Riding is my "Me Time". I don't want interruptions, distractions, or hassles.

Cycled on your own is the ultimate definition of freedom. Can’t picture myself cycling with group.

All I do is solo riding. It gives me the time to think about everything or nothing.

My solo rides are often very contemplative . . .I sync my breathing and pedal strokes to a very natural 6/8 rhythm. It sends negative thoughts away...and allows me to listen to what is going on around me . . I'm often tempted to post some social media crap about how good it was, and then I think . . nah, these are my memories . . .sorry, not for sharing... Back in 1971, a 13 year old me would sneak out of the house at night and ride a flat curvy route through my subdivision in Calgary Alberta, Canada . . . I had no clue about Criteriums back then . . . I just loved how the streetlights created a shadow rider that would overtake me and then vanish in the next streetlamp . . pushing me on...and on . .. I'm so grateful for those memories . . .

Solo riding, which I do most of the time, is my moving "Zen" meditation.

I always ride alone. Bike time is MY time. I pack a small stove, a mug and some tea bags. I stop where I want, pop the kettle and enjoy MY time MY way. It's good for my physical and mental well-being. Love it.

I like wearing just one wireless ear bud, and listening to music, and I can still hear cars and things in the other ear….solo rides are just convenient in that you can go ride at a moment’s notice when you have unscheduled free time, that’s probably my biggest reason, I never really know when I can go sometimes, so when the opportunity comes, I just go…

You mentioned all the reasons why I love solo riding. For me the chatting is disturbing. Nice vlog!

My solo xc mtb rides are so meditative. Ride up a hill and just forget everything and enjoy the breeze

Too true! I ride solo all the time. I don’t have to meet up with others and decide on a route. I can cut my ride short any time I like to escape bad weather, knowing there’s always tomorrow. I don’t have to listen to other people’s BS, yet can chat for as long as I want to at a ‘coffee stop’. Riding alone is not at all anti social , why should it be? Thanks for the vid

Group rides are only good for maintaining friendships with riding buddies as long as things go to plan I think. Solo rides cut out all of the annoyances such as getting to a meeting point, waiting for late arrivals, waiting for mech issues to be sorted that should have been done before the ride, speed differences, getting stuck at a traffic light whilst the group disappears into the distance, having to adhere to a bad choice of route, looking bad in a social media group photo etc.

Agree - love a group ride, but also love an early Sunday solo ride …. No pressure to leave at any particular time, ride at my own pace, no needless stopping (more and more of my rides I don’t stop these days - coffee stops are lovely, but there is a joy in doing a non-stop 100km for example) … I also ride with music these days - not so loud you can’t hear the traffic but it takes anyway the awful wind noise and passes the time a little quicker

I ride converted rail trails, and always wear headphones. Nothing to do but put in the miles and enjoy the scenery!

Used to like group rides but these days I appreciate the lone ride as stated in the video , I go where I like when I like and in the bit of Australia I live in every ride is a treat

Headphones is not something I would consider. I depend on my hearing to help with intersections with poor sight distance. I also enjoy being out in nature. I enjoy the wind in my ears and all the different bird calls.

Pure thoughts and wind in hair, freedom in soul...

Pretty much all I do is Solo riding. Not too many people want to ride with an old man. I’ll put on my Shokz bone conducting headphones, a good message from Pastor John MacArthur, and enjoy my ride. Thanks for the video. Grace & Peace

Thought about these headphones but I realized I enjoy hearing my surroundings (and bike) on an outing.

To each their own, but I wouldn't ride with headphones. No way.

The majority of my rides are solo due to family and work commitments preventing me from joining a local club. To be honest I enjoy the complete detachment from work and family issues and I find that time incredibly important to work on my own mental wellbeing. I often find a lunchtime ride can unpack a work or personal problem in a way that wouldn’t happen sitting in front of a computer screen.

👍🏻 Just got back from a solo ride along the remote Siberian / China border with some epic climbs and amazing views. Solo = freedom to explore, you can stop and admire nature, you can really push or just relax when you want and plan new routes on the go. Group rides can be social or competitive and def have their place, but for me I prefer 80% solo riding because cycling for me is about exploring, not shying away from tough new routes, no group etiquette, just open roads.

I’ve never ridden with a group but from what I’ve heard from people that have, it’s all about going hell for leather and there is always a clash of egos, I can go faster and longer than you etc etc etc…..hence i always ride alone. Lovely video and thank you for taking the time to film and post.

