Just curious really. Also wondering if people do it just to get some training in or actually enjoy it? I am looking forward to trying it for the first time myself, light on it's way from DX, with only frost/black ice a bit of a concern when the temps drop.
Yep, I do. I love it.
If you're riding in a group be sure to shout out when you see holes and road furniture. Nothing worse than hitting a pot hole because the person in front kept quiet. 👿
Hills seem easier but descending can be interesting. 😯
Almost every week day in the winter, to get home from work. I don't particularly enjoy night riding on or off road - it's a necessity (for transport or the odd 24-hour race) rather than fun for me.
Me, just got home
Thinking about because the more I consider a turbo/rollers the more attractive the idea becomes.
I do, although not yet this winter. I quite enjoy it late on when the roads are quiet and its nice and crisp with no wind.
Just commuting. I do like it though, riding hard in the cold is a lovely feeling, start out cold then hammer it til you're at a comfy temperature, no overheating problems, nice.
Yep. I work shifts and regularly ride to work at 9pm for nights, or ride home at anything from 11pm to 3 am when I'm on afternoons. Right through the heart of Salford. Nice.
I do. Love it. You travel faster at night in creepy places!
I love it, with work and the wee fella it's the only time I can get out. Roads are always nice and quiet too 🙂
If you're riding in a group be sure to shout out when you see holes and road furniture. Nothing worse than hitting a pot hole because the person in front kept quiet.
Will be doing it on my tod. Will be doing known routes to reduce the possibility of potholes etc catching me out.
....suicidal wildlife though is a different matter.
I like it too, the roads are much quieter.
Night commutes along country roads were always nice too and actually safer cos the glow of headlights meant you could see cars coming from much further away and they could see you.
You see much more wildlife too.
done a couple, but will start in anger this week.
quite looking fwd to it in a perverse sort of way 😯
Just about to head out. I've no option really with work and kids to sort out before even thinking about a ride. Good lights make it much better - and there are fewer cars out there. I just wish i could get bigger tyres in my frame - those potholes seem to suprise me everytime I'm out at night.
Cheers, Windy
What sort of light set up do you lot use.? Obviously one on the bars but what about a helmet mounted one.?
I am only going to use one on the bars. Figure one on the helmet is not really needed, as I will be pointing the same way as the bike 99% of the time....plus I figure it might dazzle car drivers more.
Going to carry a [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330560544467#ht_4508wt_991 ]head torch[/url] for a backup though.
Only tried it once (other than commuting) and that was returning from escorting some suverners on a ride to Pitlochry. Three of us, and it was great fun. Got to try it solo now.
I tend to use two lights - dynamo powered one pointed slightly downwards and a bright one straight ahead with a thumb switch on the bar so I can easily turn it off for oncoming traffic. The bright one used to be an old Vistalight halogen, but has now been replaced with a Diablo. I don't use a helmet light on the road (when I'm on a bike).
I used a 900l torch last year, it wasnt ideal as it used to wobble around alot and occasionally change modes. This year Ive got a 1200 bike specific light.
I tend to get quite a few miles in extending my commute home after late shifts, so after 11pm all year round. Family all usually tucked up in bed, and the roads are nice and quiet. I'll quite happily be out till gone 2 am, I can't say I enjoy it like a sunny day or a crisp frosty morning. But it lets me slot a lot of miles in without any family stuff clashing, and it let's me blow off steam after work.
Lights - a Lumicycle Halide thingy. It's a bit bright and car drivers don't like it but it means I can actually see where I'm going on country lanes - really useful downhill. It's bar mounted. Rear light is some sort of quite bright model - the brand of which I can't remember. I guess the brighter the better. I think I'm going to get one of the Exposure rear lights to compliment my current one just to be on the safe side.
I use smudge's £67 job on the bars and that's it. Well apart
from one of those respro hi viz vests and 2 rear led's 🙂
I often do a few laps of the park in the dark
can't say I enjoy it a great deal, but it's good training
I got one of the Lunar R1 rear lights from Planet-X, and it's very very bright. Will have a electron 6 led backupz light for...erm...backup.
As TS, I bought a Hi-Viz vest for a couple of quid off eBay and some reflective ankle strap thingies from DX at the same time as ordering my light.
I do ride on road in the winter, but on a rigid SS MTB.
SSs are best for winter due to needing less maintenance and the problems with potholes and suchlike being much less visible in the dark is less of an issue on an MTB. Can also change tyres to suit the amount of snow/ice expected.
Night riding is ace whether road or MTB.
Doing both quite a bit at the moment and love it. Road in a group on a dark smooth lane spinning along at 25mph is bliss.
I do it but only for the exercise, I much prefer riding in the day though night feels faster when you can't see much in the distance.
"It's a bit bright and car drivers don't like it"
As a car driver too I've had several near misses from being blinded by use of LED lights on the road.
High viz jackets plus a good light that doesn't dazzle is a much safer combo.
Personally I use a hub dynamo. Never worried about battery life, and the latest LEDs with a dipped pattern are brilliant.
Flap_Jack does raise a concern I do have. How do people with lights like the Magicshines etc, avoid blinding drivers? Just tip it down when a car approaches?
