I'm always last! It sucks!

[Velobambina]

Agree wholeheartedly with Madison--only time in the saddle, and focused training will make you faster and improve your skills. Getting new riding partners is also a good idea if you want to improve your speed to keep up with the others. Do you WANT to be fast or are there other things about riding that you enjoy? It doesn't sound like the current situation is making you happy.

There's nothing wrong with being the caboose, in my opinion. I find that being last in a group of fast riders has its advantages, as others have already pointed out. The important thing is that you are out there. Focus on enjoying yourself and try not to worry about the others.

One of the reasons that I prefer to ride alone is that I can do my own thing and don't have to worry about adjusting my speed, route, etc. to suit others. Some days I feel strong and can hammer, but there are days when I just want to ride for smiles, not miles.

[Puffin]

I know, I know - I need to ride more. But you bring me to another entertaining tale.
There is a local bike babes group and I went out with them before going to Spain. That event was also spolit by yet ANOTHER disaster: It was my first and only mtb ride without DH and I took his car because it has the roof rack. I had never used the rack before and had a quick lesson before I set off. So. Long ride, tired arms and my everyday v. short legs meant that I struggled to put my bike back on the roof for the journey home. And, sure enough, two minutes down the road CRASH. The bike swung sideways out the rack and smashed into the car, spds first. You can imagine the colour of DH's face when I got home...
You know what, this has probably been the worst year of my life. I'm not usually an accident waiting to happen! BRING ON 2007!
Em
ps. I WILL ride more this winter again. I know that I do enjoy the riding when I am fitter and more confident. Probably off to the Malverns tomorrow with my comfy cake.
THANK YOU for all the encouragement.

[tattiefritter]

I will never ever ever ever ever ever use a roof rack - that's the kind of thing that would happen to me! Plus I'm only a smurf (5ft 4) and would need to take a stepladder everywhere to get the bloody bike on and off.

I (and the OH) drive big cars - I have a diesel Mondeo hatchback which is actually huge and has the turning circle of a barge and is the most common and uninspiring car in the world but fits both our bikes in with wheels on, even fits in the tandem, with wheels out. The OH has an Audi A6 which fits everything in...but goes through petrol for fun (I swear I've checked where its been parked in case there is an obvious fuel leak).