Cycling is a wonderful activity. It lets you explore new places, create memorable experiences, and share them with your loved ones. It’s also a sport that you can enjoy with others, as there are many group rides happening in every major city every week. But cycling can also be a solo adventure, where you can ride at your own pace, choose your own route, and challenge yourself. This is what I prefer most of the time when I ride. Here are the six reasons why I love cycling solo – and why you might too.
You have the freedom to decide where to go
One of the biggest advantages of cycling solo is that you can plan your own route, or even improvise it as you go. You don’t have to follow a predetermined itinerary that might not suit your mood or your fitness level. I love to ride without a fixed destination in mind. I just follow my instincts and see where the road takes me.
Of course, this might not work if you have a tight schedule and need to be back by a certain time. But the beauty of this approach is that you can adapt to the conditions and your feelings. If you see an inviting road that leads to the hills on your left, why not take it and discover what’s there? If you feel tired, you can always turn back and head home. Having this flexibility is one of the things I enjoy most – and although I usually have a rough idea of where I want to go, the route there or back might change depending on what I encounter along the way.
For example, a few weeks ago, I went for a ride in the Chilterns with the initial goal of reaching Windsor. When I got there, after 80km of riding, I decided to keep going and visit Box Hill and then return. It was a spontaneous decision that resulted in a 260km ride – I doubt any group ride would have agreed to that sudden change!
You can choose when to start.
There is nothing more annoying than arriving at the meeting point and seeing several messages from riders saying that they are running late. A set time can be helpful for riders who need some motivation to get out, especially on dark and gloomy days. But I personally love the ability to choose when to start.
Most of the people I ride with prefer a late morning meetup, around 10 or 11 o’clock, but I like to start earlier. Or if you are a night owl, you can start later and enjoy the evening breeze thanks to the freedom of riding solo.
You set the pace
Struggle with group rides being too fast or too slow? Going solo lets you control the speed. There is nothing worse than trying to keep up with a group that is riding too hard and leaving you breathless, and unable to chat with the rider next to you – especially when it is supposed to be a ‘social ride’. The same can also be said for when the pace is too slow; the stronger riders can get bored and want to push harder – finding the right balance is often very difficult.
For me, when I’m out on a ride I like to vary the pace all the time. The first hour I might go easy at Zone 2 to warm up my legs, but then if there is a nice tailwind in the second hour, I can increase the speed if I’m by myself. In the third hour – with some fatigue in my legs – I can relax and roll back home as slowly as I want.
It can sometimes be safer
Having experienced riders with you who can help you in case of trouble can always be a good thing – and something I have experienced myself in the past. Once, when I was out on a group ride, a car passed us too close and hit the handlebars of one of the riders on the outside of the group. He fell down and got some serious injuries. The car drove away, and we had to call for help, as we were far from any town.
But I also find solo riding to be safer in some ways, and with the advances of cycling technology, you can be more connected than ever. For example, some cycling computers can detect accidents and call your emergency contacts if something happens – or some rear lights can warn you of approaching cars.
The reason I think group riding can be more dangerous is because of the different skill levels often involved. Those less confident can sometimes be unpredictable and cause crashes, from overlapping wheels to not pointing out hazards such as potholes. If you are in a group and you see something dangerous ahead, please make sure to alert the other riders in the group.
Riding solo means, you don’t have to anticipate the moves of the riders in front of you and you can be more aware of any dangers that might be ahead, allowing you to avoid them more easily.
It gives you the chance to relax and switch off
Cycling gives you freedom, an escape from the busy routine of everyday life, which can be stressful at times. After a hard day at work, getting on your bike and getting some fresh air and clearing your head can be the best therapy.
Riding by yourself gives you the opportunity to let your mind wander and enjoy the scenery. Although you still need to be careful of your surroundings, cycling solo allows you to ‘switch off’ a bit more.
It can be the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself.
Racing at a national level in different disciplines means that a lot of my sessions involve different intervals. In a group, this can annoy other riders: constantly speeding up and down the road and then waiting for them to catch up and repeating the same effort 10 times.
Riding solo gives you the freedom to push yourself up a climb to try and get a Strava PB – or do some of your own efforts at the right intensity for you. With no wheels to draft and only you against the wind, it can make for a tough day on the pedals – especially when it is really windy.
The preference for group or solo riding is really a personal one. For me I love most of my riding to be done solo for the reasons above. But I also enjoy a group ride once in a while to catch up with my friends or get some relief from the winter headwinds – what about you? Do you prefer riding solo or in a group?
