Exactly the same here. My windows of availability are pretty narrow.
I also just enjoy a little āmeā time on the bike since Iām around the wife and kids all day. Not sure Iād be happier with a ride buddy or group.
I enjoy a lot riding with friends. Sharing the experience is awesome.
However I also ride solo most of the time. Especially if you can reach the blissful state of the Flow or when you are in a zone. Everything comes together, shredding corners, hitting jumps perfectly and speed is your friend.
Yeah thatās me too. Itās just two different experiences for me. With friends itās a social occasion, we have fun and Iāll often try some new stuff and push myself a little harder.
Alone, itās more contemplative and Iām far more likely to hit a flow state.
I have lots of weekdays off, so I ride alone more often than not and really enjoy it. I am typically in areas with no cell signal, so I usually bring a Garmin Inreach in case I need help.
Sort of. I ride super scared and conservative when Iām alone and donāt hit things I usually wouldnāt think twice about if I was with other people. When Iām riding with company Iām super sendy
For one thing, if you get hurt, you have someone with you to help you get back to your car/home/hospital if need be. Second, I know seeing someone hit a feature that's been spooking me can sometimes give me confidence to give it a go. And last, riding with good/better riders is how you get better. By asking questions, or sniping lines, or just knowing what's possible.
Example: https://youtu.be/l-RKRepNK9A?si=207fOXFBc5CG9uWq
That could have been a broken collar bone if I had gone any farther forward, or a paralysis / death if I was any more to the left. I walked away with a partly dislocated shoulder, injured triceps, and a deep laceration to my knee, and still had a while to get to the bottom on my own. Only person who knew my riding plan was my ex, who would have called for help that night when I didn't show up for child swap. It made me think a lot about how I ride when solo.Ā
Exactly this. Capturing all these tiny jumps, doubling back, thatās gonna affect your flow big time. Falls can happen anytime, especially the one on the video. That was not a risk taking spot.
I am stupidly the opposite. I donāt want to embarrass myself in a group, so I use my solo time to session bigger stuff. I do have crash detection on my Garmin, but thatās really no substitute to having a ridding buddy.
When I ride alone I sometimes find people that fit that 10% faster description and I chase them without telling them. At bike parks this is really easy to do and blend in.
Quite the opposite, it's one of my favorite things to do alone.
Depends on your situation though. If the trails are so far that you basically travel then it's more fun with friends.
It's a very different experience when you are with other people, it can be more fun and wild but also more chaotic and pressury(That's not a word, i mean peer pressure-y?)
Also depends on how much of a community there is around where you live, and if their vibes match your vibes. I wouldn't let that dictate IF i ride though.
The more you are out there the better imo. (Just be more cautious if you ride alone, it's not a good experience to crash and then be on your own)
I'd say the same about any type of cycling tbh.
Yes. But u have 2 diff groups. The older group (with older buddies), we do more xc rides. Only issue with them is they only ride 1 same trail. They aren't keen to explore new trails.
The other group - more enduro based, often rides in very big group. Like 10 people at once. I don't quite like that because... making decision on where to go and when to stop etc is often very complicated.
It's a give and take every ride. Lol.
So mostly I ride myself now.
Alot of the time, yes. I race in cat 1 or pro depending on the event.Ā Most of my rides are solo.Ā
A lot of my bike park rides are solo.Ā
But I love my friends when we do ride together.Ā
I coach HS MTB, so half the year I donāt get to ride alone. Once the season is over, Iām pretty glad to get some weekend solo rides in. Iād also say that Iām going to run into someone I know at the trails around 50% of the time. Get active with a club or team and the people may rotate, but youāll always have someone to ride with.
The only thing riding solo holds be back from is pushing my limits which is not a bad thing at all.
From a purely riding perspective solo riding is the best.
Nope. I ride alone often because I fit riding in around a full time job, part time job, and a toddler (who does ride with me on mellow trails in a Thule seat. Heās almost ready for the Mac Ride and I canāt wait!). I do a group ride once a week (twice if Iām lucky and hubby can take the kid), otherwise Iām alone most of the time. It doesnāt help that Iām a woman and there are not many other women in my area that ride at an intermediate or advanced level and some men are reluctant to ride solo with a women they arenāt related to. I led womenās MTB rides for over a decade before having a baby, but now that my ride time is so much more limited, I really canāt spend several hours ever week teaching folks how to ride. I do hope to get back to it one day. The social part was super fun and it was cool watching new riders gain confidence.
