Evening 😀
When someone posted up here that he liked riding alone night riding my first (and only) thought was ****head. Why risk being stranded/injured or mugged etc.
However a few countryside lanes later and off road over Rivington/Einter hill I totally 'get' it. Is that odd? The inky blackness alone? The still, calm, quiet air? Only you, alone?
I was asked why by my partner and the first thought was 'if anyone else is up there they'd just as likely think what does he have about him that I should fear'?
I love solo night rides. It's probably what I do most of. They're absolutely fantastic.
I ride off road at night on my own.
I don't do anything too difficult. I tell people where I'm going.
Agree, it just feels peaceful(?). We are taught to fear the dark but to me criminals/etc are more likely to be in urban areas after dark not rural.
Until you surprise the doggers.
It's normal. It's fun. You do look like the nutter from the woods. Wait until you eat out on a cold night. Everything smells and tastes so much better. Best nights are the clear ones with frost in the air. Stunning.
Love it. Totally different ride vibe. Ride well within your ability, the risk of monsters and yoofs is more than enough adrenalin.
yep, love it, been doing it for decades.
less light power required as your eyes can adapt more easily,
even pretty tame stuff becomes exciting when you cant see it properly,
more than likely you will have the terrain to yourself.
It's one of the few things I look forward to each winter. Both on and off road, I love the peace and tranquility of night riding and often feel safer than during the day.It is much easier to see approaching traffic especially on blind bends.
Until you surprise the doggers.
Wait until you eat out on a cold night. Everything smells and tastes so much better.
suddenly dogging makes sense
You are the weirdo in the woods.
Riding with no lights on a moonlit night is great.
Turning you lights off in the deep dark woods to see how dark it gets it fun too.
The first draft of the Scottish Land Reform bill was very much against night-time access but it was successfully argued that the more legitimate folk were about, the less chance of criminality.We are taught to fear the dark but to me criminals/etc are more likely to be in urban areas after dark not rural.
As for road riding at night, I reckon you are much more visible to other traffic
Jam bo I did that. The still air, etc were great but the button back-lights are very conspicious. More so than I realised.
have to say I don't night ride solo as much as I'd like.
Quite often did in days passed.
There have been some absolute highlights, spinning along a forest track with a cold, full moon, turn off the lights and it's just like 60s war movies "at night" with the blue filter over the lens..
Road don't do so much of but more than happy to do so, one you're out of town its quite therapeutic.
Agree about cars/night- I've found cars lift right off/v.early for you.
Sounds like your scared of the dark.
Ridings riding regardless of when i do it.
Ive ridden all day and seen no one and ive ridden at night and seen lots of people.
As always be prepared for the surroundings. Ie recently found my self on top of a scottish mountain at 10pm in the pitch black dissorientated. Was i worried- no . I knew i had food , water and shelter to bunker down where i was.
How ever would i carry the same at a trail centre - would i sod.
Slight fear excites and drives me yes. If it didnt I wouldn't seek it out.
Used to do quite a bit of night time road riding, solo and with others. Less so now although there are plans to do a few group road rides over winter.
Years ago I had a 25 mile commute through the North Lancashire/South Lakes lanes which was lovely at night. Much safer on the roads too. Far fewer cars and what there was could be seen coming a mile off. I think the worst points of night-time road riding is going through rural towns or villages at 11pm or so when all the drunks are coming out of pubs and people are driving home (sometimes not entirely sober) from meals out.
Funnily enough, most of the drunken shouts you get now are more positive than anything - last ride I did with a mate we got all sorts of variations on a theme of "GO ON BRADLEY!"
Last solo ride I did was back in about April; left the house at 11.30pm, got back at 2am. The only people out were workers on the railway, they looked at me in a proper "WTF?!" manner. 🙂
Ha, oh how things change so quickly (or not) eh.
Thought you sold the road bike so what are you riding on the road ??
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/night-riding-i-just-dont-get-it
I almost alway night ride, even in mid summer. I can't get out until 8:30, so by the time I've done a couple of hours and are in the woods, it's pretty bloody dark. Good lights, leave a route and away you go.
yep, love it, been doing it for decades.
less light power required as your eyes can adapt more easily
+1
started when I lived in US '97-'99 and it was too hot (for me) to ride in the day. Always used the bare minimum lighting (supernova bright lights spoil half the appeal for me) and turn it off at every opportunity. Best bit about shift work is the commute home off lates, last 10 miles are rural roads with no lighting (flat and open so got about a 2 mile warning of oncoming traffic), not much beats riding by moonlight.