I’m an older rider with A fib (71)who used to do a lot of group riding but now I ride solo. I found that I have to go at my own pace. As much as my previous cycling companions say they will watch the pace , they don’t, and I end up hanging on for dear life. When I stick to my own pace I can go for ever and enjoy it, but if the average speed is say 2 km faster than my average I blow up and get no enjoyment out of it.

I’m cycling around the New Forest solo by default at the moment. Only started riding at 62 last November, become a little addicted to be fair and now buying bike 3 lol! Problem I have is loads of mates but none are cyclists and fully aware that although my fitness has taken a surprisingly leap forward I’m not convinced I’m fit enough to fit in with a cycling club and meet like minded older chaps like myself. Great content on your channel by the way, learnt loads from it so far thank you.

Love riding Alone also couple times had use of headphones which after all makes me realize my little speaker is the way to go:) The reason why won't ride with Groups is I can take breaks any time I needed or I can ride for 2 to 3 hours strait. Of course there is riders who have their reasons for not ride Alone. Despite all differences both sides are right of their own. Happy Rides:)

The best part about solo riding is that you can go riding on your own schedule.

Definitely love to listen to historical podcasts. It’s a must for me.

We Go out in a Group More For Fun, but Sometimes it's nice to venture out on your own.

I would add that riding solo there is less risk of getting involved in a crash.

I like both group & self-supported rides. Tomorrow I’ll meet a group for the first 40 miles, then another 25 alone. I feel ‘safer’ / more visible in a group, but definitely like the freedom of solo.

I almost always ride solo, love it. It’s my time and no one can take that. I also use bone conducting headphones and I think they’re fantastic! Recommend them for anyone. You can hear the road and you can also hear whatever content you listen to. Highly recommended.

I love the freedom solo riding brings. Often I’m out on a ride and just planned to do 30km but I’m feeling good, the weathers fine and next thing I know I’ve done 40km and explored a bit more of my environment.

I love solo riding!

as both a mountain biker and roadie, I only use earphones on a trail ride where I'm alone., and no danger of other trail users coming up to me. On the road, I use the speaker on my phone to motivate me with tunes. No worries of not hearing traffic around me.

i'm a solo rider for years. i love it

From the Caribbean. Enjoy solo riding. Able to enjoy the scenery a lot more not to mention being able to stop and rest whenever. 😂😂

Nice ty for the motivation I like solo riding just like you said I don’t need to slow down anybody or I can go as fast as I want when I want and stop whenever I want lol I’m 62 and just purchased a used Quintana Roo 2013 try bike , and just went to the process of stripping the paint and repaint it my way, and change the handlebars to a drop bars and old school friction stem mont shifter that way it’s easy to ride in a group but we see how things goes and like you said I just need to get there and put the miles in once you get started. It doesn’t matter how far you go. You’re gonna have to ride back and that’s the most fun, when you’re on the bike solo

Big one for me is that you can go out when you want and from where you want. Headphones are fine providing you can still hear around you and traffic is low.

Hi Forest, great video! I also ride primarily solo. For me it's a great workout, but more importantly every solo ride is a mental health therapy session. I also use bone conducting headsets, I find it doesn't impede the important external noise and audio clues I require to cycle safely. I also use a mirror, a front light, and rear radar to improve safety, it all helps. Thanks for posting this video!

Thanks for helpful tips

Personally I’ve never used headphones whilst cycling. I’m lucky enough to cycle in the countryside here in the far north of Scotland and I love hearing the the birds, cows, sheep and even the sound of a farmyard machinery in the field . When I was younger I used to love tractors but not anymore. I guess that makes me a extractor fan 😂. Keep smiling and keep the videos coming. Thanks 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I enjoy my solo bike riding, I synch w/ the beautiful nature and concentrate on my pedaling. I think that If I was going to ride w/other riders I will be pressured by trying to ride faster, go where they go, and too much pressure. Solo rider is the best! I love listening to music/podcasts.

My experience with group rides has been nothing but drama. Solo all day!👍

Good day, Sir! Safe ride/vlogging! Senior solo biker here from Philippines. GOD Bless!

What a nice mic, barely any wind noise. Thanks for the video.

Love your video and sentiments about solo rides. You can sometimes have short chit chat with cyclist you meet up with on your ride then you both go your separate ways. Yes bring all the stuff required just in case of problems. As a gal riding solo ride for years there has been some cyclists who have not gone prepared and need my pump. The joy of riding alone in nature and just breathing. 😊

So true. I do ride with one ear piece and listen to music. I do enjoy riding alone because I can focus on myself. With group rides they can become distracting, too much going on.

I also use ear phone but for one ear only, always on my right ear, and my left ear is free . So I could hear clearly for road awareness.✌️😉

Group riding always reminds me of the first grade, everyone lined up to be marched to the bathroom.