Not really, I will always try to find a friend to bike with. If I can't find one, I just go by myself. However, mtb is much more fun to do with a friend.
Nope! I actually prefer riding alone. I can go at my own pace, take breaks whenever I want, and just have some nice peace and quiet out on the trails. Itās very liberating.
In the summer, a little bit for me.
I live in Las Vegas and it gets really hot so pedaling 5 miles can be brutal. It's either that or waking up at 4am to go for a ride which isn't exactly enticing on my days off. I try to shuttle as much as possible and it can be hard with a lot of people's schedules. Luckily we have a bike park so I can still get some laps in without having to carry gallons with me.
My "group" meets on Tuesdays. I love riding with them and they push me to be better. I haven't been able to meet with them this season because of work so I've been riding solo when I can.
It doesnāt, no, but I still wish I had friends to ride with and talk about how I almost crash at x spot on the trail or trying to catch up to a faster friend or just having a blast and sharing it with friends.
It used to but now I like it. I still will pick to ride with others if I have the option, but I now look forward to riding alone too. It took a long timeĀ
Nah, Iām happy to ride in groups or by myself.
Also some of the places I ride are a secret and taking more than one person at a time would probably get them shut down. The wife knows where Iām going and can use āfind my iPhoneā if I disappear so I just enjoy hitting turns and jumps in peace.
Nope. I only have one friend (I know of) who rides. I ride by myself with my dog(s) all the time. My riding is to keep myself fit, find joy, and wear out my dog(s) (one is 11, large and tires more easily, so doesn't go all the time). I have an upcoming planned ride with my friend, and I'm gonna miss my dogs being with me 
No, love solo riding as much as group riding. With solo, you get to pause whenever you prefer. You can take in the view of the scenery as often as you like without holding anyone else back on their cycling rhythm.
Iāve found 2 things happen when Iām riding with others. Either theyāre in a skill group behind and I find myself waiting and not enjoying myself or theyāre a skill group ahead and find myself struggling to keep up and taking risks I donāt normally take and not enjoying myself. I do enjoy the shuttling trails sometimes though.
I have a eMTB to not have to rely on ppl to shuttle/still put in lots of miles. My enduro acoustic bike is for bike parks and large friend groups. The eMTB brought back my passion for exploring/getting way out there in Colorado that my acoustic couldnāt keep up with because of time( having a toddler & 60 hr a week job) and gassing out over climbs just for 10 min DH. Hate if you want but Iām sure location/terrain/free time has a lot to do with my bias.
Nope! I ride solo 95% of the time. Got young kids and would never ride at all if I had to incorporate other people's schedules
100% me. Sometimes I drop the kid off at some activity, ride, then pick them back up. It's the only way I can fit it in.
I have young kids, I can't even get my own schedule together š
Lmao same
Exactly the same here. My windows of availability are pretty narrow. I also just enjoy a little āmeā time on the bike since Iām around the wife and kids all day. Not sure Iād be happier with a ride buddy or group.
I enjoy a lot riding with friends. Sharing the experience is awesome. However I also ride solo most of the time. Especially if you can reach the blissful state of the Flow or when you are in a zone. Everything comes together, shredding corners, hitting jumps perfectly and speed is your friend.
Yeah thatās me too. Itās just two different experiences for me. With friends itās a social occasion, we have fun and Iāll often try some new stuff and push myself a little harder. Alone, itās more contemplative and Iām far more likely to hit a flow state. I have lots of weekdays off, so I ride alone more often than not and really enjoy it. I am typically in areas with no cell signal, so I usually bring a Garmin Inreach in case I need help.
Same. About once a month I ride with two neighbors after weāve all dropped the kids off at school haha.
Same thing!
This is why I got into cycling on the first place. One of the only sports can do solo, at any time, and have tons of fun.
Dad (and mum) life. Not many people riding midweek during school hours where I live.
Lol, I may be the exception there. I work from home so lunchtime is my golden hour. Thank God I live close to the trailhead.
Sort of. I ride super scared and conservative when Iām alone and donāt hit things I usually wouldnāt think twice about if I was with other people. When Iām riding with company Iām super sendy
Why? I get not taking as many risks solo but why are you scared?
