Wasting my time ?

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bladderhead

Well-Known Member
I always feel a bit awkward when I ride with other people. You sometimes have to go in single file, and then it is hard to hear what people are saying. And on your own, you can stop to examine all the dead badgers. You can change your route. I like the feeling of spontaneity and improvisation. On a bike I feel as if I am in my own private space.

I am too much of a misanthrope to find out if people think I am a misanthrope.
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
I always feel a bit awkward when I ride with other people. You sometimes have to go in single file, and then it is hard to hear what people are saying. And on your own, you can stop to examine all the dead badgers. You can change your route. I like the feeling of spontaneity and improvisation. On a bike I feel as if I am in my own private space.

I am too much of a misanthrope to find out if people think I am a misanthrope.

I guess we all ride for different reasons, but yes I'm with you in terms of personal space, keeping yourself company.

I do like being around people sometimes, but don't think I could cope with all that chumminess (or otherwise) for a whole ride.. God forbid for a longer tour.

There's something about the utter freedom, and OK, maybe selfishness of going it alone.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I find that cyclists are, on the whole, quite self-centred. Cycling is like mountaineering and running; it is essentially a solitary sport consisting of periods of prolonged effort so these kinds of sports people tend to be quite introspective. I certainly conform to that description, having spent about 54 years of my life plodding up hills and thinking about stuff. This is completely different from team sports where you enjoy the camaraderie and the banter and being part of a well-rehearsed group. Many cyclists are content to bimble along at their own pace enjoying the exercise but some enjoy the cut and thrust of a group ride. There are certainly some benefits to riding in a group, most notably the ease with which a disciplined group can cover distances but I've found that there are always individuals who are ready to break up the group by racing off ahead or disputing the chosen route or even taking issue with car drivers when the group ought to treat bad driving with stoic solidarity.
 

mudsticks

Obviously an Aubergine
I think that as you get older you start to enjoy your own company more (Become a miserable old git, in other words). The desire to be one of the gang is strong in your younger years, but diminishes in time.

Nah, I'm just a fairly cheerful middle aged git, who has always enjoyed large chunks of my own company.


Other people can be fun and or interesting for a bit, but then you need your own space again.
 
OP
OP
cyberknight

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
I love riding on my own, but I also ride regularly with a few off here and really enjoy their company.
trouble is i enjoy planning the rides, and the company .There is a "big " ride planned for this sunday as people want to get miles in before velo birmingham so we shall see who turns up
 

LucretiaMyReflection

Senior Member
Location
The Flatlands
I do enjoy group rides, but as prev posters noted, it's either short/slow or longer but get dropped on hills.
Tend to like randomly stopping to look at things e.g. single gloves, bridges, fuss cats which groups don't appreciate.
Also can't drop myself - having it happen several times on club "no drop" rides I got a bit fed up.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
trouble is i enjoy planning the rides, and the company .There is a "big " ride planned for this sunday as people want to get miles in before velo birmingham so we shall see who turns up
I'm the same, only with forum rides. The last ride (Garforth area) had a big turnout, but the one I have organised for the coming Saturday looks like being much quieter. I don't know why some rides are popular and some are not... :wacko:
 
I've been invited to join a local cycling club, but so far I've declined, mainly because their rides are at times that don't suit. The other reason is that although they're a "no drop" club, their average speed is rather faster than I can manage flat out... :blush:

I love hopping on the bike when I've got a spare hour or two and just riding. I don't need to worry about keeping up (I'm the cyclist that everyone overtakes), whether the rides are too long etc. I just do my own thing. If I want to stop and smell the roses, then I can.

Sometimes I ride with a fellow CP volunteer, but as she rides a dutchie, these rides are gentle bimbles with much chatting and laughter.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
Something worse than a "no drop" ride that drops you, is one that doesn't.

I was on one once, trailing slowly to the top of each hill, as the rest of the group waited patiently and politely. "You lot head off, it's OK know the way". "No, we are a no drop ride, we don't mind waiting". And repeat. No escape.
 
No drop rides would be fine if people on the ride are more or less of a similar ability. If there's a large disparity, then yeah, it can be a problem - it's not fair on the group if someone's too fast, and likewise, it's equally unfair, perhaps even more so, when someone's too slow.

I'm short, ride junior bikes and my little legs are never going to generate the "go" that someone taller and on a bigger bike will... FWIW, my roadie's a 38cm frame! :blush:
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
No drop rides would be fine if people on the ride are more or less of a similar ability. If there's a large disparity, then yeah, it can be a problem - it's not fair on the group if someone's too fast, and likewise, it's equally unfair, perhaps even more so, when someone's too slow.
- yes can be very tricky. Some years ago we had a rider who caused all sorts of problems, insisting that the group wait for her - I think her average speed was around 8 mph. (This was on leisure rides averaging 12 mph or so). Many a time I would wait and ride with her behind the main group, but arriving at the café just as the others were leaving began to get rather tedious, and I suggested that perhaps these rides weren't for her, but she quoted the club's published 'no drop' policy and eventually complained about me to the club committee. It is hard to please everyone. You can politely suggest that the ride is not suitable, but what do you do if the individual continues to turn up. I'm sad to say that eventually goodwill was exhausted, and it was only after tempers were lost that the person involved stopped turning up for rides.
 
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