Night riding

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go out
MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head knocked
off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

As a confirmed roadie, when the skies are clear it's great, even when the
temperature is around freezing. Even better after midnight when the pub
traffic has died down. For example: tonight would be just great if only
the clouds rolled away because above them are the Leonid meteor shower and
maybe the remnants of last night's superb (the lucky b*st*rds with clear
skies say) auroral displays.

Oh, can I say that bents are definitely the *light* side when cycling at
night, because you're looking up not down :-)

Mike

"Doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go

out

Quoted message said:

MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head

knocked

Quoted message said:

off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on

the

Quoted message said:

road and be even more bored than normal...

Its just you. You have two more options

Stay at home and turn into a porker then you'll realise what hard work is
next spring.

Ride a turbo all winter and be really bored.

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?

It's just you. Give it a go, you might like it.

Quoted message said:

Go out
MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head knocked
off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

If I didn't ride at night I would't get home at all.

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 22:14:29 -0000, "Doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?

Just you, I reckon.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

James Annan said:

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?

It's just you. Give it a go, you might like it.

I've got a Cateye RC220, so it's not as if I've not done it. It's just
nowhere near as much fun as during the day.

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 22:45:23 -0000, "Doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in
message <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

I've got a Cateye RC220, so it's not as if I've not done it. It's just
nowhere near as much fun as during the day.

Different, is all. I like night riding, it can be very peaceful.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go out
MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head knocked
off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

I've just got back from cycling back from South London (to
Cambridge). Lots of night riding. It was fine apart from
with there being a headwind, it was quite slow, and going
up the hills was irritating because there wasn't any indication
of when the summit might come.

Simon

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?
Go out MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your
head knocked off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the
morning, go out on the road and be even more bored than normal...

Dunno, I like cycling with traffic - makes it a bit more fun. On the other
hand cycling my usual commute at 5am one morning was really enjoyable - the
almost completely deserted roads made it look like something out of Day of
the Triffids or 28 Days Later.

Doki said:

go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

Bored? When you're skidding about all over the place on mud and fallen
leaves? Pscht!

d.

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go out
MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head knocked
off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

Road riding in the small hours has a special magic for me.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?
Go out MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having
your head knocked off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until
the morning, go out on the road and be even more bored than normal...

It's not boring at all. It ranges from magically peaceful to extremely
exciting, depending on type of roads & area, speed, lights, time of night.

~PB

M

Quoted message said:

Stay at home and turn into a porker then you'll realise what hard work is
next spring.

Ride a turbo all winter and be really bored.

Quoted message said:

Or go to the velodrome and laugh yourself hoarse...

Tony B

I bike during the day to go to school/work. But I love biking downtown Toronto at night. A lot of the streets/roads are empty. It's quiet and peaceful. i usually go biking around midnight after i'm done with my homework and it feels so good when I can bike for 1-2 hours without crazy drivers/pedestrians around me.

i'm a beginner so i'm still a little nervous to bike during the day in downtown 🙁

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go out
MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head knocked
off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on the
road and be even more bored than normal...

Cycling at night in poor visibility is not fun, I think. But cycling with good
lighting, on a clear night when the moon is full can be enjoyable. It's just
different to daytime and yes, I find I go slower, but then I'm not a speed
freak anyway ;-) Of course, some people have to ride at night - example, now
it's getting darker earlier, my son will be riding back home from college in
the dark on many a night. So he has two front lights + helmet-mounted light, a
couple of rear lights & acres of reflectives... to see & be seen by.

I had some Smart twin front lights and when they worked they were great - but
me being a slow cyclist, I never entirely relaxed, as I was always worrying
about run time of the lights. Indeed, the last time I used them, they died
after less than ten minutes of illumination, and I was not a happy bunny as I
had to cycle along unlit country lanes. I carried a spare light - a
bog-standard "ordinary" battery light and I was not a happy bunny with that, as
it just wasn't bright enough for unlit lanes. Thankfully Vernon was cycling
with me and he went in front, as he had a brighter light. It's why I have two
of the Cateye EL-300 lights and a helmet-mounted light at the front. I don't
worry about runtime anymore and the Cateyes give me enough light to be more
comfortable about night riding.

Cheers, helen s

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to get correct one remove fame & fortune
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in message <[email hidden]>, Doki ([email hidden]'😉

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?
Go out MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your
head knocked off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the
morning, go out on the road and be even more bored than normal...

Completely, completely wrong. We had fifteen people from our cycling
club up round Dalbeattie forest on hallowe'en night, many of whom had
not ridden off road in the dark before, and everyone had great fun. I
absolutely love riding off road in the dark. Consequently, by popular
demand, we're going again tomorrow night.

It's far easier to have fun on singletrack in the dark, because sections
which aren't very challenging in daylight become more challenging; and
just being out in the forest at night is a whole different experience.

Enjoy!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

-- mens vacua in medio vacuo --

in message <[email hidden]>, Doki ([email hidden]'😉

Quoted message said:

James Annan said:

Doki said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt?

It's just you. Give it a go, you might like it.

I've got a Cateye RC220, so it's not as if I've not done it. It's just
nowhere near as much fun as during the day.

Then you're approaching it all wrong. Get out there and blast!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Generally Not Used
;; Except by Middle Aged Computer Scientists

Quoted message said:

Road riding in the small hours has a special magic for me.

It seems to go dark at 5pm at the moment, so riding in the dark or not
much at all.I find I get fitter in these months because I put more
into the effort and less enjoying the view.Also the neighbours don't
see me getting back looking knackered.
In the dark lanes I find my 2.4W dynamo quite adequate. Last night I
rode with 7.5W and rather thought my eyes just adjusted to the extra
light so I did not see much more.I like to ride a hybrid which is
safer when it hits irregularities.

TerryJ

Give me a warm summer evening anytime but it is a long week if you sit in front
of the TV (or PC) every night waiting for the weekend.

It might (will) be cold or damp but you have to make the effort. I find the
hardest thing is to get kitted up and out to the garage. Once on the bike and
warmed up I immediately feel better and enjoy it, I am lucky enough to be close
to quiet country roads, once my eyes are adjusted I turn off my lights
(switched back on if a car comes) and it is great especially in moonlight. Saw
the aurora last October, fantastic.

Will be out later this evening as there is a chance of aurora again. See
www.spacew.com/www/aurora.html

Andrew.

"Doki" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is it just me, or does it all seem like a lot of hard work for nowt? Go

out

Quoted message said:

MTBing and you have to ride slower and still chance having your head

knocked

Quoted message said:

off by an unseen branch, and be stuck there until the morning, go out on

the

Quoted message said:

road and be even more bored than normal...

I find darkness enhances the perception of speed, YMMV.

Pete