[Closed] Night riding, on the road?

I prefer night riding on the road in the dark than the light.

Can see the cars coming for miles and they can see you .....

I do go out after rush hour though 7-7.30 ish

In terms of traffic, I always feel safer in the dark. Good lights and reflective clothing make you very visible, especially away from streetlights.

If it's very wet, then you need to factor in wet windscreens.

A good front light is a must to, as you say, check out the road conditions ahead of you.

When it's colder, look out for frost developing as the evening goes on.

My morning commute is now a night ride. Fun isn’t a word I’d use to describe it.

Probably safer than daytime, just try and get a light with a German approved road beam rather than dazzling drivers with a 2400 lumen off road searchlight.

This winter I'll have a properly set up audax bike with dynamo lighting and PDW fenders to keep the crap off me and the bike. May well get it's first proper run out on Monday evening.

In terms of traffic, I always feel safer in the dark. Good lights and reflective clothing make you very visible, especially away from streetlights.

If it’s very wet, then you need to factor in wet windscreens.

A good front light is a must to, as you say, check out the road conditions ahead of you.

When it’s colder, look out for frost developing as the evening goes on.

^^This^^

And IMO the best trick is sticking to quieter roads as much as possible.

It's definitely not "Sunday best" territory; dynamo and back up lights, full guard's and make sure you have the kit to sort a flat, basically winter road bike set-up...

I did it a few years ago when I was fed up with the both the turbo and the mud.

Worked out a shortish local loop and rode two or three circuits a couple of times a week.

One thing that I hadn't considered was i got really cold feet. You are going a lot faster than on an MTB so the cold air over and through the shoes made my feet really cold. Its not something I ever suffered even on cold mornings commuting, probably because that was more stop / start.

But yeah, go out after rush hour 7:30ish when the roads are quiet and it can be good fun. Time on the bike outside is all good after all.

I do go out after rush hour though 7-7.30 ish

Not at all on a Friday, the crazy starts after 6:30 and doesn't stop!

Experience from quite a lot of night-time riding and commuting on the road:

1) Mudguards are amazing
2) You don't need as bright a front light as you think. Mine is, I think, 250lm and it's plenty to see with and plenty to be seen with. Really bright lights just screw up your peripheral vision and piss off/blind drivers (and yes, ideally the German approved beam would be even better)
3) Keeping hands and feet warm is the trickiest bit - waterproof shoes sized up to allow thicker socks, silk socks/gloves as a base layer all work well.

Yeah I've done it before and as other say, felt safer in a lot of ways as with the right lights you're probably more visible in the dark than on a grey winter morning. Definitely got a lot more room when passed on quieter roads.

Personally I would probably stick to routes I know well so less chance of getting blindsided by a huge pothole and I never bothered with steep or long descents either- though judging by my Strava feed, plenty do.

There's something about riding along in your own little bubble in the dark that's really great but if you've done it on the MTB you'll know that feeling.

I don't really enjoy it, but I do it.
Over the years I have learnt which roads to stick to, and aim to get off the main roads as quickly as possible.

I use a Ravemen PR1600 light which has a 'road' style dipped beam. On max, this is 800 lumens, but I normally knock it back a level or two & it's fine.
I actively sought out a dipped beam, rather than antagonising other road users with a super-light mtb style conical beam.

For rear lights I use an Exposure Tracer; generally on the mid or low setting. I use the pulsing option on that & then use a second light as a back-up which is an AAA powered Moon light which I keep on solid, rather than flashing.
I use two lights for redundancy & while the Tracer is brighter it has a much shorter battery life, while the Moon light has something like 65hr run time on low which is still plenty bright enough.

Mudguards are a good idea if they fit, and I tend to use overshoes in colder weather.

I used to do it a lot as part of commuting. Generally felt safer than the day as others have said above.

Three key things for me in addition to what others have said

1 - Good rear lights - bright but not blinding, so ideally one of the "larger surface area" lights rather than a point source to aid cars depth perception and avoid them being plain blinded by the light (risk is that you get cars overtaking into blind bends etc as they can't see what's beyond your rear light
2 - Multiple rear lights in case one dies without you noticing. Can then run one flashing and one steady too
3 - Reflectives - very effective, especially for side visibility.

