Group rides at night - yay or nay?

[Sandra6]

Do you think it's a good idea to organise a night ride - 25miles - in the dark?
Personally I think it's an accident waiting to happen.
I'm possibly not the best judge as I think 20plus relatively inexperienced riders heading out together is a thing to be avoided even in the daylight.

 

[Hill Wimp]

The Fridays do it every month without any major incident do they not ? They have far more than 20 on the rides too.

If it is properly organised i cannot see an issue.

 

[G3CWI]

Our club has several every week in the winter. While the chain-gang ones are not for me, the "normal" group ride seemed okay at night. Some aspects of riding at night are possibly safer - car lights round corners etc.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Why would you ever WANT to ride with a group of others??

Now, cycling at night, yes, bring it on!

 

[Sandra6]

I joined a cycle club because I thought I might like to ride with others.
Turns out I do not like others.
The night ride is their latest adventure. I was almost tempted by the promise of a pint at the end.

 

[TheDoctor]

My local CTC does evening rides all year. No major accidents, even on the ones that are dark throughout the ride.
Are you suggesting they should be stopped because you don't like them? That's certainly what it sounds like!

 

[ianrauk]

The Fridays do it every month without any major incident do they not ? They have far more than 20 on the rides too.

If it is properly organised i cannot see an issue.

It has been in the 100's

 

[Hill Wimp]

I think it's a great idea. It's just hard to drag myself out at night.

 

[Glow worm]

A yay from me, especially on a cool, calm, starlit night away from light pollution.
I've never been on a Fridays ride, but love reading the write-ups - they look terrific fun!

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Yes

 

[srw]

If there's a pint at the end then it's probably an evening ride. The Fridays rides work because they're properly at night - after midnight even London traffic is almost sane, and at 4am there's almost nobody around. It would be a very different prospect if we left at 7:30 - tired drivers who are in a hurry to get home.

 

[Shadow]

Night riding? Some of the most blissful riding I've done. Was introduced to The Fridays a number of years ago and they are wonderful.

I would add that if you have 20 inexperienced riders it would be prudent to have a few experienced riders spread amongst the group.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

I need my beauty sleep, so count me out.

I need a beauty coma, so I might as well just get on with it

 

[ColinJ]

Nay for me (I don't like cycling in the dark) but yay for anybody who wants to do it.

 

[T4tomo]

Needs to be timed / routed to avoid commuter traffic, and suitable lights are a prerequisite , but a dusk ride I really enjoy, the smells and temperature differences seem more marked at dusk especially on the lanes thru the woods.
A.pint at the end of anything is generally a good thing