Make your night playlist
Music has the power to set the mood and pace of your ride. Crafting a dedicated playlist for your nighttime cycles can significantly enhance your experience. Listening to familiar songs has an advantage because they are less distracting, which will help you focus on your cycling and the road ahead. Similarly, going for instrumental or electronic music with a consistent beat can be energizing without being distracting. Ultimately, your choice of music is highly individual and only you will know what will best complement the thrill of night cycling for you.
Time for podcasts and audiobooks
If you’re looking for a more engaging auditory experience, podcasts and audiobooks offer excellent alternatives to music. Genres like mystery and adventure can sync well with the thrilling aspect of night riding, but keep in mind that you will still need to pay attention to riding and navigating. Podcasts, on the other hand, can turn your cycling session into productive learning time. You can check out our podcast recommendations from a previous article here. And if you’re looking for some tips on cycling-related audiobooks, these are definitely worth it.
- The Cyclist’s Training Bible by Joe Friel
- Slaying the Badger: Greg LeMond, Bernard Hinault, and the Greatest Tour de France by Richard Moore
- Shut up Legs! My Wild Ride on and off the Bike by Jens Voigt
- The Climb, The Autobiography by Chris Froome
Sound safety
Safety should be your priority when mixing cycling with audio entertainment, especially during night-time, when visibility and awareness are already compromised. One way to make sure you always hear your surroundings is to use open-design headphones or bone-conduction headphones like Shokz Openrun. It’s also a good idea to keep the volume at a moderate level. When approaching intersections or areas with more traffic, it may be best to pause your audio completely.
The symphony of the night
You might think that cycling into the night means you’ll enjoy complete silence. In reality, the night is anything but silent. From rustling leaves and chirping crickets to your own rhythmic breathing, the whirring of the bicycle chain, and the rolling of tires against the pavement, the nocturnal world has its own acoustic profile. Rather than drowning these out with loud music, you can try making these noises a part of your ride. All you need to do is ride in silence for a few minutes and your senses will tune into the natural sounds around you. This awareness not only adds another layer to your sensory experience but also keeps you attuned to your environment, enhancing safety.