As a specs wearer, I find it harder to spot obstacles in the dark, but then I set my front light up mainly to ensure I'm seen by cars in front of me without trying to blind them, often using my Lidl StVZO-esque light.

Certainly less chance of traffic in the surburbs and rural lanes, but more chance of the night shift animals waiting to pounce on you.

Those retro-reflective jackets/gloves/toe covers etc. are great for visibility and I think actually make drivers give more space when passing, I've been wearing my "dazzling" Boardman jacket in gillet form on the way to work through the city recently at 0600-0630 and it seems to be a positive.

Another top tip if exposed are fluro socks, as an almost constantly moving body part, they are even more likely to catch attention of other traffic.

Good practice to have two rear lights on because you won't know when one fails or falls off, have two fitted on front but keep backup off because you will be blind when primary fails.

Personally, besides early starts at work that are pitch black from late September to late March, I generally stick to the turbo. Safer, I don't want the extra wear on the drivetrain from winter grime or the agro of frequent cleaning, plus I don't want to have fun fixing the eventual puncture that will happen in cold/dark/wet. I'll try and get the odd little ride in during the day outdoors, when I can get out avoiding school run and rush hours, which tend to start earlier and last longer around here on Fridays.

Do it quite a bit, I like it.

Drivers can see you from much further away (especially if you're on quieter roads) and as a general rule, I get much safer passes at night.

Stick to routes you know - one of the benefits of being out at night means quieter roads anyway so there are stretches of main roads that I can do which I wouldn't ride in daylight*. Also, in the real depths of winter, the major routes tend to be gritted and cleared far better. I'll only night-ride any of the really tight/narrow/rough country lanes on my CX, would not take a road bike down them.

Two front lights - one a full night-riding job, one can be a little commuter type light for urban stretches so you're not blinding everyone. Two rear lights, just as backup. Some form of headtorch can also be useful if you need to fix a mechanical.

Dress warm, use reflectives. It's amazing how good they are on dark country roads when a car headlight hits them.

*disclaimer - this does not include riding main roads at 4.30pm in the depths of winter!

I've done it loads, it's a real joy on quiet roads late in the evening on a clear night. You need to pick your route and time carefully. Really avoid rush hour.

If you're a night owl, go out late. I used to go out after my wife went to be at 10pm. Country roads are deserted at 1-2am, it's great :). Pick a high route on a moonlit night for extra enjoyment.

I'd much rather ride on the road at night in winter than on a Sunday morning on a sunny day! 🙂

So can anyone recommend a decent front light road riding that isn’t cripplingly expensive and can also be used for the odd off road gravel spin?

i've just started on the road at night and got a Ravemen CR1000 £60 from sprockets

https://sprockets.uk.com/ravemen-cr1000-usb-rechargeable-front-light-with-remote-in-matt-gloss-black-1000-lumens-rrp-74-99/

has a nice road beam, and more compact than the PR1600, would be ok on gravel rides as well

So can anyone recommend a decent front light road riding that isn’t cripplingly expensive and can also be used for the odd off road gravel spin?

Some form of B&M Ixus in whichever power form you want - mine is quite old and uses old fashioned rechargeable AA batteries.

all the brand new cycle routes around my way are made of amazing new tarmac. and are 10ft wide. so i can do a 15 miles circuit away from the road, and away from any mud.
quite nice really.

StVZO-esque

What does that mean.

@ed34 Can that Raveman light be mounted upside-down on a GoPro style mount? I'm guessing it has to be that way up for the beam pattern.

Have to agree with what most have said, I actually really enjoy it. Not only can you see any cars from a million miles away at junctions but they can also see you a mile away and because they're not sure what on earth you are I've found they give you LOADS of room. Definitely agree on mudguards being a godsend as naturally the roads are going to be wet and grimy. Definitely agree on choosing where you go, I tend to opt for one or two regular routes of about 20 miles so that way I know of any large pot holes etc. and these roads are naturally my usual small country roads so traffic free any way. Layering and outfits are tricky, I tend to work out what my wardrobe is for a set temperature and use whatever weather app to tell me that temp and trust that once I get warmed up etc. that I'll be ok. Always takes me a week or two to work out those set wardrobes mind!

