night riding...

welshkev
welshkev Posts: 9,690
edited October 2011 in MTB general
simple one this....anyone go out night riding alone? i don't mean trail centres really, just off in the hills/woods on your own?
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Comments

  • lastwords
    lastwords Posts: 304
    Yes i just makes sure the wife knows where im heading and roughly how long it should take also take a phone
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    Yes, often... I take my phone with me, and my wife knows where I am and when I'll be back. Most importantly I ride trails I know, and avoid anything sketchy.
    Vitus Sentier VR+ (2018) GT Grade AL 105 (2016)
    Giant Anthem X4 (2010) GT Avalanche 1.0 (2010)
    Kingley Vale and QECP Trail Collective - QECP Trail Building
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Since 1996.

    There are no mad axemen, panthers, werewolves, aliens etc. Worst thing that can happen is you meet someone with a thermonuclear set of lights coming the other way.

    Stags can be prickly this time of year.
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    anyone think that the crazy axe murderer is behind them where your lights don't shine? :oops: :lol:
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    welshkev wrote:
    anyone think that the crazy axe murderer is behind them where your lights don't shine? :oops: :lol:
    Nope, I mean, what's the chances of there being another one behind the man who's behind the guy in front of me?
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    cheers guys :D

    and yes, i suppose the sticking to trails you know definately makes sense 8)
  • Yep... as above leave a not on kitchen blackboard with rough route and how long I plan to be...
  • bluechair84
    bluechair84 Posts: 4,352
    welshkev wrote:
    anyone think that the crazy axe murderer is behind them where your lights don't shine? :oops: :lol:
    Nope, I mean, what's the chances of there being another one behind the man who's behind the guy in front of me?

    :lol:
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,383
    The only place I night ride alone is the woods close to my house. The only other place I know well enough is 30-odd miles away and has patchy mobile reception: don't fancy the idea of breaking something and not being able to call for help.

    Fortunately I have a mate who is quite keen on night riding but if the worst comes to the worst and I just have to go pedalling on my own after sundown, I can go night riding on the roadie :oops:
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • NatoED
    NatoED Posts: 480
    Always ride in the middle . It's always the guy at point and at the back that get it . I've seen Aliens enough times to know that . P.S there are panthers in Margan park . they have found dismembered deer there .........not to sure what deer's would be members of though
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    The only other place I know well enough is 30-odd miles away and has patchy mobile reception: don't fancy the idea of breaking something and not being able to call for help.
    apart from it being dark, what's to worry about breaking down at night rather than in the day?
  • saprkzz
    saprkzz Posts: 592
    I night ride twice a week, but have only ridden once on my own, in woods i knew.. it happened to start raining and got really foggy when i got to the highest point, I never knew I could travel that fast! :roll:

    We have some little people in our group we just throw them to the werewolves.
  • NatoED
    NatoED Posts: 480
    No mobile signal is not a problem if you need to ring the ambulance or police you can ring 999 still .

    night rides are fun be stay on trails you know . Also beware of dips in the trail s and drops .
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,383
    edited October 2011
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    The only other place I know well enough is 30-odd miles away and has patchy mobile reception: don't fancy the idea of breaking something and not being able to call for help.
    apart from it being dark, what's to worry about breaking down at night rather than in the day?
    BTW when I say breaking something, I mean injury rather than mechanical failure. The place I'm talking about has people going round it during the day, but not usually at night.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • welshkev
    welshkev Posts: 9,690
    Stevo 666 wrote:
    [
    The place I'm talking to has people going round it during the day, but not usually at night.

    that's the thing, where i'm thinking of riding i don't really see any other riders there in the day let alone at night!!
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,151
    what the worst that can happen

    http://www.pbase.com/the2matts/image/68770277
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    I ride and cross country ski at night in the Cairngorms. Always have a more than one torch would be my main tip. And don't try a route at night you've not done in daylight a few times.
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
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  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,383
    Guess if you can use your mobile there you'll be OK.

    The other thing is whether you're scared of the dark, which nobody's really mentioned so far :wink: Where I'm talking about is a bit spooky in the dark, partly because you can hear things but not see them - probably just the local wildlife moving about in the forest, but that includes wild boar...
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • lastwords
    lastwords Posts: 304
    yes you hear loads of noises at night when riding in the woods, i heard talking once but didnt hang around long enough to find out who it was.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    matthew h wrote:
    what the worst that can happen

    http://www.pbase.com/the2matts/image/68770277
    And that couldn't happen during the day because...?
    I swear most of you are just scared of the dark.
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,151
    matthew h wrote:
    what the worst that can happen

    http://www.pbase.com/the2matts/image/68770277
    And that couldn't happen during the day because...?
    I swear most of you are just scared of the dark.

    agree, just haven't shown that pic for a while :)
  • NatoED
    NatoED Posts: 480
    trees are the scariest things at night . They make horrid noises and I'm sure they move. They like to jump out at you from nowhere . If you do want to ride in the dark why not try it early morning about 2 hours before sunrise so at least it will be light if you do have an accident .
  • yup i ride twice a week at night on my local moors on my own, love it, tell my wife where im going and how long for just take a waterproof phone plenty of lights boothy bag if things go wrong and you need shelter for a repair and go on routes you know well
    anthem x with many upgrades
  • t0pc4t
    t0pc4t Posts: 947
    I do pretty much all of my riding alone and that includes night rides. I stick to routes I know well, always have a phone and tell the wife when I expect to be back
    Whether you're a king or a little street sweeper, sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper.

    Cube Curve 2009
    Giant Anthem X4

    FCN=6
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    t0pc4t wrote:
    always have a phone and tell the wife when I expect to be back
    Which is why we've never been caught. Thanks for helping us lot out.
  • mak3m
    mak3m Posts: 1,394
    I swear most of you are just scared of the dark.

    in a nut shell, do most of my riding alone all of my night riding alone

    scary trees, things that for some ungodly reason thrash about in the undergrowth, screaming foxes and kamikaze rabbits all lead to most of my night rides being big screaming sessions

    tbh the adrenaline boost has given me some of my best times :P
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    I do a fair bit of night riding alone, but in the surrey hills you aren't really alone there are normally other riders - normally wanting to know where I got my lights.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Maybe you look like thieving chavscum..

    "You know, I USED to have a set of lights just like that. Where did you say you got those from again?" :lol:
  • t0pc4t
    t0pc4t Posts: 947
    t0pc4t wrote:
    always have a phone and tell the wife when I expect to be back
    Which is why we've never been caught. Thanks for helping us lot out.

    I have no idea of what you're talking about and therefore assume you're ranting again.
    Whether you're a king or a little street sweeper, sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper.

    Cube Curve 2009
    Giant Anthem X4

    FCN=6
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Your wife handily gets a call... and tells us "it's ok, my husband won't be back for 4 hours yet"...
    "Us" being me, and all the male voice choirs in the Gwent area, as well as several rugby teams.

    Now do you get it?
    'Cause your wife sure does :lol: