First night ride

chopchopchop

I've commuted plenty of times on busy roads in the dark but tonight was the first time I did it for fun at night on quiet country roads. Really enjoyed it, deffo doing it regularly when weather permits.

Anyone else get out at night on county roads?

Elfed

I've been six times so far on 26 mile loops, it's crazy how much more room drivers give you, it's safer riding at night than in the day! Well it certainly feels safer.
I'm really enjoying the night rides, but the cold really starts to bite in after about 45 minutes, perhaps my tights aren't up to the job!

chopchopchop

I only did 10 as I've not been well for the last 3 weeks and not been on the bike consistantly for over a month. I will be ramping it up and agree 100% with drivers giving more room.

ForumNewbie

I finished a long ride yesterday just after 5pm and near the end I was on a quiet country with no cars and no street lights, so it was pitch dark. I have a good front light but even then it was a bit scary as I couldn't see turns in the road just ahead of me but beyond my beam of the front light.

luv2ride

Another fan of night riding here. Within a few minutes of home I'm in the countryside and proper darkness. As well as a decent front light (Exposure Toro) I also use a reasonably powerful head light (Exposure Joystick). I find this allows me to pick out the majority of potholes, etc. However, I would recommend sticking to known routes in the dark, just in case. I seem to post some quicker times when night riding, probably 'cos it can be a bit scary when the mind wanders mid-ride :shock:

zak3737

I've done a few rides at night on my own, on quiet country roads, but keen to go in a group as I reckon it would be morefun, as always.
Plus - even with my 400Lumen Lezyne - Cars frequently stop ahead to wait for me to pass, must think I'm a car with a headlight out or summat ! ;-)

Hasnt been that cold yet tho has it ?- so whether I'll be as keen when its a biting northerly wind and 3degrees, hmmm......not sure !

Bucksspeedyboy

I also am now having to ride regularly in the dark around country lanes. Definitely agree that it's best to stick to known routes so you know where the bends and potholes are. The other thing is that in the pitch black you don't know which gear you're in or your speed from computer and so I never know if I'm riding faster or slower than normal as the sensation of speed is different in the dark.

Since I changed my front light to a much brighter Cateye I find that 99 per cent of oncoming motorists dip their headlights as soon as they see me. But I still get the odd numpty that keep their headlights on full beam and then you are blinded and can't see where the side of the road is! Also the charge on my front light is 1.5 hrs max, so that limits how far I can go.

markhewitt1978

During the summer I often go out at about 6am to do about an hours ride but only when it's light outside so not this time of year. I've tried it in the dark a few times and tbh it's not just the dark that's the issue it's the biting cold!

ForumNewbie

Bucksspeedyboy wrote:

I also am now having to ride regularly in the dark around country lanes. Definitely agree that it's best to stick to known routes so you know where the bends and potholes are. The other thing is that in the pitch black you don't know which gear you're in or your speed from computer and so I never know if I'm riding faster or slower than normal as the sensation of speed is different in the dark.

I found that my Garmin 500 has a button that lights up the screen in the dark, which is a really useful feature.

bobmcstuff

Yeah I was a bit nervous to begin with but actually you can see cars coming from miles off and if you've got good lights they can see you too.

I started doing it because i wouldn't have been able to finish the strava climbing challenge without doing a lot of night cycling.

I think I'm going to target at least one weekday evening ride per week now.

Bobbinogs

You haven't experienced the best of night riding until you get to change a tube in the pitch black with your torch stuffed in your mouth and the risk that anything you put on the floor will be instantly lost

keith57

Bobbinogs wrote:

You haven't experienced the best of night riding until you get to change a tube in the pitch black with your torch stuffed in your mouth and the risk that anything you put on the floor will be instantly lost

Very true!! I carry a small Petzl head torch now so I can see what I'm doing in the dark....

rodgers73

Consider getting a hub dynamo and lamp - very useful for longer distance night rides as you dont have to worry about batteries, and they give great illumination.

I also use a bog-standard Smart light set to flash. This helps to pick out anything reflective beyond the limit of your main light. For instance, you will see cats eyes, warning signs for bends etc well well in advance of "normal" lighting capabilities. Gives you much more time to brake etc.

Bordersroadie

Almost all of my riding from now til spring is on unlit rural back roads, mostly in the pitch dark.

I have set routes of 20, 26 and 40 miles which I know like the back of my hand, bends, potholes, bad cambers, gravelly bits. Also I know all the badger sets and places where deer tend to jump fences directly into your path (the biggest danger by a long way).

Main thing is good light (Exposure Toro), knowing the route is good as is riding with a bit of extra caution especially on downhills (being in the middle of nowhere on a deserted backroad in 3 degrees C with sketchy mobile signal is not a good place to crash). And use tyres that are less likely to puncture - this is definitely one of the less fun aspects of night riding especially near freezing point.

