Just back from my first solo forest ride - that was superb
done plenty of moorland solo night rides but not dense forest before, some great noises coming from the dark bits 
Probably be my last though as my lovely wife was not happy with it at all and has asked me not to do it again 
They've invented this wonderful new thing....its called 'lying' 
not my style lying - she's too good at detecting it
My wife was nervous about me night riding solo, we struck a deal that allows me to still go out.
Part one - I tell her where I'm going and an estimated time of return
Part two - I wear a road ID in case I do wipe out and a stranger finds me.
This has given her the peace of mind she needs and allows me to scare myself silly avoiding the bears in the woods.
Women are suspicious creatures, if you lie about something like night-riding and they find out, then they will probably assume you're lying about other, more important stuff.
you need to work on lying dude - you'll not progress without good skills!
Tell her to MTFU, duh.
you need to work on lying dude - you'll not progress without good skills
we've been married 27 years, I'm a lost cause
My wife gave me an ultimatum........suprisingly i don't miss her 
she doesn't do ultimatums
if it makes her anxious, then I'll just have to find another way
If she is that worried have a look at Google Latitude, it assumes you have an android phone, but it does let you know where someone is.
Then go ride anyway.
Tell her you're going round to see your girlfriend?
Edit: You've been married 27 years, which puts in you in your forties?
Solo night rides in the woods are addictive
Just tell someone your route, charge your phone, carry 2 lights and enough spares/tools to get you home. In winter carry a spare extra layer. Fingers crossed they'll be more snowy night rides again this year
which puts in you in your forties
oh, I wish
Just done three nights in a row.....seem to be ending up poaching across Lord (Insert French steward de bar name)'s precious ancestral grounds every time...mainly because the trails are dry....and I've not done it often before........and the steward de bar's ancestors stole it off the oppressed Anglo Saxon peoples, who in turn stole it off the Romano British, who in turn all stole it off some poor oppressed peasant etc....and I feel like an oppressed peasant so it seems to achieve a balance...and it's ok riding.
I especially like zooming down the ridge between the planted grand (but now somewhat shabby) processional avenues of plain trees, overlooking the lights of the village. It was made for it.
tell someone your route, charge your phone
I guess a big issue for her is mobiles don't work anywhere around here once you're in the hills
doesn't worry me too much as I don't normally take one anyway
if something did happen it's pretty remote but the risk is very small, almost insignificant IMO
I'll probably just stick with going out with others though
I'm constantly amazed by the different risk analysis people apply to things.
My wife for example, wouldn't even consider solo night riding as a dangerous activity. Neither would I, I do it all the time too. I take **** all with me, maybe some basic mechanical spares and that, my phone usually, and just go out and ride. that's not a dead butch statement, we don't percieve it to be high risk simply because it's not.
Perception comes from lack of exposure to risk. Tread a bit wilder. Night riding alone is not risky.
I'm a bit like samurai, hadn't considered it a risk, I'm not totally alone, got the dog, but then that can turn into being a liability, last winter it was fairly deep snow and I was out on a heavy clunker so it gripped ok. Made the mistake of going down by the lake, the damn dog made a mistake thinking it was solid and jumped straight in, couldn't get out.
Just as I'm going to his aid, the lights packed up, that's a whole sudden other ball game. pitch black icy cold, no lights and I'd left the phone behind, it got me thinking, would she even know where I'd gone, she'd have been probably more worried about the dog than me.
Anyway as usual my luck held, managed to fire up the light it was a loose cable when I set the bike down and we set off for the pub, the fire and a warm. But I did talk it over with her, she's followed me to ER in the ambulance on a number of occasions for broke bits and smashed skulls, so we've agreed, phone with me at all times and a rough ETA and she's cool (and checking the insurance).
Riding at night isn't without risk though, came horsing down this normally clear track only to swing round the bend into a veritable sea of cats (sheep as it happened) eyes, then ploughed right in and over the front, that was pretty damned scary not to mention painful for all involved.
Tell her your looking for the wildlife
I'm constantly amazed by the different risk analysis people apply to things
me too, I don't see any risk at all [apart from the bogie man ] in solo night riding, she unfortunately does
she's not an outdoors type at all so that doesn't really help her situation
at the end of the day, I can't have her all anxious when I'm out riding regardless of whether it's rational or not
It's a shame but not worth getting to bothered about
I'm a bit like samurai, hadn't considered it a risk, I'm not totally alone, got the dog, but then that can turn into being a liability, last winter it was fairly deep snow and I was out on a heavy clunker so it gripped ok. Made the mistake of going down by the lake, the damn dog made a mistake thinking it was solid and jumped straight in, couldn't get out.
Just as I'm going to his aid, the lights packed up, that's a whole sudden other ball game. pitch black icy cold, no lights and I'd left the phone behind, it got me thinking, would she even know where I'd gone, she'd have been probably more worried about the dog than me.Anyway as usual my luck held, managed to fire up the light it was a loose cable when I set the bike down and we set off for the pub, the fire and a warm. But I did talk it over with her, she's followed me to ER in the ambulance on a number of occasions for broke bits and smashed skulls, so we've agreed, phone with me at all times and a rough ETA and she's cool (and checking the insurance).
