[mlorenz242 offline]

I perfer to ride with riders that are better than me helps me push my self more than being alone. even though if everyone is busy then i will head out by my self. But we have a group of about 6 or 7 that ride every weekend together and a couple of nights a week.

How did you hook up with these 6 or 7 guys? Local club or just friends with the same interest?

[brianW offline]

My riding is when I can get out. Sometimes it gets hard being taxi dad for 4 daughters. For this reason I ride I would say 90% by myself. However I do see many familiar faces at the trail head and on the trails. Try to get to the local club "Explore the Trails" monthly ride.

[fat_billy offline]

There are a few regular riders where I ride and I judge my fitness level by how quickly they drop me. Then I'm back to solo riding. Later,

[badbandit12 offline]

I perfer to ride with riders that are better than me helps me push my self more than being alone. even though if everyone is busy then i will head out by my self. But we have a group of about 6 or 7 that ride every weekend together and a couple of nights a week.

How did you hook up with these 6 or 7 guys? Local club or just friends with the same interest?

I have known one of the guys for years and I dropped out of riding and racing mountain bikes in the early 90s he didn't and made some friends racing when I started back last year started riding with them great group of guys all ways pushing me and jelping were it's needed. Don't think I will ever be to there level but fun to try.

[JoeThomas88 offline]

It's about 50/50 for me - I'll send a text to a few friends to see if they can make it when I can, if not then I'll go alone or alter my plans slightly to accommodate them. Sometimes I really like riding alone with my headphones in, but I think I prefer riding with my buddies over going alone. Also there is a nice trail about an hour drive from where I live and I've gone on a few trips with my friends there, I wouldn't do that alone.

The guys I ride with are friends from highschool and from the gym, and also a couple of guys I met on the trail.

[wbernest offline]

Solo most the time. I can't seem to rely on any of my friends to actually get their miles in. Nothing but fair weather mtn bikers.

[bpmcginty74 offline]

Most of the time I run solo. But i have found a lot of people at work are interested in mountain biking but don't have the funds. So I usually offer my "loaner" old Trek to them and away we go. On Friday's I just put the two bikes in the back of my truck and after work I usually find someone to hit the trails with.

[mlorenz242 offline]

Most of the time I run solo. But i have found a lot of people at work are interested in mountain biking but don't have the funds. So I usually offer my "loaner" old Trek to them and away we go. On Friday's I just put the two bikes in the back of my truck and after work I usually find someone to hit the trails with.

That's a great idea, I wish I had another bike. Ooo... you may have given me a justifiable reason to buy another bike.

[Martino0626 offline]

I have three guys I ride with exclusively and then on weekends with usually end up with a large group ranging from 6 to 20 riders. I started out lone wolf style but I found that riding in groups are fun and safer. I recommend connecting with club or MTB group of some kind and the groups website will usually have forums with members asking if anyone wants to ride or join a group ride. You will become a better rider that way to... because the groups with better riders will push your limitations

[mlorenz242 offline]

I have three guys I ride with exclusively and then on weekends with usually end up with a large group ranging from 6 to 20 riders. I started out lone wolf style but I found that riding in groups are fun and safer. I recommend connecting with club or MTB group of some kind and the groups website will usually have forums with members asking if anyone wants to ride or join a group ride. You will become a better rider that way to... because the groups with better riders will push your limitations

I haven't had much luck finding local clubs in my area, has anyone out there ever started a club or been involved with one as it tried to grow its membership?

[dgaddis offline]

I haven't had much luck finding local clubs in my area, has anyone out there ever started a club or been involved with one as it tried to grow its membership?

Send seenvic a personal message and ask him to weigh in on that question, he was one of the founding members of SORBA-CSRA sometime in the '90's I believe. The club has done a TON of good work and trail building since then. So much we had the IMBA World Summit here in 2010.

[BUDDAH offline]

Mountain bikers never ride alone - unless you're the only one on the trail. We're all brothers and sisters.

+1 that is totaly a true statement, I don't think I have ever riden any trail without at some point crossing paths with another rider..

[BUDDAH offline]

[/quote]I haven't had much luck finding local clubs in my area, has anyone out there ever started a club or been involved with one as it tried to grow its membership?[/quote]

Where do you live?

[mlorenz242 offline]

I haven't had much luck finding local clubs in my area, has anyone out there ever started a club or been involved with one as it tried to grow its membership?[/quote]

Where do you live?[/quote]

Just north of Grand Rapids, MI (Greenville). We have two nice trails and I also ride in Grand Rapids.

[mesjulia offline]

I've also returned to the riding scene after being laid off due to "Adult" responsibilities. After my divorce and selling our ranch, I bought a house near the River Front Trail. I decided it was time to get back on my bike. I was surprised at how strong I still felt--I used to compete in criteriums, specialized in match sprints on the track, and road raced as well. I was ready to buy myself a new road bike when a friend invited me on a mountain bike. To make a long story short I loved it! I love being on the trails and the extra challenge of going over and down rocks and over obstacles. I've even done downhill at Trestle Park and loved it! Anyway--Instead of buying a new road bike I bought two mountain bikes. One for my teenage son and one for myself. My son is who I ride with. I would love to find a group to ride with as well. I'm a BIG believer in safety in numbers and I know this from experience. Last fall I decided to ride the lunch loop with my dogs when I went over the edge and broke my ankle. Even though I past several people as I was limping back to my car, not one person stopped to help me. Not even when I got to the parking lot! There was a group of guys getting ready to go on a ride when they asked if I was o.k. I told them I thought I broke my ankle and not even one person offered to help me put my bike on the rack. So....I drove myself to the hospital. Even so, I can't wait to get back on the trails and still hope to find someone to ride with!!