The Real Joy of Riding With Friends
Cycling, friendship, and memories on the road, it’s what cycling is all about right?
When you’re a cyclist, time seems to move slightly differently. Maybe it’s the blur of kilometres beneath your wheels, or the rolling pace of the group ride. But every now and then, if you’re lucky, the pace slows just enough for you to notice how truly special it is to share the road with friends.
This past week has been one of those moments: Max back from the UK, Jeffry returned from the Netherlands (and in for the long haul, he said if he has ir his way he’d never leave again) and Patrick popping in for a week between Dutch holidays. Suddenly, the group feels just that bit more whole again. Timon and Chris will be back soon too.
I’ve found myself thinking about how much these simple reunions mean. It isn’t just about the ride, the scenery, or the watts, it’s about being together. There’s a warmth in falling easily back into that comfortable, chatty bunch, knowing you’ll push each other up the climbs, wait at the top, and share a knowing smile when someone’s legs are burning more than they admit.
Shared Roads, Shared Stories
When Max turned up, his grin was wider than ever, sunglasses perched just the same as always, For a month, we have him back, long enough for a good run of weekday and weekend rides, too short to take it for granted. Jeffry, who’s always the first up for anything, is sticking around until the summer 2026. There’s a quiet reassurance knowing he’ll be spinning alongside through winter, no matter the weather, Jeff will show. And for a brief, golden spell, Patrick’s back in the mix. He brings stories from the Netherlands, tales of flat and Dutch winds.
The Magnetic Pull of Coffee (and Tostada)
It always amazes me how effortlessly coffee stops anchor these rides. Halfway through the circuit, or maybe at the end if we’re keen, we’ll glide into a favourite terrace and order not just espresso but the ritual: tostada with tomato and olive oil in Tarbena. Last winter, every Tuesday on the Tuesday loops went this way, Those moments warmed us up, not just physically because it’s always warmer outside in winter then it is in our houses, but in that deeper, simpler way I think we ride for.
These breaks are more than just refuelling for the legs. They’re about sitting down and recounting the morning’s sufferfest up Coll de Rates, taking the piss out of each other, quiet commiseration for whoever bonked up the final ramp, and the low murmur of friends talking about everything and nothing. You look around and see the faces you’ve missed, the ones you only see on rides, and it all feels just right.
Winter Rides and Mental Health
It’s easy to think that cycling, especially in winter, is a battle against the elements, I know in Spain we are blessed, but we still get the wind that bites, rain that seeps into your bones, the darkness that lingers long after the ride ends if you go to late in the day. Some days, that’s true. But there’s also a healing in having company for those rides. Sharing the misery actually makes it lighter. Suddenly, a grim, grey Sunday can become the highlight of your week, all because someone else turned up, too.
Group rides in winter are an antidote to isolation. You drag yourself out of bed on a chilly morning knowing you’ll meet someone at that usual corner, knowing you’re not alone out there. The chat drifts from training plans to new gear and family news, as the kilometres tick by. And when you finally reach that warm café, it feels like you’ve earned not just your coffee, but a sense of normality and connection that lasts long after you’ve hung up your bike for the day.
Friendship and the Road
There’s no magic formula for the perfect ride, but having friends along is always the best upgrade. We share more than roads, we share personal milestones, setbacks, new jobs, and old jokes. You start to realise that the actual cycling, the suffering, the sprints, the climbs, its the the scaffolding for the real thing: friendship.
Seeing Max, Jeffry, and Patrick all together after months apart has brought this home. We don’t need a special occasion to ride, just just a message in the group chat “anyone want to ride tomorrow?” Or “9am at Fustera?”
This Year
This year, with friends back in town and more coming, those memories feel closer and even more valuable. The rides melt into each other, but the companionship stands out. It doesn’t matter if the average pace is up or down, or if the Strava segments go unchallenged. What matters is being out there, wheels ticking together in a loose formation, another morning spent exactly as it should be, on the road, with friends.