Mr. Beanz

Did just under 19 miles tonight. So refreshing, quiet and NICE! Did a nice ez pace alone, just me and the lights!...A little srary on the DH but still a nice ride. Started about 8 pm, ended at 9:45.

I came from down there somewhere!

scrapmetal

And good for you I always enjoy riding in the night.

jboyd

I love night riding. I live in a pretty rural area so its Mostly lights off for me.

I am voyeuristic by nature so night riding fits me. I can see in people's windows

Also, it seems like the hills that I trudge up during the day are almost none existent in the dark. This biking must be as much a mind game as physical

Thanks for the post Beanz.

Jay

zoste

I get up at 4:30 most mornings and take a 45 minute ride before getting ready to go to work. In the summer I start in the dark and get to see the sunrise. Now it's still dark when I get home. I enjoy it too.


Heheheheh...yeah I check out who's up and making breakfast that early in the day....whose lights are on.

scrapmetal

My hunting area is few miles from my home, twice a week the whole September I would go scouting for deer. It means to leave early in the morning to be in the woods hour before sunrise. Quite rewarding experience to have the first coffee sitting in a tree stand.

Mr. Beanz

Strange isn't it? Floating up the hills that usually punish you?..Must be the cool air and ez breathing!

Like Zoste says, you can tell who is up. My case is what people watch on TV!

JKing

I do alot of my weekday riding at night after my kids go to bed or after class. The other night I forgot my padlock for the gym and decided to take a ride after class. It was nice to have the lakefront path to myself for a change, not to mention Chicago's downtown is just beautiful at night along the lake with all the boats still in the harbors. It wasn't long before my 10 mile ride turned into a 30 mile lovefest for the city I ride in.

Wogster

While riding with your lights off is kinda cool, it should be reserved for areas where you know the road conditions, however always, always, always use a rear light, I for one, don't want to ever read here a message from a family, that one of our members isn't coming back, because they were killed while riding.

As for the hills, I think it's anticipation, you only see a short distance, so you don't know how big the hill really is.

funrover 

Yeah it was great last night coming home from work, so peaceful..... I loved it... I just need to update my light!

kenseth03

I must admit that I bought lights for my road bike but have yet to really go for a long ride in the dark. I am man enough to admit that riding in the pitch dark freaks me out a little. Was anyone else "freaked out" a little on there first long night ride.

Mr. Beanz

I still get freaked out at night, long or short rides!... I thought about posting the freaky stuff too. Last night I was riding in a dark section of the road, ivy covered ground next to me. Sprinklers start o go on with a big PFFFTTTSHHHHHHHH! I almost, well you know!

Then heading down, trying to hold the speed down to 18 mph, usual 25 (daytime) on this section. The wind in my ears and I hear a strange noise. I turn my head to the side as to limit the wind noise. I hear sprinklers from a short distance. RRRRRRRRRATATATAT!RRRRRRRRRRATATAT! Some of them sounds just about make me jump outta my skin!

zoste

I started my early morning rides in late May, so I started in twilight and ended in broad daylight. After June 21, dawn gets later and later. By late July I figured that I needed lights. Now, my whole ride is pitch dark. I guess I just got used to it a little at a time.

The only time I came close to freaking out was when a couple deer bolted right across my path while I was doing an easy 16 - 17 mph. Things came out of the blackness. Jeeeeez it would have been like hitting a brick wall. I really wasn't expecting them because I live in a fairly densely populated middle ring suburb just a few miles outside of Philadelphia.

JKing

Riding along Lake Michigan for the first time at night during last winter was a little freaky in sections where the water was frozen over but still surging. The water/ice looked as if it was breathing, it was hard to take your eyes off of, and I'm sure you guys know what "Target Fixation" is, I had to keep myself focused on the path. I always think what it wold be like to go over into the lake, on summer days the only thing keeping me from riding off into the cool water is my stuff getting wet, in January it would be deadly!

Mr. Beanz

AAAAAAAHHHHHNOTHER nite ride tonight! Felt so cool lastnight, figured I'd get another!

Wino Ryder

Then I guess you wouldn't want to run across this:

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...856&highlight=


Seriously though, riding at night is a lot of fun. If you have some decent lights that lets you ride at 20 mph or better then its great. I think the only thing that kinda gives me the willies is snarling, barking dogs you cant see that come after you. All you can do is hear them coming, trying to judge their proximity by sound alone. They're like torpedoes in the night, that you cant see,.....until "Bam"......you're hit and they're dragging you down like fresh kill to finish you off.

But yeah, outside of that its a lot of fun.

Neil_B

My return commute is at night, so I know what you mean about deer. Between them and ninja bike riders they keep me so alert I don't even think about cars.

making

my favorite part of the day to ride is the 0430 to 0530 commute. quite and fast. i ride threw some not to great parts of town and they are somehow peaceful that time of day. I also ride through some country areas. see all kinds of wildlife. really wild part on the way home in the afternoon.

surfrider

Monday through Friday I typically go out at 4AM for an hour, trying to cover 17-18 miles. It took me a while to develop a route, but this one is a flat 6 miles loop that has great street lighting, and has options for some smaller loops. Add in good bikes lights, plus keeping an eye out for the few cars and peds on the road at that time, and its a great way to get in weekday mileage. Yes, its boring doing laps, but I just can't motivate myself to go out after work.

CliftonGK1

All fall through spring, the morning commute is in the dark. I love riding at night, even the spooky noises off in the woods. I've seen a cougar on my commute, and there have been bear sightings along the route, too! Usually it's just a dog out patrolling his fenceline, or a deer making its way across the road.
During the summer, I'll do my long rides at night to avoid the 90 degree heat and oppressive humidity; although it doesn't get really dark until after 10pm (or later) during the longest summer days up here.

vXhanz

Hmm... now that the temps are dropping I may have to try a night ride or two. Would be interesting to experience the area under the cover of darkness.

V