I use a bontrager ion pro front light and find it more than ample enough for road riding. If anything a little bright so I turn it up and down depending on traffic coming the other way.

@ton - what is this magical land you speak of in South Leeds? We haven't got any of that in the north!

I am also considering similar to the OP - with some easy gravel/canal thrown in; just to mix up the turbo sessions which do get dull.

molgrips- yeah has to be mounted the right way up, i think all the road types with cut off beams do. Its nice and small though, and fits well in the small gap between my stem and where the bars go flatter ok

Thanks for all the replies, sounds like I need to give it a go.

I've done a fair bit of night riding as part of audax rides and I feel safer at night than during the day; riding from sunset to sunrise is a really special experience provided the weather is kind. Top tips are multiple rear lights as above and a headtorch. And warmer gloves than you think you will need.

StVZO-esque

What does that mean

Light appears to have a shaped beam like German standards, but didn't explicitly state as such on the kit picked up from Lidl Mar '20. TINAS(?) bought one just before me and thought it might be StVZO compliant.

@ahsat

i was saying the same thing to the wife while we were our cycling on wednesday.
we now have a cycle track from the center of rothwell, up throught lofthouse, robin hood, thorpe and east ardsley. most is brand new tarmac.

going the other way, we can ride from rothwell to roundhay park on cycle paths,only crossing roads rather than cycling on them.

and going east we can cycle on canals, on tarmac and good surface down to mathley and then on to wakefield.

it is quite good now if your aim is to keep away from the traffic.

3) Keeping hands and feet warm is the trickiest bit – waterproof shoes sized up to allow thicker socks, silk socks/gloves as a base layer all work well.

If it's very cold and/ or wet, I use spds and my mtb waterproof boots. Grib grab gaiters stop water entering from the top.

Endura primaloft gloves are pretty good.

I ride on the road at night all winter. My biggest tip would be to find a local club ride!

1. Much safer in a small group
2. It gives you the motivation to get out there in the first place if you know there is a group waiting
3. Good camaraderie and bants which can be needed as the weather gets colder and wetter.
4. You get a turn out of the wind/rain...

Also get mudguards, decent lights, and decent clothing for body and extremities.

Oh I know what's svtzo is but it's either svtzo or it's not.

I am wondering how I’m going to get through this winter and if a road ride in the dark on an evening is a good idea or not?

I'm fortunate to have Richmond park and Bushy park nearby which close to traffic at sundown, its good for a few circuits a few times a week.

The only irritation is riders/commuters approaching you with their lights on full blast, the parks are unlit so you are not competing with other light sources to get noticed, so you can turn your lights down, though you do have to watch out for deer and the occasional Badger(tank).

My tips:
A small bright light can appear to be a much larger one far away. Be wary of cars pulling out in front of you because the driver thinks you are a motorbike in the distance. OR have a flashing front light as well (although this drives me crazy if it’s properly dark as the strobing light reflecting off road signs makes me feel like I’m on the edge of sanity)

I played with lighting myself up (a light pointing at my chest, angled so it didn’t dazzle me but showing me to be a cyclist) to very good effect for semi-urban cycling.

Like the flouro socks idea.

My gravel bike gets used a lot on roads at night time, in the winter. I’m lit up like a Christmas tree, so feel safer than I would during the daytime (even though I use an exposure daybright light).

At the start of the year I bought a Ravemen PR1200 which has the cut off. Seems perfect for the job.

Echoing what others have said really: I tend to ride at night on the road a fair bit in the winter, as it's often the only chance I get to go out riding. I don't always enjoy it, but when I do go i'm glad i've not done a turbo session.

- Definitely avoid busy roads as much as possible, I stick to very quiet lanes and gravel tracks that hold up OK in winter. You don't need to think about speed, just enjoy being out and you'll see plenty of wildlife!

- I find i'm more visible at night and oncoming cars are more cautious on narrow lanes because they're not sure if you're a motorbike.

- If you haven't got a road beam on your light, try and angle it slightly left to prevent dazzle and it helps you keep to the edge a bit. I have an exposure toro that i've adjusted at the mount to point left a bit, and I think this helps. Getting the light mounted lower helps too, you get more definition and shadows to see the surface.

