Great article.

Would it not also be worth mentioning that it may be worth building up a rigid hack / singlespeed for nightriding, so that you can quite literally finish the ride and ditch the bike in the garage with nothing but a liberal coating of WD40? Also builds up those handling skills!

In for a penny in for a pound...

Funny you should mention that PMJ, exactly waht I did.

Me too...

:-)

I swear that the light on my bike doubles the value!

Great article and very usefull to newcomers. I have basically found out each and evry tip in that article out for myself over the past couple of months.

There bikes, there made out of stronger stuff than mud, you can put them away, with just washing the chain off with a kettle of water, then sort them proper before the next ride.

The main problem with night riding is, it's hard to sometimes spot, a rock or branch or a deep muddy puddle, so you actually need suspension more than day rides and going out Rigid is just Stupid.

My bike is still in the garage after riding on wednesday night. She keeps calling me a bastard for leaving her in such a state. Gonna get round to it.

Was lovely putting such a filthy bike in the back of the car after nightriding cos it was all frozen and i didnt get as dirty as i normally do.

It had defrosted by the time i got home :-/

I paid for full suss, i am gonna use it as much as i can.

Get a rack on the back of your car Hobo and leave it there, sooo much easier :)

The @£700 on another bike, which you won't like riding anyway, will buy alot of replacement pivot points, which is the only damage Mud really does.

My hardtail comes out when i get a little bored. I am no way bored at the moemnt. Garburn pass & Ae line in the dark, Yaaaaay!!

I have tried the carrying on the back & the roof thing and always return to in the back of the car.

I get a new company car soon and even though i am still in my prime at just 30 i will be speccing an estate for this reason.

The only other thing i would suggest for people night riding is a good bag. There is nowt worse than scuttling about a dark car park dumping yer wet gear in the boot of yer and searching the footwells of yer car for dry gear. Everything becomes so disorganised at night and things get lost.

Cheap £10 LED head torch, great for packing the bike / kit away useful backup incase your lights die and great of mid ride repair work to, as HID's and high power Halogens melt and waste valuable run time.

I did that Dylan, topeak 3 led from halfords. Fits in the mouth perfectly whilst you get dressed :-)

I have a (embarrassing) hat box for carrying all the light gear together. Dont laugh, the wife had it lying about and it keeps it all together.

Just need a big bag with wet storage for my clothes now.

I thought you were riding in the peaks today ?

I got a car with leather seats and I don't care, it all gets dumped randomly.

Going up late tonight, like 1am or something, riding tommorow and sunday mate.

Staying in, in the hope Pauls forks will arrive starting to give up hope, better start getting ready though.

Have a good one!

Having a rigid SS as a night bike is actually a really good idea. I put mine together for about £300 and love it. In the dark you ride slower and more carefully anyway, no matter how good your lights are so having a rigid bike is no biggy. Plus you get more benefit from running SS on short 2 hour rides.

I sorry - what is about this cleaning that you all are does speaking?

I'm not sure about a rigid singlespeed, but I do have a night riding bike. Mainly cos its easier than taking the lights off rather than any maintence issues.
Plus I like the fact my night bike is jet black, with black parts, wheels etc. Turn the lights off and you'll never find it.......

Not understanding this cleaning either, 2 days in the peaks and my FS bike dumped in the back room totally un cared for.

It had Zero Oil or anything before the ride today aswell, and ran better than with a lubed chain yesterday, so sod oiling every again :)

Dr. not to wise on the road, but if your sneaking around in back gardens trying to sneak looks at girlies, then it rocks :)

have to agree about rigid SS, it's the way forward. That mild feeling of fear as you descend down a track, any moment expecting a wheel stopping rock to suddenly spring into view - class

Amen brother.

*sways with arms in the air*

Indeed. Rigid nightriding rocks.

I paid for a bling hardtail and am going to use it, but only when it can get the love it deserves afterwards.