or with one other person. For fitness purposes, I prefer that the one other person be just a little bit stronger than me to push me a little bit more than I would if I were riding alone.

botto 

incorrect.

Barrettscv 

Do you ever add anything of value?

San Rensho 

In my old age, I cannot force myself to go hard if I am riding solo. The only way I can push myself is in a group. When a gap opens up in front of me and I know that it's either bridge or get dropped, I get motivated and can push myself. If I'm doing intervals on my own, I'll just take it easy, saying to myself that I'll go really hard on the next interval, which never happens.

DataJunkie

I have no idea. Not terribly experienced with group rides.

merlinextraligh

They both have their place. But if I had to pick one or the other, it would have to be Group rides. A competitive group ride with faster riders will push you in ways that you cannot push yourself.

Also there is the "motor pacing" effect. You have to train fast to be fast. Riding in the draft of a motor, or in this case a big pack, allows you to ride faster than you could hope to ride by yourself.

Once your body ( and mind) acclimates to riding at the faster pace, it becomes easier to approach those paces solo. You just cannot duplicate that riding by yourself.

10 Wheels

Group rides if you can keep up with them.

Machka 

Barrettscv ... just ignore the botto-troll.

But I have two questions for you. When you created this poll, why did you not include an option for riding with one other person? To me, riding with one other person is not a "group ride", and yet for fitness results, it can be a very beneficial option. Also, why did you not define "group ride" a little bit more clearly.

To explain further ...

-- When I ride solo I do my own thing, and rarely push myself.

-- When I ride with a group it's usually in one of two circumstances: 1) an event, where a group of riders get together and ride the local brevet or century or day tour. In those cases, the part of the group I end up riding with rides at a casual pace, stops at rest stops and for photo ops, regroups in various places, and so on. The benefits of riding with these sorts of groups is purely social. Or 2) a racing club training ride. In those cases, the group usually drops me fairly early on, and I end up riding the rest of the way solo. So I'm back to the benefits of riding solo.

-- When I ride with one other person, that person can push me to ride harder, further, faster, up more hills, or whatever. And if I drop back that person will slow up a bit so that I don't end up riding solo. It's a different dynamic from a "group ride".

johnny99

Lance Armstrong recently said that the Giro d'Italia was better training than anything he could have done on his own.

My club rides tend to be hillier and faster than most of my solo rides.

Barrettscv 

It didn't occur to me. I wish I could go back and edit the poll, but that’s not an option.

I would consider a planned ride with one other rider a "group" ride.

Michael

Machka 

Yeah, I wish we could edit polls too.

But I've seen this question asked a number of times here ... limited to solo or group, when there are other options.

Another option I like is to ride solo out to the start of a group ride, then ride with the group for their ride, then ride solo back home. I've done centuries that way ... 50 km to meet the group, 60 km with the group, 50 km home. You get a bit of variety that way ... the best of both worlds, both socially and for fitness.

urbanknight

Other options for this forum could include "solo with a rabid dog chasing", "Up a 20% grade", or "Into a strong headwind".

DScott

If you want to be able to ride sorta hard for a long time, go solo. To become "faster" is painful, and that's hard to do on your own.

mattm

Yes. I say build strength/fitness solo, then maximize it in (faster) groups.

You can get a lot done solo riding, but you can only go so fast..

merlinextraligh

Sprints with Eddy.

asmallsol

It depends on the size and the speed. For example, if you were in a group of 10+ people, even if your group is moving fast, your still not spending much time in the front, and there tends to be too much time for recovery, unless the group actually does a double paceline echilon (ie never actual true "pulls"). However, with a smaller group (4-5 people) all with the same riding ablities, it can be better because you can have a short interval where your pulling, and basicly redlining, and then a little bit long to recover, then your back in front. Great for uping your thresholds.

However, with out a doubt, a group ride will at least motivate you more.

Duke of Kent

Even better: blow the group ride to pieces, and end up solo off the front.

toshi

Definitely fast groups for hammering and building speed / frequent accels. But for more structured stuff, hard to beat solo'ing.