Night Time Cycling advice

[spacecowboy831]

I am after some advice on cycling at night. I enjoy cycling what I would call long distance usually between 30 and 50 miles during the day. But I would like to do a 30 to 50 mile round trip night ride. I know there are some advantages and disadvantages to this. I have a MTB which a always use for my cycling. Most of my routes are a mixture of roads and cycle paths and some narrow country roads. I know some of my daytime cycling routes would not be well lit at night due to the lack of street lighting. I was thinking of making my first night ride a route that I am familiar with during the day.

My only concern is do I stick with the unlit cycle path or go a longer way round and stay on the road. I do have 2 decent front bike lights one of which is 450 lumens and the other is 1000 lumens. My back light is 80 lumens.

Apart from riding a bike I have very little mechanical Knowledge. I could of course repair a puncture if I needed. But if I was to have any other issues I'm not sure I would now what to do. I do have my cycle insurance with ETA which includes a 24 hour cycle recovery.

I should also add that I would be cycling alone and not in any groups.

Does anyone have any experience with night rides?
Do you manly stick to lit road or lit cycle paths?
What sort of essentials do you take with you?
Are there any times at night that should be avoided?

Thank you in advance.

 

[classic33]

What's your own confidence in your cycling like.

 

[cougie uk]

Night rides are fun but it's good to do a route that you know pretty well. It's very different at night without seeing the landscape around.

Take a head torch too as it's hard to fix things and hold a torch.

its usually colder at night so be very careful if ice is forecast.

Roads are quieter at night so provided you have decent rear lights - I'd go with two just in case one fails. Reflective stuff on your feet or lower legs are good too.

there's a long bike path that I used to use on my mtb at night and every time I used it I saw badgers. Which is great but they have zero sense and will run out in front of you so you do need to keep the speed down.

If I were you I'd start off with a smaller night ride and break yourself in gently.

 

[slowmotion]

There are lots of people here who are keen night riders. Search " Friday Night Ride to the Coast", on CC, Google and YouTube.

 

[Sharky]

Is there somebody at the other end of a phone? Give them route details and work out meeting points, just in case you have a mechanical failure. Take a whistle as well. Somebody well tell you what the distress call is. From my scout days, I think it was 6 short whistles followed by 6 long.

Enjoy

Edit. Just googled. It's three short, then three long. Pause then repeat.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I am after some advice on cycling at night. I enjoy cycling what I would call long distance usually between 30 and 50 miles during the day. But I would like to do a 30 to 50 mile round trip night ride. I know there are some advantages and disadvantages to this. I have a MTB which a always use for my cycling. Most of my routes are a mixture of roads and cycle paths and some narrow country roads. I know some of my daytime cycling routes would not be well lit at night due to the lack of street lighting. I was thinking of making my first night ride a route that I am familiar with during the day.

My only concern is do I stick with the unlit cycle path or go a longer way round and stay on the road. I do have 2 decent front bike lights one of which is 450 lumens and the other is 1000 lumens. My back light is 80 lumens.

Apart from riding a bike I have very little mechanical Knowledge. I could of course repair a puncture if I needed. But if I was to have any other issues I'm not sure I would now what to do. I do have my cycle insurance with ETA which includes a 24 hour cycle recovery.

I should also add that I would be cycling alone and not in any groups.

Does anyone have any experience with night rides?
Do you manly stick to lit road or lit cycle paths?
What sort of essentials do you take with you?
Are there any times at night that should be avoided?

Thank you in advance.

First things first, this is in the Touring Forum so you may not get all the responses you want. Perhaps an idea to ask a Mod to move it somewhere more appropriate?

Your questions are quite open to interpretation and answers will vary from person to person and perhaps season to season.
I'm not sure why mechanical knowledge is an issue for a night ride and not a day ride? If it's a source of anxiety then work on your mechanical skills. YouTube can be great for that - and it's very satisfying.

I'd suggest you try riding what you feel comfortable on, whether that be road or (well known) bike path. Any route can be very different at night than in the daylight.

The angle and coverage of lights is probably more important than simple brightness in my opinion. That 1000 lumens sounds like it could cut the eyes out of anyone coming towards you. Ensure that you can see clearly far enough in front that you can take action if necessary.

I carry nothing extra for a night ride than I'd carry for a day one. A headtorch is handy to have for handsfree lighting. Spare batteries, perhaps.

Night time riding can be very pleasant but it's inherently more risky in my experience, especially in rural areas. That low branch so easily spotted in daylight? Not so clear at night. Ditto road defects and debris. Animals, wild and otherwise can be an issue. In cold weather ice can be well hidden in the dark. In urban areas maybe pub closing time is to be avoided.

If you want to try it I'd suggest familiar roads, short trips and build up confidence. After that whatever you want.

Good luck

 

[spacecowboy831]

Thank you all for the replies. I think I will do a short night ride on a route which will be something I have done during the day. I can then look at new routes as I start to get more confident.

 

[steveindenmark]

I ride my 20km commute most days if the year, leaving home at 4.30am. I ride a mix of tracks and roads. I live out in the sticks and may see one or two car towards the end of my ride.

Like you, I can mend a puncture and thats about it. I do not ride tubeless as fixing an innertube is easier for me, especially in the dark and cold.

It sounds like you have most of the bases covered. But there are a few thigs I would add.

I would certainly add 2 more lights to the back of the bike and a helmet touch.

I have added refective tape to both sides of my bike and to my panniers. Get a viz vest. Again, I have customised mine with pockets and more reflective tape. I have found the best vil vests to be motorbike viz vests with front zips and elasticated sides.. I carry extra warm clothing. If you stop pedalling at night it gets cold quickly..

