How often do you ride alone?

[JohanC]

Any useful SOS Apps used on your smart phones?

[Surv0MTB]

I have to ride alone. Nobody can keep up with me.

 

Lol, I am the opposite.. they all drop me..

[Surv0MTB]

Any useful SOS Apps used on your smart phones?

 

There is the mySOS app used origin of trails, works quite well I think.

[dirtypot]

Apart from commuting which is entirely solo, I ride about 85% of the time alone.  But I carry my phone 100% of the time.  And the trails that I (used to - Tokai  ) ride on always have people on them every now and then who could help if more assistance is needed.

[Fabian46]

Any useful SOS Apps used on your smart phones?

Or just ping your location to someone on Whatsapp

[Pure Savage]

Most of the team never ride alone, as there are only 2 of us that can change a tyre in under 15 minutes!

[Odinson]

My weekday rides are 100% solo. .

 

The wife and I go running in the mornings and I go riding after work. I always have my cell with me and drop her a message every hour or so - just to check in.

 

Over weekends I ride 95% alone, with my wife joining me every now and then. It's unfortunate that none of my friends are cyclists, however, I actually prefer riding alone. It gives me the opportunity to clear my head and relax.

 

I am always wary of my safety and know that if I get into a tight spot while riding alone, it'll could end badly. OTB's and injuries I can handle when I'm alone (I've had a lot of practice), but getting stabbed in the face by shank-wielding thugs - not so much.

[Lurch the stalker]

I ride the majority of the time alone. I quite like the solitude.

Like others, I have one of my two cellphones on me, and also have (and luckily have never had to use) mySOS.

[nikki]

Most of my riding is on the road and I NEVER ride alone.

When I do ride MTB I always ride with buddies albeit that I only do MTB on weekends

[SwissVan]

I try not go mtb alone, but often its difficult to find someone during the week to ride with.

 

A few years ago I went for a after work mtb ride on quite a difficult single track path and made 2 big mistakes:

1. Went alone, without telling anyone where I was going (not that it would help if I told my wife as she does not know the routes)

2. Rode down a section that I had not been on for over 6 months.

 

End result: Sun was busy setting and went OTB in a forest due to a sudden detour that I was not aware of, landed on my right chest / side and knocked the wind out of me....

 

First thought that flashed through my brain was...."sh?t I hope there is still someone on the trail that will find me before it gets dark..."

 

Luckily after a few minutes I was able to continue, but I learnt my lesson.... more or less...now I always walk tricky sections first if I have not ridden there recently  and if its really tricky then I rather leave it till next time...

 

what can I say with age comes wisdom

[Rocket-Boy]

Lynton - I go for rides alone sometimes, however I am very aware of the fact that I am alone, and any mechanical I cant immediately fix could mean a painful/long walk back to the car/home (often ride from home), let alone any injury.

 

I take the technical sections a little bit slower and try avoid doing any stupid/risky things.

 

I always let me wife know where I am riding as well, just incase. Cellphone fully charged, and I generally have reception. Take my multitool and a bomb kit with me in the hope that nothing more serious happens.

 

I remember breaking a wheel spoke in Karlkloof in PMB - The wheel luckily managed to hold enough for me to get back to the car, but that was like 20km in the middle of nowhere with absolutely zero other people on the trail. 40km's of it. That freaked me out enough to now make me aware of these types of situations.

 

With the crime as well lately, I just havent really wanted to ride alone.

 

 

Yeah bro I try to be prepared but Im never too keen to take my new phone with so I end up taking my old samsung, I just forgot to charge it so ended up leaving it in the car. 

[Rocket-Boy]

So the general consensus is to make sure you have a phone and the right spares/equipment and take it a bit easier.

I was trying to behave myself, I really was, but I get a little carried away when it points downhill and I ended up attacking it.

As an aside its amazing how long Acacia thorns burn for! 

I managed to punch a thorn tree when I was tumbling down the hill and my entire hand is still aching from the toxin on the thorns.

[_David_]

When riding alone, tell someone where you're going, or else you'll have to cut your own arm off.

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b3/127_Hours_Poster.jpg

[NotSoBigBen]

Mon-Thu I ride alone, Fri with a group and Saturday/Sunday with my son/boet/son in law.

 

I ALWAYS take a charged phone, I try to rememebr to tell my wife where and for example at Thaba I check in and out with Sam.

 

I am as careful as I can be but not extra so when I am alone ..... 

[Bloukrans]

Also ride alone 90% of the time due to infrequent time available for cycling. But, I live in the platteland with relatively safe roads. Cell phone always with me. (Wife had to come fetch me a few times when I had mechanical problems) Always try to do cycling in 30 - 40 km radius from home. Lots of nice loops to do round home. If I lived in the city I probably would do it differently.

Hi Dubbin - I see you live in Heidelberg? Where do you ride your mountain bike?

 

95% of the time on my own - medical aid card, cellphone and card with details of people to contact in emergencies.

[Mojoman]

So the general consensus is to make sure you have a phone and the right spares/equipment and take it a bit easier.

I was trying to behave myself, I really was, but I get a little carried away when it points downhill and I ended up attacking it.

As an aside its amazing how long Acacia thorns burn for! 

I managed to punch a thorn tree when I was tumbling down the hill and my entire hand is still aching from the toxin on the thorns.

Make sure you don't still have a little piece in there! I pulled a piece of dry grass out of my leg the other day from weedeating!