Riding at night isn't without risk though, came horsing down this normally clear track only to swing round the bend into a veritable sea of cats (sheep as it happened) eyes, then ploughed right in and over the front, that was pretty damned scary not to mention painful for all involved.
If your wife allows you to ride during the day then I don't see what the issue is with riding at night. It's only the dark, it's no big deal.
it's not about being 'allowed'
we don't go in for telling each other what we can and can't do
it's the fact that she's very anxious when I'm out alone at night, her anxiety may not be rational at all but I don't want to put her in that position when I can just as easily go out through the day
My dear chap, you simply have to work out a compromise. As you probably have discovered night riding in woodland is AWESOME! It is a 'no brainer' you HAVE to find a solution. Lying is out. Need to know is in, so work out and agree to protocols she is happy with, ie spare lights, etc and phone. I like the Google thingy mentioned above as she has the option that she can reassure herself, which I think is the issue here. Discuss openly what it is she is worried about but neither reassure nor compound her at this point, wait until she has it off her chest. I am assuming yo have done this already?
There are some hazards, as have been pointed out, before one proceeds they must be gone over.
Animals in the woods, they dont know what to make of you, as well as stoned pot heads and "doggers", all of minor concern however. Me, personally I have encountered these as well as deer leaping up over the trail in front of me (a vertical height of of 3 metres I jest not!), shots fired at me(hey missed Ha! Ha!) and zombies. Zombies tend to be only of concern at twilight and if you stop. So dont. Right then. Lets sort this out for you chap.
Women are beautiful creatures and need to be nurtured to get the best out of them. If you have been married for so long then you must have a whole array of examples and arguments to use in your defence, show her the passion you have for riding and maybe she just might fall in love with the passionate man you have become and let you ride! This works for me and I still get to make love to my dirty little 17" hardass in the dark as well as have a beer and tea waiting for me when I get back! Oh yes you can't beat the little woman at home (no its illegal these days you know) but by jingo you can thrash the little madam hard and bounce her forks up and down up and down over and over. What fun you shall have touching her gears tenderly, the thrill as she lifts you out bthe saddle but hold on tight! Hmm, yes push your feet firmly into the pedals, or cleats if that sort of thing is your bag, and feel the rush as you flow ever on to finish. On the ride home, when cosy together for the last few minutes, remember to assure her and complement her on her lovely virtues. Tell her how she is going to be rewarded, because the girl deserves a reward!Lovely wax finish or somehing when daylight comes. Do be careful though, if in the moment of climactic joy you promise some sexy little fox forks with the latest kashima coating, and all you could ever afford is some wet lube for next time, then you are heading for trouble my man! She deserves better treatment and may run off with some local "chav" type who will only use her for wheelies. All the best old chap. Ride wild, Ride Free!
step 1 : decide which night and at what time you will go nightriding every week
step 2 : on said day ensure bike and all kit is ready to ride, lights charged etc.
step 3 : 15 mins before your ride time get bike and prop against front gate . retire to front room
step 4 : open curtains and sit gazing at you bike whilst huffing a puffing like a depressed teenager.
repeat until she finally crumbles - no lies, no compromise,just gentle mind manipulation
Other than it's dark I fail to see what the issue is i.e. it's no different than riding during the day. The trails don't just suddenly change at night or at least the ones I ride don't. If anything, it's safer as there are less other moving things to hit like walkers and mad dogs, small children etc. Plus, you can see other bikers coming more easily.
Obviously the werewolves are an issue but a couple of bonios usually keeps them in check.
Other than it's dark I fail to see what the issue is
as I said, I don't have an issue but my wife is concerned that if I fell and was incapacitated - nobody would be along anytime soon to help, it's the solitude not the dark that's the problem for her
very small risk but it makes her anxious as there is zero phone coverage etc.
if I still want to go out I can, that's my choice but it causes her stress and I don't want that
I didn't start the thread to look for a way around the issue just really to say how much I enjoyed my first time solo in the forest and it was a shame it'd probably be my last
antthebike - Member
My dear chap,...
There are some hazards, .....
Zombies tend to be only of concern at twilight and if you stop.
I've found once you explain to them their road bike is what is giving them that thousand yard stare and is why everyone hates and fears them, they cease to be an issue...
you give up too easily
My Wife loves my night riding. We sort tea, washing up etc etc etc and I go out after my boy has been bathed and put to bed - She gets some peace and I get to ride my bike!
my problem is going out during the day -
if my woman said i couldn't go out, id get a new woman
You could always just find someone else to go with, that could put her mind to rest?
Or, you could just tell her that you're meeting up with someone else of course.
Have been solo night riding since the mid 90s. Never really gave mrs.rocket a second thought until I read this thread!
I'd offer group nightrides as a compromise.
It does rely on you being able to commit to a regular date/time but gives the reassurance of some other people to carry you to the ambulance and look after your bike.
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