who goes (road) riding at night?

I haven’t touched my turbo for ages as i’m thoroughly demotivated and can’t face it. Last night I went for an hour spin on the road bike and hated it. Dark unlit roads, light didn’t seem bright enough (okay i should have charged it) Getting blinded by oncoming cars. Wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Thinking i need to get the mountain bike out and hit the trails at night rather than the road

Indeed you do. Mountain biking at night is a hoot, but the road sections are pretty horrible. Can’t imagine doing an entire road ride at night

I currently hate the turbo so trying to avoid it as much as possible.

I have a new frame on the way next week (stanton slackline) and trout is looking at one of my lights at the moment so time to get out for a mtb spin

I’ve done it a bit. In fact a wee group of us did a couple of “intentional” long distance night rides late last year (Carlisle -Edinburgh, Berwick – Edinburgh). I think it works better in a group, away from street lights. You are very visible to any other vehicles (more so than during the day) so I never felt unsafe. A good choice of (quiet) roads obviously helps.

Hills seem to be less of an issue when climbing as you can’t see how far you have yet to struggle, but you need to watch your descent speed as you may not see road imperfections in time to avoid them.

but you need to watch your descent speed as you may not see road imperfections in time to avoid them.

this +1.. i hated descending last night.. particularly as it was drizzling and couldn’t see that well

I’ve done it a few times and quite like it. You need to stay away from main roads though as they can be very scary

always night ride with another human

Stay away from main roads +1. The rest is awesome. Descending on unlit roads with some flashing LEDs for vision, now you’re a man.

Yep, I’m doing 2 hours a night at the moment in the dark. Not much fun on busy roads and I can’t do zone specific stuff because its just not possible but I really enjoy it. Exposure on full beam, quiet roads and off you go – makes it exciting and you feel like you’re going much faster than you are!

Let me be the first of the winter cycle commuters on here to tell you to MTFU 😀

country boy here does, luckily there’s a towpath and lots of no cars type back lanes, I try to avoid any main road, I quite enjoy it, even with crap lights.

I do commute (all year round) and in the dark.

But i’m talking about getting some miles in. like 2-3 hours a night on unlit roads

Country roads are fine, but I wouldn’t like it on busy roads being blinded by oncoming cars all the time.

I used to do it a lot. Less so these days, but still on occasion.

I find traffic not so bad on lit roads. For unlit roads get a powerful (mine was 50watt) light to use on drivers who won’t dip.

Attaching an additional flashing LED light to the back of my helmet (fnaar fnaar), seems to help in terms of room given. I think just because it’s higher.

For road night rides I also recommend flourescents, reflective ankle bands (or wings, see below), reflective wrist bands (for signalling), maybe even a Sam Browne belt. Reflectors may look gay but help if you’re lights fade. Those noncy wheel reflectors you can stick in your spokes to make yourself visible from the side help too.

Hi td, there’s a group that rides from Cadence on a Tues and Thurs. Mostly ‘hills’ around Bath and mostly on lit roads. I think they head out at 6.30??

As said I think it’s a case of picking the right roads, I commute Filton to Bath in the dark using a mix of the Railway Path and lanes around Doynton, Dyrham, Pucklechurch, Castle Combe, Marshfield.

Big fat Exposure on the bars (too bright for the cyclepath) AND a Joystick on the helmet.. never have any problem with dazzle.

Andy

I used to do it a bit when there was no other option of getting winter exercise. Picked very quiet roads though, plus used a Roadrat with some powerful lights on.

I used to do it regular when i was in training mode, unlit rds are far safer than main roads bizarrely.

I’ve done it a bit. In fact a wee group of us did a couple of “intentional” long distance night rides late last year (Carlisle -Edinburgh, Berwick – Edinburgh). I think it works better in a group, away from street lights. You are very visible to any other vehicles (more so than during the day) so I never felt unsafe. A good choice of (quiet) roads obviously helps.

And don’t forget our 18 hour adventure; i have fond memories of the stop on the forth road bridge gone 1am, slightly hysterical with tiredness and dolly mixtures 😀

+1 for the rest of what Druidh said – climbing is less of an issue, descending is slower. I enjoy it. I feel happier in a group than i would on my own, and more visible too.

How come your demotivated? Am sure Majorca will fix that!

I ride back from London after work generally once a week which is 45 miles, the last 25 of which are on unlit back roads. Agree descending isn’t great fun, got caught out doing just over 40 down Boxhill when I realised a left-hander was tighter than I’d given credit for. That wasn’t fun.

Find it alright though, better than the turbo!

I occasionally go for a ride on the roady at night, no choice for company though so tend to just put two rear lights on and my troutie LL up front and get on with it.

Dont particularly ride any differently to in the light tbh

quieter roads are better. also after 7 the traffic calms a bit. weekends the same, but avoid pub time 10+.

I quite like the stillness of the country side.

It also pays to know the route, and to work on them. There are bits i do at night but wouldn’t in the day & vice versa.

I’ve had some cracking road rides at night and I live in a city, I find setting out at 8pm or later when all the commuters have gone and heading for very quiet rural areas tend to make a ride less of a chore. Being lit up like a christmas tree helps.