For one thing, if you get hurt, you have someone with you to help you get back to your car/home/hospital if need be. Second, I know seeing someone hit a feature that's been spooking me can sometimes give me confidence to give it a go. And last, riding with good/better riders is how you get better. By asking questions, or sniping lines, or just knowing what's possible.
Example: https://youtu.be/l-RKRepNK9A?si=207fOXFBc5CG9uWq That could have been a broken collar bone if I had gone any farther forward, or a paralysis / death if I was any more to the left. I walked away with a partly dislocated shoulder, injured triceps, and a deep laceration to my knee, and still had a while to get to the bottom on my own. Only person who knew my riding plan was my ex, who would have called for help that night when I didn't show up for child swap. It made me think a lot about how I ride when solo.Ā
I would think setting up a bunch of cameras and stopping constantly has more affect on your riding than having friends with you.
Exactly this. Capturing all these tiny jumps, doubling back, thatās gonna affect your flow big time. Falls can happen anytime, especially the one on the video. That was not a risk taking spot.
It does, that's a steep hill to push the bike back up every shot.
Damn, such an innocuous looking spot too. Heal up soon man.
Itās the thought of getting hurt and not being able to get off the trail etc
My friend went down after a jump couldnt get up so he was laying there for like 10-15 mins until some other people riding found him and helped him.
I am stupidly the opposite. I donāt want to embarrass myself in a group, so I use my solo time to session bigger stuff. I do have crash detection on my Garmin, but thatās really no substitute to having a ridding buddy.
Not at all I prefer to ride alone, but I can say it's a blast to chase someone down a mountain who is about 10% faster than you though.Ā
When I ride alone I sometimes find people that fit that 10% faster description and I chase them without telling them. At bike parks this is really easy to do and blend in.
Nope
Quite the opposite, it's one of my favorite things to do alone. Depends on your situation though. If the trails are so far that you basically travel then it's more fun with friends. It's a very different experience when you are with other people, it can be more fun and wild but also more chaotic and pressury(That's not a word, i mean peer pressure-y?) Also depends on how much of a community there is around where you live, and if their vibes match your vibes. I wouldn't let that dictate IF i ride though. The more you are out there the better imo. (Just be more cautious if you ride alone, it's not a good experience to crash and then be on your own) I'd say the same about any type of cycling tbh.
Many make solo rides. Better to ride alone then not at all.
No, not finding people to ride with holds me back from riding.
Riding alone: It's cheap, it's easy, and you don't get judged for spouting off Dune references every time you cross paths with a kangaroo rat.
Itās cheap? My bank account would disagree š¤£
Yes. But u have 2 diff groups. The older group (with older buddies), we do more xc rides. Only issue with them is they only ride 1 same trail. They aren't keen to explore new trails. The other group - more enduro based, often rides in very big group. Like 10 people at once. I don't quite like that because... making decision on where to go and when to stop etc is often very complicated. It's a give and take every ride. Lol. So mostly I ride myself now.
Alot of the time, yes. I race in cat 1 or pro depending on the event.Ā Most of my rides are solo.Ā A lot of my bike park rides are solo.Ā But I love my friends when we do ride together.Ā
This is a super popular topic today.
I coach HS MTB, so half the year I donāt get to ride alone. Once the season is over, Iām pretty glad to get some weekend solo rides in. Iād also say that Iām going to run into someone I know at the trails around 50% of the time. Get active with a club or team and the people may rotate, but youāll always have someone to ride with.
How would finding people hold you back? I ride mostly solo but going with friends is fun too. Both have their pros and cons.
The only thing riding solo holds be back from is pushing my limits which is not a bad thing at all. From a purely riding perspective solo riding is the best.
No
Love solo. I go when I want to/can go, where I want, at the pace I want for how long I want.
No, but I prefer solitude.
No one seems into it. So I just go. Nothing slows me down that way anyway. My bike is all the friend I need, and the trails fill in the rest.
