Do you mountain bike alone?

[Tabby]

Even though your area may not get cell reception ... it doesn't hurt to have one just in case ... sometimes reception can be intermittent. Great tip from recent women's clinic is get a good whistle to attach to the shoulder of your camelback. If you are hurt to the point you can't get the camelback off your back, the whistle is right close to blow for signaling other riders/hikers in the area.

Just a thought ... do I have my whistle yet? No, but it's on my list.

PJ

[bluebug32]

I really like to mountain bike alone, but will only do it at a couple of the smaller places that I ride and know really well. One is right across from where I work so I feel very safe there if anything should happen. I'm also weary of my ability to fix something if I get a mechanical. Is there a local mtb club or a shop where you could inquire about people to ride with?

[Tabby]

Limewave,

Are you in SE Michigan? I'll be in Rochester Hills visiting friends August 8-10 and should have time for a ride on 9 or 10 if you're close by. I'm a newbie ... but love to ride and learn from many different riders.

PJ

[Irulan]

I ride solo. I've never felt unsafe in our area ( smallish western city). I don't do crazy technical stuff, but I will ride to my satisfaction. I carry a cell phone, but didn't used to.

[Skierchickie]

I ride alone (almost always), and actually prefer it. I'm not so confident in my mtb skills that I want to go all out over my head to keep up on singletrack - alone, I can do what I'm comfortable with at a pace where I don't feel like I'm going to slam into a tree at any second. Safety-wise, I don't really think about it. Like Irulan, I don't do crazy stuff (although I have had crashes where I lay there wondering if I was going to be able to get out under my own power). If you already feel unsafe due to creepies, definitely listen to your gut (I like the bear spray idea). Lots of good tips here - I should use some of them.

I don't usually even think about a cell phone when I ride. I have one - rarely use it since I don't have service at home, barely at work - more of an Ineedtopickupapizzaonmywayhome phone, or a We'regettinghomebeforekennelpickuptimemaybethey'llletusspringherearly phone. So I don't even think to ride with it. Especially mountain biking. It really would be a good idea, though.

[ny biker]

Honestly, I have to be careful about road biking by myself too, even though I do it all the time. I'm single and my nearest family lives 300 miles from here, so if I leave a map of my route and the time I should get home, no one will see it and no one will notice I'm missing until I fail to show up for work the next day (or the following Monday if it's a weekend). And if I do have a mechanical or other problem far from home, I can't call anyone to come get me. So mostly I have to stick with routes close to home that are heavily traveled and close enough to take a cab home if needed, even though that means dealing with more vehicular traffic and stopping at frequent intersections. It makes it hard to train for the hilly 70-mile charity ride that I need to get ready for, but that's just the way it is.

[7rider]

I used to mtb alone at a state park up in MA. It was close to my house, not too technical, and fairly well-travelled by others, so I felt reasonably safe there. I have not mtb'd by myself since moving down to MD, again..for the reasons you cited. I will (strangely?) road bike on my own, however, although get bored to tears with anything longer than about 35 miles.

[indigoiis]

The few times I have been out so far, with the exception of one, I was alone. In two (separate incidences) of those cases there was a creepy dude walking on the tote road where I was riding.

Makes you ride faster.

I used to hike and climb before I got into biking. Same rules apply. Go out prepared for the worst.

[brigitte]

I usually ride alone. I will only do trails I know, so if there is something new to try I will wait for a riding buddy to try it with. I always carry a cellphone - even if reception is spotty you can sometimes get a text message out. I always carry a snack and H20. I too am single but will let someone know (neighbor, family or one of my daughters) approximately where I am riding and an estimating return time - I will even say "if you don't hear from me by "X" time then I am in trouble." I then make sure inform them of my return. If there is no one around to tell, I have left a note on my dining room table that explains my whereabouts.

I ride conservatively when I am alone. I am a nurse so relatively simple injuries I can handle by tearing a jersey as a tourniquet or to wrap a wound. I have a small set of tools/repair kit with me with a pump and ALWAYS take daylight into consideration.

Don't let being alone stop you!... some of the best stuff I have done was when I was alone, there is obviously no one to compete with besides yourself and I have found that to be liberating. Plus, you can zip along fast because your not chatting as much as you would if you had company.

good luck!

[SadieKate]

Even though your area may not get cell reception ... it doesn't hurt to have one just in case ... sometimes reception can be intermittent. Great tip from recent women's clinic is get a good whistle to attach to the shoulder of your camelback. If you are hurt to the point you can't get the camelback off your back, the whistle is right close to blow for signaling other riders/hikers in the area.

Just a thought ... do I have my whistle yet? No, but it's on my list.

PJ

That's why a SPOT is a good thing. I've even used it when driving by myself through remote areas in potentially bad weather.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=satellite

[ikkin]

i consider myself lucky to have an awesome group of friends (including the hubby) who collectively have an awesome group of bikes. we head out together a couple times a week, so i'm rarely riding alone.

and on the rare occassions none of my playmates can come, i ride with Maya the Dog.

[wavedancer]

That's why a SPOT is a good thing. I've even used it when driving by myself through remote areas in potentially bad weather.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showt...ight=satellite

What is a SPOT?

[SadieKate]

Um, clicking on links is your friend???

[Tuckervill]

That thing (Spot) is a little spendy for me, who doesn't leave cell coverage area very often. But it would be good to have when I'm cycling alone in Vermont in September. Just can't justify a whole year for one month worth of use.

Karen

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I don't have a road ID though, I took one of my expired Driver's licenses and put post its on the back with phone numbers for my dad (who is 400 miles away), for my friend (who is in the area) and for the soon to be ex husband (who can't be far enough away at 3000 miles). I stuff it in my camelbak incase I get hurt and at least they know who I am.

If I go on a really long ride, I leave a map in my car with where I'm going. Although here in Mass, I really don't know where I'm going on the trail so I try to sketch something out if I know ahead of time and leave it with someone. I usually msg a friend of mine before I take off and then when I get back to my car.