Training at night
 

I have always frowned upon it.
I guess riding on the road has always made me nervous and very untrustworthy of car people after dark.
Unfortunately this Texas heat is beating me up. Normally I wait until about 7 to head out for a ride, and ride until sunset. Tonight however it was still 102 at 6:45.
I just can't ride in that, much less feel like I can get in any good training. Instead I opted for a hour in the garage tinkering on the single speed project and some work on the trainer.
While on the trainer I thought I'd ask what everyone here thinks/does.
Do you light yourself up and hit the road?
Get up early ride the mornings?
Sweat it out on the trainer?
What heat? 100+ makes me tougher than the rest!
Find some bike trails that are car free?
I know as a runner I would head out around 9-10pm and run in the solitude of the night. It was nice, except I'd get home so late and mornings at work often sucked...
Thoughts?Advice?
Thanks
Jeremy
www.crazyaboutultras.com

I enjoy riding at night, 2 or 3 am is ideal. Far fewer cars, cooler, less pollution, and so much quieter. I run a helmet light, a light on my handle bars, and a good tail light. I've never had a problem. Flatting is much reduced as I take the lane much more than during daylight hours.

Nothing wrong with riding at night. If you've got good reflective gear and good lights, you're probably more visible than you would be in the daylight. Plus there are usually fewer cars o the road.


I'm just not all that keen on riding in the dark and cold ... like it is right now in the evenings.

I think it depends on your neck of the woods. Bars close at 1:00 or 2:00 around here mostly, IIRC. It's been a while since I've been up that late. I've found 4:00 - 5:00 AM is really the sweet spot for me to start a ride. It gets light by the time my batteries run out.

I have a Class II vest I ordered from Amazon for something like $5.00. With a good tail light and headlight, I'm sure I'm as visible (or more) than during the day.

This summer in Texas has been brutal. I definitely prefer riding early in the morning, or late into the evening. I'd say, as long as you have proper safety gear, go for it.

I rode for many many years exclusively at night, sometimes to 2 or 3 in the morning. This was back when you had to use a generator on the back wheel for lights and I went through many a generator light kit. I loved it at the time as I had the road to myself. Nowadays I prefer daylight. I say go for whatever works.

I've done a lot of early morning rides, in the dark, in the winter. I don't like it but its better than not riding.

I like to ride early to beat the heat.
Good head and tail lights needed.

Riding at night is the best.

I prefer riding at about 9-10pm but lights are the key.

+1..:thumb:

At least where I live at night is freakin awesome. Its kind of an industrial area so you see all the factories with the lights on, the weird sounds of all the machines working etc, then there are other roads totally empty by myself, one or two cars pass by with the typical tire noise when passing by, and may sound crazy if it rain sometimes is like the perfect ride, everything just clicks for that moment. A little bit ahead I hit the city bridge and it is majestic.

The only downside to me its like drinking two to three cups of coffee and a 5 hour energy drink after cycling. Its like turn two the next few hours, many times have stayed awake til 3 to 4 in the morning. As much as I love riding at night I have switched to riding early, very early (first light), but still then at night want to ride anyway, lol.

In the morning is awesome as well as long as I go to bed early at get a good night sleep, or else my legs will be shutdown. It is not the same as riding at night, but I use those productive hours at work.

Thoughts? +1 at riding at night! Of course with all appropiate front and rear lights.

Man, it's pretty hot here where I live too, but I don't know that I would ever ride at night. Just too paranoid about drivers not paying attention...

My choice is to ride in the heat. If its 105+, I'm going to be on the bike, no question about it. I love it! Granted, we have much less humidity, but I spent 26 years in Austin and did manual outdoor labor for 5 of that and it wasnt *that* bad.

Too many people get run over around here for me to feel safe at all riding at night.