For me i do both. I ride with my brother and ours friend and do solo riding also. I do listening to music/podcast all the time.

Very informative I will take that on board

I always ride alone and I would not even like ride in a group. As you say, you can do excactly as you like and why not 🚴😘👍🙋

I do a bit of both. But I prefer solo rides for my long, hard rides. I don’t have to worry about whether the others are frustrated about me going too fast or slow.

Good vid mate.👍🏻 I generally ride solo. I don’t mind riding with one or two people. Love sportives. But not really a regular club rider. Just love the freedom of solo riding, go where you want when you want as fast/slow as you want. I would tent to use just a left hand earphone, so I can hear cars behind. I can see by the map you’re very near me. Can you recommend any good routes in the New Forrest or anywhere that’s worth a trip? Maybe a vid on some good routes? …Been down the LBS and my order is in, so new bike day for me soon!😁😎👍🏻

A combination of being retired and the recent / enduring poor weather we're experiencing in the UK has prompted me to increasingly ride solo, partly for the flexibility. Why get wet and blown to bits on the weekend club run when it's nice and dry during the week. Funnily enough, it feels like I've re discovered the true joy of cycling and have experienced all the positive benefits you've described here. Also, to be on the safe side, I've taken out cycling breakdown cover, in case the worst happens, and I can't sort it out myself at the roadside. If I were to mention some of the more negative aspects of group / club riding that solo spins improve on, then it would be as follows: 1. That guy (its always a man) who turns up and is way stronger than anyone in the group. They ignore the suggested pace and turn a pleasant pacy club run into a grinding smash fest. They enjoy being the big fish in a small pond and never countenance joining a stronger group, lest they have it done to them. 2. The half wheeler (see above) 3. The frequent puncture / mechanicals. Its usually the same person, who never seems to have the necessary spares or tools ( likely why they never ride solo) 4. The guy (again, it's usually a bloke) who rides erratically, often on an inexpensive machine, who occasionally crashes, or worse, brings others down, but somehow manages to stay upright. 5. The non-stop talker. They turn up and select a victim, and once riding next to you in formation, you're stuck while they unload without pausing for breath. 6. The person who requires they be the centre of attention at the cafe stop. Sometimes, this will be the same person as above but not necessarily. You might want to sit quietly or indeed have stuff you want to catch up on yourself, but no quarter is given by this dominant, self-centered individual. I think the secret is to find "your people" and have nice like-minded company to ride with , then group riding has its benefits. Until then, solo is just fine 😂!

I do some of my best thinking while alone on the road.

Groups are cool but the first purpose to ride for your health and to get away. Personally I either listen to music or audiobooks to free your mind or to learn while exercising the body.

Always ride on my own now days. More freedom, flexibility and stop/start when I want. They only time I ride with others are my sons, that is it.

Since I picked up cycling, I have never ridden in a group! I usually go on long rides, and I don't like stopping here and there, waiting for others to catch up, etc. I just keep going until it's time to return.

I only ride solo. Unless I get a flat or get run over by a car, riding solo is drama free.

I love my solo riding. I did a group ride once and i had to keep stop pedaling because of the draft. Solo is much more challenging in my opinion. Also i use open ear headlphones. I can hear music and traffic too.

I wear earplugs to block out the commute of others. Mute enough to focus on what I love the most, my ride.

I’ve done a lot of group rides. I prefer solo. What attracts me to cycling is being alone with my thoughts.

See my comment above, but on reflection, I realised I'd missed someone out from my list. So in at No7 is the Snott Flinger. Again its always a bloke, often turning up on a Club Ride with a nasty head cold and a nose full of crud. They proceed to ride at the front or mid pack, and without warning blow a bolus of mucus into the fresh air. They'll make some half hearted effort to move one foot to the side, or adopt an odd crouch, lowering their head towards the handlebars before letting rip! In certain light conditions you can see the droplets heading for your face and there's often little chance to dodge the green bullet / mist of mucus. Worst still they think it's pro to blow. I once made the mistake of riding behind our aging and well respected Club Captain, whilst he blew his hooter continuously without budging an inch. I cant say here where some of it landed, but believe me it was not pleasant 😅

As you get older you prefer riding by oneself !

I went riding with others just twice, they either want to take too many breaks or look at wildlife, that just interrupts my Zen, Solo it is!

Nicely filmed i only ride solo purely because no one can stay with me so even group rides end up solo ha ha I do get excited when i find someone faster than me i know it sounds like i,m full of it but in aus there are not many fitt people .

