Some advice on Night Cycling?

[Rip Van]

Well I can assure you i'm not, I'm not bothered what "others" think.

Good for you. Mind your head.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12060
Great light! Brighter than some car headlights.
I use a fenix velcro block for this but there's cheaper on deal extreme that look quite good.

Downside is you need 1 "18650" battery (rechargeable) & charger, plus spare?
Also on DX.

 

[lit]

you too, take care out there.

 

[roundisland]

I think because they have too. Certainly in the TDF helmets are mandatory.

Ok thanks wasn't sure if it was mandatory or not.

 

[andrew_s]

Good for you. Mind your head.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12060
Great light! Brighter than some car headlights.
I use a fenix velcro block for this but there's cheaper on deal extreme that look quite good.

Downside is you need 1 "18650" battery (rechargeable) & charger, plus spare?
Also on DX.

Try this one
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.29489

Apart from a UK plug adapter it's got everything you need, even a head/helmet mount. 3h on max power.
beamshots here, as "Magicshine HA-III" under Road and Road2

 

[johnr]

Plus one for lights and reflective clothing. I use a Foska skeleton jacket when it gets cold enough, cars stay well away from me. Aldi reflective strips also make a noticeable difference.

Plus one for glare protection - my worst nightmare.

As you're going a long way, might be worth doing a bit of research on the route. At this time of year the falling leaves and the rubbish washed onto roads are encroaching on the cycling line and the best lights won't enable you to distinguish quickly between piles of leaves and chunks of fallen branch - not too much of a problem on the flat, but the devil if you're going downhill at speed.

Enjoy! I love cycling at night.

 

[fossyant]

you too, take care out there.

"lit"...I do hope you aren't the same person from 'another forum' who has an expensive Italian machine, that can't do much other than maybe fix a puncture on it.......

So..wearing helmets means you aren't confident.... and the rest.....

Riding an expensive bike means you know what you are doing.....eh... if flippin doesn't......does it..... ......

PS I'm Experienced, wear a lid (my choice - sweat control actually), and have a few expensive bikes...some of which are vintage and very well looked after, and have never been near a bike shop......

 

[HJ]

Look, you don't have to wear one, but stop trying to suggest that those who do are in some way stupid. I wear one, sometimes. It depends on what sort of ride I'm doing and the conditions. Partly I have one to keep my Mum happy. Sometimes I wear it because I'm wearing all the kit, and it's part of the 'uniform'. I'm perfectly confident on a bike, I commute, I ride for fun, I tour. I don't appreciate you sneering at me for having a helmet.

Arch, I am not saying you are "in some way stupid", but I would ask when you started wearing one and why. It is clear from you statement that you wear one out of habit rather that any feeling of need.

If your Mum is worried about you why not take some time to explain to her that cycling is not dangerous and you really don't need one. She probable cycled when she was younger, ask her did she wear then, did she make you wear one when you wear a child? The death rate on the roads for cyclist and pedestrians has droped steadily over the last 30 years, although the rate of decline in cyclist fatalities slowed relative to that of pedestrians in the mid 1990's.

He's not saying they are stupid, he is just saying people are being conned into thinking cycling is dangerous when it isn't.

Yes and that it sends out the wrong message to would be cyclist, personally I would like to see more people get on their bikes and I against anything which causes a barrier to that, such as negative images of cycling.

It is very odd that in all forms of motor sport helmets are worn, but no one uses this as an argument that motorist should wear helmets, even though the rate of head injury is far higher (per Km traveled) than cyclist. Therefore anyone who says cyclist should wear helmets for safety and doesn't wear a motoring helmet while traveling in a car, is either being hypocritical or is ignorant of the facts.

 

[Andy OC]

Well I made it there and back alive!
Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions, very much appreciated! I must say I was very pleasantly surprised by night cycling.
I found my £60 quid Cat Eyes were more than up to the task of illuminating the road ahead (at least at my somewhat steady 12mph!) which was a nice surprise. In retrospect, +1 for the helmet mounted light - I didn't get one in time, and I agree it would have been useful for spotting signposts et&c.

I set off around 4pm from Newcastle and despite early evening commuter traffic found it a very enjoyable cycle through almost to Darlington, when I took a silly wrong turning and ended up in the back lanes of Stillington Racecourse. In the end I had to knock on some poor chaps door and ask him directions. Very obliging though he was I couldn't help but feel a tad embarrassed.
Had a cuppa in Darlington railway station and set off to Northallerton. Another badly signposted junction (honestly!) had me heading up what felt like a mountainside for six or seven miles before ending up on the Northbound A19. An almost direct backtrack and I found the road to Ripon via Bedale. All in all it cost me about 30 miles.
At Bedale service station I stopped for a break, food and drink, and the very kind attendant bought me a cup of coffee which, considering I hadn't seen a soul for an good hour, I thought very good of him.
From then it was a straight run through Ripon and Harrogate and up to Leeds Bradford Airport, which is a cruel, seemingly endless bank. If I do it again I'd add ten more miles to avoid that bank without a shadow of a doubt.
Despite the weather, which got torrential at times, what a satisfying feeling to eventually arrive in Bradford for breakfast! Very pleased I 'risked' a night cycle, and thanks to everyone for the advice.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Fab Foodie]

Well done Andy! Not without it's navigational and metereological challenges it seems but glad you enjoyed the experience.
I went out for my first night ride for weeks last night, nice clear but warmish evening with good visibilty of the moon and stars... until around April aver 90% of my riding will now be at night... Fabulous!

 

[Fab Foodie]

HJ, Lit, Arch... please take the pedantic and tedious helmet debate elsewhere (OK I'm guilty of a couple brief comments and hoped it would go away). This is a new posters thread on an interesting topic with a lot of valuable advice. Start a thread elsewhere on helmets if it's that important, the debate's been done to death frankly, there are never winners, just differing opinions.

 

[Arch]

If your Mum is worried about you why not take some time to explain to her that cycling is not dangerous and you really don't need one. She probable cycled when she was younger, ask her did she wear then, did she make you wear one when you wear a child? The death rate on the roads for cyclist and pedestrians has droped steadily over the last 30 years, although the rate of decline in cyclist fatalities slowed relative to that of pedestrians in the mid 1990's.

Ok, apologies, this is absolutely my last word on this.

HJ, you haven't met my Mum. The only way to stop her worrying about me cycling is not to tell her I'm doing it!

As a matter of fact, she cycled for a little while a few years ago, when I got her a bike. She lost confidence when she came off on a cattle grid and broke her wrist. And no, she wouldn't dream of wearing a helmet! But Mums ain't always logical. If I'm not home, sh rings my mobile to find out where I am. But can I convince her to have her mobile on at any time except when she's making a call, so I can check where she is?

Anyway, well done Andy, that's an epic! Sounds like you're ready for a FNRttC. I'd like to do one one day. I just mustn't tell my Mum in advance...

 

[beachcaster]

really

Helmets just give you the illusion of safety, most people who wear helmets aren't confident riders.

Like those riders I have seen in the tour fe france??

barry

 

[HJ]

Like those riders I have seen in the tour fe france??

barry

Do you wear a helmet when travelling in a car? All the F1 drivers do. Travelling in a car you are more at risk of head injury that cycling on the road, have a look a the road accident figures...

 

[Arch]

Come on, come on, truce now...

 

[Fab Foodie]

Jeez, it's like watching a moth and a lightbulb...