cyclezealot

It's not that I am against going solo on any given ride. But, when asking about for riders at night, no one seems interested. Even committed cyclists seem to back out. I have a couple great nite lights and no one to share them with.
Others here find, that at night, the numbers who seem interested in getting out there really drops off? I would not mind it if I could find a night rider club? On the roads at night; It's rare you see other cyclists out there? Is that your experience.

operator

Well i'd come since you're offering uber lights.

cyclezealot

[QUOTE=operator]Well i'd come since you're offering uber lights.
I have a second set of Niterider digital evolution lites. One given to me as a gift. Be great to do a ride. How about doing Iceland.?
Be great to share my extra set. I also have extra vests and reflectizered ankle straps.
Other than the ocassional city commutter, do many of us see other long distance. recreational night riders out there. I think fewer roadies are out at night compared to off trail bikers?

norsehabanero

enjoy the solitude and peacfulness of the night sounds like fun, but a bit of a way to go for me for a ride. i am also a night rider , several years ago the local club would go on several night rides,
if you are ever up around central wa let me know i will go (i even have my own light)
night group rides are a blast it is too bad you dont have more inerested,,,
i agree more mtn bikers ride at night than roadies, although some roads are lit up nice at night with no traffic and you dont have to worry about the heat of the sun

2manybikes

That's normal, but I have two clubs here that have night rides.

As the sun sets earlier one of my rides that now finishes in the dark went from 20 riders to 4 last week. The same thing happens every year.

cyclezealot

Norsehabernaro. I have the interest to ride at night, just others seem to loose interest. With less sun now, far better a night ride than no ride at all. But, the group does not seem to think so? The reason for this post, the other night, I passed by a couple night riders. I did not have the time to track them down and see who and if this is a normal ride.
The ironic thing. The roads here are so peaceful and quiet at night. It would be perfect for night riding. Also, motorists respect cyclists of all stripes. With lights and reflectizerized vests on, I don't see why one would think it a problem. Maybe it is the fact we have too many sun worshipers here?
I must say, it is a part of my cycling background, I think there is safety in numbers; a fear likely generated by all the hostile motorists in California? But at night, with more lite bikes, I suspect a herd of cyclists would be seen before one sole cyclist.

norsehabanero

it is indeed their loss, the night is a different world. on trails or on the road, like i said in my previous post
enjoy the solitude, I do when our local mtn bike club was in full swing we had just as many at night as during the day maybe that might be more true for mtn bikers than for road riders, dont know why, maybe most roadies are afraid of the dark
I agree with you 100 percent I even think i have had fewer problems with traffic at night than during the day

good luck recruiting

Chris L

I've noticed the same thing here -- despite the fact that the temperatures are often far more pleasant at night than the heat of the day in these parts. What's even more astonishing (although not particularly surprising anymore) is that virtually everyone who has joined me for a night ride has made a comment along the lines of "what a beautiful ride", then I never see them again. Go figure.

There isn't a lot you can do about it. Just let people know they're welcome to join you, and if the don't, just enjoy the ride yourself.

cyclezealot

Maybe family stuff interferes with night riding even more than daytime hours?

Ms. Tude

I'm lucky in the fact I have two groups available for night riding. A less serious group and it's on road/off road is my Thursday group, which leaves from the top of a hill at 10 pm and we ride basically till 2 am.

Tonite's group (Tuesday) Urban Assault will be be a larger group of bicyclists - many from our racing club. That leaves a Recreation Hall at 6:30 and ride for a few hours.

And I can't wait for the first ride of the year (Urban Assault) tonite!

FatguyRacer

I'm interested, but im not comming out to Cali to ride with you. Looks like were both riding solo.

stapfam

I have the same problem and I even have a respectable set of lights to loan to people. We normally get out around 6.30pm and out for around 3 hours, but We go offroad. Not the most sane thing to do but we even do it on a Tandem. So not not really riding on our own.

Only ever met another group up on the hills and they were from a town about 10 miles away. They were doing the same route as us but in reverse. Ever scared the cr*p out of 5 riders up on the hills when they were not expecting to see anyone else? We were trying to see if we could ride on No- lights to cater for emergencies and it was just about possible. They were regrouping after a hill and we came up to them from a blind spot and put our Lamps onto them full power. They were not amused to be blinded by some other nutters cycling their hills. Pity is that we have never seen them since.

randya

ZooBombers do it in the dark!

cyclezealot

[QUOTE=stapfam]I have the same problem and I even have a respectable set of lights to loan to people. We normally get out around 6.30pm and out for around 3 hours, but We go offroad. Not the most sane thing to do but we even do it on a Tandem. So not not really riding on our own.Only ever met another group up on the hills and they were from a town about 10 miles away. quote

Ever get to ROussillon, no need to bring your set of lights. I have three great sets. Replacable batteries so could stay out all night. Only time I see nite riders is when I am in a car.

infinityeye

try bringing wine. Drunken bike rides rule at night!!!!

norsehabanero

sounds fun
do you need lights then or do you get lit enough and not need them????

cyclezealot

Probably finding nite riders would best be accomplished by going out at night and hunting them down on bike. I just think it safer riding in packs, particularily at night. Come to think of It, we were with some friends at a bar/restaurant in a nearby city having dinner. In came an obvious cyclist for a quick coffee, I think. It was a chilly nite. Did not bother them because we were entertaining out of town friends.

Paul L.

Interestingly enough a friend and I are riding a double metric tomorrow night starting at 10pm.

cyclezealot

What lites are you using and how about keeping your batteries recharged. That must take more than two batteries to complete the ride.

operator

A Nimh system can power 35w halogen system for around 5-6 hours, you can almost double that if you turn off one of the 20w's. That is plenty enough time.

This is on one charge. Of course it's hideously expensive ($150 for battery alone) but it's worth it as nothing else really comes close in terms of wattage and runtime.

Paul L.

I have a shimano 3n71 hub dynamo with quad Luxeon III LEDs with collimators on the front (homebrew but amazingly effective from 5 - 20+ mph). My friend has a Schmidt hub and dual E6's. I used to use an HID with 2 4 hour batteries in the past but find the current setup is almost as bright but lasts much longer. Plus the piece of mind of not needing batteries is really nice as well.

capejohn

Very gradually, more and more people are putting thier bikes away for the winter. Winter night rides are pretty nice. I do them often, and like you, the rides are usually solo.

Jerseysbest

I used to ride a lot at night, just too busy right now. I love it, especially in urban parts that are usually packed with cars are competely unobstructed.

2manybikes

My light would take me until 6:00 am if I started at 10:00. That's plenty of time in the summer where I live. Maybe not in the winter. One battery. Total system weight 740 grams. You can go longer.
There is a 12 hour Nightrider HID system now. And a few others that will top 8 hours. That kind of problem is starting to be solved now.

cyclezealot

I suspect one of the reasons , nite cycling is uncommon; i find this area so very bike friendly. In this part of Europe most have off two hours for lunch. Schedules are usually arranged, maybe most of the population can get in their riding in the sunshine? . Between everyone's schedules and it just being such a bike friendly place; why not ride in the sunshine.