The joy of riding without lights

[robjh]

Not that I’m recommending it for everyone or in all circumstances, but switching off the front light on a bright night, and following the road by the silvery glow of the moon alone is one of life’s joys. Of course it helps if you are on a road where you are fairly sure of the surface and won’t drop into any unsuspected potholes, and you should switch on said light when you see telltale headlights coming the other way, but that apart it can make for a wonderful romantic ride and get you waxing all poetical…
There’s a full moon coming up, so get out and switch off tonight.

 

[Moodyman]

Agree - it's an absolute joy.

In the summer, I did an overnight ride with a full moon and clear sky in unfamiliar countryside. All the senses come alive and I had better understanding of my surroundings than with lights.

 

[BSRU]

I switched my front light off accidentally once when riding at about 25mph down a small hill in the countryside.
Scared the sh!te out of myself as I couldn't see anything at all

 

[Arjimlad]

Last night was a clear moonlit night and absolutely beautiful.

 

[Globalti]

My brother and I damn near killed ourseves in the days before head torches were common, riding from Glenelg up the track to Suadarlan bothy. It was very dark, no moon, and we were just following the slightly less dark wheel tracks on the gravel track when they stopped, so we braked hard and got out a torch to discover that a burn had washed away the road and our front wheels were inches from a deep ravine. On the same ride, two deer bolting out of the undergrowth as we approached nearly gave us both heart attacks.

Night riding is fun though, I used to do it on Wednesdays with Blackburn Bikers.

 

[ColinJ]

I switched my front light off accidentally once when riding at about 25mph down a small hill in the countryside.
Scared the sh!te out of myself as I couldn't see anything at all

My front light switches itself off when the bike is jolted by bumps in the road! It sometimes switches itself on, the same way.

That reminds me - I worked out that it was probably caused by the battery holder being a bit loose in the body of the light. I wrapped a rubber band round the holder to stop it rattling about but I haven't ridden the bike with the light on since so I don't know if the bodge worked.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Ages since I've ridden in the dark. It is something special tho'.

 

[swee'pea99]

When I was a scout we were discouraged from using torches at night on the grounds that you can only see what the torch is pointing at, whereas if you wait for your eyes to adjust to whatever light there is, you can see everything. This is on night walks and the like, mind...not on two wheels.

 

[robjh]

My front light switches itself off when the bike is jolted by bumps in the road! It sometimes switches itself on, the same way.

That reminds me - I worked out that it was probably caused by the battery holder being a bit loose in the body of the light. I wrapped a rubber band round the holder to stop it rattling about but I haven't ridden the bike with the light on since so I don't know if the bodge worked.

And that reminds me of the 'Magic' lights in the early 1990s that used to randomly spring out of the holder and onto the road at the slightest bump - very inconvenient in traffic.

 

[Dave 123]

@robjh

Where was the romance when we went for a ride? You didn't even put make up on.......

 

[Ganymede]

+1 for moonlit riding. When I am working in the theatre and go home late, it is a treat I sometimes allow myself. No good in the darkest part of the wood, where the moonlight doesn't get through and the road surface is frightful, but on the whole just joyous.

 

[Stephen Piper]

Just look out for other like minded cyclists and pedestrians coming the other way.

 

[robjh]

@robjh

Where was the romance when we went for a ride? You didn't even put make up on.......

Not sure I should be replying to posts like this - but hey it wasn't even night time

 

[speccy1]

I live on the edge of Dartmoor and ride over it every day. Back in the summer I rode home at 3am on a lovely moonlit night, without the lights, it was so, so peaceful and quite magical. No cars to ruin it either!

 

[Tin Pot]

It works driving too - cruising the empty country roads with hood down and the lights off.