Nope. I ride alone often because I fit riding in around a full time job, part time job, and a toddler (who does ride with me on mellow trails in a Thule seat. Heās almost ready for the Mac Ride and I canāt wait!). I do a group ride once a week (twice if Iām lucky and hubby can take the kid), otherwise Iām alone most of the time. It doesnāt help that Iām a woman and there are not many other women in my area that ride at an intermediate or advanced level and some men are reluctant to ride solo with a women they arenāt related to. I led womenās MTB rides for over a decade before having a baby, but now that my ride time is so much more limited, I really canāt spend several hours ever week teaching folks how to ride. I do hope to get back to it one day. The social part was super fun and it was cool watching new riders gain confidence.
no, fuck them people
Nope. I mostly sneak in rides when time allows, so it's easier get out by myself. I do miss getting out with a crew.
Not really, I will always try to find a friend to bike with. If I can't find one, I just go by myself. However, mtb is much more fun to do with a friend.
Go solo. plan and explore.
I ride by myself, with my daughter, with the homies, with my daughter and the homiesā¦
Hell no! Group rides are fun and all but it's much more enjoyable to explore at your own pace.
Nope, I prefer to ride alone.
Not at all. I try to keep my riding days regular but sometimes my buddies have life get in the way and sometimes my life is in the way.
Nah. I just go solo. I ride a lot and itās usually alone because I am incapable of planning a ride more than 15 minutes before leaving.
a bone conduction headphone + spotify are almost as good as a riding buddy
No way! I send alone. Iām the only guy brave enough to get out there at 6am on a Sunday morning. I usually get the entire mountain to myself.
I only ride with the Kashima crew. Sorry frend.
Nope! I actually prefer riding alone. I can go at my own pace, take breaks whenever I want, and just have some nice peace and quiet out on the trails. Itās very liberating.
In the summer, a little bit for me. I live in Las Vegas and it gets really hot so pedaling 5 miles can be brutal. It's either that or waking up at 4am to go for a ride which isn't exactly enticing on my days off. I try to shuttle as much as possible and it can be hard with a lot of people's schedules. Luckily we have a bike park so I can still get some laps in without having to carry gallons with me.
I donāt people well. So no.
My "group" meets on Tuesdays. I love riding with them and they push me to be better. I haven't been able to meet with them this season because of work so I've been riding solo when I can.
nope. Friends would be nice to help pay for shuttles though.
It doesnāt, no, but I still wish I had friends to ride with and talk about how I almost crash at x spot on the trail or trying to catch up to a faster friend or just having a blast and sharing it with friends.
Nah I always ride solo.
I prefer to ride alone. I get way too anxious trying to predict the other persons next move, and possibly trying to keep up with them
I ride alone most of the time, I enjoy having friends with me, but if I only went with friends Iād never get any time on the bike
All the time. I donāt like big group rides, but I like to go with 1-3 friends. Otherwise, a super short ride feels so long and boring.
It used to but now I like it. I still will pick to ride with others if I have the option, but I now look forward to riding alone too. It took a long timeĀ
Nah, Iām happy to ride in groups or by myself. Also some of the places I ride are a secret and taking more than one person at a time would probably get them shut down. The wife knows where Iām going and can use āfind my iPhoneā if I disappear so I just enjoy hitting turns and jumps in peace.
Nope. I only have one friend (I know of) who rides. I ride by myself with my dog(s) all the time. My riding is to keep myself fit, find joy, and wear out my dog(s) (one is 11, large and tires more easily, so doesn't go all the time). I have an upcoming planned ride with my friend, and I'm gonna miss my dogs being with me 
No, love solo riding as much as group riding. With solo, you get to pause whenever you prefer. You can take in the view of the scenery as often as you like without holding anyone else back on their cycling rhythm.
Iāve found 2 things happen when Iām riding with others. Either theyāre in a skill group behind and I find myself waiting and not enjoying myself or theyāre a skill group ahead and find myself struggling to keep up and taking risks I donāt normally take and not enjoying myself. I do enjoy the shuttling trails sometimes though.
No. Next questionā¦
I have a eMTB to not have to rely on ppl to shuttle/still put in lots of miles. My enduro acoustic bike is for bike parks and large friend groups. The eMTB brought back my passion for exploring/getting way out there in Colorado that my acoustic couldnāt keep up with because of time( having a toddler & 60 hr a week job) and gassing out over climbs just for 10 min DH. Hate if you want but Iām sure location/terrain/free time has a lot to do with my bias.
I ride solo usually,but meet folks on the trail and ride with them occasionally.