Like cycling solo?

I feel the same way. I've been involved in a few group pace lines at charity events and just really didn't enjoy it. Probably because the roadies felt the need to bark out instructions left and right and it made me feel stupid.

I can't race in a paceline anyway, so even when I go out with a group I prefer to just ride in a loose pack and wait for each other at turns/intersections. That's more of my kind of "group" ride.

x2

I like riding alone a lot of the time and doing my workouts as I've laid them out (tough with someone else along), but for zone 2 rides the company is nice (especially my wife's).

I agree that group ride (though perhaps less safe, admittedly) definitely make me a better rider.  More confident in control, better at ballistic efforts and recovering while still hammering, etc.  I think they're definitely good to mix in to my training, as I ride better because of them.

Overall, though, I do a lot more riding on my own.

Matt

I can't imagine why anyone would feel like that is an OK thing to say to someone.  I'm sorry that was your first group ride experience.  I don't blame you for not wanting to do that again :/

What you found was a very bad group.  Don't give up on group rides, but give up on that group

I don't really like to train solo for anything over 60-90 minutes. But don't like big group rides either. The good thing is the group rides in our town (in Oregon) usually separate out and there's not a big mob riding my pace (I'm slow by cyclist standards). The hardcore are out of sight as soon as we hit open road, and the newbies are behind me. So our "pace line" is a small group of 3-6 women, older men, and/or people on crappy bikes who do a nice ride together and take turns sharing the lead. The people who ride my pace (maybe 17-18 mph for a longer ride) don't tend to have big egos, or bark. What I really prefer, though, is to ride with 1-2 other people who aren't super competitive but just want a good workout; socializing optional. Unfortunately (sob) my bike buddy here moved last year, and I haven't found a new one.

Sorry--double post. Not a good day for the Internet here.

I greatly prefer group rides - if you find the right group that's right at your level or a bit above your level, it's great fun to hammer with a pack.

Unfortunately though, I've found it's not as good to rely on this team type training in most cases. In most cases when you train with the group, you end up doing the group's workout, not the optimal workout for yourself.

I've been training all solo since Jan pretty seriously on the bike, and when I rejoined my triclub's long weekend ride today for the first time since last year, it was very apparent that all that solo hammering at my own ability was very good for me - guys who I used to pace equally with were now so slow in comparison that I had to softpedal to stay with them. No way I would have improved this much had I just kept training with the group. 

I like riding solo. And I also like riding in groups. They each have their place in training, and require a different dynamic and mindset.

It's easy to spot the people who almost always train solo and expect the same thing in a group ride as they would get solo. And it's easy to spot the people who don't ride in groups because they don't like it.

As smooth as you think you are, riding in a good group will open your eyes to a whole new level.

If you're the fastest one in the group, pull more. If you're not, figure out how to REALLY draft and hang on. Both will push you.