Does anyone ride solo in the dark?

Carl170

I started to ride a 10 mile loop on my local waggonway in August this year. This was as soon as we got some actual decent weather up here in the North.

I do this loop 3-4 times a week and really enjoy it.I have tended to ride by myself this year, as the mate I used to ride with broke his ankle in several places (cycling accident) and doesn't seem keen to cycle at the minute. The other guy I ride with lives about 30 mins away and does not drive, so I have to pick him up and then drive to mine, as I can only fit one bike on the carrier I have. I then have to drive him back home after the ride too.

I want to continue riding for as long as I can, so it looks like I will continue it in the dark (with a light obviously). Friday Night was the first night it was dark when I set off. It was a little creepy in places, and I also had to detour off the track through a village main street, to avoid the Chavs who congregate (mainly on weekends) in a park which overlooks the waggonway!

I am curious to know if anyone else rides by themselves in the dark? Are there any precautions you take?

Interested in peoples thoughts.

Regards

Carl

The Northern Monkey

I did my 1st solo night ride a week or so ago.... scared the sh!t out of me

Kept thinking the noise of my rear wheel was something chasing me haha!

Always keep people informed where I'm going and what time I'm likely to be back (as always tbh) *just in case*.

sigorman85

If I do I tell ppl where I'm going and use strava or some thing like that and have my phone handy as ya never no .... Just a bit of common sense

Carl170

sigorman85 wrote:

If I do I tell ppl where I'm going and use strava or some thing like that and have my phone handy as ya never no .... Just a bit of common sense

Erm, what is strava?

Cheers

Carl

Carl170

The Northern Monkey wrote:

I did my 1st solo night ride a week or so ago.... scared the sh!t out of me

Kept thinking the noise of my rear wheel was something chasing me haha!

Yeah I had a bit of that too. I stopped for a pee and heard all kinds of noises. Branches breaking etc.

I think I watch too many horror movies. I doubt a mad axe murderer could be bothered to walk several miles along a waggonway in the pitch black.

Cheers

Carl

sigorman85

Google it I think it's for roadies but there is a few Xc trails on there

stubs

Most of my night rides are solo but I only stick to local routes and dont stray to far. Dont fancy a morning dog walker finding my cold corpse wrapped round a tree.

Once was riding through our local Pinewoods on a misty night when suddenly I was illuminated by a strong beam of light from amongst the trees. No noise just this beam of light following me as I pedalled, I shat myself and started pedalling faster and faster but the beam stayed on me. I didnt stop pedalling like a doped pro cyclist till I was across the golf course, across the railway line and into street light lit civilisation. Think my heart rate hit 250.

supersonic

stubs wrote:

Most of my night rides are solo but I only stick to local routes and dont stray to far. Dont fancy a morning dog walker finding my cold corpse wrapped round a tree.

Once was riding through our local Pinewoods on a misty night when suddenly I was illuminated by a strong beam of light from amongst the trees. No noise just this beam of light following me as I pedalled, I shat myself and started pedalling faster and faster but the beam stayed on me. I didnt stop pedalling like a doped pro cyclist till I was across the golf course, across the railway line and into street light lit civilisation. Think my heart rate hit 250.

Probably another cyclist thinking 'fecking hell, what is that strange light in front?'!

The Northern Monkey

supersonic wrote:

stubs wrote:

Most of my night rides are solo but I only stick to local routes and dont stray to far. Dont fancy a morning dog walker finding my cold corpse wrapped round a tree.

Once was riding through our local Pinewoods on a misty night when suddenly I was illuminated by a strong beam of light from amongst the trees. No noise just this beam of light following me as I pedalled, I shat myself and started pedalling faster and faster but the beam stayed on me. I didnt stop pedalling like a doped pro cyclist till I was across the golf course, across the railway line and into street light lit civilisation. Think my heart rate hit 250.

Probably another cyclist thinking 'fecking hell, what is that strange light in front?'!

Could have been the police getting a bit confused again!

Relaxitscool

My commute to work is about 15 miles half of which is on the trans Penine trail, now in the dark there and back. That used to really freak me out but you get used to it, and the noises just make me pedal faster!

Rob

cat_with_no_tail

I quite enjoy night rides on my own. I put in some of my best climbing times when it's dark (not sure why, perhaps just a bit more focused or something). Tend to back off a touch on the descents though, even with good lights it's easy to get caught out.

Strava is actually pretty good. I've taken to using it on both bikes for training as I usually ride alone, so I can sort of race myself, plus anyone else who has ever logged the same section. Once you've got a couple of KOMs, it becomes a bit of an addiction.

sigorman85

It's very addictive my fitness has got better because of it

cat_with_no_tail

Yeh, it was one of the contributing factors to me roadyfying the rockhopper, so I can improve my fitness and my climbing, and has also convinced me I need a roadbike in the new year too so I can have a pop at the times my mates who ride road are getting. For a free app, it's costing me a small fortune in bikes

Actually, OP, avoid it!

sigorman85

Hahahah very true I have just bought a giant defy 4 as got the bug as I was using the camber to commute and was doing quite well on the strava times now I can use the camber for what it was made for

Dannyboy95

I used to cycle early in the morning in winter and it was obviously pitch black bloody sheeting myself cycling through the pitch black ill lit park with trees and bushes it was absolutely pitch black if I didn't have a light I would not be able to see my hand in front of my face hahaha heard all sorts of noises. You don't realize how well you can cycle till you go somewhere dark and secluded and think your being chased ahahaha. Frightened me that much I had to find another route bloody frightening hahaha. :evil:

Ouija

Ride 40 miles a day and between 20 and 30 on a night time. However, that's largely because i've spent so much money on lights that i feel a need to justify them all (sometimes just go out for a night ride on the sole basis of "ooooh, i haven't used that one in a while").

bartimaeus

I often ride solo at night... I stick to trails I know pretty well, and I ride conservatively. Other than that I just make sure my wife knows where I've gone and when I expect to be back, and I take my phone... if I stop at the pub on the way home then I send a text to say that I've survived.

