[Closed] solo night riding - bad idea?

Haven't done it for a while but I used to regularly pop out for a solo night ride on my lunch break on night shifts. To be honest I'm tempted to say manly things like MTFU and stop bothering about all that telling people where you are/carry phone/tent/emergency helicopter ect malarkey. However, having laid in heap in the middle of the moors at 03:00, thinking thoughts along the lines of 'Oh my, my shin does sting a bit, I wonder how long it will be before a friendly (;-/) dog walker happens by me?', I would say go for it but do take on board a bit of the advice above! It's ace and you will no doubt thoroughly enjoy yourself 🙂

It's as safe or adventurous as you want it to be.

"What if I meet some kind of nutter!"

That would be either the local hashing club or the local MTB club. It's a wonder that wildlife gets a look-in with the number of nutters charging around the woods with torches these days.

pastcaring---there are both bears and mountain lions in/around Moab (and generally all over the mountain west), but the likelihood of seeing one, especially a mountain lion is VERY remote. I have hiked & biked in the mountain west for 30 years and have only seen a lion on three occasions--one in New Mexico, one in Colorado and one in the Sierra mountains in California and each time I was in a really remote area---they are very solitary and stealthy--of course like my friend says, it's the one you don't see you have to worry about.

Bears are pretty common and I see a couple while riding almost every summer---they normally capture and relocate several every year that wander down into Albuquerque in pursuit of fruit as it ripens in late summer. They are usually only dangerous if you get between a sow and her cubs----not a good thing to do.

scotabroad--I know what you mean about the imagination ramping up very quickly riding alone in the dark--the slightest sound or movement becomes a beast in pursuit.

Some of the sketchy people I have run into who are wandering about in the forest worry me a whole lot more than the wildlife.

"Some of the sketchy people I have run into who are wandering about in the forest worry me "

Halloween is nearly upon us... tell us more?

I do quite a bit of solo nightriding, but I tend to do the non technical routes starting from my house, and let someone know where I'm going. I only do the techy routes when in a group.

With the exception of a few, the majority of the rides posted on here are in your own back yard for a few hours. Yeah be sensible, but get real. You're not Chris McCandless.

...but you're not alone are you...look over your shoulder......

😉

DrP

I always carried a Kimber .45-caliber semi-auto in my Camelback when night-riding alone in the mountains, since the locations were almost always out of cell phone reach.

Now that sounds like a good idea. There are areas in Fife where this would be well advised at night!!

Anyone do night rides on road?

Its a good night to ride alone- full moon or almost. I've got the lights off on most of the climbs.... stealth mode....

@ cynic-al

I dont do night rides as such but do ride in the dark, head out at 5 ish for a few hours.

Its Ace

Long term solo night rider here.

Do it folks.

Ach it's fine. Just remember the same animals are in the woods at night as there are in the day... it's just they're awake and hungry.... 😯

Anyone do night rides on road?

Been solo night ridding for years it great fun – the aims is to hit the same speed at nigh as I do on the same trails in daylight usually get there around about xmas – top fun is under a full moon turning off the lights and running without
Oh and watch out for the eyes in the undergrowth

I started night riding back in about 1992. Mostly fire-roads on the Chase, switching off to save batteries whenever possible. Lights were shite back then, truly shite. Folk really did think I was mad.

As long as you have reception, an extra layer to put on and something to eat (at least chocolate doesn't melt this time of year!)you can stay put until you're found should something bad happen.

I see snakes every now and then among the fallen sticks. Oh, and the Sussex Ripper but he's fairly friendly.

thanks busydog,

i've seen a few black bears in whistler and up state new york/new jersey (scary big ****ers) but have never rode anywhere with lions! i think the plan is to camp for at least one night. hope i'm not the slowest rider/runner 😯

I like playing guess the creature from the colour of their eyes - But I wasn't expecting a small herd of cows in the woods last Tuesday - big n black with blue eyes.
After that surprise I should of expected the combine and three tractors over the brow of the next hill -doing a flood lit harvest - they had very bright lights. 'Close Encounters' - Not such a quiet ride.

pastcaring--you are more likely to be hit by an asteroid than encounter a mountain lion---well almost as likely anyway. If you are in a group it's even less likely. Last mountain biker I heard of that got attacked by a lion was so unlikely due to it happening in heavily populated Orange County, in S. CA. It was an older lion who was in poor health and couldn't catch any of it's normal prey---so along comes someone grinding along on a bike!!!!
They are getting steadily pushed out of their normal territory by population, so most often found in remote area---the above-mentioned cat an exception.
We have had a few sightings of Jaguars in SW New Mexico, but they are even more reclusive, not to mention about twice the size of the typical mountain lion--they cross up from the mountains in N. Mexico (used to be seen quite often in NM, but driven to a zero-population here in early 1900's. I'd probably fill my biking shorts if I came across one of them.

