Long training rides solo??

[lph]

On the other hand some people, like my daughter, who refers to herself as a herd animal

That was funny

I like riding both with others and alone, I train harder with others but like my own company a lot for the long haul. But I would really recommend that every rider know how to change a flat. It depends on your tires and where you ride, I'm sure, but in my neck of the woods I'm pretty much guaranteed a flat or two or three in the course of the road riding season. If not me, then someone else out there who could use a helping hand. I've been on group rides where 3 or 4 people have flatted, and not always been able to fix it themselves. But with only a little practice it's a matter of minutes to fix a flat, so I consider it right up there with knowing how to fill gas on your car.

Commuting I don't bother, because it's harder to fix my mtb and faster to hop on a bus and fix it later.