Riding trails alone?

iand-83

Does anyone on here go out riding alone? Only asking as the only local mountain bike group to me go riding on week nights which I can't make so prefer to go riding at the weekend's. Is there any suitable tips for does and don'ts? Most of my riding will probably be on local bridleways as the nearest trail center to me is Thetford which is about an hour away.

coulddobetter

Nearly always , I just make sure I have tools and tubes and my mobile.

mike hunts alpine

Go out on my bill all the time just take a fully charged phone for emergencies and helmet always wear one.

stubs

Make sure someone knows where you are riding and roughly when your due back.

As said take a fully charged mobile, tools and some spares. Dont forget Gaffer tape and zipties there isnt much you cant fix without them.

Also good to take is a Bivvi bag (plastic bag that you get into to keep warm), a whistle (carries further than shouting), torch and a small medical kit.

rockmonkeysc

I ride Quantocks alone regularly. I tend to take it a bit easier in the more remote areas where it might take a while for someone to stumble across my battered carcass if it all goes bad.
Just make sure you are prepared with spare tubes (even if you have tubeless) a multi tool, chain tool, power link, energy gel, OS map and a fully charged phone with an app which gives me a 6 digit grid ref just incase I'm too dazed to read a map if I need help. I also carry a very minimal first aid kit for myself or anyone else I might find.
I actually like the peace and quiet riding alone and I see a lot more wildlife.

cooldad

Try not to fall off.
I take it a bit easier than normal, so glacially slow.

jimothy78

I think a lot depends on where you're riding. I wouldn't think twice about riding my local trails or at a trail centre alone (in daylight hours), as you know there'll always be someone along before too long. I wouldn't go out alone on a night ride, though, and wouldn't want to ride alone somewhere very remote, even in daylight.

BigAl

Yep, usually ride alone.

Just take sensible precautions, let people know where you are, carry phone, tools, first aid etc.

WindyG

I ride a lot on my own but somebody always knows my rough route and expected time to return and I take enough kit to keep me going. I would never ride solo at night even on known trails I think it's bordering on reckless.

Lewis A

I almost always ride alone, I will usually take a phone (checking signal every so often at the end of big climbs), enough first aid, tools, tubes, pump (obv) and a couple of powerlinks. A Leatherman is in my pack always.

bobbydeak

Mostly ride alone. Being a driver always up early so instead of night riding I do " early morning rides" at weekend. Out and about 5 ish , couple of hours in saddle then back home before everyones up. See it become daylight, see wildlife etc and the odd dog walker.

jimbo33x

Ride alone all the time, at thetford too. Maybe see u around there. Which trails do u ride there ?

paul.skibum

Solo riding is pretty much a requirement for me most of the time - not enough friends who ride or want to go when I do - doesn't make any difference to how I ride but I always carry a bit of cash and a phone, some tools and tubes, small first aid kit. Bets to let someone know where you are going.

gt-arrowhead

paul.skibum wrote:

Solo riding is pretty much a requirement for me most of the time - not enough friends who ride or want to go when I do

Pretty much the same for me, none of my friends like mountain biking. They dont see riding around in a forest getting a bit dirty as fun, as we do. Hence 100% of my rides have been alone, and im scared to explore, just incase i get lost in a humongous forest, it happened to me before but i stayed calm and my sense of direction eventually lead me back to where i started.

No one has really touched on the exploring by yourself bit, which i get sort of worried about when i ride alone. Its best to try and plan out where you want to go in advance. For example when i wanted to explore a new trail which is in a massive forest, i had a look at it all on google maps to see where it is in relativity to anywhere else, just in case i did get lost. (I didnt actually go for it in the end because i crapped my pants). Or you can sort of make a mental map of where youve come from. Thats what help me out last time i felt i was getting a bit lost. And its obviously a very good idea to carry a phone, GPS or something similar, or a map when exploring alone.

andyc-43

Do all my riding alone, dont know anyone that rides. Always carry a charged mobile and the wife has an ide of where im going and how long i should be.

Angus Young

Other than when I go out with my 8 year old all serious riding is solo. I used to go scuba diving solo so, compared to that, solo mountain biking is like an exercise in health and safety!

kajjal

As above carry a fully charged mobile let someone know the router you are taking and when you are expected to be back. I always call part way round to let the wife know I am still alive on any rides over a hour. Appart from that don't take any risks when riding and carry all the tools, spares, food, water and clothing you need.

