Whats the appeal of it? To me riding is about being in the outside where you can see the surroundings and the nature blah de blah…

Just cant see the appeal of night riding. I want to, just cant

it’s just different and is ideal for week rides as it breathes life back into simple ( for me anyway) local trails. Something great about riding in the dark too and also very rewarding on the return.I also like the really feeling what the bike is doing, over roots etc and kind of getting into this groove.

it can take a little motivation to get out in the dark, but it is rewarding. It has a different effect to in the light, speed and terrain are different and at this time of year its hard to keep rides in the daylight! plus its good training and feels worth it come the spring…..

I echo and underline juiced’s sentiments wholeheartedly…or juiced +1

I had my first night ride for about four years last night. Loved it.

Sensation of speed totally different. You focus on the trail more cos there’s only blackness to look at otherwise. Although seeing the same places coated in dew and lit by the moon makes them totally different.

Torchlight illuminating clouds of breath, and making the splashes from your wheel look like welding sparks.

Clocked more wildlife than you ever would during the day.

Great fun. Well worth extricating yourself from a warm sofa for. That’s the hard part.

All of that. But mostly it’s just riding and that’s always good. It’s easier with a group on a set day at a set time. Peer pressure stops you wimping out. I never used to enjoy it, but now I’d be as happy riding at night as in the day.

Also beer tastes x10 better after night riding 🙂

‘beer tastes better’..for sure Alex!

I think u r right, I ride alone! If I had some mates to ride with in an organized way, then I would prob get into it! Boo Hooooo

as said above the biggest problem is sometimes yourself.

if you dont organise to go riding with friends you normally make up an excuse or find something better to do.

i always make the effort to get out and after 5mins you realise what was all the fuss about.

Just kinda forget it’s dark? and just think about riding.
Just added Wednesday night cross training to my two other regular night rides.

best thing to do is like when hitting the gym. (for me anyway). Get kit ready before, plan ride before and when getting in get ready straight away before sitting down and relaxing. If your mind is telling you that sitting down and resting is the best thing for you to do , keep in mind that it will be far more enjoyable after the ride!

Watch out for the monsters which await just off to the side and rear of you too…

same here deepriver, if someone egged me on and I’d blown a load of cash on lights, I’d probably get into it. It’s hard to motivate yourself sometimes, but if someone else says – “meet you at 8pm monday”, you are more obligated and things are arranged. harder to get out of!

Its hard on your own to motivate as I well know my riding mate developed a bad back and I have`nt been out at night this season and thats not good bearing in mind what I do .

Deep River If you have no lights then drop me a mail and you can borrow my demo Liberator for a couple of weeks absolutly no strings .

trust me deep_river when i say that night riding is a great way to experience nature.

have you ever had cats? – you know how they come in from the wind and rain looking wild and big eyed and spooked? – that’s me after a night ride.

you’re right, you can’t see* much, but you’ll hear and smell things you never noticed before, and if seeing things bothers you so much, ride under full moon, when it’s frosty – it’s magical!

(*apart from foxes, badgers, deer, owls, wallabies, bob-cats, and dozens of other night-time monsters with glow-in-dark-eyes)

my biggest hurdle is leaving the warm embrace of my sofa…

Ahwiles now the wallabies and Bobcats would be quite a shock specially over here 😯

Get a good light and warm kit. Once your out on your bike its like riding in you own little sunny (well white light) bubble and all the monsters in the forest are unable to catch you, but don’t look back.

As well as the riding aspect, there’s the views. You say you can’t see your surroundings. Of course you can. Its just different.

I love looking down from the top of Rivi Pike at night, back towards the City. Thinking that all those millions of twinkling lights are people sat on their sofa’s watching Corrie. Whereas I’m about to launch myself down the Belmont descent. That raises my smugness levels immeasurably.

