“the peloton (from French, originally meaning 'platoon') is the main group or pack of riders. Riders in a group save energy by riding close (drafting or slipstreaming) to (particularly behind) other riders. The reduction in drag is dramatic; riding in the middle of a well-developed group, drag can be reduced to as little as 5%-10%” -Wikipedia

I usually ride my bike alone. I decide when I leave, the speed, distance, and how long I will stay in the café.

I do not enjoy group riding. It is stressful. Rather than getting lost in thought about myself, I have to focus on the rider In front of me and communicate to the one behind me. I need to be aware of my surroundings. Riding in a pack is an exercise in claustrophobia moving at 35km per hour. Group rides usually meet much earlier than I would like, and last longer.

In short, I usually ride alone.

Over the past couple of months, I have been riding with a local Istanbul group called Rota Biskilet, and I have learned some things about group riding and friendship:

Riding in a group only works if you over-communicate. Not communicating can result in people getting hurt.
It is based on trust. I trust that the rider in front of me will let me know if there is a hole in the ground.
You cannot be focused on yourself, you need to be focused on others.
Everyone must take a turn doing the hard work at the front.
It can be dangerous. You are riding inches from another rider going 35-40km per hour.
You can go further, faster, with the same effort.
You learn from others. How to eat, peddle, signal, etc.
If you get tired, the group will not leave you.
You practice being present.
If you are lucky, you will find some in the group that will take you under their wing. For me, it has been Gazi Abi. Sometimes, they send you to the back of the peloton, because you pose a threat.
You will become stronger when you ride with stronger people.
It takes time to become comfortable in the group.

Like riding, I also enjoy being alone. Since leaving New Jersey in 2006, I have mostly been alone, choosing not to make deep friendships.

“It’s just easier and less complicated,” I tell myself.

I wonder how much growth I have lost in the past 14 years, had I been surrounded by a peloton of friends who, together, are stronger than each can be individually. Or rather, how much stronger could I be in the coming years if I surround myself with people whom I trust? All I have to do is risk getting hurt.