I have quite a fast moving stressful job and it is good to be out in the peace and quiet on my own to relax.

homers_double

All of the above really, I ride on my own 99% of the time and just tell the mrs if I'm not back in 24 hours ring my mate with a rough explanation of where I'm heading.

But seriously, phone, spares, a bit of food for longer rides and is it sad that given the cold winters I'm contemplating one of thse foil blankets as an emergency it it all goes tits up?

prawny

Very rarely go out with anyone else, just don't push it too hard. It helps that I normally ride the chase and stick to the official trails, I can give it some hammer there and know someone will be along shortly.

I did a few laps at Kirroughtree in the summer on my own, took that a bit steadier, didn't see anyone there all week.

croptonboy

homers double wrote:

I'm contemplating one of thse foil blankets as an emergency it it all goes tits up?

Small and lightweight, probably worth having one in your FAK just in case, although opinion on how well they work is a somewhat divided

StuShez

About half my rides are solo rides. I'm really lucky to be a member of a very active club that rides pretty much every day. I try to get out every Sunday and get some miles in though and doing this without upsetting the wife means I set of between 6 and 7am and return between 10 and 11am. again, I'm lucky that I can ride from home if I want to, no car journey needed.

I take all the obvious (mentioned above) kit that lives in your camelback - appropriate spares and tools. Charged phone and some cash in case train home becomes necessary.

I don't push it too much in terms of gnar or jumps but I don't go that easy either to be honest.

bennett_346

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

iand-83

Wow never realised how many people on here ride alone. Guess make sure I got all the basics then I am good to go, as for banter I'll talk to myself always get the right answers then!

cooldad

bennett_346 wrote:

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

I talk to people all week, normally do a group ride every week, so I enjoy a quiet off piste Sunday ride by myself. Often don't see anyone else.

Kowalski675

bennett_346 wrote:

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

Completely agree with that. Same whether there's pedals or an engine between the two wheels. A couple of times I've gone to Gisburn on my own, and being getting a bit bored, but then tagged along with others half way round (couple of blokes from this forum the second time, coincidentally), and it's much more fun with company.

bennett_346

cooldad wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

I talk to people all week, normally do a group ride every week, so I enjoy a quiet off piste Sunday ride by myself. Often don't see anyone else.

It wasn't judgemental so much as observational. Where I live it's much more common to see groups of mtb'ers and rarely do you see someone alone so it surprises me to see how many people here mentioned they ride alone.

Personally i will ride alone and do occasionally, but i don't quite enjoy it as much because i see mtb'ing as a way of being social as opposed to purely for the sake of riding.

Ouija

bennett_346 wrote:

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

Always ride alone. Couldn't ride in a group without losing patience with someone. Either because they are distracting me with said "banter" when i prefer silence or because they ride at a different speed than me (i imagine there's nothing worse than waiting for the slow ones or struggling to stay up with the 'show offs').

bennett_346

Ouija wrote:

bennett_346 wrote:

Interesting to see how many people ride alone. I do sometimes but get bored a lot faster without the banter.

Always ride alone. Couldn't ride in a group without losing patience with someone. Either because they are distracting me with said "banter" when i prefer silence or because they ride at a different speed than me (i imagine there's nothing worse than waiting for the slow ones or struggling to stay up with the 'show offs').

2/3 is the magic number, especially if they aren't cnuts and don't ride off because youre slightly slower.

Kowalski675

Ouija wrote:

they ride at a different speed than me (i imagine there's nothing worse than waiting for the slow ones or struggling to stay up with the 'show offs').

On an MTB I am one of the slow ones, but I know what you mean - riding motorbikes in groups does my head in, spending all day waiting for slow people to catch up. I'll only ride in small groups with riders I know and trust.

.blitz

All the time. As a Cannock local its difficult to hook up with anyone who can go at a moments notice its like organising a bike ride around your own back garden. Curiously I quite enjoy it if someone else does tag along but those rides are few and far between.

Ulysses

stubs wrote:

Make sure someone knows where you are riding and roughly when your due back.

As said take a fully charged mobile, tools and some spares. Dont forget Gaffer tape and zipties there isnt much you cant fix without them.

Also good to take is a Bivvi bag (plastic bag that you get into to keep warm), a whistle (carries further than shouting), torch and a small medical kit.

And some money, comes in handy!


I also ride alone, dont wanna slow other folks up That might change one I get a bit fitter !