To quote Morrisey:

“You have never been in love,
Until you’ve seen the stars,
reflect in the resevoirs”

Though to be fair, with the next line, he’s kind of lost me

“And you have never been in love,
Until you’ve seen the dawn rise,
behind the home for the blind

trout – Member
Ahwiles now the wallabies and Bobcats would be quite a shock specially over here

No bobcats around here, but plenty of wallabies 😉

We get Walabies here, excaped from Whipsnade Zoo.
It’s always best to go out as soon as you get in?

We get to scare doggers on our night rides.

Enjoying it more than daytime riding in current Somme-like conditions.

Just wish I had more free evenings!

To me riding is about being in the outside where you can see the surroundings and the nature

To me riding is about the thrill of riding hard and fast over stuff, controlling the bike well and enjoying the feeling of whizzing about. I can do that day or night. The views during the day are just an added bonus. Everyone rides for their own reasons, in this case your reasons are not fulfilled by night riding. However due to my lack of fitness I’m not really able to whiz about much, which means that day or night I don’t get much enjoyment from it at the moment.

Swings and roundabouts.

We have seen deer, badgers, owls, bats on our night rides. Everything looks different at night and when the moon is out you can see the countryside, often looking magnificent. Plus there is nothing quite like stopping at the top of a hill on a clear frosty night, turning all the lights off, waiting for the eyes to adjust, and looking at the stars.
Out there or at home, that’s the choice…

I absolutely love it but last nights ride was a bit of a test. Pi55ing rain and hail, hub deep puddles, deep mud, etc and around zero degrees. Me and my mate had feet like ice blocks by the end of it – still fun but definitely pushed the boundaries of sensibleness.

Did about 14 miles, 95% off road, a lot of it barely rideable.

The key (IMO) is a well sorted and maintained bike, a good light and decent clothing.

Night riding is ACE. Fact.

All your local trails are suddenly new.
The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.
No one else to share the trail with.
The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.
The feeling that you are the only people alive in the world.
The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.
The Sense of a little bit of adventure.
The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.
The Wildlife that you see when out at night, deer jumping across the path in front of you, owls flying in your light beam……
The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.

I love it and cant wait for tonights ride!!

lowey that is so spot on. Night riding is just bloody excellent.

The warm welcoming busom of a country pub that serves quality real ale.

Local ale (from 2 miles away) at this pub welcomes us at the end of each night ride 😀

Don’t forget there is nothing out there at night that isn’t there during the day.

Only now, its awake.

And hungry.

Wow

Thanks for the the offer Troutie, very generous. I have just emailed you.

lol. good one Binners.

Night riding in the summer is the best for me – being able to comfortably bike home from my mates rather than drive is a lot better. Don’t like this cold weather any more.

Good lights are the key…see Troutie! Good lights = ability to ride much, much faster at night than you can safely do during the daylight hours (for fear of mowing down dog walkers, mums n’toddlers and pony trekkers). Switch them on and blast around every blind corner and crest that there is…..

I either ride solo with i-pod (one earpiece comes out on long slow climbs to allow me to hear the approaching monsters) or in a small group of 2/3

Be in the post today Deep_River Enjoy 😀

Just had my first night ride with the demo light that Troutie has kindly loaned me. All I can say is wow, I was very impressed!

I think I may now be a night riding convert! The best thing was probably having the trail to my self and not having to worry about walkers etc….

I find find a lot more fun in a group. There’s loads of light then. Also the semi-urban stuff I do freaks me out a bit… See some weird stuff in the woods sometimes.

Having said that, you can’t beat the feeling when your solo and you get straffed by an owl 🙂

yeeaaaa 😆

Normally ride on my ownsome too. Started night riding last year and loved it. I just take my kit to work and go straight out from there.

One evening I thought I’d see how long I’d last if I switched the lights off in the darkest bit of the words. Within seconds of switching the light off there was a really loud owl hoot which sounded right next to me scaring the crap out of me. Haven’t had a adrenline burst like that for ages 🙂

night riding is ace.

Training aid for night riding “Dog Soldiers” 🙂