Rode some of the Borrowdale Bash the other evening, starting and finishing near Grange. Now I have walked some of this with the missus and watched two guys on full sussers pick there way over the rocky bridleway while thinking to myself thats way to much for me on my inbred. Well it was getting dark and I had my light on and rode it all at a decent speed. If it was daylight and I could of seen it in all its glory I would have walked most bits. Does any one else find the dark helps?

Yes.

its because your are looking forwards more into where your lights is usually

It's an interesting comment and I've felt something similar. There are probably a few things happening. First is the sensation of speed is greatly enhanced so you think you're going faster but you're not. The second as you say, you're braver because you can't see the consequences quite so clearly! The third is that the lack of visual information means I find I tend to 'feel' what the bike is doing more acutely; I tend to think more about the line I (think) I'm taking as well.
It's a little bit like going from a five inch trail bike to a hardtail.

yes a bit i always bottle came up on a night ride and i just rode it . still freaks me out in the daytime tho. i wish i could just turn off the little voice in my head the says dont do that silly ;-(

The light thing is a good theory but it was helmet mounted so it lit up wherever I looked.

Yes, I'm not scared off what I can't see.

Mrs NBT always rides stuff better in the dark

i think we all ride stuff better in the dark, its what we dont see !!! wot we do see we sometimes hesitate…grrrr

It certainly feels like I do. Everything feels faster, but generally the times (for regular routes) are the same. I think some of it might be in my head. I remember riding in the twilight without lights with a friend once. We knew we were going slower but everything felt faster and more exciting.

pretty much the same maybe a tad slower in the dark on rocky/really steep stuff for me but that's a concious decision to avoid braking myself as opposed to not being able to. always feels faster in the dark though, something to do with the tunnel vision 🙂

I'm not so sure – I think it just feels like you do as you seem to be riding faster than you are. I do think it is good for tha skillz, as you have to respond more quickly to anything that comes along. And you have the added fear of monsters.