Late-Night Riding Experience: The Unique Charm of Night Cycling in Taiwan

My First Night Ride Was Because I Lost Track of Time

To be honest, my first night ride wasn’t planned at all.

That day was a Friday night. I was chatting with friends at a café until very late, and when I walked out, I realized it was almost 1 a.m. The MRT had already stopped running, and I was too lazy to take a taxi, so I rode my bike toward home. Along the riverside park bike path, the streetlights on both sides lit the road brightly. There was none of the crowded feeling you get during the day—just me and the occasional one or two night joggers.

Those 20 minutes of night riding got me hooked.

The Appeal of Night Riding: Another Face of the City

Taipei at night, especially after midnight, has a kind of quiet that belongs only to that time of day. Zhongxiao East Road, usually bustling with traffic, is almost completely silent at 2 a.m.; the skyscrapers in Xinyi District are still brightly lit, but the streets are nearly empty of people. Riding through a city like this gives you a nearly surreal sense of detachment—you’re there, but at the same time, you’re not quite there.

I started deliberately scheduling night rides. At least once a month, usually on Friday or Saturday nights, setting off between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., covering distances of 30 to 50 kilometers.

My favorite route is along the riverside park system of the Keelung River and the Tamsui River. During the day, this route is a popular leisure path, crowded with people and bikes; but late at night, it becomes a quiet track that feels almost exclusively yours. The streetlights reflect off the water’s surface, occasionally a wild duck takes off from the water’s edge, and the city’s noise is shut out beyond the embankment.

An Unforgettable Night Ride on a Mountain Road

After trying the riverside routes, I became curious about night riding on mountain roads.

One time, on a Saturday night, two friends and I agreed to ride up Yangmingshan at night. We set off from Tianmu at 10 p.m., heading up Yangde Avenue. During the day, I had ridden that road dozens of times, so familiar I could almost pedal it with my eyes closed; but at night, it became a completely different place.

The range of the headlight is limited—only that patch of road ahead is illuminated, and everything else is darkness. Trees become blurry silhouettes in the dark, the sounds of insects are especially clear, and occasionally a civet cat darted out from the grass by the roadside, giving me a big scare.

When we neared the summit, the lights of the Taipei Basin appeared in the valley on our left. That view is something you can’t see during the day—during the day there’s haze and blur in the distance, but at night, every single light in the city is clearly distinguishable. Looking down from the mountainside, it was like an incredibly detailed map.

We stopped at the summit and looked at it in silence for a long time. No one said a word.

Safety Precautions for Night Riding

Behind the beauty of night riding, safety is a matter that must be taken seriously. Here are the practical practices I’ve accumulated over the years:

Lighting Setup

• Front light: At least 800 lumens, capable of illuminating the road 10 meters ahead; dual front lights are recommended
• Rear light: High-brightness flashing mode so vehicles behind you can see you clearly
• Helmet light: An additional small light mounted on the helmet to increase visibility

Clothing Choices

• Wear a cycling jersey or vest with reflective elements
• Avoid all-black outfits; even just adding a reflective strap makes a significant difference

Route Selection

• For early night rides, choose familiar routes to avoid getting lost in the dark
• Avoid remote mountain roads with unclear road conditions
• Choose sections with streetlights whenever possible

Buddy System

• For your first night ride, don’t go alone; find a friend with night riding experience to accompany you
• Let family or friends know your riding route and estimated return time

Night Riding Changed How I Feel About Cycling

After riding for a few years, daytime routes can sometimes feel so familiar that they lose their novelty. Night riding reignited my passion for it, because the same roads, under different light and atmosphere, become an entirely different world.

Most importantly, the quiet of the night makes cycling feel more pure. There are no scenic spots to photograph, no check-ins to do—just you, the road, and every pedal stroke in the darkness. That purity is hard to find amid the noise of daytime riding.

If you haven’t tried night riding yet, pick a safe route, prepare your lights, find a friend to go with you, and give it a try. That feeling is hard to fully describe in words.

Related Reading

• The Appeal and Safety Rules of Night Riding: A Guide to Night Cycling in the City and Suburbs
• The Appeal and Cost of Night Riding: A Safety Guide and Real Experiences on Dark Roads
• Night Riding Culture: Taipei Late-Night Cycling Routes and Safety Precautions
• The Night Riding Culture of Cycling: The Formation of Taiwan’s Night Riding Community and the Charm of Riverside Night Rides