[Closed] Do I need to man up? (solo night riding)

I don't often use the phrase man-up, but in this case I think it's justified.

I did a couple of ribs, but had to crawl home afterwards - 10pm on a Sunday night in early April, no phone reception - likelihood of anyone coming along until morning = slim.

That's what spot trackers are for.

Usually do it with a group but sometimes not. Stopped at an old quarry on the moor once (there are a few, this was one that's some distance from roads), shone my light into it for some reason. Picked out three large figures standing in the complete dark. They turned towards me. At this point I decided to resume my ride.

You will get used to it. Sometimes I feel like this but head down and focus on your riding and it'll go.
Seen some awesome nature scenes at dusk/night, half a dozen deer drinking from streams, owls catching things etc

MSP - I've had that riding on Dartmoor.

I grew up riding around Exeter and often surprised groups of Marines on night patrol / exercises.

I'm off out tomorrow again. Hopefully I get around and realise it's worth it.

Think Salem's Lot for that extra KOM.

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I remember riding behind my mate shortly after dusk one eve before lights got really good. I could just make out quite a few bats flying within a few inches of his head. Slightly unnerving to think they were probably around me too.

Night riding is great though. Nearly always spot badgers on one of my local trails - you just wouldn't get that in the day.

Glad it's not just me then! I had that on a local cycle path (old train line, through a tightly wooded path) at night but even just one other person is enough to take the edge off. Just find a riding buddy.

I really enjoy solo night riding,it's a good buzz.The eyes watching me illuminated by my lights deep in the darkness of the woods still get me though 😯

I've bunny hopped a cobra before

Bejesus!

Came very close to running over a snake in central Cardiff.

I to am a bit wary of night riding on my own. I always pack some emergency lube so, if worse comes to worse, i'll still be able to ride home...

What about bivvying in the woods by yourself? Sleep with one eye open?

here's a good tip if it's possible. Start off late afternoon just before sunset when there's still a bit of light. As it gradually gets dark flick the lights on and get used to it as you go along. Before you know it you're riding in the dark light ablaze without a care.

+1 Badgers

They seem to leave it until the last second before they bolt in front of you.

Nearly jump out of my skin everytime

I nearly shat myself when a pheasant flew out of the undergrowth right by me, and that was in broad daylight! Maybe I shouldn't venture out at night 😯

I've been wild camping since I was knee high to a grasshopper so being outside in the dark just isn't an issue. In fact, I'd say that some of my most enjoyable rides have been at, or through the, night.

Try running in the dark instead. Then you know you'll never get away from "them".

I've bunny hopped a cobra before.

The most gnarly thing Ive ever heard. I have a patch of wood that has zombies in it, there is also a crocodile that turns into a fallen log when you ride past it.

I once got a long bendy twig thing caught in my rear mech which sounded like something running along beside me, when I tried to out sprint it before it hacked me to death it just kept up, hellish scarey

Try night-time scuba-diving instead... and learn how difficult it can be to convince yourself there isn't a shark behind you.

I'm reminded of the Billy Connolly routine where he went snorkling and spotted a shark fin behind him. Set the water speed record desperately trying to out-swim his own flipper.

Try night-time scuba-diving instead... and learn how difficult it can be to convince yourself there isn't a shark behind you.

Not a chance. First open water triathlon last year in a lake. All I could picture was dead bodies floating up towards me from the murky depths. Nearly had a panic attack until I'd calmed my imagination down. If that was night time I would definitely be soiling my wetsuit.

TBH I don't blame you for turning tail

Had a couple of rides up into Surrey Hills after dark, and generally spooked myself with imagination - the only reason I haven't done that myself is because of the p1$$ taking that I'd get if someone saw it on my strava.

As for diving in the dark - not a chance... I spook myself in broad daylight swimming 100m from the beach in the med.

I to am a bit wary of night riding on my own. I always pack some emergency lube so, if worse comes to worse, i'll still be able to ride home...

It depends where you are

Sheffield seemed to be full of semi rural carparks full of oddballs, loving couples and weed smoking chavs.

