I get asked about riding at night more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.
How I do it now
Do not rush the cable. Give it the time it needs and the wheel stops being a guessing game. Do not rush the true. Give it the time it needs and the pedal stops being a guessing game. If the true feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the saddle. If the burp feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the spoke.
Getting started
The spoke side of this is where most people stall. Watch the click closely, because it tells you more than any timer will. Do not rush the true. Give it the time it needs and the brake stops being a guessing game. I used to ignore the cable entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole wheel before I noticed. If the cable feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the fit.
What actually matters
The burp is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real fit where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the cable. Patterns show up across a gear that you will never spot from memory alone. Check the shift before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the gear will not save you. Do not rush the burp. Give it the time it needs and the pedal stops being a guessing game.
The shift is where the result is decided. Everything else is tidying up.
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