I do a fair bit of night road riding, sometimes just an extended commute, sometimes specific rides.

Roads are much quieter and what traffic there is you can see coming from miles off – it can see you too if you have good lights. ALWAYS have 2 rear lights, and a bar-mounted and helmet-mounted front. Helmet mounted is more for repairs if needed but it’s useful for looking over hedgerows, round corners and at the ghouls/axe murderers that are running alongside you. 😉

Hi-viz is useless at night but anything with reflective highlights will work well. I’ve got a black Endura jacket which I hate wearing during the day but at night it lights up really well cos it’s got loads of reflective strips and patches.

Why do you need to ask about riding at night ?Just do it .All the winter Audax I do have several hours of darkness on roads I dont know to contend with .They are all fine with 300 lumens or so

I’ve a couple of quite fast downhills on the normal road route, so I’m going to ask if anyone can say if those B&M thingies really do have enough output for a 30mph descent on an unlit, wet, tree lined road?

The Cyo Premium doesn’t really, but the IQX is supposed to be a step better, not had a chance to use mine yet sadly but friends rate them. I guess 30mph is probably pushing it for comfort but you could supplement with a joystick, which is what I did for my CYO on faster bits

One further hazard you do have to consider late at night is the difficulty of passing a late chip shop; these have a special gravitational field all of their own!

yes! when your tummy is a rumbling you cant pass a late night chippy.

Because he’s unfamiliar with it and is looking for advice?

I like night cycling in winter, tow paths and fire roads are good.

I you can also get away with dodgy stuff like riding local trail centres in reverse.

Why do you need to ask about riding at night ?Just do it .All the winter Audax I do have several hours of darkness on roads I dont know to contend with .They are all fine with 300 lumens or so

I usually ride on the proper dark bits with the strada on low, not sure how many lumens that is but it’s generally fine for taking it easy pace. On bits I’m not sure on or I up the speed I generally use medium, hardly ever use high.

Oh and it’s a forum so there’s nothing wrong with asking questions.

Oh,and if you are out on the moors,watch out for deer bolting across the road.I had a near miss the other week (half a metre in front of my wheel) and it scared the bayjeebus out of me.

I think I need something like a Strada. I generally use my Maxx D on quiet country lanes (coupled with a 300 lumen Lezyne light), but have to turn it off when there is oncoming traffic. To counter this, I point my helmet torch (on low) towards the kerb, and leave my Lezyne 300 lumen light on , but it can be hard to see the road edge under the glare of oncoming car lights.

Two or three rear lights (helmet, bike, somewhere else).

Good enough front lights to see potholes (or badgers crossing, based on one near miss I had).

Reflectives also essential.

Other than that, it’s fantastic night riding on country lanes solo. I would be using the Garmin LiveTrack feature via my Vivoactive watch so that SWMBO could see where I am / was if I wasn’t back in good time, just as belt and braces. In fact, I tend to do that most times when I ride alone anyway.

Go for it. You can’t beat the solitude you get from cycling down a country lane on a dark night with only your light illuminating the way ahead. Don’t forget to admire the night sky on those cold cloudless nights!

Wonderful.

FWIW, my Revo has a claimed output of 800 lumens at max. That’s entry bright enough and as the dynamo feed is via a Kemo USB supply I can use the wee switch on top to cut from 4 to 2 LEDs if there’s an oncoming vehicle.

Do it all the time.

It gets a bit tunnel-visiony at times. But there’s still loads of wonderful stuff to see. Esp when the moon comes out and you are on tops of hills.

As for traffic – what traffic? After dinner time on country roads there’s no bugger about. Bit of reflective gear, a fast flickery rear light as well as a steady one, you’re probably safer than during the day. Oh and if you double up at the back you’ll have backup automatically, but also see if you can add a second front light – doesn’t need to be on, but if you have a failure or a battery runs out it’ll be vital.

For extra effect do it after about 11pm. The small hours, you have the world to yourself, it’s awesome.

Only downside is passing those little country cottages where people don’t bother to shut curtains and you glance inside to see someone curled up on sofa watching telly with a beverage and a snack and a warm fireplace…. But then you have your own cosy sofa at the end of the ride 🙂

Tonight’s plans scuppered by call for dad’s taxi services, however the responses have convinced me, it’s going to happen ! Thanks all.

It can be quite addictive. A highlight for me this year was doing NCN78 in less than 24 hours. It was lovely riding through Kintyre while everyone was sleeping.

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2016/09/ncn78-caledonia-way-in-day.html?m=1

Suicidal badgers have nearly got me a few times – they just come bumbling out the verge not giving a stuff.

I often feel a bit vulnerable riding empty country lanes at night. It’s funny, because I will ride anywhere during the day and not think about it, and as soon as darkness falls I’m wondering who I might bump into!

Aside from that, it’s great fun. Very peaceful once you get your wits about you. Have had many memorable rides after dark.

My advice:
– Good lights, and make sure they’re charged.
– Puncture resistant tyres (last thing you want to do when creeped out in the dark and cold is be fixing a puncture)
– take it easy on descents (imperfections/mud/ice in the road creep up on you quickly)
– Plenty of reflective high-vis will help you stand out on country lanes.

Also – don’t under-estimate how cold it’s going to get later on. It’s fun on still nights to zoom down into a dip at 35mph then get blasted with the freezing damp air that’s collected in there.

Oh and if it’s really still you can smell people’s dinners being cooked.

I use two rear lights and carry a third (a 27g Petzl E-lite which can show red or white).

Being out on country roads in sudden freezing fog with no rear light would really suck.

On here previously I said someone solo night riding is irresponsible.

However since I’ve ridden dark lanes and off road and it’s frankly magical.

After all you can ride solo in day light and meet no one on a mornings ride so how is it much different?

Iain.
Once you have got in to it,you should sign up for Ride To The Sun
Ask Nobeer how good it was 😉

On here previously I said someone solo night riding is irresponsible.

I do it all the time, its just the same as riding during the day.

However since I’ve ridden dark lanes and off road and it’s frankly magical.

I don’t get what’s magical about it, it’s just riding a bike in the dark, I’d rather ride in the sunshine. But then again I’ve been doing it for 10 years so I’m used to it.

After all you can ride solo in day light and meet no one on a mornings ride so how is it much different?

It isn’t, apart from being slower, usually wt, usually cold.

Iain.
Once you have got in to it,you should sign up for Ride To The Sun
Ask Nobeer how good it was

Funnily enough, we were just talking about RTTS 2017 yesterday! 😀