chephy

So the days are rapidly shrinking while the nights are growing longer. Around this time of the year lots of commuters complain about riding in the dark clearly regarding that as an awful thing to do. But I actually have a lot of fun doing it!!

There is something I always liked about the dark (here is my dark side, I guess ). Night is the time when your work responsibilities are all over (or haven't started yet in case of morning) and it's time to party and have fun!! Also, the days are mostly so grey and drab around here this time of year that I'm glad when they're over.

Some people are concerned with safety of night riding in traffic, but I never so it as a problem. I found that as long as cyclists and their bikes are properly decorated with lights and reflectors, it is easier to spot them at night than during the day. I also encounter almost no buzzers at night - I guess people prefer to err on the side of caution when they cannot clearly see the cyclist's outline.

Crime is not a big problem in Toronto either. Of course, I prefer to stay away from unlit ravine paths at night, but as long as I stick to the streets, I feel as safe as during the daylight hours.

Any other nocturnal creatures around here who love dark riding?

CastIron

I do.
Traffic is much better. I'm more visible. It's generally more peaceful when I'm not getting mugged.

squeakywheel

I like riding at night. Don't know why.

chipcom 

Me, me, me! I think I said this in another thread, but it seems like I spin easier, the ride goes faster and the hills don't seem as steep in the dark, when you can't see for the same distance as daytime. I also feel more alone...which I mean as a good thing, like I am in my own little world.

Part of my commute is on the O&E towpath now and I don't mind riding it at night either. I just gotta watch for critters and peds. I usually sing or talk loudly to myself to give em a bit of warning that I am coming. Sneaking up on deer can make you have a bad day.

chephy

Oh yes, I forgot this one, but it's true! Doesn't work so well in the city where the street lamps make it easy to see hills so you can start worry about them in advance. But on a quiet dark country road it is awesome! I hardly notice any hills.

ken cummings

+1 on the more visible. I have also lived placed where it can be too hot to enjoy riding in the day.

Dahon.Steve

Keep a look out for those waves. They are invisible at night.

DataJunkie

I like it due to the fact that my eyes are fairly sensitive to light and my night vision is spiffy.
One doctor told me this was due to having light blue eyes. I have no clue if this is valid or not.

CrosseyedCrickt

I love riding in the dark, even when I can not see very well due to poor lighting on my part. Something about it...

SteveE

As long as there's not a lot of traffic I enjoy my evening commute in the dark. Things seem more restful and calmer at night.

scottmorrison99

I love night riding. Flashing lights and reflectives make me more visible in the dark than hiviz clothing does in the daylight.

chipcom 

Hmm, I got blue eyes, good night vision and sensitive to light too. Could we be alien brothers?

mechBgon

Riding on the local singletrack is better at night (with good light systems) because there are almost no other people on the trails, and I'm not likely to whip around a corner and surprise someone since my lights give advance warning. I just got back from a little off-road ride... this time I had two halogen systems and one HID along, totalling something like 60-80W effective output.

DataJunkie

LOL!

It is even worse up in higher elevations. If I forget my sunglasses on a sunny day my eyes tear up something fierce and I barely can see. When I head up to the mountains sunglasses are even more important. Now I have the desire to research how pigmentation affects light sensitivity. Wait....nope. The desire is gone. I will ask my current dr the next time I hurt something. That should be...oh...a week or two.

chipcom 

Don't forget I used to live right across the border from Trinidad at about 6600 feet and had to commute over Raton Pass.

c0urt

i prefer country roads in the dark, there is somethign special when the only sound is your tires skimming across the road. mmmmmm

and few cars at 2am it is nice on cr 520 since no one uses it, i get a lane to myself for 10-20 miles at a time

jyossarian

Me. It's more peaceful and more energizing at the same time which is strange.

donnamb 

Riding at night seems both more restful and more exciting.

JeffS

Years ago my bike commute was 16 miles through the country in the dark. I didn't use a light and didn't even really look up at the road. It was very peaceful.

I still often do laps around the neighborhood (it's a really large place) late at night. Seems that you have to pay less attention to your surroundings as the cars lights let you know they're coming.

Nighttime in heavy traffic I do not enjoy.

nukemm

Me, too. 20/15 vision, blue eyes, and very sensitive to light, but I wear sunglasses in even overcast weather, and wear glare-reducing orange lenses in my sunglasses for day & night riding.

That being said, I have stellar night-vision, and love to ride and drive at night. I can see for longer distances without having to be aided by sunglasses, and can make out distinct shapes & stuff without light. Maybe I'm really nocturnal, and my work schedule forces me to go to bed at 10:00PM?

tsl

As others have said, I feel safer at night with my lights and reflectives. I also tend to be more alert to traffic and can maintain focus on spinning circles and keeping my cadence up.

My favorite group ride is the Tuesday Night Urban Assault ride. Runs only from October through April, meets at 6pm and rides-out at 6:15 for about two hours. I like riding near the back of the group watching the line of blinkies stretched-out before me.

Zero_Enigma

There should be a "light up the path" ride from the Ontario Science Center at night all the way downtown. Now that would be a cool ride. Of course not everyone can afford HID's and such so there will probably be some sandwiching of 1-2 people in between people with powerful lights so thier lights can light up the path in front of the people in the middle gaps. Ahh.. now that would be fun...

Ahh yes, back to the topic. I like night riding. It's pleasent and you can collect your thoughts. ALso there is something about lights at night that just make the shutterbug in you want to take night photos.


Zero_Enigma

-=(8)=-

Riding through the mountains under a full moon and stars is
exhilirating ! I arrive at work feeling as if Ive done something
illegal
I see more frogs, Deer, Fox, bats, etc. than cars.......
I love early AM commute !!

cgchambers

me, I just seem to relax in the dark. Maybe it is because you feel more solitude, even with cars whizzing by you.

n4zou

I love riding at night, especially in the summer when it's so hot in the daylight hours. The only problem is watching out for other riders and walkers on the MUP with no lights at all. I came up on two idiots that had run into each other head on and were severely injured. No lights, no reflectors, and no common sense. Both of there road bike frames were broken so they must have been running at high speed as well. I've also seen bicyclists run over walkers/joggers dressed in all black with no reflective material or lights. Of course, reflectors or reflective material is useless if the other person is not using a light to reflect off the reflectors or material. It just makes you wonder what people are thinking when they go out riding at night totally unprepared to do it safely. Then there are the people that think the reflectors that came on there bicycle is all they need out in traffic.