Always push myself when solo riding. Just me against myself. spin and smash attack all the climbs. Newbie here.lol

I bring a JBL Flip on my rides. And tend to ride solo most of the time.

I don't mind riding with others or others riding with me. I do, however, do more solo riding since I don't have to adhere to anyone else's time, speed, or distance.

Always ride solo around the forest. See you on the road some time. K

Headphones with good music with the scenery becomes a whole other superior experience. I rode in a group once and there were many factors which shocked me frankly. Namely egos, weird hierarchical behaviour and racing like silly little boy's when it wasn't a race. Nah man I'll be pumping my adrenaline+20% harder solo thanks 😂

I use to ride with a neighbor which was cool but he always kicked my butt but now his health is bad and he don't' ride anymore so I've been mostly solo and I love it. I don't listen to anything but nature and all that is around me. I still ride with some other guy's once or twice a year and that is fun too but I prefer to ride alone most of the time as I leave early from my house and am back before most folks are up and out of the house. I always try to ride out into the wind then back with the wind, doing the opposite sucks.

I guess headphones are quite save as long noise canceling isn't switched on. Never ever had a surprise and the radar helps to

Solo all the way. You ride with someone and then they feel this need to talk to you, when all I wanna do is listen to music and get a workout in.

I ride 98% solo for most of the reasons sighted. Best reason, I’m the leader and navigator. Always headphones but bone conduction only.

i want to have a bicycle but icant find a new one in morocco all we have is old or being used 😥. Enjoy man 👍🏼

I've only ever done it solo!

Solo rides I can easily choose where I slow / stop to allow drivers past when safe, ear phones ..not for me I want all my senses functioning, agree it makes you more independent on tools etc , I choose the route / pace. Group rides you have to be very aware of everyone and don’t often get to see much of where you actually are.

Not a fan of the ear buds. The sound I love is the meditative tone of the tires rolling against the road.

I never have used headphones. I would say my rides are like meditation, which is why if someone blows a horn at me it makes me jump 5 miles out of the seat.

I use earphones.when in the car I don’t listen for other vehicles and on a motorbike no is hearing what’s around them. Now motor vehicles have rear view mirrors so I should invest in some sort of rear view device

I always listen to music when I ride

I agree, Solo has great benefits. We are all at different levels.like your vid.makes it look as if your moving at 40 KPH -@ all the time. Maybe you are !

It cracks me up that most of the bike riders I see are all dressed up like they are pro racers and riding $10k or so bikes. Hey that's cool I guess if your young and can afford all that. I have bike specific clothes but rarely wear them anymore. I wear gym shorts and stay dry shirts, use platform pedals and wear regular shoes. I have a two year old Steel frame bike built up with Shimano 9 speed dura ace which is from the early 2000s. My steel bike is a Rivendell bike designed by Grand Peterson. I'm not a pro racer and don't pretend to be. My steel frame bike can handle 40 mm tires has a long wheel base and rides like a dream. I'm 62 and am all about comfort not speed. I average between 13 and 14 mph on 20 mile rides which isn't horrible.

My name is used to be Anti-Social on Strava. Enough said. I always prefer the solo ride.

I just try to group ride with solo's that outpace me, pushing me to be better. I've only been riding 1 month, chasing roadies on my full suspension mtb. I love seeing people make way for the lead cycle then turn and see me chasing them with tires twice as wide and no hands on the bars in an aero tuck with my hands behind my back. I use a bike computer, it logs every path i take. So a group ride would easily be repeatable if i desired

I ride solo so I don't have to follow their strict rules

I also like how you can go out when you want not waiting around for said time Can I ask what camera are you using to film this footage

i prefer solo. I'm only doing solo all year this year.

I always ride alone. I don’t like superficial conversations.

Riding my bike is ME TIME.

Solo ftw!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 just have the shokz 🎧 and ur good!

Where did you get the tool kit bag from?

I only ride solo. It's time to get out of my head, and enjoy nature, the wind, the smells, the speed, etc. Constantly talking to a group would remove all of that. Solo only!

Regarding headphones, I will never wear them if doing road rides. If I'm doing a gravel trail ride on a dedicated walking/cycling path, then yes I will wear earbuds. Roads with cars is just too dangerous, and you need to have all of your senses to be aware of your surroundings.

How wide are those handlebars? They look enormous! 😊

I ride alone all of the time, must of riding groups close to me do MTB, I only do road bike, by now.

How is that video captured? How is the camera positioned and manipulated? Wild...

I ride solo almost every day. It gives you the atmosphere you want. Go everywhere, do anything, for a few hours, or all day. Your choice.