I think choosing a decent route is the thing.
We have two chain gangs a week (all year round) ,and we stick to the same quiet roads that everyone knows ( 28 milers).
Because you have done them in the summer,it’s not a big step up when it starts to get dark.
If it’s a new route you couold check it out during the day at the weekend.
Don’t know if I would want to do more than 2 dark hours on the road anyway ,but anything is better than the turbo 🙂

Anyhoo,I almost got home this week without lights ,so Springs round the corner 😉

A few of us used to meet up for a road ride most Thursday nights. Had some great laughs and riding in bright moonlight late at night is really quite special. You have to deal with some complete numpties around commute time, but after that it’s not too bad – well no worse than most road rides anyway!

I’ve been doing one hour night road rides a couple of times a week since it got dark. Not ideal but getting fitter keeps me motivated. I’ve got two 500 lumen torches on the bars and two RSP Astrum lights on the back plus hi-vis vest, look like a tool but it reduces the number of knobs trying to drive into me.

I’ll go road riding with my Ayups occasionally when I haven’t the time to make the cleaning up after a winter MTB ride worth while.

British Heart Foundation are organising a night time London To Brighton this year which sounds interesting.

used to do some killer road rides in the winter. leave work in northampton about 7pm at get home in west london for about 11pm 70 odd miles. all on little back roads, riding throung little towns and villages you would never see from the motorway.
These days tend to put a 2 hour loop most evenings after work, quiet country backroads are the key. dont ride in the rain, neither you or other road users can see or stop as well in the wet..

Riding side by side with bright lights on opposite sides of the bars makes oncoming drivers slow to a crawl as they think there is a massivly wide vehicle coming towards them 😀

I do pretty much all my cardio training during the winter at night on the roads and I find it perfectly ok. In fact, it seems safer as the lights make everyone that much more visible.

I will say get some decent lights: I use a Niterider MiNewt 250 USB on the front and a Blackburn Mars on the rear.

I would also say don’t worry about getting hi-viz stuff as it it useless in the complete dark (as my experience as a driver has taught me). Instead get decent reflectives to adorn yourself and your bike with.

There is something soothing about cycling along a pitch-black, back country road with the stars above and only the beam of your light to keep you company 8)

Another night rider.

20 mile journey to/from work when Jnr isn’t at school. Also do 1/2 other rides a week. Last night was a 90 minute ride with some hill reps thrown in.

I do live in the sticks though. Need to get some reflective wrist bands, as the short sections I do go on busier roads I think my hand signals are pretty much invisible.

I used to do routine night training rides (tempo and hill) … but then I got a turbo trainer and find I am on that more often and for less time (1hr sessions 3-4 times a week) and (hopefully) greater benefit.

I do mixed back lanes and easy bridleways on a cross bike at night quite often. Feels a bit more robust than a road bike if you do hit a pothole that you didn’t spot. Very bright lights and lots of reflective on bike and helmet plus reflective wrist-bands for hand signal visibility. But I try to stay off main roads. But then I try to stay off main roads generally. Using the cross bike often means you can bypass them on quieter off-road stuff.

It’s no big deal. Like night riding on a mountain bike, you just get used to it.

done a few, good fun, not as good as offroad obviously but when there’s no other option…

psling – Member
Let me be the first of the winter cycle commuters on here to tell you to MTFU

Yup, this really. Although only about 5ish miles have no street lights

Yeah, done it quite a bit – not as much recently but I used to do regular night training rides.

Safer than during the day, especially on unlit country lanes. Less traffic anyway and what there is can see you a mile off!

yep, depends on the roads though. Quiet Cotswold back roads = great for night riding. Better than the claggy mud-caked trails in fact.

I use a Niterider MiNewt 250 USB on the front and a Blackburn Mars on the rear.

Christ I’d want brighter than that! I use an older Maxx-D, admittedly on low most of the time, but use all 960 lumens on the fast descents, and I’d have more if it was going!

I would also say don’t worry about getting hi-viz stuff as it it useless in the complete dark (as my experience as a driver has taught me). Instead get decent reflectives to adorn yourself and your bike with.

I’ll +1 that, reflective stuff can be far more obvious, even if it’s just trim on jacket.

British Heart Foundation are organising a night time London To Brighton this year which sounds interesting.

Cool. I like the sound of that.

I used to commute and road ride on pitch dark roads. Lumicycle LED on full on the front, holy handgrenade + Smart 1w on rear. Reflectives, ankle bands and helment lights. Never a problem.

Fave thing to do when no cars around was switch the front light off and ride by the light of the moon. Just like flying 😀

(My club does up to 2 weeknight group rides, and the club I’m going to start riding with does the same.)

My club does up to 2 weeknight group rides, and the club I’m going to start riding with does the same.

I wish we did the same. No one in our club likes riding at night. i’ve suggested it before.

Will buy some more reflective gear and get my light fixed. Will also plan some better routes

I wish we did the same. No one in our club likes riding at night. i’ve suggested it before.

Started by two guys in the summer, who continued it into the winter. Now been doing it for 2 years. Has helped one get back into racing, and for the other to start.

Because they’re always there (same meeting place, pretty much same route), it’s constant enough to attract others. You need a buddy to do the same.