I much prefer road riding at night to daytime, feels faster more fun and you don't overheat.
I use aP7 torch too, at first mine changed mode on rough roads bar mounted (never bugded/wobbled tho) a wrap of gaffer tape round the battery so it's a tight fit inside the torch and dissassembling every thing, cleaning it and puting everything back together tighter can help stop the mode changing problem.I used a 900l torch last year, it wasnt ideal as it used to wobble around alot and occasionally change modes.
ride an hour to do a chain gang for an hour round an industrial estate , ride home
or ride round rivington and surrounding area's with full MTB off road lights for 2 hour session.
feels safer with high vis vest and a million lights on back of bike than during the day
1200 lumens LED on the bars, Exposure Diablo (set on low) on my head and a holy hand grenade for the back.
**** that, it's a good way to get run down.
Yep, I did the Moonride (extended London to Brighton, setting off at midnight) last week - my first proper road ride. Echo what MM said above about hills seeming easier but downhills being interesting. That might have been my lack of skill/confidence downhilling on a twitchy narrow-barred bike though. I just used all my mtb lights (2x ay ups), plus high vis jacket.
why mr capes?
Yes ride same as off road circa 600 lumens cutter kit.
Would want more if i did fast unlit descents those are scary
Was doing a quiet local backroad circuit last winter this year its prob going to be evening sessions on the local rail trails. Not sure about commuting as the route I'd take is a mostly driven fast even in the mist.
Would want more if i did fast unlit descents those are scary
well get your arse down to ours and pick yer light up.
That way you would be able to see more. 😆
It's cluttering the 'Vortexracing garage of porn' up
Love night riding on the road as much as off, makes familiar routes seem fresh and new, cycling down country lanes can smell wood fires coming from peoples houses, makes me feel good to know I've got the gumption to get out on the bike when others are sitting inside watching telly 🙂
Aiming to go out at least a couple times a week.
Have been doing a weekly 2 hour or so pub ride for years. Narrow unlit mucky lanes, often bridleways and tracks. Usually 3-5, biggest group around 12. Great fun, great pubs. Early days we had dynamos & 3w halogen which were quite adequate at the time.
These days we use LEDs by Exposure, DX, Cateye etc. On the bars is fine, but with wide spread like the DXs it has to be angled well down or drivers get dazzled and retaliate - and you just can't compete. So I prefer the narrower beam of my old Cateye Doubleshot, and 5 hours run time easily lasts the ride home.
Also, a peak on your hat or helmet is very useful for shading out dazzling oncoming lights.
I will text you as I might be able to pick it up tomorrow night.
I love freezing cold night rides. absolute fave riding.
A few years back it didnt get much over -0 for a couple of weeks,joy.
yup, I do. The daily cycle commute during the winter. It can be a shock if you havent done it before but it's quite pleasant when you get used to it.
or drivers get dazzled and retaliate - and you just can't compete
Not advocating an arms race, but yes you can
commute 3 times/week plus a Tues night group ride.
There are five of use and everyone has an Exposure Strada/Toro or more powerful MTB style front light so it is like daytime really.
Five of those completely freaks cars out and they pull into the verge - where I live is pretty rural and I think it looks like a combine coming down the road.
If you do a regular route and are properly attired then you get to know all the potholes and nasties and it is pretty enjoyable, especially on a clear starry night. If it pisses down, then it is ****ing miserable in the way that only road riding in the rain can be.
During the winter we use a 60/40 offroad/road loop in all weathers - down to -5C last year fairly often.
Will dim my Liberator for cars (or cover with my hand). Did get one complaint from an OAP driver last year about the brightness - just pleased he could see me tbh!
I run a Lumen Liberator on low beam and haven't had any problems with oncoming motorists. If they don't dip their beam then they'll experience the full force of the LL. They soon dip their beam after. 😈
**** that, it's a good way to get run down.
Have to disagree with that. If anything you're much more visible at night when lit up like a Christmas tree. They can't fail to notice you.
I love freezing cold night rides. absolute fave riding
Same as. You get a lot of very still crisp nights, even better with a bright moon.
First ride was returning from dropping TSY off up north and we had about 4 hours of riding in the dark. 8) Really enjoyed it - aside from not being able to see potholes *ouch*
Second one slightly less successful due to thinking we'd not need lights as it was mid summer - we did and had to ride with my tiny/useless commuting light on country roads until we got back into town at the back of midnight.
Planning to keep the Tuesday road ride going throughout winter for as long as possible and planning other night road rides.
I do, but not as much as I used to, too many nutty drivers about, and since I started driving a proper sized car I've realised quite how narrow some roads are! In the midget if you approached at cyclist at 30 on a singletrack road there could still be 3 ft between you, in the focus theres nothing! And that's me as a slow driver expecting cyclists!
Commutings different, but I dont do it for fun anymore. Just ride Guisbrough woods for intervals and the Moors for distance on the singlespeed. quite easy to ride for 2-3hours without doubling up tracks.
During the winter we use a 60/40 offroad/road loop in all weathers - down to -5C last year fairly often.
Any issues with black ice and such?
Any issues with black ice and such?
...fewer issues with unseen black ice. More frequent ar$e plants on sections of sheet ice tbh!