roadiewill
New Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
I do a 24 hour bike race each year... riding at 3am is quality and you just speed up the hills as your mentally unprepared for the hill in front... so basically you cant see it so you dont know its there.
night riding
- Thread starter JohnRedcoRn
- Start date
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saddlesoar
New Member
- Location
- Hampshire
I love night riding.
I'm lucky enough to live on the edge of town so I can see the sights of a Saturday night in the city centre or ride off road on a gravel track into the middle of woods. Riding off road at night really focuses the mind!
I use a head torch as well as my bike light, that way if I want to look at something my bike is not facing I don't have to turn my bike. Also with a head torch if you ride in fog you get the impression of doing "warp speed" as you ride through the droplets of water.
A good thing to try if it is a clear night, you are off road and confident no-one else is around, is to ride with no lights at all! Your eyes soon adjust and you can see more than the little pool of light from your bike light.
BTW I am a complete newbie to this forum and this is my very first post.
Hello everyone!
I'm lucky enough to live on the edge of town so I can see the sights of a Saturday night in the city centre or ride off road on a gravel track into the middle of woods. Riding off road at night really focuses the mind!
I use a head torch as well as my bike light, that way if I want to look at something my bike is not facing I don't have to turn my bike. Also with a head torch if you ride in fog you get the impression of doing "warp speed" as you ride through the droplets of water.
A good thing to try if it is a clear night, you are off road and confident no-one else is around, is to ride with no lights at all! Your eyes soon adjust and you can see more than the little pool of light from your bike light.
BTW I am a complete newbie to this forum and this is my very first post.
Hello everyone!
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
Hello saddlesoar and welcome!
Good first post! Night riding is indeed fun (I liked your warp speed comment
).
As an aside, I VERY occasionally (long ago) drove a minibus in Denmark and (instead of turning off the lights) closed my eyes and counted to 20! Talk about adrenalin rush!
I hasten to add that I did it on a straight bit of the motorway, in daylight, in good conditions, and none of my passengers were aware of it!
Good first post! Night riding is indeed fun (I liked your warp speed comment
).As an aside, I VERY occasionally (long ago) drove a minibus in Denmark and (instead of turning off the lights) closed my eyes and counted to 20! Talk about adrenalin rush!
I hasten to add that I did it on a straight bit of the motorway, in daylight, in good conditions, and none of my passengers were aware of it!
saddlesoar
New Member
- Location
- Hampshire
If you're closing your eyes, it doesn't matter if it's daylight or not!
OP
OP
JohnRedcoRn
New Member
he he, nice one dayvo...yeah, great way to freak out my wife i find is to switch the car lights off for a few seconds while dtriving along country lanes in the dark.
well, you know us married men have shorter lives because of wives slowly destroying our very will to live, so you have to try readjusting the balance sometimes.
well, you know us married men have shorter lives because of wives slowly destroying our very will to live, so you have to try readjusting the balance sometimes.
Perry
Senior Member
- Location
- East London/Essex
I like night riding, the main down side for me is that cars seem to drive a lot faster as there is less traffic.
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
saddlesoar said:
It does if you're pissed, as well!
OP
OP
JohnRedcoRn
New Member
it occured to me that i have my lights on....drivers seem to see me and give me space. But should i be wearing reflective bands etc too ? (i have a night vision waterproof jacket but its been a bit warm) ?
also, my lights (electron..seem decent quality) - the front one is more to make me visible but not exactly giving me floodlight vision. the rear one - static setting and various flashing speeds. I wondered is there a 'right' setting for the rear lights so i'm safe and visible but not annoying/blinding/distracting drivers ?
thanks
also, my lights (electron..seem decent quality) - the front one is more to make me visible but not exactly giving me floodlight vision. the rear one - static setting and various flashing speeds. I wondered is there a 'right' setting for the rear lights so i'm safe and visible but not annoying/blinding/distracting drivers ?
thanks
cheadle hulme
Guru
- Location
- Llandudno
The rules on rear cycle lights are complicated as the legislation surrounding them is fundamentally botched - basically you can have them on fixed or flashing, whatever you think works best.
Regarding other reflective stuff, try getting someone in a car to follow you (or even better get someone to wear your gear and ride your bike whilst you follow in a car).
Its the best way to see how you look to drivers.
Regarding other reflective stuff, try getting someone in a car to follow you (or even better get someone to wear your gear and ride your bike whilst you follow in a car).
Its the best way to see how you look to drivers.
purplemoon
New Member
- Location
- Cambs/Suffolk
I've just had a good giggle reading about all those of you who get spooked riding at night, thanks!
Well, yesterday, whilst riding through Thetford Forest, in daylight I might add! - we went off down a pathway through some heathland and I could hear what sounded to be movement from animals/insects or whatever to my left. Anyhow, this noise seemed to get louder and louder and appeared to be following us
I ended up completely spooking myself, and knowing there are snakes in the area, I imagined this huge anaconda sized thing racing through the grass alongside me as I rode like a bat out of hell, waiting to swallow me and the bike up whole!!! :?:
Can you imagine what I'd be like riding in the dark!!!
Well, yesterday, whilst riding through Thetford Forest, in daylight I might add! - we went off down a pathway through some heathland and I could hear what sounded to be movement from animals/insects or whatever to my left. Anyhow, this noise seemed to get louder and louder and appeared to be following us
I ended up completely spooking myself, and knowing there are snakes in the area, I imagined this huge anaconda sized thing racing through the grass alongside me as I rode like a bat out of hell, waiting to swallow me and the bike up whole!!! :?:
Can you imagine what I'd be like riding in the dark!!!
OP
OP
JohnRedcoRn
New Member
i would be scared of that too. Sometimes farmers let their offspring out. you didnt say wether you a bloke or a lady.....although thats neither here nor there if young jethro is feeling a little frisky - if he catches you he's having you.
ride zig-zag, these oafs tend to have poor peripheral vision due to their eyes being too close together. keen sense of smell though, and massive hands.
ride zig-zag, these oafs tend to have poor peripheral vision due to their eyes being too close together. keen sense of smell though, and massive hands.
purplemoon
New Member
- Location
- Cambs/Suffolk
JohnRedcoRn said:
:?:
Well, not sure about being a "lady" but I'm definitely female
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
purplemoon said::?:
Well, not sure about being a "lady" but I'm definitely female
If you're half as attractive as your avatar, then you're most definitely a lady!
Anyway, I'm sure your very nice, too! And that's what the snakes in Thetford forest think, as well!
