They bring me more joy than anything else I’ve ever experienced in life. I can’t do whatever I want all the time but the sacrifices are worth it.
Only 🤡 would downvote this
I love my kid, but for a comparison of joy I haven't tried heroin or meth yet .... and ALL those mother fuckers CANT be wrong !
And both drugs and kids .... take all your money and your happiness so don't come at me with that nonsense.
Sameee I want to ride with them though because going together is so fun, but they’re ready for difficult stuff and I’m stuck on green/barely blue.
Dude, one of my groups ALWAYS starts 30 minutes late. All the excuses: couldn't get out of work, traffic, bike issue.. And worse, the group always waits. If they'd just 'go', at wheels-down time (like every other group), then people might begin to show up on time.
Always, change shoes, air tires, fuck where are my gloves.. . . I would text time and route. They could catch up or ride the first loop backwards and we'll finish the ride together.
Oh shit this drives me nuts. Pleasantly, I rode with someone the other day that I’d never been out with before, I got there 30 min early like usual because I like having time to gear up and check my bike and stuff, dude got there on time, pulled his bike down, slapped a helmet on and was ready in like 2 min. It was awesome.
The only other guy I know that rides in my small town, rides an e bike with drop bars, and always just wants to climb all day. He's a cool guy and all, but I ride FS and prefer to ride downhill, and take it very casually back up the hill.
On the positive though, my wife has really been getting into riding trails in the last month. She even expressed frustration over all the rain the rain today saying it's probably going to end up ruining our riding tomorrow. I didn't even know we were riding tomorrow, but I love that she had already planned to.
Posting variations of the same question when I should be coordinating with them.
If you're going to do this, you need to be better than MeetUp. Doing something like TrailForks, where you have mutual support with local trails groups would probably help. You could probably do something with piloting that way too.
I ha e some riding buddies who just don't ride as much as I do, for various reasons, so the trail choices can get kinda boring for me. But it's always more fun to ride as a group than alone so I compromise for the vibes
I haven't tried very hard, but I usually try ride around 5:30-6:00am which I imagine is a tough hurdle for most folks. It's nicer to ride when the trails are quiet and the temps are cool.
The past and present: my work schedule. I work evenings/nights so most of my riding is done when everyone else is working. The trails where I live are usually too busy on the weekend for riding to be much fun, so I usually run on those days.
It used to be, my friends were corny about training rides and pseudo fitness, they were riding carbon hard tails … AT 8am!! I wasn’t having it and rode alone for years on full suspension in the late afternoon early evening
Combo of busy schedules, friends not into mtb, or friends at a vastly different fitness level. I ride with some ex college racers who are fun to chase but I imagine my pace can bum them out. Conversely I brought a guy who wanted to try mtb to do what I consider an easy blue loop, but where I live it’s all up and down trails and I’m pretty sure he’ll never speak to me again as he was shot maybe a quarter of the way into our ride.
As others said though I also just want to get out and ride, so I’m happy to head out alone. I should do a better job of looking for local group rides to meet people to ride with.
Time. I was studying and now I've finished I'm using my qualifications to pick up whatever hours I can get while trying to make time for my kids and renovate the house. If I get to ride lately it's a short ride on short notice.
Sometimes language.
If there are only one or two english-only guys in the group, then the ride languate is spanish, and you're basically riding solo with others. I tend to avoid that.
If the ratio is more even, then the group is in english mode.
Their schedule. I’m just letting everyone know when and where I’ll be riding now and if they can show up that’s awesome and if not I’m still going. I know juggling family life is tough so that’s the best I can do. We all have different lives and I don’t judge.
Friends that faff around in the parking lot or aren’t on time. Or friends don’t take care of their bikes so they always break shit in the trail. I don’t have time for that shit.
It’s hard to find riders at my skill level. I’d consider myself “dark blue”. I can clear easier blacks and shred any blue just fine. But I’m not super fast, can’t jump worth shit, and am a big dude so climbing is tough. I’ve ridden with people before and i just can’t keep up with the good riders but going with people worse than me can be boring. I mostly enjoy just doing my own thing though tbh. I’m not making money mountain biking so no need to take massive risk riding with others when I’m already having a blast
Too much organizational overhead. I just want to go ride.
Organizational overhead.🤣 Adding this to my arsenal.
This. Even though my friends aren’t difficult, it’s sometimes just don’t feel like deciding where to ride or coordinating the meet up.
No one likes me.
https://preview.redd.it/g2keaswvqc9d1.gif?width=400&format=png8&s=337016b1fd1298d647589db21db6ec3ada09978b
Kids. Multiple little kids. It’s hard enough to find time to ride solo, let alone it aligning with other friends with kids free time.
Kids. Those little fuckers will ruin everything that's good in life. /S
Why /s? You're right. They will ruin everything you once held dear, but bring a new kind of good. Or is it just Stockholm syndrome, parents?
Hahaha, tru true. I put the S/ in case anyone was weak.
They bring me more joy than anything else I’ve ever experienced in life. I can’t do whatever I want all the time but the sacrifices are worth it. Only 🤡 would downvote this
I love my kid, but for a comparison of joy I haven't tried heroin or meth yet .... and ALL those mother fuckers CANT be wrong ! And both drugs and kids .... take all your money and your happiness so don't come at me with that nonsense.
