10 Reasons to Bike in the Dark

Some people are a little bit afraid of night riding as they thought there were lots of dangers in dark. So I thought I’d share my top 10 reasons to ride bike at night.

1. Riding in the dark makes you a better rider. At night your field of vision narrows to the thin strip of dirt just in front of your tire which allows you to concentrate on reading the trail in new ways. Shadows cover hidden obstacles so you’ll quickly learn to be more alert and to react more quickly to the terrain. As a part of a broader skills training regimen, night riding will hone your abilities on the trail.

2. Old trails become new. If you’re like me, sometimes you get bored of riding the same old trails week after week but night riding changes things completely. Riding through a dark tunnel of trees and blackness will get your adrenaline pumping while things like trail exposure will fade away, making difficult trails seem easier and vice versa.

3. Dark trails are empty trails. If you’re looking for solitude on the trail but don’t want to drive to the middle of nowhere, night riding can be just the ticket to getting the trails all to yourself. The upshot is you can also ride faster without worrying about running into riders coming the opposite direction. Even if you do encounter other riders you’ll be able to see their lights well before they approach.

4. Lower temps in the summer. This one kinda bites both ways but I love being able to ride at night during the summer when the temperatures are much lower than during the day. Even better: a pre-dawn ride in the summertime.

5. Open up your riding schedule. If you have a family you know that getting in a little trail time can be a challenge some days. Riding at night is a good compromise since it opens up your schedule to do other things during the day. Who needs sleep anyway?

6. Good excuse to get new gear. I know, I know, mountain biking isn’t all about the gear but sometimes it’s fun to play with new toys. For night riding you’ll need at least one high tech light system and warmer clothing if you’re riding during the winter.

7. Night riding is more social. Riding at night by yourself is even more dangerous than riding solo during the day, though that’s not to say I haven’t done it more than once. Still, thanks to #5 most of your riding buddies won’t have an excuse for skipping a night ride. After our Tuesday night rides we usually go for pizza and beers at Felini’s which is almost as fun as riding.

8. Avoid trail user conflicts. I’ve never heard of anyone going “night hiking” – though I suppose some people do it. Still, you typically won’t find hikers or

equestrians out on the trails at night which opens up the riding possibilities if you catch my drift.

9. See the light show. Just because it’s nighttime doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see amazing scenery. If you’ve ever seen a stream of a dozen bike lights weaving through the forest at night you know what I’m taking about – such a cool sight.

10. Extend your season. If you’re used to hitting the trail for a couple hours after work, standard time can put a crimp in your plans – unless of course you have a light. Don’t be a caveman – get a light and venture out at night!

Now start your night riding trips. Before that you may need to know Night Riding Tips: How to Safely Ride Bicycle at Night & Bicycle Accessories for Night Riding.