Some of the best rides I've had were solo, on clear still nights with a full moon... magical.

Avoid any night when there is mist and fog - no trail is familiar in these conditions, and your lights are worse than useless.

boristhespie

Once on my own, I'm on a trail in pitch black. Shat it. They're was suddenly a rusting sound as I got out into the open. The hairs on my neck stood up on end. I sped up. Then it came again and sounded like something flapping behind me. Freaked me out. shitting it I shouted "NO!!!!".

Anyway transpired the monster following me was the straps on my pack, flapping in the wind. It got louder as I sped up.

Love cycling in dark, but I thought think the babbling burn is an axe murderer when I camp next to it. Big kiff

Briggo

I love to solo in the dark.

cooldad

Briggo wrote:

I love to solo in the dark.

Yeah but these guys are talking about riding not walking.
viewtopic.php?f=10007&t=12718742

Briggo

cooldad wrote:

Briggo wrote:

I love to solo in the dark.

Yeah but these guys are talking about riding not walking.

Oh, my bad!

On_What

I do these fairly regular. I do find them pretty freaky and good lights are a real must, also like carrying spares to make sure you ain't walking home

welshkev

yeah now and again i ride on my own in the dark and i just do the usual of letting someone know where i am etc

i also run endomondo and the gf can log into the computer to see where i am if i'm not back when i say i will be and send out the search parties

IhateDNS

I got a local loop of fields and woods often ride alone at night that way I can ride as fast or as slow as I like.
I find its badger make more noise then me panting up a grass hill and often see an Owl. I like nature and silence so solo are a win for me.

In an emergency
I have my name address & house phone number on a bit of paper in shorts pocket, As should I be unconscious how would someone be about to unlock phone to look at Contacts\ICE.

Long_Time_Lurker

The spelling of Waggonway, makes me think that you are up here in the North-East.
Me (and occasionally a couple of mates), ride the waggonways on an evening. As already said - make sure you have decent lights and enough spares to get you home.

Carl170

Long Time Lurker wrote:

The spelling of Waggonway, makes me think that you are up here in the North-East.
Me (and occasionally a couple of mates), ride the waggonways on an evening. As already said - make sure you have decent lights and enough spares to get you home.

Spot on! Not very far from you, I reckon!

Cheers

Carl

njee20

Don't do much mountain biking on my own in the dark, although I have done on many occasions, but do loads of road riding on my tod. Tend to listen to music to avoid 'the fear'!

StorckSpeed

I do it quite often on weekday evenings when the weather is good, (cause I don't like to go out in the dark in the pissing rain). I'd rather work out on the Turbo on those days.
Now that it gets dark around 6:30pm I've rediscovered the solitude and peacefulness of cycling in the dark..... It always takes a few nights to get into it as sometimes things can just spring out at you and freak you out, such as walkers and deer etc.
I have 2 front lights fitted on the handlebars of the bike, one a 900W magicshine and a Cateye 520 which I use as a back up in case the Magic shine fails. I also have 2 rear lights, I always have both of them switched on at all times, cause I might not notice if one failed for any reason. I like to carry a head torch too in my shirt pocket so I can easily find it. If you get a puncture in the dark you'll find it much easier to use a headtorch and work with both hands, (alternative is to grip the cateye in your teeth but after 5 mins you'll feel sick). You can buy Lights with headtorch straps but my one doesn't do that. :-(
Always carry spare tubes etc. wear as much reflective kit as possible, but this goes without saying really, and take a mobile phone as a last resort.
Happy night cycling

billyballs

I ride the waggonways often around the Silverlink , backworth and Seaton Delaval, totally different in the dark , nice and quiet, cant beat it on your own. Cant recomend enough what other people are saying about spare lights, if you light goes dead theres no way you can ride out there in the dark as it,s completely black, best advice is use 2 lights and stay safe people.

DCR00

Relaxitscool wrote:

My commute to work is about 15 miles half of which is on the trans Penine trail, now in the dark there and back. That used to really freak me out but you get used to it, and the noises just make me pedal faster!

Rob

i used to do this ^^^^ also. Come about this time of year it was dark there and dark back. Couple of scary moments, mostly with dogs running in front of the bike.

now i go out a couple of times a week in the morning for a quick blast. I have a 45 min route that is mostly through forrest and recently has been pitch black. You get the occasional scare when you think you see someone/thing. Doesnt really bother me that much. I go running in the dark all the time.

4ndyW

Some brilliant tales

I do a 36m commute (18 each way) and prob half of that is along unlit trail, not looking forward to those rustling bushes...and squirrels!...why dont they move and not just stare at you :shock: