Night cycling...

[GrumpyGregry]

Nothing beats a night right, on- or off-road, with good lights. AyUps in my case.

 

[BSRU]

There are plenty of "cheap" high powered lights around these days, there was a thread recently which a Magicshine clone for £30, from DealExtreme, with apparently 1200 lumens output, although probably not, but it still be bright enough for unlit roads.
I have used my Magicshine virtually every working day for over a year and it's still going strong.

 

[lukesdad]

Over a year I do more night miles than Daylight ones. Never really had an incident I can recall. Early hours are the best IME especialy just before dawn, magical on or off road.

 

[coffeejo]

I love night rides. If you're out later, then it wonderfully peaceful and there hardly any cars about. Instead, you get to see the bats as it gets dark and then hear the owls and other night critters. I did 47 miles the other night and barely noticed!

 

[Goobs]

+1 to helmet lights.

Cheap ones to be had too.

I got one off fleabay from China that has 300 lumens with charger and two 18650 batteries for £11 - came in 7 days and is bright enough to slow cars down coming the opposite way. I just aim my head at them !

Also run a flashing front LED Smartlight to be seen and a Q5 cree LED torch mounted to the bars to light up pot holes in the road with 2 1/2 watt Smart LEDs on the back and flashin led leg reflectors.
Look like a bloomin Christmas tree !

Prior to this I had just the flashing LED on front and cheapo rear LED but found idots just pulled out in front of me at junctions like I didn't exist.

 

[John90]

Would have to upgrade my lights before I went night riding out of town, although at least in the dark you can see the cars coming round corners thanks to their lights. In the city however the relative lack of traffic after 9pm makes night riding a pleasure in my view.

 

[skudupnorth]

Is that the ghost of the lost audaxer in the bottom pic?

 

[Glover Fan]

Tomorrow night I shall be venturing out for 106 miles in the dark on the Exmouth Exodus, up until tonight I had never ridden in the dark outside of town.

I loved it, but it is very weird. I think I go a lot slower, I spin a lot higher gear and it's pretty amazing because you really do start to listen to your legs as you cannot see the elevation in front of your eyes. My light set up and I must say I am very impressed with the main lights, more than bright enough in the country lanes and an absolute steal at £15 a light.

2 x Smart Lunar 35 Lux http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/LISMRT35FR/smart-lunar-35-lux-front-light "bargain"
1 x Cateye EL135 on flashing mode
1 x headtorch.

All drivers who were heading towards me dipped straight away, so I must have been pretty damn visible.

Unfortunately my rear isn't so spectacular, just one Cateye TL130.

I'm now really looking forward to tomorrow night!

 

[HLaB]

+1 to night riding. For me the big benefit is drivers give you a wider berth and don't expect you to be in the gutter they can't see

 

[Ellis456]

Don't get me wrong, I loved the cool air, lack of traffic on the road and I averaged a much faster speed. If I did it again it would be away from the town centre and I had much better lights.