I love riding at night and used to love fell running at night too. The only person I ever met out running ended up being someone who was a friend of a friend and ended up being a really good mate!
As others have said the risk is overdoing it or having an accident and being stuck on your own. There really not likely to be anyone out there looking for trouble.
Is a bit odd at first, don't really give it much thought now. It's certainly preferable to the turbo unless it's wet and cold. Do knock it back a bit on the descents. Though tbh if I end up in a ditch (road or off road) I don't think I'm much more likely to be found during the day than an night. Passers by more likely to notice a lit up bike!
I had my first solo night ride of the year last Thursday . I had forgotten that slightly nervous feeling you get the moment you stop to take it all in. I think it's a very natural / primitive feeling to feel 'afraid' in the dark . Nice to reconnect, or something like that.
Absolutely love being out in the hills at night by myself, fantastic feeling
When someone posted up here that he liked riding alone night riding my first (and only) thought was ****head. Why risk being stranded/injured or mugged etc.
I do it all the time. There are risks, as with everything in life. If I didn't ride in the dark I would be able to get one outdoor ride a week in from now until March.
Well before this time last week I never gave it a second thought. Last Sunday night, having just popped out for some fresh air, I managed to have an off that involved me smashing my face in and giving myself a stinger neck injury! According to the Garmin I didn't move for 30 min, presumably unconscious.
I've spent most of the week asleep or in hospital and my hands and arms still don't work properly yet but thankfully I've not broken anything spine wise so it should all get better. I'm a lucky man. The bike is fine 🙂
But yeah, solo night riding is cool otherwise.
Jesus Paul, Sorry to hear that, hope you make a full recovery soon.
I tend to solo night ride on occasions not by choice usually due to everyone one else being buisy.
But I always tell the other half were I'm going, what time I will be back and she can always track me on buddy beacon if needed
Hope your ok Paul? That can easily happen on a solo Sat am ride and good nightlights illuminate everything needed if it helps you getting back.
I've been on am rides where I've seen no one in 4hours. Swallowing a tongue or bleeding out takes <10mins in any light.
I've not done it for a while, but have no problem doing it.
However, getting a puncture in the woods when everything suddenly goes still and deathly quiet, with a blanket of darkness. Your lights that flood your peripheral vision when moving, now only pierce the focal point of your activities and the cloak of darkness shrouds you - and then the noises begin. Every rustle, every twig crack is a badger, bear, serial killer. That right there, is some un-nerving shit...
I always ride at about 25% technical capability at night on my own. Super careful.
I do it a lot though - used to scare me witless, don't give a toss any more.
Done it for years and probably ride at about 50% ish - locally that means ride everything but not flat out [not steps though I avoid them]
Done it for years and night walking
Its not a big deal once you get over the initial fear.
Since lights have got so good I have to keep reminding myself to back off a bit and slow down.
Sorry, didn't mean to cast too much of a damper on things! I'm sure I'll be fine. I think my point is that you can be as skilled, experienced, careful, nonchalant as you like but sometimes these things happen. I'm not one to dwell on stuff like that, otherwise, gulp.
Gan canny!
I don't understand why some people are scared of the dark.
I'm too scared of my own mind to ride alone...lol
On road with decent lights and reflectives you're much more visible than during the day. The flip side is that there are more drink drivers. The main downside is when you get a puncture on the top of some moor in the dark in horizontal rain.
Yeah,
Love it.
Generally night ride on the road regurlary on my own,not so much mtb.
My partner suggested not riding off road alone at nite as their are various dodgy youths hanging around or if I had an accident.
Spose main roads can be dangerous but generally I am close to civilization!
Get my off road fix with others on a Wednesday nite!
Max
[b]thegreatape[/b] - Member
I don't understand why some people are scared of the dark.
Of course you do, unless you are bloody stupid. The human mind is complex, but some fears/actions are quite understandable and explainable. Congratulations on your display of bravado though. Well done
Love night riding on the mtb on my own. You can't beat the feeling being out in the dark on the bike in the middle of nowhere, but I always ride a route I know well, tell the other half where I'm going and what time I'll be home but generally txt/call when I'm leaving to come home.
Done it on the road bike a few times and I like it! Will be giving it a go on the mtb this winter at Woburn I reckon now I have one of those decent cree ones.
