Alan D Davis asked:




Now that it’s officially winter many folks have hung up the bike(s) and are concentrating on activities that can take place inside – and that’s really not such a bad thing. I wrote an article not too long ago where I encouraged the reader to look at winter as an opportunity to take a little time away from the bike. For many, it’s been a long cycling season and you are tired both physically and mentally. Spending a few months in the gym lifting weights, doing some plyometrics or even pilates/yoga is a great way to work on those areas that cycling neglects and to stretch those muscles that cycling shortens. And if you just can’t live for 4 months without turning the pedals, but it’s just too cold to get outside there are alternatives there as well – an indoor trainer or spinning classes will satisfy that urge (I prefer the spinning classes as I tend to get bored easily and need the camaraderie of group exercise).

However, for those who are fortunate to live in the warmer regions of the country as I do, there is always Urban Night Riding. So, exactly what is that? My friends and I do a weekly ride of 40-45 miles every Tuesday night all done on pavement in both neighborhoods and downtown (we live in a city of 1+ million). It’s a good mix of hills, short intervals (20+ mph) and long straight stretches done at tempo (18-20mph). The thing that makes this a really good workout is that we do this ride on full suspension mountain bikes complete with knobby tires run at 35 psi.

There are a few tips that we’ve learned along the way that may differ a bit from traditional road cycling and/or mountain biking:

1. Wear bright/reflective clothes – of course this is a good tip any time you ride after dark, but it’s especially important when you are riding on city streets. Also, don’t forget that unlike those morning rides where you can usually count on it warming up, the temperature on these rides is going to get colder as the night progresses so I usually stuff another layer in my pocket.

2. Use a front and rear blinkie light – you would think this would be a no-brainer, however I’m still amazed at the number of riders I see after dark with neither. I use the brightest rear blinkie I can find on my seatpost and then I use a smaller light that I clip to the back of my helmet on the adjusting strap. For the front, bright is good, but bright and flashing is better. I used to ride with my super bright HID light (600 lumens), but I’ve since converted to a smaller, but still bright (200 lumens) LED because it has a flash capability. The human eye is designed to detect movement so I’ll sacrifice a little brightness, however I strongly recommend you purchase a good, rechargeable light that throws a wide pattern. I’ve tried the smaller (and cheaper) 4 AA lights, but these tend to do a better of job of making you seen vs. allowing you to see the road ahead of you – and both are important on these rides.

3. Ride in a group – again that safety thing. Many blinking lights are easier to see than one (or none!). Also, if someone has a flat or breaks a bike part you have some help (also, another light source as it’s tough to get your bar light to shine on your rear derailleur!)

4. No drop policy – speaking of riding in a group, it’s important to hook up with other riders of similar skill as night rides should absolutely, positively be “no drop” rides. Heh, it’s dark out there!

5. Don’t challenge the buses!!! – they are much bigger than you are. Seriously, riding downtown in traffic should not be taken lightly. You need to be super vigilant as not only is there apt to be more traffic, but there are also many more distractions – for both you and the drivers.

Urban Night Riding can be a great addition to your off season training routine. It’s different enough from both traditional road riding and mountain biking so that you get the break you need, but it can also be very challenging – trust me on this one. The dark and the traffic deserve some additional respect, but with the right equipment and attention you can have a great ride all winter long.

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