Lance was wrong, it IS about the bike.

And that explains most of it for me too. If group rides were more consistent, didn't suddenly go crazy speeds (leaving me solo), and I didn't have to wait for those guys who blew their legs earlier after coming up a hill, I might do them more often. Every once in a while it is fine, but most of my rides are solo.

With Strava, dailymile, and all the other online tools (including bikeforums.net), I really don't feel like I'm in this all alone. I sometimes do see others while out riding, use them as targets to catch, sometimes ride with them, etc.

my motivation is to get fit enough to roll w/the club/racers. I've spent a lot of time on the bigger climbs in which I'm too busy struggle for some air than trying to see what's around. I'm not fast by any means, but for me when I solo, there are no "easy" days since my body only knows how to go at one tempo... the one that gets me hurting lol.

That... and there are strava PRs which I try to beat each time, but that's mostly for hill climbs

Lance is right about Lance.

I'm on a bike . . . what more motivation do I need?

I ride alone to be alone with my own demons...that and I usually ride in the early part or middle of the day while most people I know are working etc. I do make it a point to ride at least once a week with my wife though, good time to catch up with her and recover from the solo rides.

Would love to do more group rides, cant find a group that isnt really fast or a super slow family ride, friends dont ride as much as I do

Solo I'm 15.5-16mph average over 62miles, not sure what kind of group that puts me in (probably the slow group).......

Awesome photo's Seattle.
I ride alone for many reasons, mostly for the quiet peace of it...no distractions, my own ride, not trying to catch up, not having to wait.
No problems doing it....have been for 40 years. It is my psychiatrist's couch.

I love group riding. I find I push myself quite a bit harder and am less willing to quit on myself during a ride. I hate to get shelled.

Reality though, is that solo riding is what works the best for me. I have a busy schedule and riding means I have to find the time to do so. It rarely matches up with what other people are doing. When the schedules do match, sometimes it may be a long ride when I want to do a short ride or vice versa.

Solo means I simply need to find some free time, hop on the bike and ride off from my garage. I can go at my own pace, stop when I want to, go as long or as short as I want to and concentrate on just how I'm doing rather than a whole peleton.

I HATE riding solo. usually wont do it. only when desperate in fact.

I get in that zen place on the road. I rode the STP (204 mile, back to back century) "alone" not with a team. Sometimes I prefer it that way, self contained, self supporting. No one but me. Probably the individualist & Eagle Scout in me. Yet I'm also perfectly happy to ride with others if need be. Health is my goal, stress reduction, and the machinery of joy (the machine of man-bike) also woven in there. It does take a certain will to ride at O-dawn thirty and hit the road. I ride through some of the most beautiful scenery and nastiest weather the PNW has to offer.

I have been blessed with seeing wildlife, beautiful early morning vistas, and enjoying simple peace and the sound of the tires on the road, without the cacophony of conversation - I love to ride solo. But, I also love to ride with friends, in groups, whatever - just ride. But some of my best rides have been on cold, foggy or rainy, winter mornings two hours before daylight. So peaceful, such wonderful solitude and quiet.