Muckers Halloween Special – cycling ghost stories from around the world

Right then, Muckers. Halloween lands on Saturday, the clocks have gone back, and the evening rides are properly dark. Perfect conditions for a few campfire tales. We’ve dug up six legends from six countries where roads, races or riders have a ghostly twist. To be clear, these are folklore, not fact: stories people tell, not things we can prove. Each one has a source link so you can read the original.

1. The Phantom Cyclist of Eyam Dale, England

Derbyshire’s Peak District is full of steep climbs, and Eyam Dale is one of them. Local ghost lore says it’s also home to a rider you’ll never catch. Walkers report hearing tyres and a bell behind them, stepping aside to let the cyclist pass, and finding an empty road.

The best bit, and one every club rider will recognise: a cyclist grinding up the dale on a soaking-wet day was said to be overtaken by another rider who pulled away effortlessly, in a cape that was bone dry. We’ve all been dropped on a climb. Few of us by a ghost. Read more at The Peculiar Path or in the Haunted Places of Derbyshire chapter on Eyam.

2. The Light on Buckley Road, Ohio, USA

A classic American “summon the ghost” legend. The story goes that if you drive along Buckley Road near Oxford, Ohio, turn your car to face Route 732, switch off the engine, flash your headlights three times and wait, a white light will come over the hills towards you. It’s said to be the ghost of a cyclist who was hit and killed by a car there. The tale is on Forgotten Ohio. It’s a legend, but it’s also a good reason to run proper lights.

3. The Night Rider of Puketawai Road, New Zealand

Near Ōtorohanga, staff and passing motorists at a former lodge on Puketawai Road have reportedly seen a man riding a bicycle up and down the driveway and nearby road at night, then vanishing. He doesn’t approach anyone. He just rides, as if following a route that still matters to him. There’s no named rider and no recorded accident, and the Paranormal NZ write-up is clear these are anecdotes, not verified events. Honestly, the most relatable ghost on the list: just getting his miles in.

4. Count Ghisallo and the Patron Saint of Cyclists, Italy

Not spooky exactly, but this one has bandits, a mountain pass and a miracle. Above Lake Como, the chapel at Magreglio houses the Madonna del Ghisallo. Tradition says a medieval nobleman, Count Ghisallo, was threatened by brigands, called on the Virgin for protection and survived, and the image took his name.

The cycling link is real history: in 1947 the local priest, Don Ermelindo Viganò, saw riders in the Giro di Lombardia crossing themselves at the chapel, and in 1949 Pope Pius XII named her patroness of cyclists. Sources: the sanctuary’s own history and Cyclingnews.

5. The Santa Compaña and the Camino, Spain

In Galicia, the Santa Compaña is a night procession of hooded souls carrying candles, said to announce a death. Legend says don’t look, don’t accept the cross they offer, and shelter at a cruceiro, one of the stone crosses at crossroads and along the Camino de Santiago, which were believed to protect pilgrims. Plenty of us ride that route now, so we’ll take any protection going. Sources: the Camino de Santiago explainer and National Geographic Historia (in Spanish). The old tales talk about walkers rather than cyclists, but the road is the same.

6. The Mountain With a Door to Hell: Mont Ventoux, France

The “Giant of Provence” needs no help from ghosts, but legend adds some. Writers note that one of the caves on its forbidding north slope, the Baume de Méne, is believed by some to be an entrance to hell, and Roland Barthes called the mountain a “god of Evil” to which sacrifice must be made. See Pirelli’s Memories from Mont Ventoux.

Near the top, the real story is a sad one. British rider Tom Simpson died on the climb in the 1967 Tour de France, and a memorial stands there where riders leave bottles and caps. It’s a place for quiet respect, not ghost stories, so please treat it that way.

The ones that aren’t legends: ghost bikes

Ghost bikes are white-painted bicycles locked at the roadside where a cyclist was killed or hit. The movement is traced to St. Louis, Missouri in 2003, when Patrick Van Der Tuin placed a white bike marked “Cyclist Struck Here” and then more at other crash sites. It has since spread worldwide. See Grist and The Guardian.

These aren’t spooky decorations. Each one stands for a real person and the people who miss them. If you pass one this weekend, slow down, give it a nod, and give the next rider a bit more room.

The Muckers Halloween Night Ride

• Virtual (our pick): set up a relaxed group spin on ROUVY over Halloween weekend. Fancy dress is encouraged (skeleton kit, or a witch’s hat, indoors only). Pick a route with a spooky name, keep the effort chatty and keep the group chat going.
• Real world: ride with three or four friends on well-lit roads or paths, with front and rear lights, reflective kit, and someone knowing your route and finish time.
• Both: no heroics, nobody gets dropped, last rider sets the pace. Cake at the end is tradition.

Your turn: share your cycling ghost stories

Got a spooky tale from your local roads, climbs or club runs? A strange noise on a night ride, an old pub legend, a rider who wasn’t there? Tell us in the comments below. Keep them fun and keep real tragedies respectful. Happy Halloween, Muckers: stay lit and stay safe.

All stories above are folklore or local legend, retold for fun. Sources were checked on 28 October 2026 and links may change. Muckers Worldwide is not affiliated with the sites linked.