Do it, its great. Dont worry about the loons, most of the times I've met the and now you're scaring me types its been mid day week days. Probably the biggest hazard is rabbits in the headlights.

it's ace fun, just watch out for these!

http://www.bigcatsinbritain.org/index2.htm

there's one on the chase, it's even more terrifying than all the bloomin doggers 😯

cynic-al - Member
Anyone do night rides on road?

Not yet - but I'm leaning that way.

looks like i'll have to get a gun 😆

Date : 26 January, 2009, 2-30pm. Location : Battle Abbey near Powdermill Woods, Battle, East Sussex. A driver saw a big black cat the size of a retriever dog in a field on the Battle Abbey Estate. The driver then took his dog for a walk in Powdermill Woods and was approached by 2 schoolboys on a track from their school at Battle. They were scared, they said they had just seen a big black cat jump across the track. Source = sussexbigca****ch.

Gun hell--how about an RPG!!!
When I was a kid, we lived on a cattle ranch in SW Nebraska and rumors were going around about people seeing two large, black cats, but no pictures ever taken. Come to find out, two panthers had escaped from a circus truck about 75 miles away. Never were caught/killed, but sure had everyone a bit nervous

looks like i'll have to a gun

just take a slow mate, I've seen the nature documentaries it's always the lame one at the back of pack that gets taken.

or

when riding solo take some kitekat

i'm alright going downhill, but I AM the slow mate going up!
maybe an incentive to try harder on the climes?

cynic-al - Member
Anyone do night rides on road?

haven't been for a nightride on or off-road with anyone else in years. (Why are group nightrides always Wed nights?)

For me solo night riding is the only way. Mates just don't really get it so i have to go on my own.

They think I'm mad of course but its great. On your own makes it even more exciting IMO.

I wanna do more night rides and it will probably be solo on the road - hills (Pentlands) are 40m from my house, and I sleep much better if I get in by 8pm or so rather than the 9+pm of the local chain gang or the (much later)pm of the TBC rides. I also get to ride at my own pace.

i do about 12 mile sof the night riode alone meet a mate ride go home he does the same. We ride the gnar studd together the other stuff si fairly tame. Happy to night ride sole but within limits.

I often nightride alone, and am sometimes a bit drunk. Beer makes the dark medievel trees all friendly.

Loads of fresh blood over the Chase on Tuesday night, about a gallon trailed up the fireroad by TA into the bushes. It was either rutting deer or more likley the Panther/Werewold hybrid feasting on lone singlespeeders.

cynic-al - Member

Anyone do night rides on road?

*tho later I did get a lead acid and 2x10W units, could just about manage gentle/slow offroad on them

Did a couple night road rides last year but prefer to ride off road when possible.

EDIT just checked they were 2W bulbs not 6 - oooooh feel the power!

Try not to c*ck it up on the footpaths though. Less people to find you at night 😆

Rode with a mate of mine last night but he's always miles ahead(!) At one stage I heard a creature (largeish) right behind me. Carried on and heard a similar noise again. The noise appeared to "follow" me for a good 100 metres. I actually found it very bloody unsettling! Don't usually get spooked but last night I was.

18 miles of mostly very technical singletrack - lots of fun but legs aching now!

I like a good solo night ride, take all the same stuff you would for a day ride plus a light and a spare light/helmet light and that's it really...

Scariest things I've met out and about have been Doggers, Owls and stelthy Deer none of which are actually that scary in the grand scheme of things....

I do like to stop in the very middle of woods sometimes and see just how long before the eerie creaks and rustles of a very dark wood late at night spook me into riding on... doesn't take that long...

As already mentioned, take a back up light.

I think I've told the story here before but weirdest solo night ride experience was hooning around a blind corner and finding a proper, old-school tramp (as in travelling gentleman) had set up camp in the middle of the trail. Squatting down cross-legged, little billy-can brewing on the fire and everything. Cue me slamming on brakes, missing him by about 3 inches , wishing him a hearty good evening and pootling on my way. I don't know who was more scared, him or me. Perhaps I should have stayed for a cuppa.

Have done road rides at night, and there's now one or two a week run by lads in my club. Tho I have a baby, I'm going to try to get out then.

Also going to divert my commute to some off-road (tame) action with the SS road bike (in SSCX mode).

This is my first year with decent lights (Lumi LED3). Brilliant invention.