I particularly like getting up in the mountains on a track on a full moon and riding without lights.
It's a euphoric feeling.
Going dark is awesome. Really sharpens the senses.
I quite enjoy a solo dawn ride, dark at first, dewey air, leaving when everyone's in bed, gradually getting lighter, followed by a butty by the harbour
less likely to see other riders (or mutters) on our busy local trails than in the evening too
If only I'd thought about this an hour ago I'd be out there now instead of in a warm bed
I enjoy road riding in the dark a lot less for the fear of being splatted
In my last job I spent a lot of time away from home. Always took the bike and found some great stuff. Night riding somewhere you know is good, riding somewhere for the first time in the dark , solo, is another level. 😀
I'm the same as Pete, I do all my riding early in the summer and winter so half of the year is at least partially dark. Not really done one yet. I've got a lovely photo from New Year's Day 2013 where I was out just as the sun came up ove the local reservoir, saw one copper riding to work and about 5 cars in 2.5 hours. It was lovely, do it every year now.
Sorry, didn't mean to cast too much of a damper on things! I'm sure I'll be fine. I think my point is that you can be as skilled, experienced, careful, nonchalant as you like but sometimes these things happen. I'm not one to dwell on stuff like that, otherwise, gulp.
Gan canny!
In all honesty, considering the hills I'm on. There's probably not a lot in it safety wise. There's very rarely anyone their in the day and I'd be on the deck until I got myself(hopefully) up anyway.
Night walking, riding on and off road, been doing it for decades; it's especially good in snow and if you take a camera and tripod you can get some great photos.
Best of all is Alpine walking where you set off from the hut before dawn; there's an incredible peace that you get that early and the atmosphere as the sun rises is just amazing.
Rarely ride with anyone tbh so night time makes no difference
If you're worried about axemen take an axe with you. What odds there being two people with axes on the trail at the same time
I ride solo at night a fair bit, on and off road, and mixed up too. There's something quite peaceful and otherworldly about pottering along in your own, self-contained pool of light. And in really basic terms, you just get used to it, so it feels comfortable. It's a lot like riding solo during the day but darker.
I don't understand why some people are scared of the dark.
This. There's nothing there at night that isn't there in the day.
Except at night it's awake. And hungry.
You're better off riding with somebody else at night, preferably someone slower than you so that when the mad axeman bursts out of the bushes you don't need to ride away faster than him, you just need to ride faster than the other rider.
TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR - Member
thegreatape - Member
I don't understand why some people are scared of the dark.
Of course you do, unless you are bloody stupid. The human mind is complex, but some fears/actions are quite understandable and explainable. Congratulations on your display of bravado though. Well done
I was hoping to hook a big hitter, but you'll do.
Love night riding alone, especially when it's raining. I tend to stick to offroad. There's something therapeutic about being by yourself staring into the distance being accompanied by the pitter patter of rain and crunching of gravel and mud.
I night ride twice a week, Monday is a solo ~25 mile mostly off-road and Weds is a group ride normally 2 - 5 of us.
Obviously there's more risk when riding on solo at night but that's part of the appeal.
I have a Garmin so use LiveTrack which my wife very rarely remembers to check 🙂
I really like the whole just me, the bike and the night thing as it's a really good stress reliever. I equally like riding with a group of like minded mates and the Weds night ride ends at the pub!
anyone else setting a reminder to pick up some cheap lights on the classifieds in a months time?
Love night riding solo. I get a real buzz out of it, and often set PRs on Strava, on non-technical fire road stuff.
As for axe men - not seen any yet, although when I was out with someone last week, and I stopped for a pee, there were 10 or so loud cracks coming out of the woods next to us, that did sound suspiciously like an axe.
We hopped on our bikes and quickly evacuated the area.
I was hoping to hook a big hitter, but you'll do.
OUCH 😆
Not seen any axemen but the odd poacher with a shotgun is not uncommon around our way 🙂
🙂
I found the night rides are much faster than doing the same distance during the day. Probably it's because taking photos when it's pitch black has no sense 😆
BTW, by talking "night rides" - what time do you normally start yours? For me it's about 11pm... 😐
I do almost all of my riding alone and early in the morning so at this time of year, that means all in pitch black. I do tend to ride less on the road just because there are some stupid muppets about who assume that country roads must be empty at 5am but I certainly don't cut back on riding in general.
