Pleasure cycling at night

[gar]

Night riding can be very pleasant indeed.
I had a 15 year old acquaintance once whose father lived 40miles from his mother and he loved them both, well probably rather more his Father!
He used to ride the distnce about four times a week and he said that night was a very good time to do the journey.

I tried doing the same (the riding!) and using the main roads while everybody else was still asleep
at 0430. I had never used the A roads for risding and was delighted by the easy surfaces and the
progress I made across country. A journey which took me 5-6 hours outwards amid seething traffic even on the back road
took me about 2 1/2 hours back with absolutely nothing on the road until 0730.

Belting along early in the morning trying to get up a bit of warmth at a time of morning when it is
perrtty cold even in summer.

I got the skill from Santiago Camino walkers who all get up at 0330 and are walking well before dawn even in the summer. Then they make xcellent headway....... SO DID I!!

The day's ride is over by about 1300hrs. Early to bed about 2100 unless u get a siesta.

Does anybody do a variation of this?

It can be very satisfying cycling along with
a deer alongside surprised by you at the time of the morning into running in the same direction......along side!

Gar

[Elucasr]

Yes, night riding can be very pleasant. But avoid the A14 and A428/421 as the traffic goes all night.

For a Cambridge to Bedford route see our website www.ctc-cambridge.org.uk

[cm]

Night cycling is great, especially around dawn and it is often less windy at night.

I've had a few near-miss experiences of tired early morning motorists not expecting to meet cyclist at that time in the morning though.

At least you can hear the very occasional motorist approaching and a quick check over the shoulder that he's spotted you.

[gar]

I still have not succeeded in getting OUT ON THE ROAD before dawn, but the last five days I have seen three of the five sunrises and all before 5.
My local ride on the day of the solstice was like no other. I had done it a thousand times before yet the sun rose and the mist moved up the valley and both filtering through the trees as though I had never been that way before. I'll let you know when I am so, out before dawn. It has to be in June/July to make it worth reporting

g

[REG452]

Hi, i have just started cycling to work, at 3.30 am, as i am a milkman !! I have noticed that ot can be Very dark at that time, and wonder about the best kind of cycle lights...? Any thing under a fiver would be good !

Reg

[gar]

If you bought under a fiver you would need two to be effective. There are people here with much more knowledge about bike appliances than I have.

g