I did the philly ride a few years back, I assume others are largely similar

I did go with a couple friends, that was mostly nice for having someone to hang out with during the pre-ride activities

For the actual ride itself, we tried to stay more-or-less together, but often found ourselves drifting apart in the crowd. Mostly you’re just kind of focused on riding and enjoying the vibes, waving to crowds, trying not to crash into the rest of your fellow bikers as you ride in a probably slower and more crowded pack than you ever have before.

Also, depending on how big and weird your circle of friends is, you might be surprised at how many people are potentially open to trying things like this out. It’s not a majority by a longshot, but I’ve gotten a lot more bites than I would have thought just kind of mentioning it to friends and asking if they might want to go.