Group rides at night - yay or nay?

[Mad Doug Biker]

*** One bright enough for 30-40 mph descents. The kind of places that I would go have no street lights, rough road surfaces, and fast downhills.

Not sure about 30-40 mph descents, but I usually stay to where it is streetlit (and poottle about in urban areas - It is surprising the things you see sometimes!), although I do sometimes cycle on the local cycletracks if I know they are safe/I can see enough - I have also been known to cycle on the tracks with my lights turned off so that I can use my night vision. It is surprising how much more you can see over all instead of having to rely on a single beam of light. I certainly think you are at a disadvantage using lights sometimes.
It helps if you know the path well though so you are not caught out by anything unexpected (It also means that you can suddenly appear out of nowhere ninja style if there are undesireable types up ahead. You can pass them before they even know you are there!)


Post ride pint optional.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Very good lights to see pot holes and stuff on the road would be necessary for all riders and even then it'd be risky. One fall at the front and many could also topple.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I was a ride leader for this at the weekend.

https://www.portsmouth.gov.uk/ext/news/light-up-the-night-at-pedal-portsmouth-glow-ride.aspx

That was a group of several hundred riders, riding in a group, in the dark. It went well. There were no incidents or accidents. So if your organisation is up to scratch, there shouldn't be any reason to not group ride in the dark.

 

[Sandra6]

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!

Don't be ridiculous, there are plenty of things I don't like but I have no objection to them going on - football for example. I was just voicing a concern and inviting opinion, it would seem I am mostly alone in my opinion that it is unwise.

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.

They're setting out around 7pm, which is quite a different thing to riding at midnight I imagine.

@Sandra6 as said above, night riding is great fun, out of evening rush hours of course.
What do you mean by unexperienced riders? Won't there be a leader and a back marker?
We are doing an evening Halloween ride, but the group will be lead and mostly on cycle paths or cycle lanes.
If you feel in danger, just leave the ride.

This is just a casual cycling club that organise rides between themselves. One rider picks a route, posts a date and time, then others turn up and off they go. A couple are sky ride leaders, but it's not a given that they will be there. Quite a few have only just bought their first road bikes and most are new to group riding.
A small group, say four or five, I would probably enjoy. But not for 25 miles at that time of night!! Not even for two pints!!

 

[Fab Foodie]

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.

YAY.

It's great, no problem if you're not close wheeling. It's good fun, often magical and a pint at the end is a wondrous thing. Our club does it all winter as it does all summer.
Just invest in half decent lights.
Cities at night can be great!

It doesn't matter how many, how far, how fast or what time ... Just give it a go.

 

[jonny jeez]

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.

The others in the club or do you just prefer riding alone in general.

 

[jonny jeez]

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.

I've done large group night rides and they were an experience for sure. In general though, other than on a commute or MTB, I wouldn't think of heading out in the dark...for fun...on a bike

 

[Sandra6]

The others in the club or do you just prefer riding alone in general.

I think I dislike others in general. :-)
No, seriously, the other ladies were quite nice, but I felt uncomfortable cycling with them. Not sure why.
I talk to a few of the club members when they come to the shop and they seem good company, but I don't like the idea of large group riding. I think I'd feel a bit trapped. Or possibly just left behind...

 

[nickyboy]

No

Around here steep 30-40mph descents are everywhere. No streetlights. I would not be happy doing that with lights in the dark. The alternative would be to descend more slowly but that sounds a bit crap

 

[mjr]

Around here steep 30-40mph descents are everywhere. No streetlights. I would not be happy doing that with lights in the dark. The alternative would be to descend more slowly but that sounds a bit crap

So... that's dismissing something without trying it?

 

[lutonloony]

I fear I might miss my cocoa, and cosy slippers if I was out in the dark

 

[TheDoctor]

Night rides also tend to be slower, especially after any refreshment stop.
I'd certainly recommend anyone to at least try one. Although my taste is more for a 20 mile ride with a pub stop, rather than an all-night ride to the coast.

 

[nickyboy]

So... that's dismissing something without trying it?

No. I am dismissing it based on having made many hundreds of fast daytime descents. These descents are challenging in perfect light conditions with potholes, gravel, wet sections. There is no way I could descend with confidence in the dark and I don't want to do slow descents.

 

[Milkfloat]

No. I am dismissing it based on having made many hundreds of fast daytime descents. These descents are challenging in perfect light conditions with potholes, gravel, wet sections. There is no way I could descend with confidence in the dark and I don't want to do slow descents.

It won't feel slow in the dark, that is for sure.

 

[Hyslop]

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.

Reivers by any chance? I rather like the way they are.