Must Be Mad ! Night Riding

Levi_501

Last Thursday we went out for our first night time ride :shock: My god what an experience

We had done a little bit of research with respect to light and cobbled together a set each along with head torches.

So off we goes, blimey oh riley it is so much more demanding ! You can hardly see where the trail goes and then all of a sudden there is a drop you did not know that was coming.

Great session, would recommend to anyone 8)

stubs

Really makes a difference dunt it boring trails that you have ridden a gazillion times suddenly have drops and turns you never noticed before

Uncle Peter

I found I ride my regular trails an awful lot quicker, night riding is the mutts nuts.

Northwind

I like night riding... really focuses you. Depends on your lights of course, I've done it with rotten lights and now I've got pretty damn good ones. Both have their merits though, these days if I'm riding at night it's only because I can't get a daytime ride in, but other times I've really liked the "not enough light" feeling, it can be great.

fatwomble

It's got to the point for me when it just feels normal as the days get shorter. I do still enjoy the difference though. Good lights are a must though.

Levi_501

It was hillarious !

I did notice you have to pedal a lot more, as you cannot get a run up going down to go up the other side.

mongoosed

I love biking at night,especially those cold clear nights,it's really good fun.

starsky007

I night ride on my own at midnight after work in the forest of dean. its a bit spooky when you cant see whats making funny noises around you and then you spot a great big wild boar looking at you just makes you pedal a hell of a lot quicker.

sirlylos

starsky007 wrote:

.... you spot a great big wild boar looking at you just makes you pedal a hell of a lot quicker.

Seriously!? I would sh*t myself if I saw a bore.

I got some light & motions a while back but I don't use them as much as I should. I think it's great riding on fireroads but I've never had the balls to take it off-road i.e. on dirt track with roots, drop-offs etc....

What kind of terrain are you guys night riding on?

mr-frosty

Night riding is wicked, i usually ride alone at night after work into wyre forest, or the local downhill tracks. I have a set of Ay-Ups on the helmet and the handlebars which helps a great deal esp when your climbing and also when looking out for the rustle in the trees. I highly recommend a quality helmet light, i used a home made handlebar light for so long and although it was more than adequate, dual lights open up a whole lot more!!

BTW i do cack myself on the downhill tracks in the dark. Its a combination of very fast tight singletrack and wierd noises rustling around you lol.

miss notax

I love night riding

I know people who find it a lot easier because they don't get so freaked out by technical bits - they just ride over most of them without over-thinking it!

And Hello fatwomble (I can't imagine there at 2 FW's..... :shock: )

.blitz

miss notax wrote:

I know people who find it a lot easier because they don't get so freaked out by technical bits - they just ride over most of them without over-thinking it!

Exactly. My weakness is over-analysing everything on the trail ahead. In the dark I can't see it so I just sit back and let the bike sort it out.

miss notax

Whilst we're on the subject - can I confirm that lights are a definite necessity.......

My OH's lights broke whilst riding in the forest (mine were ok) and trying to ride off road with only one light between us was maddening - especially as he knew the way back and I didn't. Lots of comedy 'no, not that way, this way...' looming out of the darkness. Very helpful when you can't see the other person (not) :roll:

MacAndCheese

Night riding is awesome, however I have a pretty good front light (hope vision 2) which is great on straights, but I'm finding I definitely need a helmet light as well for sharper corners (bar mounted lights only point where the bike is heading!) Still had great fun thought! The white chalky trails in the south downs really change and bump and rut perception goes to pot which can make picking lines pretty entertaining - also have to be on the lookout for kamikaze rabbits!

missmarple

You should see the speed we ride with Bigfoot Bikes, the ride is led by a guy named Sparky - ex army apparentally and absolutely stark raving mad!

flamedude

I'm working my way up to riding the north shore in the dark...... Just thinking about it scares the hell out of me, can't wait!

andy46

just did my first (short) night ride tonight with one of these,

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cat ... t-ec007944

:shock: not good!!!

think i know what the next upgrade will be!

alfablue

Sorry to break the news to you, but Cateye are overpriced, poorly designed, poorly performing, have spontaneously disintegrating mounts and have zero warranty support from Zyro!

You need a P7 light, see the "What Lights" thread. For about the same price it will be about 20 times brighter.

andy46

alfablue wrote:

Sorry to break the news to you, but Cateye are overpriced, poorly designed, poorly performing, have spontaneously disintegrating mounts and have zero warranty support from Zyro!

You need a P7 light, see the "What Lights" thread. For about the same price it will be about 20 times brighter.

had the light for over a year and it's been fine going to and from work, but just had to go out tonight (bored sat in the house) and i guess i need the right bit of kit for the job

looked at the hope lights a while ago in my LBS but there well expensive!!!!! :shock:

joec1

for me it was great... until owls strted making noise right above me haha....

very odd....

but loved it and gonna go again

homers_double

I've been night riding for a couple of years now, unless its sunny, dusty and dry I much prefer riding in the dark.

Turrican

I agree i done my first night ride in wyre forest with some others and they kindly lent me a bar mounted light and helm light was 3 hr ride in dark and i was knacked at end off it but was brill so different than in day the trails / descent corners ect so different hopeing todo it agian very soon.

So some you guys ride after work around midnight cool so thats the strange reports of odd lights and weird noises coming from the woods

.blitz

Capt Yeti wrote:

So some you guys ride after work around midnight cool so thats the strange reports of odd lights and weird noises coming from the woods

Best time to go. The other night I was just rolling down a hill and as I rounded a corner, I noticed a ball of blue light floating silently up the hill towards me.

It was a big (20+) group of riders, most of them with a couple of handlebar lights and helmet lights. It was like something out of Close Encounters 8)

scotto

homers double wrote:

I've been night riding for a couple of years now, unless its sunny, dusty and dry I much prefer riding in the dark.

Yes I am coming to that conslusion, also seems to make you a better day rider, not that I was ever that good anyway, but definate improvement when i went out on sunday day.

antfly

Does anyone night ride on their own in woods? I`ve been thinking about it for a few months, bought a helmet torch {unused as yet} and considering another torch for the bars but I am quite sure I would be sh#tting myself continuously so I doubt i`ll ever do it.

homers_double

I mainly ride on my own, but being on the pennines its exposed moorland although there are a few wooded sections.

.blitz

antfly wrote:

Does anyone night ride on their own in woods?

All the time. I live right on the edge of Cannock Chase and when it comes to riding, I traded company for freedom a long time ago. I have to go out when I can so I very often ride alone.

I stick to trails I'm familiar with but otherwise there's no difference between night and day. There are no nutters with axes, no panthers, no werewolves just other MTBrs...ships in the night an' all that.

sirlylos

I've been out myself and it's scary, no two ways about it. I'm trying to convince my mate to go with the cheap 3w torch option so hopefully he'll get involved so that I can go to him for a cuddle when I get scared

antfly

I`m hoping you`re a girl. {Not that there is anything wrong with that, if you`re not, of course}.

sirlylos

antfly wrote:

I`m hoping you`re a girl. {Not that there is anything wrong with that, if you`re not, of course}.

I'm a man, with a hairy chest and everything

REMF

night riding is awesome fun.

bit flakey when it gets foggy at nant-y-arian tho...........