I could always play safe and get on the turbo for the whole winter. . .then again I could always poke my eyes with a sharp stick or just give up cycling altogether. . . I say get out there, it's the same as daytime riding but with rubbish views.

pinno

After 3 consecutive winters doing night riding, the novelty has really worn off. Lights are fiddly, unreliable and they interfere with your computer. Yes, mine has a backlight and I can see that I am riding at 70 mph or 0 mph.
Potholes appear overnight. Gravel appears after heavy rain so riding regular routes isn't always safer although I do tend to use a pretty regular route and cars, milk lorries and the like seem to give me lots of room. I do the regular route (circuit) because I figure that car drivers will be more likely to expect that you may be there - I think the importance of that is more beneficial than simply being familiar with the road.

I hit a pothole last year which broke the rear light hanger, popped the tyre and sent my water bottle flying. I stayed on somehow. Wheel held up - Fulcrum. It's fun looking for stuff in the pitch black.
When I returned the next day to look for the light bracket, road workers were filling in the hole. B****rds, couldn't they have done it 24hrs earlier? Mind you, they did help to look for the bracket but to no avail.

smoggysteve

Night riding is too dodgy in the autumn/winter. It doesnt matter how well you (think) you know the route, leaves on the paths or roads can have mud, branches, potholes etc hidden underneath them. Your depth perception is reduced and since too many people think its ok to walk their dogs while wearing nothing but black and decide to step out in front of you. when it gets colder the ice is completely invisible. It doesn't even have to be a puddle. A film of water on tarmac is an ice rink below 0°c. Safe yourself the hassle and get a turbo trainer or stick to daylight hours.

DavidJB

I do a 4 hour base ride most Thursdays from 6-10pm...around 7 when the traffic dies it's great. As for SmoggySteve's comment I disagree. Yes you can't got barreling down hills as you would in the day but nothing wrong with riding at night with a good set of lights.

jgsi

DavidJB wrote:

I do a 4 hour base ride most Thursdays from 6-10pm...around 7 when the traffic dies it's great. As for SmoggySteve's comment I disagree. Yes you can't got barreling down hills as you would in the day but nothing wrong with riding at night with a good set of lights.

Base pace is ok in that respect.. 'cept after 4 hours of even lower intensity and finishing after 10 and sorting the bike out , I'd get no sleep.

slowbike

ForumNewbie wrote:

I finished a long ride yesterday just after 5pm and near the end I was on a quiet country with no cars and no street lights, so it was pitch dark. I have a good front light but even then it was a bit scary as I couldn't see turns in the road just ahead of me but beyond my beam of the front light.

It helps if it's roads you know - I commute the same country lanes throughout the winter and despite having ridden the road hundreds of times I can still get a bit disorientated with what bends are coming up next.
I ride with one light on 1/2 power and use another (a cheap Cree torch) to "beam up" - turning off when cars approach.
Oh, the other thing to do is Slow Down. You really don't have to go hell for leather all the time - it's good to ease off a bit and have a break.

slowbike

ForumNewbie wrote:

Bucksspeedyboy wrote:

I also am now having to ride regularly in the dark around country lanes. Definitely agree that it's best to stick to known routes so you know where the bends and potholes are. The other thing is that in the pitch black you don't know which gear you're in or your speed from computer and so I never know if I'm riding faster or slower than normal as the sensation of speed is different in the dark.

I found that my Garmin 500 has a button that lights up the screen in the dark, which is a really useful feature.

TBH I don't look at my Garmin whilst night riding - for one it destroys your night vision pdq (so do on-coming cars though) and secondly, who cares? Ride at a speed you're comfortable with.

smoggysteve

DavidJB wrote:

I do a 4 hour base ride most Thursdays from 6-10pm...around 7 when the traffic dies it's great. As for SmoggySteve's comment I disagree. Yes you can't got barreling down hills as you would in the day but nothing wrong with riding at night with a good set of lights.

you disagree that there leaves can be hiding slip hazards or debris? Are you also disagreeing that at night when the temp drops the chance of ice increases or that no matter how good you lights are you will never have as good view as in daylight? Bear in mind that even car headlights do not give you as good visability on dark country roads. The shadows created by a beam of light from your perspective creates shadows that can make dangers remain hidden. You also without knowing it get tunnel vision since that what is not in the direct beam is hidden from view.

Bordersroadie

SmoggySteve wrote:

DavidJB wrote:

I do a 4 hour base ride most Thursdays from 6-10pm...around 7 when the traffic dies it's great. As for SmoggySteve's comment I disagree. Yes you can't got barreling down hills as you would in the day but nothing wrong with riding at night with a good set of lights.

you disagree that there leaves can be hiding slip hazards or debris? Are you also disagreeing that at night when the temp drops the chance of ice increases or that no matter how good you lights are you will never have as good view as in daylight? Bear in mind that even car headlights do not give you as good visability on dark country roads. The shadows created by a beam of light from your perspective creates shadows that can make dangers remain hidden. You also without knowing it get tunnel vision since that what is not in the direct beam is hidden from view.