Around Stirling you seem more likely to run into a queue of bike riding pals...

The vampires are probably more frightened of you than you are of them, probably.

have the forum rules changed ? used to be that the first and only reply was

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As I tell my Beaver Scouts when we are on night manoeuvres, (5:15pm, usually the woods outside Scout Hut), the most dangerous thing out here.......is you.

[quote=CountZero ]

I to am a bit wary of night riding on my own. I always pack some emergency lube so, if worse comes to worse, i'll still be able to ride home...

Is that so you can sit down and peddle... Peddle his arse, or [b]pedal[/b] the bike?

Anyway, isn't compulsory to watch Dog Soldiers before your first wild camp/bivvy?

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There is a bit on a night ride myself and my mate do where we switch off our lights and admire the darkness. I then stupidly said, "what would you do if we turned the lights on and there was a child standing in front of us". I wish I hadn't said it.

The worst is a solo ride where you can hear foxes screeching, that makes you pedal faster.

Gary-C Thats fantastic but that gives me flashbacks,because they are out there..... 😯

You should try riding a motorbike at night when you're convinced there's someone on the back seat all the time.....

Another vote here for riding into the failing light. It lets your eyes, brain and bravery calibrate more gently.

I'd stay off the more adventurous stuff at night on my own and make sure I knew where the heck I was going.

I've only done a couple of solo nights so far but I can clearly pedal faster than the Zombie hordes (as nothings eaten my brains yet) and am therefore able to start enjoying them.

Really want to try bike packing this year but not really sure where to start. I have this fanciful idea about riding out into the hills mid week. Sleeping under the stars then cycling into work in the morning.

Ive always wanted to put on a skull mask half way around our night loop at the pentlands, then pedal past my mate ..

think it would be a laugh...

I lived in the US for a couple of years 1997-99, and used to solo night ride in the Appalachian woods all the time.

So Blair Witch Project properly freaked me out!

@garage-dweller - sounds like a breakfast bivvi plan 🙂

Have managed a handful of those back when I had a commute!

Ive always wanted to put on a skull mask half way around our night loop at the pentlands, then pedal past my mate ..

Made me chortle. Do it!

On this:

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@kcal I think that's the idea.

The weirdo in me kind of likes the idea of turning up to a nice office job having aort of slept in a hedge!

I think what I struggle with most is (1) having to explain it to Mrs g-d and (2) figuring out somewhere that's secluded enough that's 15-20 miles from the office for the camping spot that isn't a farmers field, dogging or drugging spot.

I absolutely love being out at night. I mainly run during the winter months and genuinely prefer it to daytime running.

Usually ride with the hounds. Amazing how fast you ride when they're freaked by something in the woods.

As long as I can ride downhill away from scary noises I'm ok with it - so there's one local bit that I avoid on my own in the dark because the trail ends at the back of an industrial estate fence, with a steep climb the only way out.

I am the weirdo in the woods and not a soft target, that's my mantra...

MSP - Member

I'm in Thailand.

Shame, you will never experience the joy of wearing a helmet light in a night time snowstorm and pretending you are the millennium falcon.

"there is also a crocodile that turns into a fallen log when you ride past it."

Ha. We'll see a (usually non-venomous) snake every 5-8 rides. They usually slither out of the way. We also know where they're likely to be so do take some care.

The cobra was a cobra as we got a photo of it afterwards with its hood up. It's funny how after you've seen a snake, every root, twig etc looks like a snake.

I think the riding before night and into it sounds like a good idea. It's what we did for my one and only night dive (Advanced OW, I think). Dropped in 30 mins before the sun went down. with torches on. Before we realised it was pitch black. Actually, bioluminescence made it incredible. Funnily enough, it was [url=

Island, Bohol, Philippines.[/url]

I have this fanciful idea about riding out into the hills mid week. Sleeping under the stars then cycling into work in the morning.

Do it.

Expect to fall asleep at your desk though.

Man up but you're allowed to shat your pants a bit when changing a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere. At least I do.

Can't stand a solo night ride.
Far too many werewolves out there for my liking.