-
Posts
-
-
What’s up guys??? How many of you ride with partners, or ride with groups?? How many of you just go riding by yourselves?? I feel like i have all these great state parks here in WV to ride, but just can’t work up the nerve to go ride them all by myself!!! And none of my friends bike either!!!
Any advice?
I just think i would feel a lot more comfortable if i had someone take me on some trails that were killer first, let me get to know them, then i’d be hooked!!!
Or, do i just need to say screw it, and go by myself!!! Because that’s where i’m heading!!! LOLOL
-
ya, I hear ya. Riding solo can be hard. I live in a very transiant town and I’m always loosing and then gaining people to ride with. The key is to find people that are better riders than you. The hard part is finding people that like the same style of trails/riding as you do.
A little trick I use when riding solo is, I’m always trying to catch up to the next rider ahead of me on the trail, chances are that you are the only one on that trail, but it works for me. Souds kinda stupid when you say it out loud , but whatever , I already know i’m strange. I’ve accepted it .
-
"jrymasz" wrote
What’s up guys??? How many of you ride with partners, or ride with groups?? How many of you just go riding by yourselves?? I feel like i have all these great state parks here in WV to ride, but just can’t work up the nerve to go ride them all by myself!!! And none of my friends bike either!!!
Any advice?
I just think i would feel a lot more comfortable if i had someone take me on some trails that were killer first, let me get to know them, then i’d be hooked!!!
Or, do i just need to say screw it, and go by myself!!! Because that’s where i’m heading!!! LOLOL
i ride by myself at least 90% of the time, and have ridden some gnarly, super exposed dangerous mountain trails in the west solo, have ridden in the middle of no where in montana solo… i mean ultimately i think its about knowing your own limits. (but then again, you are new)
its really really good to have people to mentor you into the sport when you are a beginner, but even as a beginner, if you are ever going to get good you need to go ride on your own to work on stuff at your own pace from time to time, and simply because often times schedules just don’t connect.
i’d say just go out and ride some dang trails, but tell someone where you’re going and an approximate return time. (and maybe aim for some shorter, well marked loops and work up to the more epic, adventurous rides.)
-
I mostly ride solo myself but started out riding with a partner. I do like group rides, just not all the time. Your skills will progress much faster if you ride with people better than you. Like Mongoose said, try to hook up with people on Singletracks that live in your area to ride with when possible or try to make friends with people out on the trails. I’ve had many people ask me if they could tag along and I had no problem with it, I enjoyed the company. Once you get familiar with the trail you won’t mind as much to ride solo if you have no riding buddy. If you absolutely can’t find a riding buddy, just go for it but know your limits.
-
It’s a real chicken and egg thing somtimes,what came first the group or solo thing,hahaqhqahaha.Ya deffinatly gotta do both to get a overall gig going,I think ya gotta keep mixin it up and mixin it up till you get to a point your content with.Your not gonna just go riding with some people and find what your lookin for.Somtimes I ride alone and do things I seriously thought I was out to lunch on but end up nailing some technical section I was overthinking and not making,and somtimes when I ride alone,I couldnt hit my ass with a bike seat.Ya know what I mean?hahahahaha.
If you are always looking for that next "STEP" in your riding experience,then your on the right track dude. -
These days I ride solo 100% of the time, with the exception of nice mellow family rides with the wife and/or son. Unfortunately this 100% solo gig is more of a necessity than a choice as I have to pace myself carefully to avoid aggravating a medical issue.
The unavoidable, almost accidental (and great!) benefit to riding with a partner or groups that I miss is the way you tend to push each other inadvertantly to higher levels, thereby improving your game that much quicker. Of course there’s the occasional moment where one of you does something you normally wouldn’t and regret it, but in my experience that was a fairly rare thing.
If things were different, I suspect the majority of my rides would still be solo, as I do really enjoy the peace of hearing nothing but the world around you, and the sound of the tires on the ground and your own effort. But I would sure enjoy the occasional, perhaps 20% or so, partner or small group rides. -
I ride solo most of the time. Monday evening I ride with a bud who is a much better rider than me and pushes me – which you need sometimes. I definitely ride faster with him than I do alone.
On the other hand going solo means you can ride at your pace, explore new stuff along the way, and see more creatures of the woods (good or bad). I enjoy the exploration / adventure side of riding and love heading out into new territory, much of which is on the National Forest. That kind of riding also means not taking on more than you can handle (you can usually walk around an obstacle), let someone know where you are going, and taking a cell phone (sometimes they work)
-
On my weekly ride I have a partner that I usually ride with, on the weekends when I am on a bigger ride I usually have a group of 4 that have been riding together for a long time. Concequently you can always tell what the other’s strengths and weekness are. It’s also cool when your with a group for a long time..Simply for the pleasure of saying "Hey Joe remember last time you tried that log ride, I am still feeling it". I am sure you all get the idea of what I am relaying here.
Cheers
-
"Mongoose" wrote
I really do not like riding in groups, and like riding by myself most of the time, but it is really nice to have a riding buddy or a couple when riding. Mainly for the companionship, but also for the safety concern. I do ride with my family quite often though.
In the same boat, I prefer riding by myself for the sake of both freedom, and save the embarrassing moments. Haha. I find I connect better when I don’t have certain distractions, however this doesn’t mean that I’m anti-social. 95% of the time I ride with somebody it will be my brother, and his skills are so close to mine I feel that there is no gap. Plus as the Goose said safety is sometimes a concern, I’d rather have him standing over me mocking me while I lay on the ground in pain groaning from the agony than nobody at all. Haha I love laughing at myself.
-
For that reason I feel more comfortable to have someone around. I have had more than one occasion when I offed my self bad as was happy to have someone there to help. Specially when I broke my clavical.
-
I ride 95% of the time alone. Both on the Road and On the TRail. Although I tend to be a little more coutions when alone cause there isn’t any body to call 911 when you do an endo and pass out from the head injuries… or heat stroke as some would say 😢 I feel your FL Pain here in Houston. 100 degrees and 80% H today.
The group rides can be fun at certain times but sometimes it;s good to "be at one with Gods Creation"
Just get out there and have a GREAT Time
-
Ride mostly by myself. The local mt bike clubs has mothly "explore the trail series" which I have been to a few. Great way to meet fellow riders and explore new trails. I am also up to ride with others I meet at the trail head. Last two rides I rode with another rider each time.
Another way to meet riders is to do some trail work. Again most clubs will work on the trails. These riders tend to be very experienced and have wonderful knowlege of the local trails and mt biking.
If you are going to hit the trails solo I would recomend you to study a map and trail description. Also the first time out take is slow. This will avoid coming up to trail obstacles to fast.
Most of the falls I have taken I am usally not alone. I ride very alert when alone, not so when I am with a group.
-
Another way to meet riders is to do some trail work. Again most clubs will work on the trails. These riders tend to be very experienced and have wonderful knowlege of the local trails and mt biking.
Great advice
-
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.