Will you still ride in the dark?

[Shifty]

As the evenings are getting darker in the northern hemisphere (UK) will you still get out and ride?

 

[z1ppy]

Yes, given the lights you can get nowadays for not a lot of money, there very little excuse not to. It a great experience too, very different from normal daytime riding imo

 

[Neverbeentomoab]

Yes, given the lights you can get nowadays for not a lot of money, there very little excuse not to. It a great experience too, very different from normal daytime riding imo

One of the reasons I’m getting an ebike is so I can get a night ride in after a full day at work and not be knackered for work the next morning?

 

[N1ck]

Rode mtb's during the winter months in the evenings for years. Much prefer night riding tbh, no dog walkers or pedestrians around. Get a decent set of lights (I'd recommend two in case one fails, has happened to me and my group on more than one occasion) and you're set to go. Different experience in the dark, one I much prefer.

 

[Rusty]

Was a shitty wet winter here in NZ so I didn't get out much but usually twice a week. Run 2 sets of Gloworm X2 lights - 1 on helmet as spot and one on bars with diffusers. Used that setup with Ay-Ups and also cheap Chinese lights for years and rode many a 24hr race.
Looking at a grunty Magicshine unit with 5 LEDs and running on the bars only for touring/cruising the river trails for next winter and keep the helmet light as a back-up.

 

[Dax]

If your riding singletrack at night, you need a head torch too, because you need to know which way the next corner turns before you get there.

I've been night riding for about 10 years, don't get out as much as we used to, but lazy in my old age!

 

[Rich-EMTB-UK]

Definitely and use a head torch/light as well as a bar light. I use Hope lights nowadays but started off with cheapo £30 ones off of eBay which work ok if you want to try it out before committing to something more reliable and expensive.

 

[BigLee]

I used to ride in the dark but I work shifts so don't have to now ? and with riding in the Lake District I enjoy the views too much to only be able to see in a small Puddle of light ?

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

In answer. Yep! In the day

 

[Russell]

I only ride trails I know well in the dark. I find It's very easy to get lost in woods.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I only ride trails I know well in the dark. I find It's very easy to get lost in woods.

Leave a trail of breadcrumbs - but make sure @Rusty isn't following you or they'll all have been eaten up !

It is amazing how disorientating a forest can be at night ! I also find trails ridden at night feel like they're a totally different trail to their daytime version.

 

[Rusty]

That is true Zimmerframe - every time I get lost I have a habit of eating the breadcrumbs.

 

[MitchF]

It’s bad enough having to keep looking over my shoulder in case a bear is chasing me in the daytime ?

Who know’s what’s out there in the darkness ?

 

[118]

It is amazing how disorientating a forest can be at night ! I also find trails ridden at night feel like they're a totally different trail to their daytime version.

I will second that statement. Riding under a forest canopy at night, really does change the characteristic of any ride. Well worn trails seem very unfamiliar, deminished noise/light pollution make for an eerie adventure. And that's without those elements, turning all things Blair Witch. Combined, heightened senses, add additionally too..

Lights these days are lightweight and inexpensive. Some are brighter, than a new car on high beam, super powerful. However, if you are riding within a group, be aware, of your own shadows..

 

[steve_sordy]

I went out at night with an acquaintance, borrowed his bar light. He had bar and helmet lights. He took a shortcut through the grounds of a stately home. We were riding along a wide gravel path with me following, when he went down a flight of steps. I knew it was steps because it had those ornate columns with a ball at the top either side, and I saw his lights go downwards. I don't know why he went off to one side rather than down the middle, and I don't know why I followed him exactly in line either. But I'm glad I did!

The steps had been removed and replaced with a plank! All that was there was a large hole with only the top step and bottom step in place. I shudder to think what would have happened if I had gone down the middle!

 

[highpeakrider]

Oh yes, love night riding...

 

[Blueblob]

New ebike owner but not new to night riding.
Did a 20 mile night ride last week on Local trails and MOD ground.
Loved every second! Grin ear to ear.
My setup is an old Magic shine light (£99) on the bars from 5 years ago, a cheaply but bright head torch (£20) and a spare (£20 from amazon).
The amazon one is as bright as my magic shine so kinda proof they have come down in price. Im sure the latest offerings from MS have moved on a lot though.

 

[Doomanic]

I love night riding. Got a pair of Chinesium "Cree" lights, £13 each on eBay, one on the bars, one on the helmet. Get out once a week these days, used to be more but short of folk to ride with mid-week and I don't ride solo at night on unfamiliar trails.