First Night Training Ride
 

Just got done with my first night ride training session. Wow, that was cool, in more ways then one. Something about not being able to see the top of the climb that keeps me pushing through the burn thinking Im almost there. I searched on Google earth and found a 1.3 mile climb that is gated and has no traffic. I got a good 80 minutes in, It was also the maiden voyage with my new NR MiNewt, great llight. Perfect for my training rides. Keeps me outside and off the trainer for my intervals.

Anyone else training outside at night this winter/fall?

my bike ride to studio at school (my personal architecture area i spend 80+ hours a week in it seems like) is pretty much the only training ive been able to get in the last 2 weeks.

its so friggin cold out i just basically sprint the mile and half home like 4 or 5 times a night to keep the blood flowing and to get caffeine. leaving my energy drinks and coffee machine at home means i get about 4 or 5 really intense short rides between 12pm and 5 am 3 or 4 nights a week.

its pedal like hell cause the face is freezin.

Pretty much have to since it starts getting dark at 4:30pm. :( I love this time of year since the fair-weather cyclists have started hibernating. It's going to actually be 50F this weekend so I am going to try and get in a longer ride during the day. I know once it is consistently 30F and lower, my mileage is going to drop.

well, tonight...I swerved around a dead skunk...and slammed into some jagged rocks flatting my rear tire...I ride to freakin fast at night....My light and motion logic is great...but even a good light has it's limits..

Yeah, I stay outside pretty much the whole year. I do more mountain biking during the winter because it's warmer in the trees, but I still do a fair bit of road and hill mileage outside. NiteRider HID lights FTW- bright enough, with a long enough reach, to make it possible to ride fast with a reasonable degree of safety, unlike any of my halogen lights.

I use my morning commutes as training and base miles.
Totally in the dark @ 4:30am: 43 miles with 2300' of climbing - a couple hills have a grade somewhere in the high teens. Right now it's just easy spinning through the winter. I'll do intervals and other things on the weekends.

When I can, I'll do a full 86 mile commute (in the dark morning and evening). But it wipes me out. By the time I get home I'm no real help to my wife and kids. It's up at 4am, hit the road by 4:30, get to work by 7am, work til 5pm, bike home, get there after 7pm, shower, eat, then pass out. So I don't do it often. (all this with a backpack carrying tools, food, clothes, etc.)

I have to agree -- night training rocks!

I picked up a Dinnotte bar and tail light when they had their sale a week and a half ago. I've added a Fenix L2D flashlight to my helmet for long throw. 375 lumens in front (2/3rd of an HID) and 140 in back. I feel like a motorcycle. Been over 40mph and still felt comfortable.

The best part of night training is that it's hours that I probably would have wasted otherwise. I leave about 7:30, get back around 9. If I weren't riding, I'd most likely be surfing or wasting my time somehow else. My schedule is so packed I have trouble getting in even 5 hours per week. Night riding is like "free" time.

Im pretty fortunate in that it really does'nt get cold here compared to alot of you. Last year it dipped into the 30's for a week or so, but that is really out of the ordinary. Most of my rides will be in the mid 40's and up.

I like night rides, particularily when it is hot. / training rides? Does that mean racing. About night riding, I always heard, don't override your light. That concept does not seem compatable with racing.

I was doing hill repeats so kinda hard to outrun the light. When decending I took it pretty slow, it was also my recovery time. Although on route back to the house I was doing 30 mph for a ways and was never in danger of out running the light.

Night riding is exhilirating!

We do a weekly Wed nighter with a fast group of 30-40 guys on a 9 mile out and back loop under the lights, behind the Orlando Intl airport. Tailwind had us doing 34-36 mph for long stretches last night and at those speeds, you really have to pay attention in the dark.

We do a number of night time crits in our state as well, which can be fun, but nerve wracking for even the best bike handlers.

Big Sean - just always have your hands near the brakes. Things in the road are seen last minute sometimes and abrupt movements can save you from bouncing over road kill or 2x4's.

Im still on the look out for some other low/no traffic areas to ride. For hill repeats this road I found is great. 1.3 miles and I had no traffic on the climbs at all. This road is not even on a map, but I found it on Google Earth. I think there are some tuesday night crits going on, but they are clear across town and I hate to drive so I can ride.:rolleyes:

Did a training ride this morning. When I left my house it was 36 degrees Farenheit. The worst part is the realization that it's not even cold out yet.

I need new gloves.

i just need gloves. my beater has no bar tape (you know, the fixie chrome bars look) and when i leave school at 4 am to grab some breakfast before a nap, its about 25 degrees with freezing handle bars.

+1 for style points though.

Classic form over function, like the kids down here wearing their dead of winter gangsta' rapper gear in high summer.

what can i say, im an architect. form always follows function, i need to get get it out of my system somewhere