[Closed] Being followed and following others on trails

I understand the feeling. But personally, I love riding very close to someone. Or have them right behind me. But usually only with people I know, and I sometimes ask if they mind. There's a few of us that love a good "train". Gets the adrenaline running. I just have to remind anyone behoind me that I'm a crap rider and brake hard in every corner 🙁
I'd never do it to a stranger.

Depends on the other rider for me, I always let the quicker ones go first as the pressure of someone breathing down my neck makes me sketchy (especially on a trail I dont know) On the other hand I like to follow/try stick with someone slightly quicker as it makes me a better rider.

I dont mind if i have someone in front of me or behind, as long as they leave a safe gap

If im on the e-mtb then i tend to catch people up, i leave a safe gap and wait till they realise im there and offer to let me past

If im on the hardtail i tend to have people behind me, again if they leave a safe gap ill pull over when i can and let them past, if they dont leave a safe gap then i wont move over, cant stand tyre buzzers on the trail

One thing i cant stand is roadie's sitting on my back wheel, you wouldnt tailgate a car so why do you think its ok to tailgate a bike? espcially on a road where an accident could send me into oncoming traffic!

A train on the mtb or bmx is great fun, i have no problem with the other riders being so close as we all know each other well and have ridden together for 20+ years so trust each other not to crash into each other

Are you an only child?. 😉

I get ghost riders behind me on enduro stages, convinced there's someone approaching, but it makes me faster, til I get an easier section, have a look, never anyone there.

As for someone out in front, that's a target!

I don't like following random riders and mostly prefer not following others. In the right situation I do like to section and practice bits of trail, riding close to friends, can push each other, learn and see other lines that I've not seen. It can be a lot of giggles pushing each other to ride out of your comfort zone if you know the other riders well.

All depends in the ride really.

Person on front = target.

I do try to be polite - buzzing strangers back tyres and sledging them on every turn isn't on. 😉

Someone behind - if it's a friend, another reason to ride faster. If it's stranger, pull over at earliest convenient spot.

If the person behind even starts the first syllable of a sports tracking app, then it's mud flinging time... 😉

How can you tell with the blurred vision the rushing in your ears and the breathing your arse?

Or am I doing it wrong?

I enjoy both if I'm feeling good. If I'm having an off day, then having someone behind can really stress me out. I can totally see why some don't like it though. It can definitely be distracting. My other half hates having people behind her as she's always stressing about holding them up, despite being the fact that she's actually very fast. If I get caught up by a stranger I'll usually ask if they want past. If I catch someone up I don't know, I'll just wait till the end of the trail or pass if they pull over.

Happy to say no one has ever shouted at me to get past, outside of a race anyway.

I've more or less stopped riding in groups because I cannot tolerate the feeling that I am being pressured by riders behind to go faster. It's all in my head, I expect.

I like having someone to chase, but then get really awkward if I actually catch them up, luckily this doesnt happen very often as i'm rubbish! Been ages since I have really had local riding mates so gotten out the habit I guess.
I do get self conscious if i'm being followed by people I dont know and will usually pull over and let them past.

Being pressured from behind is fine with me "faster faster, go go" is all part of the fun and banter... I hate following though. Really not me that...

One thing i cant stand is roadie’s sitting on my back wheel, you wouldnt tailgate a car so why do you think its ok to tailgate a bike? espcially on a road where an accident could send me into oncoming traffic!

I'm OK with this if I've caught them up and we have a bit of a chat. It's the ones that latch on without a word that annoy me.

If I get overtaken on the road I'll always let them go, or if they slow down a little so we're doing a similar pace I'll keep 20m or so behind. I don't like riding close to people I don't know.

Fine with mates very close in front or behind or even to the side on wider stuff. (Years of MX racing gets you used to very close contact)
Strangers less so. Just don't know what they're going to do.

I enjoy both if I’m feeling good. If I’m having an off day, then having someone behind can really stress me out.

Same.

My best riding is usually when there's a fast rider behind me TBH.

How can you tell with the blurred vision the rushing in your ears and the breathing your arse?

