Just got back from a quick night ride, just around the city, across parks etc. Cutting across a golf course, through a particularly dark bit, I was convinced that all the worst monsters dreamt up by man were hot on my tail, and boy did it make me shift, but the fear was palpable. For the record, this was in the middle of a large city and I am 39 ffs!

When I was living in Haslemere I was terrified of riding off piste as soon a it got dark, but there it really did get dark.

It’s damned pathetic is what it is…

Oestrogen in the water supply I reckon.

I used to be exactly the same until a few weeks ago when i went for a ride through the dark dark slovenian woods (which is basically dracula country) on my own, only my second lone night ride ever and i was surprising ok about it, i was determined to get over the fear. Try with headphones on, it really makes a difference, although if any sort of animal crosses your path you truly cake your pants!

On night rides my mate Big Phil is scared to death of meeting a werewolf on the moors!

Probably more to be scared of in the city than down in the woods statistically!

But really, if you’re gonna be ‘got’ by something there’s nowt you can probably do.

pedalpedalpedal 😈

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo its behind you 😈

There’s only one answer…

Buy

More

Lights!

😆

If you’ve got a Troutie Dominator on your bonce, one on your bars, various LEDs all over your body, and you cover yourself and your bike in 3M reflective tape, we’ll be able to see you from Space! 😉

I ride solo at night on the edge of the Peak District and I’m rarely happier than when I’m riding along all alone on top of a bleak Pennine moor in the dark. Riding back along the canal in the dark is scary though – scallies are much more worrying than werewolves. 😯

it was probably purple aki.

Use an Exposure Enduro Turbo, which is pretty bright, but the problem is that the bloody beasties know to lurk just out of its range…

it was probably purple aki.

😆 😆 😆

It’s fair to say that 98% of people on here won’t raise a smile at this one!

To many drugs paranoia innit 😉

I always carry an axe on night rides – what are the chances of two axe wielding maniacs being in the same place at the same time.

purple aki.
I,ll raise you a smile on that one. 😀
I,m from the wirral

It did indeed make me laugh out loud! 😀

xherbivorex – Member
it was probably purple aki.

😆

I know some GREAT (weird/scary) stories about Purps 🙂

are we the top predator..? How do the scientists know..? where’s the proof..? I bet they didn’t factor in idiots on MTBs when they did their research.. I’d make a tempting snack.. why is that owl following me..? what does it want..? Don’t look back.. DO NOT LOOK BACK..!!

this was my internal monologue earlier this evening..

My name is yunki and I am rubbish at nightriding.. 😐

Careful, he may ask to touch your calfs…..

went for a night ride round the local once on bonfire night, just a quick one, was about 6pm. Just riding up the road to the trailhead and I think I hear something so glance back into the common. Two red eyes are looking at me (honest truth). I’ve never ridden home so fast in my life. The spacing was sufficient that they were definitely not belonging to a small animal.

I end up thinking of those stories of lions, panthers, tigers being spotted in woods across the country etc.

if you’re having difficulty riding on your own in the woods at night, i suggest you watch this, then try a solo night ride on teh next full moon!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EADiWSpJN64&feature=relatedDog soldiers

Ha. Watched Dog Soldiers in 2004 & couldn’t ride at night for a looong time afterwards.

Use an Exposure Enduro Turbo, which is pretty bright, but the problem is that the bloody beasties know to lurk just out of its range…

Reinforcing my earlier point… Buy more lights!

Really powerful ones, pointing in all directions, so that when you’re riding along you look like a UFO inching along the ground rather than coming in to land… That way the beasties will always be more than 50 yards away in every direction! Simples… 😆

I always carry an axe on night rides – what are the chances of two axe wielding maniacs being in the same place at the same time.

Excellent use of probability and statistics to improve your chances of survival on a night ride… GENIUS!

You want to try night fishing on your own for the REAL fear factor

weird thing is I used to spend weeks in a bivi waiting for Mr Carp with no worries.. but on a bike I’m scared of flippin’ owls!! 😳

I met a bear in the woods when I rode home at night in Whistler without any lights. It put me off night riding somewhat.

I do exactly the same thing in the sea, broad daylight im convinced there’ll be a shark in like 3ft of water.

I think if you go for a really long night ride, you’ll get over your fear, or go to wales, at night! :p

I’m fine with solo night riding, generally. Never too happy if riding past a car park full of chavaliers, but the only time the fear sets in is if I have to stop to fix something.
Thankfully I’ve not had to do it that often recently as there always seems to be someone willing to join me.

not such an issue with teh riding, but the first tiem i went up to put in an entry for Mountain mayhem after midnight, on my own, to Pat Adams place in the peaks, that was a bit “League of Gentleman” country in the dark and mist.
Promised myself iwouldn’t be making that trip after dark on my own without at laast some silver bullets and holy water! Come to think of it, perhaps that some thing to add for night riding kit lists next time someone does a “what do you carry on a a ride” thread!
Holy water in camelbak
Garlic energy bars
Pump/Stake combo
Lights (with UV component)
Air (pistol with silver pellets!)

any more recomendations? 🙂

my night-riding fear comes from poor night vision rather than beasties… even with lights, shadows of roots look like the abyss from which you never return…

I’ve only done a few with I Ache off here, but as soon as he gets away from me I can see considerably less.

I always carry an axe on night rides – what are the chances of two axe wielding maniacs being in the same place at the same time.

Hmm. Muddydwarf riding towards you ?

Cutting across a golf course

extreme gnar-tech is alive and well on STW

I always carry an axe on night rides – what are the chances of two axe wielding maniacs being in the same place at the same time.

Lol, amazing logic…

I think i’ll do da same

If you’ve got a Troutie Dominator on your bonce, one on your bars, various LEDs all over your body, and you cover yourself and your bike in 3M reflective tape, we’ll be able to see you from Space!

so can the werewolf 😉

it was probably purple aki.

Blimey! I’ve not heard that for a while. I wondered if the legend of purple aki was on Wikipedia. It is!!! 😆

RUN!! ITS PURPLE AKI!!!!!

You big wusses, my night ride takes me past Frankenstein’s castle, and I never get scared.

Well there was the once, when a herd of deer was watching me from in the trees, at least I think they were deer, all I could see was the reflections of there eyes in my lights watching me from the trees, then their eyes disappeared and there was lots of crashing of undergrowth and scrabbling noises. They had gone when uncurled from the foetal position and opened my eyes.

to the OP having red you other post is it cocaine induced paranoia?

fwiw ive nearly crapped myself on night rides twice, once was when a cow appeared from between a hedge and once when a very dodgy geezer popped up and asked me the time while i was riding in the chilterns

Was telling a patient about his thread, and he said his worst moments were a deer popping out on him unexpectedly, topped a few minutes later while he was still a little spooked by a noise to his right in the trees, which when he looked across turned out to be a man, stark b@ll@ck naked, running through the trees on a path parallel to him! Cue Chris Hoy impression!