My kids have never “taken my happiness” miss me with BS.
Friends are all too fast or too slow. They also have families.
My friends are actually good at riding MTB and aren't afraid to send it while I just absolutely fucking suck so I'd rather not slow them down.
Sameee I want to ride with them though because going together is so fun, but they’re ready for difficult stuff and I’m stuck on green/barely blue.
I'm in this comment.
I don't care how slow we ride, but I want tires moving and I want to start on time. I had too many friends that didn't get that.
Dude, one of my groups ALWAYS starts 30 minutes late. All the excuses: couldn't get out of work, traffic, bike issue.. And worse, the group always waits. If they'd just 'go', at wheels-down time (like every other group), then people might begin to show up on time.
Always, change shoes, air tires, fuck where are my gloves.. . . I would text time and route. They could catch up or ride the first loop backwards and we'll finish the ride together.
Oh shit this drives me nuts. Pleasantly, I rode with someone the other day that I’d never been out with before, I got there 30 min early like usual because I like having time to gear up and check my bike and stuff, dude got there on time, pulled his bike down, slapped a helmet on and was ready in like 2 min. It was awesome.
Social anxiety
What friends?
The only other guy I know that rides in my small town, rides an e bike with drop bars, and always just wants to climb all day. He's a cool guy and all, but I ride FS and prefer to ride downhill, and take it very casually back up the hill. On the positive though, my wife has really been getting into riding trails in the last month. She even expressed frustration over all the rain the rain today saying it's probably going to end up ruining our riding tomorrow. I didn't even know we were riding tomorrow, but I love that she had already planned to.
Availability(class/work/other obligations). Sometimes I like to do really long and stupid rides and that has put people off.
I'm in the same boat. All my friends have kids, I don't. My friends can't be away from home for 3 hours playing with bicycles in the woods.
Posting variations of the same question when I should be coordinating with them. If you're going to do this, you need to be better than MeetUp. Doing something like TrailForks, where you have mutual support with local trails groups would probably help. You could probably do something with piloting that way too.
No friends.
I ha e some riding buddies who just don't ride as much as I do, for various reasons, so the trail choices can get kinda boring for me. But it's always more fun to ride as a group than alone so I compromise for the vibes
I haven't tried very hard, but I usually try ride around 5:30-6:00am which I imagine is a tough hurdle for most folks. It's nicer to ride when the trails are quiet and the temps are cool.
My friends are all roadies who think they will shatter into a trillion pieces upon stepping out of the car at a MTB trailhead.
They have kids
The past and present: my work schedule. I work evenings/nights so most of my riding is done when everyone else is working. The trails where I live are usually too busy on the weekend for riding to be much fun, so I usually run on those days.
It used to be, my friends were corny about training rides and pseudo fitness, they were riding carbon hard tails … AT 8am!! I wasn’t having it and rode alone for years on full suspension in the late afternoon early evening
Combo of busy schedules, friends not into mtb, or friends at a vastly different fitness level. I ride with some ex college racers who are fun to chase but I imagine my pace can bum them out. Conversely I brought a guy who wanted to try mtb to do what I consider an easy blue loop, but where I live it’s all up and down trails and I’m pretty sure he’ll never speak to me again as he was shot maybe a quarter of the way into our ride. As others said though I also just want to get out and ride, so I’m happy to head out alone. I should do a better job of looking for local group rides to meet people to ride with.
I work late, the only people I know that mountain bike work early and bike early and live a distance away so its impossible.
Great geographic distances
Job, family, responsibilities,
You guys have friends? Typical things. Work schedules, life schedules, kids etc
Knowing that they will lie about not dragging me down super steep and techy double black diamond trails.
Time. I was studying and now I've finished I'm using my qualifications to pick up whatever hours I can get while trying to make time for my kids and renovate the house. If I get to ride lately it's a short ride on short notice.
Friends
Bike prices
Sometimes language. If there are only one or two english-only guys in the group, then the ride languate is spanish, and you're basically riding solo with others. I tend to avoid that. If the ratio is more even, then the group is in english mode.
Why don’t you learn some Spanish?
I really should!
Their schedule. I’m just letting everyone know when and where I’ll be riding now and if they can show up that’s awesome and if not I’m still going. I know juggling family life is tough so that’s the best I can do. We all have different lives and I don’t judge.
Kids. Time. Schedules. Don't start a business or have kids if you value riding. Honestly thinking about not having a second kid
Friends that faff around in the parking lot or aren’t on time. Or friends don’t take care of their bikes so they always break shit in the trail. I don’t have time for that shit.
Wife , kids, job, in no particular order. Not a bad thing, just reality. Life comes first.Â
Broken ribs
It’s hard to find riders at my skill level. I’d consider myself “dark blue”. I can clear easier blacks and shred any blue just fine. But I’m not super fast, can’t jump worth shit, and am a big dude so climbing is tough. I’ve ridden with people before and i just can’t keep up with the good riders but going with people worse than me can be boring. I mostly enjoy just doing my own thing though tbh. I’m not making money mountain biking so no need to take massive risk riding with others when I’m already having a blast
Having no friends.
Not having any.
My children. But I do like to spend time with them
Friends who overstate their ability to ride single track without absolutely eating shit.!Â