Or am I doing it wrong?

If the rider behind is breathing on your arse I'd venture to suggest that they're a bit too close.

I mostly ride with other folk, so following or being followed is kind of the default. I prefer a bit of space between me and the rider I'm following so there is time to set up for what's coming up.

I used to hate being in front as I'd worry about holding people up, these days I mostly quite enjoy the feeling of being spurred on to go a little faster, even if that's entirely an invention in my own head 🙂

"Just about knowing that someone is there within my sight or me in theirs, neither in the other’s way."

Yes, I get this. I ride bridleways, and slightly resent having to share the countryside with anyone else. Luckily I can go out during the week, when others are at work, so it's pretty quiet.

I tend to ride better, as I can concentrate properly . . . although I keep the speed down to minimise any damage when I fall off.

Some of my riding mates are really rapid.
I usually ride really well and mostly keep up if I'm one or two back from them.

When I'm in front though, I nearly always crash and generally become as sketchy as hell.

The other week at the front with the awareness of a mate bearing down on me I supermanned into a tree on a steep, rutted, muddy section.

I chose to stay away from the front after that 😂

I quite like having someone in front, way off in the distance is a target to catch, just in front is great if they are a little bit faster, pushes me trying to keep up.
Behind is similar, I tend to go quicker if someone is right behind, usually shout to ask if they want passed when they get close enough, some say thanks and go for it then i have someone to chase, some say they are happy following,presumably they like the chase too.
.
Having said that I do race, so am used to going fast with people around, and am quite competitive

When I’m in front though, I nearly always crash and generally become as sketchy as hell.

Dont be so harsh, the crashes are rare, the sketchiness is in abundance, its a damn good watch though!

Being pressured from behind is fine with me “faster faster, go go” is all part of the fun and banter… I hate following though. Really not me that…

Riding behind someone who's better is good way to get faster yourself IMHO.

Quite like both being followed and following on a long climb. Find it pushes me more.

I hate following though.

Ah, as you were. I read that as following through.

I hate being followed as i feel like im constantly holding people up, even if im not.

I enjoy following people though especially people quicker than me as as i like to try and keep up and watch what they are doing to learn.

When I’m in front though, I nearly always crash and generally become as sketchy as hell.

Dont be so harsh, the crashes are rare, the sketchiness is in abundance, its a damn good watch though!

😂🙏
Yeah boi 👊

Ah, as you were. I read that as following through.

Yep.

I hate coming up behind a slower rider because it puts me in a dilemma.

Shall I pass? I’ve come up behind them, but does that mean they’re slow, or were they just taking a breather? If I overtake, will I be getting in their way?

What I normally do, is overtake when appropriate and then go flat out for as long as I can, until I’ve left them behind, and they’re so far back I can die out of sight.

Happened to me a few months back. I came round a bend, 3 riders there cruising along. They let me overtake, and then 2 of the riders sat up my arse, because they obviously wanted to show me that they were only going slowly because of the third rider they’d left behind 🙄

I'm happy with either. Most riding is on my own, but with others I push a bit harder. It's great following a slightly better rider and seeing different approaches to the trail.

I often slow down to allow lesser riders the oportunity to learn from my trail awesomeness

Depends who, with mates I don't mind them following me but I'm not keen on strangers as I feel like I am holding them up.

I've been told my line choice puts people off, so not fussed. Follwoing others though, i like to sing, shout, talk shit to put people off for shits and giggles.. i always end with a loving hug..

I like following someone who's more or less as good as me- it's like easy mode, they're taking care of all the direction and speed stuff so I can muck about.

Not so keen on being followed, partly because it means I'm taking care of all the direction and speed stuff and that's not a great idea- I have no trail memory or sense of direction so I'm always taking wrong turns or wrong lines. Also, I like wrong lines, I did a dirtschool course that taught how to pick the easiest and fastest route down the trail and I thought, that's exactly the opposite of what I want to do. But my choice of line is, to other people, obviously stupid.

In general I don't like being watched and yeah I definitely screw up more when there's someone behind