Night riding

[The Bystander]

I woke up at 4:30 this morning and, inspired by this thread, decided to get up and get the bike out.

Not sure that I really get the appeal, but I'll give the sunrise a .

 

[hoopdriver]

Another thing to remember, I dont think anyone else has mentioned it, is sunglasses ! I was struck the first time I went out in the dark how many pesty bugs flew towards my light (and up a bit!). Get some clear (or even night vision) lenses, Thank me later

Yes, I always wear sunglasses anyway, so I didn’t mention it. I have replaceable lenses in mine and use a yellow tinted pair for night/dawn riding. The yellow tint is just fine at night - it doesn't darken things too much at all; in fact I don’t even notice - and the yellow help picks up detail in the grey light at dawn or in dull rainy mornings.

 

[si_c]

Went out yesterday after thinking about this thread, started late afternoon, finished at 9pm, good ride through dusk and into the proper dark.

 

[Pale Rider]

Very few of us get the chance to ride in true darkness.

Most of the south east is permanently subject to light pollution, as are the other populated areas such as the Midlands and much of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Even the North East where I am suffers light pollution, although I can experience close to true darkness at my caravan in Wensleydale.

What strikes me is the huge number of visible stars on a clear night, which anyone in the polluted areas will never see.

Turn off my torch and it's like walking blindfolded, which is another experience unique to the non-polluted areas.

https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=6&lat=6916746&lon=47212&layers=B0FFFFTFFFF

 

[Blue Hills]

. The lights on the bike, flush rodents out of the hedges, and Owls know this,.

curious - why is this? Why are they flushed out?

And the owls know this but the rodents don't know that the owls know?

Clever things owls.

 

[Levo-Lon]

In the woods with super bright lights..wild animal eye's everywhere ..awesome.
everything is interesting at night, a trail you know well is all new and mysterious eerie quiet.

love it

 

[Alan O]

curious - why is this? Why are they flushed out?

And the owls know this but the rodents don't know that the owls know?

Clever things owls.

Well, you never hear the phrase "Wise old rat", do you?

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Well, you never hear the phrase "Wise old rat", do you?

Oh but they are super wise.

They are one step ahead of the owls, unassuming and don’t need the advertising.

 

[Ivo]

I ride a lot at night. Mostly I do about 5-10 full nightrides each season. Sometimes together with others, sometimes alone.

 

[freiston]

I like to ride at night. In the small winding lanes that I see more cars than I can count in the daytime, there is next to no traffic on them at night and if a car does approach (which is rare), I reckon we are aware of each other a lot sooner with the noise of the car and the lights of both vehicles giving forewarning. On the bigger roads, cars seem to take fewer chances at junctions etc. - again, I reckon this is down to the lights - they initially see a "vehicle" rather than a bike and respond accordingly. I use nice bright B+M dynamo lights. @Vantage - almost all of my night rides involve a short cut through a (church) graveyard ;-)

 

[Milzy]

It’s great in a group and horrible alone for me. A high end front light is a must on country roads.

 

[hondated]

I don’t usually ride in the city, living down on the coast, but I have a great memory of coming back from a cycle trip in Orkney and arriving in Kings Cross station in London late at night on a Saturday and having to ride across the City to Charing Cross station and my train the rest of the way home. I loved that night time city ride - all the activity, the theatre and restaurant crowds, the music, the late-night urgency of a city on the move. If I hadn't had to catch that last train south, I’d have ridden around much longer.

East Sussex Where are you hoopdriver ! I ask because I am in Eastbourne and I have ridden in the early hours over to Birling Gap and up onto Beachy Head and from there down into town and back home. A brilliant ride and all I have used for lighting for several years now is some cheap Chinese Cree lights and I carry another light for a back up if I should need it. Certainly a great alternative to laying in bed suffering from acid reflux.

 

[Sjw]

almost all of my night rides involve a short cut through a (church) graveyard ;-)

Scary!

 

[Sjw]

Be good to see some photos if anyone can take some please?

 

[hoopdriver]

East Sussex Where are you hoopdriver ! I ask because I am in Eastbourne and I have ridden in the early hours over to Birling Gap and up onto Beachy Head and from there down into town and back home. A brilliant ride and all I have used for lighting for several years now is some cheap Chinese Cree lights and I carry another light for a back up if I should need it. Certainly a great alternative to laying in bed suffering from acid reflux.

I sometimes do that same route, although it is longer for me, being nearer Battle. I often ride to Pevensey, as I did this morning, via Bexhill. I do love that ride up to Beachy Head, though, and the descent down to Eastbourne and along the waterfront.

The sunrise this morning was especially nice. After a ride by cold starlight to Pevensey, the return trip was full of colours in the sky and a blanket of mist hovering over a sea as smooth as rippled silk. Just gorgeous. In the distance I could see the seafront at Hastings sparkling in the sunrise.