Is It Weird To Cycle Alone?  (6 Reasons Solo Rides Can Be Good For New Riders)

Looking for a way to clear your head and feel better about your day?

Hop on your bike and go for a long ride!

Whether it’s before work, during your lunch break, or after a crazy day, a little “wind therapy” can do wonders for your mood.

But when it comes to cycling, which is better: hitting the road alone or joining a group ride?

As someone who’s tried both, I have to say that solo rides are my favorite.

When I first started riding, I went solo because my routes were short and I didn’t know anyone else who was into cycling.

But as I met more riders through social media and friendly chats, I tried a few group rides. And while those experiences were fun and informative, I still prefer the solo route.

Why? Well, for starters, there’s something meditative about riding alone.

Plus, you get to set your own pace and take whatever route you like. And let’s face it: sometimes you just need a break from the noise and competition of group rides.

Of course, there are perks to riding with others: you can learn new techniques, chat with like-minded people, and enjoy friendly competition.

But overall, I find that I can get all of those benefits and more from a solo ride.

If you’re curious about trying a solo ride, stick around. I’ll be sharing some of the benefits that I’ve discovered on my own cycling adventures. 

Can You Enjoy Cycling Alone?

Yes, you absolutely can enjoy riding alone. 

I’ve personally found many great reasons that solo rides are the absolute best. 

Read on to see the 6 reasons that I love solo bike rides! 

6 Reasons To Ride Solo

 1.  Work Through Whatever’s On Your Mind

This is my number one reason that I love solo rides.

When you ride alone there is no one talking about their problems or issues. It is just you and your thoughts.

Whether you prefer to go for a morning ride or ride later in the day, cycling can be very therapeutic both mentally and physically.

If you have a stressful job, family issues or something else that’s weighing on your mind –  a solo ride could be just the thing that you need to help you work it out.

Solo rides can help you to sort through your feelings, organize your day and/or just decompress.

Riding alone can help you to get your thoughts together or clear your mind.  It helps you to recharge.

My morning bike rides are wonderful!

Just getting out there before my day starts – helps me to organize my day, make plans in my head for any hard issues that I’m about to face and gets me charged up for the day.   

“You are one ride away from a good mood” –Sarah Bentley, British cyclist. 

2.  Go Wherever You And Your Bike Want To Go

Some days I want to hit the bike trails and other days I want to hit the open roads. 

When you ride alone, you don’t have to worry about which one is best for the group. You can do whatever you feel like doing. 

If you want to explore new trails or roads, you can do that without checking in with anyone. 

If I decided to veer off on another path, then that’s exactly what I do.  No one is there to change my mind. 

You don’t have to discuss the route with anyone, and you don’t have to flip a coin to see whose route is best.  You just go wherever you want and wherever the road takes you.  

3.  Go When You Want to Go

Sometimes life just gets hectic with family and work issues. This can cause your schedule to be crazy.

If you’re also trying to work around someone else’s schedule as well as your own, it can really cause more stress and possibly cause you to just ditch the ride.  

With a solo ride you have the freedom to just go out on a whim or work around your own schedule to get your ride in.

This may be the only thing in the day that you can control.  

4.  No Rushing Around To Meet Up With Others

Have you ever made plans to ride with a group and found yourself rushing around at the last minute to meet up with them? 

You know, when the plan is to meet up at 5:00 pm and you just knew that this would work out with your schedule. But right before you were supposed to meet up, your day just crashed around you!

Yeah, we all have, and it’s just so stressful. 

So, do you drop everything and meet up with everyone or do you cut your losses and say maybe tomorrow. 

Either way it just contributed to the stress of your day. 

When you ride alone, even if your plans change – maybe you overslept, or your day went to hell in a hand basket – no worries- you just reschedule the ride for a different time.

Unlike the group ride, with a solo ride you’re still able to get it in.   

5.  Stop Whenever You Want Too

Somedays I can just ride and ride and ride. 

Other days I just crash.  Not because of a bad diet or an injury but just because of my mindset. 

When you ride with someone else or a group you have to go at their pace and their schedule. 

But if you ride solo and you’re having a great ride and don’t want to stop, you don’t have to. If you just feel like kicking back and slowing down your pace or if you want to stop and enjoy nature you can.

You don’t have to check with the group. You don’t have to alter your mindset. You can just do what you feel like doing,

If you want to stop…. stop.  If you want to go home…… go home.  If you want to ride longer…. go for the longer ride!

It’s all about you and what makes you feel better. 

6.  Become More Confident With Your Riding Skills

As a new rider, I’m sure that you have been trying to work on different skills. Maybe you want to ride faster or ride longer.

Maybe you want to learn more about your bike. Like how to shift the gears on different inclines for a smoother ride.

Riding alone can give you the opportunity to work on improving your rides.

You can also work on safety skills such as hand signals, riding with traffic or riding on different terrains.

I know that I love working on hill climbs. I like finding the best way to shift gears for a smoother ride, and work on my form on my bike to prevent aches and pains.

I also try to work on my speed and distance.

You can do all of this when you ride alone!

You can take bike paths or more open roads, more hills or quieter areas.  Whatever you need to do to be a better rider.

You don’t have to compare yourself with others on a ride, you just need to ride where it is best for you. 

My Conclusion

Most days I prefer the solo ride.

However, an occasional group ride is definitely something that I also look forward to. It can have its obvious advantages.

But if you are new to riding be sure to try a solo ride. You will see how great it can be for you and your confidence level.

It is a great way to clear your mind and make you a better person.

Just be sure to ride safely and prepare for your ride.  It can be just what you need!