Riding solo (how to shake someone dogging you)

brightgarden

Yes. Susan, you are almost right on it. I think when I go riding alone, I mean to be in a zone, training, doing a certain pace, and willing to deal with a certain level of interruption that comes with sharing the world with others (like negotiating traffic, saying hello or nodding to passing cyclists, etc).

Otherwise, I ride with other people. Generally I socialize within my own group, but often we'll meet other bikers, and once in a while, strike up a conversation. Unfortunately, for some reason, in this area, other bikers are not very friendly in general. I always get the feeling that they are "pros" and they look down on us and that's why they don't talk to us, or they think we are "snobs" and so they have to be "snobs" back to us. people are so odd.

I want to ride in California where it sounds like people aren't as uptight....

EoinC

Coming from a small Country with an even smaller racing community, I considered myself lucky when I DID meet others out riding. I'm guessing that the training you do must be for Solo Time-trialing, as every other form of competitive cycling involves riding with others. It must be at a pretty intensive level if you can't draw enough breath to be able to tell someone that you want to ride alone.
Back when I used to road race, part of my training was a 100km ride over a small mountain range 1 to 2 times per week. That was always more enjoyable (and faster) if there were others riding along parts of the route, heading in the same direction. If you haven't been riding with others, possibly you don't know what you're missing? I have always found that it enhances, rather than inhibits, my training. It increases your skill levels, helps the miles to tick by and, often, pushes you to lift the level at which you ride.
As for understanding body language....I'm a neanderthal and still require the spoken word (or a non-misinterpretable hand signal, or being hit with a blunt object) to guide me through the morass of possible meanings (I've been married for 16 years and understand those "looks" less now than I did when we first met). Ahhh, the joys of being human....
Don't forget to have fun out there. Even in the Tour de France, riders talk to each other.

Regards, EoinC

EoinC

Perhaps they just want to be on their own and think you are "Dogging" them?........

Regards, EoinC

J Pugh

Thank you, well said.

Jean

brightgarden

Perhaps they can tell that I'm antisocial despite my overtures and they in their greater wisdom exercise self-restraint.....

Susan Repp

Eionc

I actually ride solo a lot because of time restraints (single mum), life or different schedules of fellow riders I know - sometimes I ride with folks at the club if I can make it. I often ride alone because I might not be as fast and don't want to hold up another rider or faster than another rider where as I don't want to be held up. I would love to go out with a group - it just hasn't happened yet - working on that one. I just know my experiences from the gym and hope I don't have to deal with the same on the road and I haven't (as said) met any funky situations yet. I think I could always muster up a conversation or a hand signal if need be .. I think it all depends on the situation and how comfortable you feel. The way someone approaches you makes a WHOLE lot of difference for sure! There are times I want to go out purely to clear the ole head of the days debris and enjoy the peace .. that is not unsociable in my mind; but, I know others cannot read my mind.

I will keep riding and go with the flow .. a great smile can go a long way though!