Night riders

In a bid to beat the heat and still indulge in their passion for biking, several bikers and biking groups have begun to take off in the evenings, when the weather is much more conducive for riding.   Earlier during weekends, the bikers would head off on joyrides. Says Rishi Mamidela, an employee of a start-up in the city and an avid biker, “The only time I get to enjoy the rides are on weekends. But again, thanks to the heat that isn’t happening.” Instead, he and his friends prefer to ride out after work, at night, to any of the late-night dhabas on the highways or the outskirts of the city. “I prefer riding at night than in the glare of the sun,” adds Rishi, who rides a Bullet.

Even biking groups like Wanderers, who usually host their meet-ups during the day, have now started to do so in the evenings. Rahoo0l Saxena, a member of the Bullet group, says, “Riding in the day when it’s this hot is obviously very risky. We tend to perspire a lot thanks to the biking jackets we wear. As a result we end up dehydrated. Therefore, it’s more convenient to ride at night.” The group rides in large numbers — sometimes more than 30 bikers — and the minimal traffic at night makes it convenient. “Also, it prepares us for night riding if need be and thus helps enhance our riding skills,” he adds.

Bikers during one of their evening outings

Entrepreneur Neeruz Jain usually rides out of the city on weekends. His most recent trip was to Nizamabad and an overnight stay at the Kuntala waterfalls — all at night. Neeruz says, “Earlier, I used to go out early morning. Now I find it a lot easier to ride in the evenings. I don’t have to be worried about falling sick. There is obviously an element of risk involved. But if you know your bike well and remain careful, the ride becomes comfortable.”