Night Riding

Night Riding...Don't let the couch eat you this time of year...

With the days being shorter this time of year, sneaking in a post-work ride can be tricky.  Luckily, bike lights have drastically improved over the past decade.  With the bursts of spring-like weather we've been having this week, night riding is a very viable option to prevent the beer belly from growing too much. Here are a few more reasons you should consider snagging a light and heading out under the stars this year...

Watching the sun dip behind the ridge before diving into the forest.

Reason #1

The ability to ride year round here is a major bonus to living in Harrisonburg. It's not uncommon to find yourself getting burned out at some point though.  Take a trail you've ridden hundreds of times during the day and it will completely change at night. The same features are there, but it's incredible how different the trail appears when the only light you have is much more focused.  If you find yourself getting tired of the same rides, grab a light.   

Checking out the stars rolling out of Hone Quarry

Reason #2

There's no better vantage point for a sunset than on top of one of the many ridge lines west or east of town.  It's hard to beat cruising up a mountain as the sky changes colors without feeling rushed for time.  Sunsets around here worth watching and some of the best places to enjoy them aren't accessible by car.  Grab a light for the descent back down the mountain.

Reason #3

On a clear night the sky puts on an incredible show of stars.  I guarantee it's much better than the latest Netflix drama. Hone Quarry was my destination of choice last Wednesday night with a great wide open view above the reservoir. At some point in your ride turn your light off and look up.

A Few Tips...

If you've never ventured out onto the trails at night, here are a few tips...

•  Get a reliable light. There are many cheap lights out there that are very bright; however, the batteries are generally unreliable. I use Light and Motion's Imjin 800 on my helmet and have been more than happy.  It's super light-weight and relatively inexpensive compared to other lights out there.
• Depending on what type of trail you're riding, it doesn't hurt to have two lights...One on the helmet, one on the bars. Your helmet light is crucial for scanning ahead into upcoming turns. I typically put my brightest light on my helmet, but that's something to play around with. The bar light is helpful with depth perception because you can direct it downward more to fill the gap where you're helmet light doesn't hit. 
• This time of year especially, bring extra layers. As the sun sets, the temperature drops a good bit.
• Find some friends to ride with.  Motivation is much easier to find with a group of people.  Thomas leads a night ride from the SBC parking lot every Monday night around 8:30. If you don't have any night-riding experience this ride would be a great intro.  Massanutten is another great place to start.  Don't let the lack of sun get you down...

- Andrew

Winter Riding...learning by years of mistakes...

When the window to ride is open I have to jump in with both feet, regardless of the weather. My window to ride was open this past Sunday morning. Even though the temperature was reading 8 degrees at the house I was motivated to grab my Salsa Horsethief hit the snow on Shenandoah Mountain. A last minute connect with Andrew from the shop and I had a motivated riding partner

Andrew climbing up near the Reddish Saddle

Over the years I have made a lot of mistakes when it comes to winter riding. What I have learned through these mistakes is something I would like to share so hopefully you will get to experience a beautiful winter riding day on the mountain.

Final adjustment time before the downhill.

Thomas's top ten tips to making the winter ride a little bit better!

1- Taping the brake levers:  I run a thin layer of cloth tape on my mountain & commuter bike brake levers to help insulate my hands from cold metal. Constant touching of the cold levers will sap your hands of heat. 

2 - Warm cloths: Make sure all your riding gear is warm when you go to put it on...a riding bag in the trunk does not count.  

3 - When to get dress: Don't get dress in a parking lot, you will lose all your body heat. If  it is a close drive to your riding destination then get dress in the warmth of the house. If it is longer drive I like to get partially dress at home then do a quick pull off 5 or 10 minutes from the destination, this will allow me and my cloths to get acclimated, I am also ready to roll when I arrive. 

4 - Gloves: Very seldom am I doing a ride with only one set of gloves. I usually have two pairs to cover a temperature range, doing a quick swap out before my hands get too hot or cold. I will sometimes store the extra gloves under my vest to act as a warmth layer and get the second pair of gloves warm (putting cold hands in cold gloves does not help).   Bar Mitts...there is nothing better for days like it was today! On cold mornings our family even uses them on the trail-a-bike for taking the 5 year old to school.

5 - Shoes:  I sometimes use toe covers but most of the time nothing is better then a good pair of winter shoes. This is not low cost purchase, but when I did the math the two pairs of winter shoes I used over 14 years cost me less then $40 a year (just got my 3rd pair last year). How many times have you told yourself on a cold ride you would do anything for warm feet! 

Decision time..."freshies" either way!

6 - Helmets: Do you ski or snowboard? If you do you probably have a warmer helmet. When the weather gets really cold I grab my snow board helmet instead of my bike helmet. It has great coverage and warmth. 

7 - Neck gator: We don't put enough importance on keeping our necks warms. So much of our daily living (and riding) tension is held through our next and shoulders. Keeping this area is key to a healthy ride and life! I love a merino wool multi tube that goes around your next. It keeps this area to warm and is easy to pull over your face as needed. 

8 - Go wool base layer:  A good merino wool base layer should be what you have covering your top half.  A merino wool base layer is comfortable and keeps you warm when it gets damp from sweat. Just remember to gentle wash in cold and never put in the dryer. 

9: Vest: No matter if it is in the 50's or single digits I am always wearing my vest.   A vest is a great  way to keep your core warm and preventing you from over sweating.  

10: Adjust & eat at the right time: Adjust you cloths and eat before it is too late: Almost every ride I will have a few "time to adjust" break points.  Make this clothing adjustments before you are a slightest bit too cold or too warm. If you get too cold it takes your body way to much energy to try and get warm again. Our bodies also consume a lot more calories when it is fighting to stay warm so remember to eat when you are not hungry yet.  When you take these adjustment brakes do them in sunny and wind sheltered spots.