I suspect that the bit that David disagreed with was your comment:
"Night riding is too dodgy in the autumn/winter."

I also respectfully disagree with this. Potentially dodgy, yes, too dodgy, not necessarily.

Everything comes with a certain amount of risk, it's just a case of assessing it and acting in ways that lessen it to a degree that is personally acceptable to you, like by having good lights, slowing down a bit and knowing the route for example.

Night riding on unlit roads covers a broad spectrum. At my end of the scale, I generally see two or three cars on a 20 mile ride at night, sometimes none. At the other end of the scale you get unlit narrow roads where there are cars regularly coming in both directions. To me this would be an unacceptable risk as even a well lit/reflective-adorned cyclist can easily be lost in headlights especially if the converging speed of the cars may effectively be 120mph.

Your points about slip hazards, debris and reduced vision are true and well made, but each one doesn't mean that it's simply too dodgy to be out there, it just means that each one needs to be taken into account. I've ridden thousands of pitch dark miles in the last few years without incident because I compensate my riding for the conditions on the night.

Frost is a good point to raise, though, especially as it's going to get pretty cold later this week. It's sometimes surprising how quickly black ice can form even in early evening, despite what the forecast might say. My response to this is to get the ice-bike out, with its studded tyres - I'll do virtually anything to avoid the turbo trainer, ha ha!

The other thing about low temps is that if you do have to stop for a dreaded p******, you can get very cold very quickly, especially if you've been hammering it a bit and are sweaty. I always pack a lightweight rolled up waterproof and a beanie just in case, and they make a big difference when needed.

slowbike

Bordersroadie wrote:

Frost is a good point to raise, though, especially as it's going to get pretty cold later this week. It's sometimes surprising how quickly black ice can form even in early evening, despite what the forecast might say. My response to this is to get the ice-bike out, with its studded tyres - I'll do virtually anything to avoid the turbo trainer, ha ha!

To a point - but like your previous suggestions, a lot is down to how you're riding. Don't push it if it looks & feels icy. The only time I've abandoned an icy ride was when the rear wheel slipped 5 times in 1/2 a mile - and that was because we'd had days of cold weather then rain overnight followed by clear skies. The rain had washed the grit/salt away and the clear skies dropped the temperature allowing the rain to freeze.

Other than that I've ridden in snow & ice using just a CX with some fairly rubbish CX tyres - a colleague rode with me and that was on a trike with 20mm slicks - it's largely down to being more cautious - with a bit of luck that you're not cornering when you hit the ice.

Btw - that one commute home in the snow & ice took about an hour - for an 11 mile ride that normally takes <40 minutes - just to give you an example of the speed difference required to ride safely...

Btw - I wouldn't use night/freezing rides as training rides - turbo is better for that.

wishitwasallflat

ForumNewbie wrote:

I finished a long ride yesterday just after 5pm and near the end I was on a quiet country with no cars and no street lights, so it was pitch dark. I have a good front light but even then it was a bit scary as I couldn't see turns in the road just ahead of me but beyond my beam of the front light.

That contradiction would appear to be your problem

bianchimoon

Ride just about every wednesday 7pm-9pm throughout the year on country roads unless lying snow, even then have had the mtb out. Takes 15 mins or so to warm up, get a lot more respect from car drivers when it's dark I find.

chopchopchop

Second ride tonight and enjoyed it even more. Thicker socks needed as my feet were freezing but feel great after a hot bath.

Roads are so much quieter and the extra room given by motorists in the dark is obvious. Going to make it a 2 or 3 times a week thing I think in the winter and keep it under an hour each time in the cold as I was starting to feel it.

Gym membership cancelled now in favour of night cycling x 2 and a run once or twice a week.

slowbike

Decent overshoes as well as good socks ....

chopchopchop

Also found that the Garmin 200 has the ability to keep the back light on all the time and uses very little battery. 12% used in an hour with the backlight on.

I missed it on my first knight ride.

gubber12345

myself and few mates are out regularly on night rides.usually only out for about 1.5 hrs at a time and about 2-3 per week but its great crack and beats the turbo any day.avg speeds are way down on summer times as you would expect but its a good way of keeping up the base miles and general fitness up.we only have a couple of routes that we use up to about 25 miles each and stick to them.love the night riding as long as the weather lets us do it,never go out on the ice or if its pi55ing it down just think that adds a wee bit to much risk to it.

keep it up chopchopchop and if your cold your not peddling hard enough

Bordersroadie

Just back from a night ride in minus 1 deg C.

First recce ride this winter for my dedicated ice-bike, an ancient Rockhopper with rigid fork and Marathon Winter studded tyres. Black ice twinkling in my headlight, safe as houses, feels so great to be beating the system!

Turbo trainer, I think not.

chopchopchop

Sharing my strava activity on Facebook has got a mate excited and out with me on Saturday. spreading the word.

@gubber I need to peddle harder I know but I did intentionally hit 3 of the steeper hills near me.