Having 24 hour recovery sounds great. But having someone on the phone at home who can rescue you is probably quicker.

Riding in the dark is easy if you do it enough. Its really enjoyable, even when it is Minus 10. You just need to go out and do it and find the clothes to keep warm.

Make sure you keep your lights topped up whenever you can. I do it daily.

 

[sleuthey]

do I stick with the unlit cycle path or go a longer way round and stay on the road. I do have 2 decent front bike lights one of which is 450 lumens and the other is 1000 lumens. My back light is 80 lumens.

Cutting straight to your question. I would use the roads and wear high viz. Add an additional more powerful rear light and have one flashing.

 

[bonzobanana]

I used to do night riding when I worked a nightshift when I couldn't adapt back to sleeping at night on my days off. I was out and about at times like 2am in the morning just cycling but I rode a loop of where I lived so I was never more than about 3 or 4 miles away from home so if I had some major mechanical I would walk home.

Also worth pointing out it is a legal requirement to have a rear reflector and pedal reflectors on a bike if used between dusk and dawn and the bike was made after 1986 I think. Obviously many people ignore the law but if you are the type that likes to remain completely legal its worth mentioning. I was stopped 3 times on nightrides just because the police were curious about me but then they probably didn't have much else to do at that time. Many people ride clipless pedals and most models don't feature reflectors.

I used to enjoy night cycling, it was a weird atmosphere, with different sounds and smells and a eerie calmness that made it a very interesting experience. You see a lot more animals about or sometimes just hear them. I was chased by something that made a lot of snuffling noises which I think was a badger. I had good lighting but I never looked back preferring to concentrate on maintaining some distance between the animal. I'm not as confident about my strength nowadays so probably would prefer a group ride of 2 or 3 people or more especially if venturing further from home.

 

[Bazzer]

Sensory joy.
If you are riding well lit roads a normal front light should be fine, but if there is any suggestion of less well lit, or unlit roads, a good front light would be recommended. It can be surprising how dark some roads can be when you are on your own at 2am.

In addition to the advice already given, I would add, ride a little more slowly to enjoy it. Also where possible, ride further away from the edge of the road than you might normally do. Particularly where there are no, or narrow pavements. Wildlife will use hedges as cover and may break cover if your light startles them and hitting badgers for example is like hitting a low wall. Or you may discover hedgehogs crossing the road. Being further from the edge of the road and riding more slowly may give you more time and space to avoid them.

 

[PeteXXX]

If you're riding in built up areas, some places can be 'nice' by day but at night time the scrotes come out to play. Pub closing times and 22:00 shift change times are a lot busier than you might expect.
My commute, when finishing work at midnightish and riding 12 miles through country lanes, I saw only a few cars (and one of them was a workmate). Finishing earlier, about 21.30, it's like whacky races!

Choose your time and route carefully, and night rides are great!

 

[Alex321]

I ride most days after work, setting out either about 4:45 or about 7:00pm (get back in time for dinner or leave after dinner).

At this time of year, that is pretty well all in the dark. I do stick to roads, but mainly very minor, unlit roads.

I have a 1600 lumen front light, and a 25 lumen rear(which is always set on flashing mode). The front light lasts about 100 minutes per charge on maximum, but it usually drops one setting due to "temperature protection", and that still gives me enough light for any but the very fast (30mph+) sections. On that 2nd setting, it gives around 3 hours oone charge.

If you are riding longer then your 1000 lumen light lasts, you will probably want to either get a 2nd one of that power, or replace it with a more powerful one that can last longer on a similar setting. 450 isn't enough IME for riding much above 15 mph. I do carry a 450 lumen light as a spare, to bet me home if necessary.

Even with good lights, my average speed does seem slightly lower, though it is hard to be sure how much of that is down to the dark, and how much to the cold, needing more clothes.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I've moved the thread as it seems more of a general question than a specific touring one.

My twopenn'orth is that I agree with those suggesting multiple lights and extra reflectives. I've doubled up front and rear lights since starting a rural commute a few years back and it has been worth it on the occasion down a pitch-dark country lane when a front light failed (I had dropped it ). I don't use a head torch when riding but do generally have one with me in case of having to work on the bike.

As mentioned above, the run time of your lights is a consideration. Rear lights have long run times so they shouldn't be a worry but a front light might only last a couple of hours or so when used on the brightest setting (depends on make and model).

My night riding is typically along unlit lanes and quiet roads. I don't go out often but do enjoy the ones I do - it gives a different feel to familiar roads. The wind is often lighter than during the day and you notice sounds and smells differently than you might in daylight. My animal encounters haven't included a badger like others upthread, but I have unfortunately killed a rabbit.

My experience is that drivers generally give a bit more room than in daylight, but it's always at the back of my mind that a very small number seem to think that a quiet road at night gives them the right to drive like Colin McRae, so listening for engine sounds is worthwhile as well as looking out for their lights.

I hope that's of some use.

 

[Arrowfoot]

I do enjoy night rides both on unlit and lit roads. Have an additional flashing rear light on the right seat stay closer to the axle. Have a second light in front as well and it is a 1000 lumens that I use for unlit roads but am careful to switch it off for oncoming vehicles. All routes are scoped during daylight. I found that riding at night is very different from day rides. Anyone who tells you otherwise has never done it or have followed a group. Your line of sight is up to the beam that is thrown out. Short curvy routes are not easy, need to slow down sharply. Best rides are on quiet roads.