In fact, night rides, early in the morning on your own are brilliant though it's nice when things warm up a bit...
The only riding I do at night now is urban or an organised cyclocross session at a local sports centre. I went off road one night but a badger ran out in front of me. I hurtled over the handlebars, broke my pelvis, smashed my helmet up, might have been unconscious, smacked my ankle up & generally made a mess of myself.
Amazingly, I might have been found if I'd remained unconscious as a group of Mtbers came by along the old railway line where this happened. But after them, say 830pm onwards, I suspect no one would ever have passed me until day break.
This could have happened on a road ride too of course - or even in the day (replace badger with deer...) - but stupidly being alone and remote left me very much is danger had a not remained concious/regained consciousness.
So, lessons learnt. Learn from this idiot,me.
Six o'clock rides to work scare me to death - pitch black ,next to a river & lake so plenty of chance of fog - very eerie . Regularly see a woman walking her West Highland Terrier on her own though..... so in reality i must just be a bit of a wuss 🙁
Yes arewethereyet that sounds like me. I might go for the badger excuse, or possibly rabbit.
We have a lot of wild boar and deer in the woods here. I'm more worried about hitting one of those after coming VERY close to a high-speed crash into a stag in Bushy Park years back. The nice thing about forests where most people don't go at night is that you're not at any real risk from people randomly waiting to rob you.
I worry increasingly about hitting a deer when driving my car at night when I, er, tend to make brisk progress....
You get used to it. Ride within yourself on tracks you know and it will be grand.
Having once fallen off and hurt myself at dusk on a February afternoon, and realising that no one would find me until day-light (if I was lucky, no mobile signal either) - I stopped going out solo night-riding...
But still get out at least weekly for a night-ride with friends - tonight will be Innerleithen 🙂
I have a spot tracker.
The on your own part of it is part of the buzz.
Tell a mate/partner that you're going and drop them a text when you get back. The first part might sound a bit wussy at first, but becomes second nature very quickly.
"going on a night ride round xxx tonight mate, I'll text you at 10pm to say I'm not dead!"
"cheers, no probs"
"I'm not dead"
Helps if it's a fellow rider, and in my experience people enjoy being the go-to trusted guy in such a thing.
Done!
There's nothing there at night that isn't there in the day.Except at night it's awake. And hungry.
This. I'd certainly never spotted the *pterodactyl that dive bombed me one night in the light of day.
*it may well have been a heron along the river bank but in the dead of night, solo and bright LED lights it certainly had me thinking for a while....
OUCH
It's OK Junky - of my life's aspirations, being an STW BH, isn't one of them. I'm quite happy annoying you all from the sidelines with no status 😉
Must add that obviously a solo rider is much quieter than a group.
Result , you stumble upon more wild life .
Like when an owl has to fly right in front of you under low branches.
Or Badgers , Deer , Foxes ect , love it !!
Last night's solo ride started at 6:30 so not quite dark but not far off. Saw a badger, 2 mink, a weasel and 3 owls. normally see deer as well but not last night maybe I was making too much noise!
Agree with stanleigh - pretty much seen a family of foxes grow up this summer ( wished i'd taken some pics now ) .
Like when an owl has to fly right in front of you under low branches.Or Badgers , Deer , Foxes ect , love it !!
Problem is them there wild boar are a bit peeved at people intruding on their family evening walk. That said, the wolves that are reputed to be coming back in the next year or two could make for a fun night ride.
How so? Are there many tales of wolves attacking humans?
Tell a mate/partner that you're going and drop them a text when you get back. The first part might sound a bit wussy at first, but becomes second nature very quickly."going on a night ride round xxx tonight mate, I'll text you at 10pm to say I'm not dead!"
"cheers, no probs"
"I'm not dead"
Helps if it's a fellow rider
If I'm out on my own, my brother gets a livetrack email, from my Garmin app. There would be no point sending it to my wife, as I ride most of the routes with my brother, so he would know where I am, or rather, how to get there, plus my wife goes to bed early, so I could be out all night if I relied on her.
My wife only gets concerned if I'm not back by, say, 3am. Unless I've told her in advance.
Love it. Although I have questioned it whilst heading out at 11pm onto the moors in a blizzard. (still went)
Road riding just as much fun, ridden over Hartside Pass several times in the small hours - you get cars stopping as they can't figure out what the lights are heading towards them. Once had a police car slow right down as they passed me on Alston Moor. They looked across, I waved and smiled and off they went.