- mudguards essential, and go tubeless if you can, will save faffing with a puncture in the muck and dark. I'm happy using wider gravel tyres as i'm not a speed merchant or roadie, so easy to find tubeless tyres of a larger size. There's enough sh!te on the roads in winter that the extra grip and rolling resistance is no bother.

I think it might depend on the roads/where you live.

Around Newcastle I ride a bit in the dark when it's not icy. Quiet roads can actually feel a little safer. Good front and rear lights in the dark make you very visible - bit like seeing headlights before the car driving at night. I pick roads I know so I don't come across any new killer pot holes or similar. Be careful on the descents, 40mph even with the best lights doesn't give you much chance to react so go easy.

One other option - I sometimes ride in a group which goes out at 7am, so it's dark in the winter months. I find if I've got my bike and kit ready the night before I have much more motivation than for an evening ride.

I took to night riding years ago for a number of reasons (availabke time, increased road safety/less stress/traffic, always enjoyed night-riding,.

These days it’s a mix of MTB natural trails, bridleways, gravel, and (mostly rural) roads. More of the latter two.

I also tend to do the grocery shops at night so will cycle into the city via circuitous rural lanes just to stretch out the ride. Sometimes rather than watching the screen I’ll just nip out with a rubbish excuse (‘just going to the corner shop to get some mustard/Space Raiders/tomatoes/vinegar) then will spend an hour or so cruising around, exploring urban roads, paths, around my the locale, joining dots, nosing at new developments, filling gaps, watching foxes, talking to cats. Etc.

Absolutely love riding at night. Agree with recurring points others have stated.

Right now (for me) is the nicest time of year with the evening scents of autumns. Just the sounds of yr tyres on the damp tarmac, owls, foxes, dripping leaves. Not too warm, not too cold.

Tips:

#1. Lighting. I used to dip my MTB light right down, then last year switched to a road-specific beam (Raveman PR in my case) which has bee pn game-changing. Broad, even light weighted on the road surface. Remote switch useful for instant boost in deepest dark places.

Whatever lighting you choose I’d also recommend a warmer colour LED. The one on the PR is a sort of rose tint. If you’re spending hrs in the saddle at night then the light-quality is arguably/IMO the big part of that experience. I really don’t enjoy cold, harsh white/blue white lights that throw centre-spots and dazzle. Having a warm, wide , even light that projects far ahead and doesn’t make tunnel vision quite so much of a thing has been a revelation. On the 29er I mount mine at the fork crown, which increases the benefit of shadow-cast on irregularities in the road surface. On the tourer it sits on the bars and still does an excellent job. May source a second fork-crown bracket for that bike also.

#2. Cold hands. I generally run warm, but in depths of winter (if such ever happens here in the Midlands) I’ll enjoy fleece-lined pogies, large clear sports glasses and a face-covering in the shape sports scarf/whatever those stretchy things are called. So many over-options in one loop of fabric and if it all gets a bit steamy then must pull it down as a neck scarf.

#3. Two rear lights (one steady) will help keep you alive

#4. Two full mudguards will keep you and bike cleaner and drier

That’s about it.

Oh

#5. Don’t always ride past that pub. Drop in. A single pint will put some float, zip and warmth for those last gravel miles home.

#6. Some woods/places are spooky at night*. Others aren’t. (It’s the rules and I don’t know why)

*Recently tried 11pm cycling down Mary Knoll Valley and didn’t quite make it, haha. 👻

I used to enjoy it but don't go crazy on the brightest lights especially flashing as it can really dazzle drivers. You will be easy to See with any half decent light so don't worry.

Enjoy the quiet, best time to road ride tbh.

I used to enjoy riding unlit country roads at night, you can see oncoming traffic a long way off too. I’d usually stay clear of the single track roads though if there wasn’t enough space to pass safely. Good light essential though - you need to enough lumens to give you a good forward view as well as lighting the road surface - I once double-flatted on a fast downhill as I’d angled the light to get a good view forward and didn’t see the huge pothole. A tiny headtorch helps for mechanicals and punctures. Riding familiar roads also helps in terms of knowing junctions, obstacles and potential hazards - see potholes above.

Yep, it's safer than riding during the day. There's less cars and tend to give you a wide berth at night.

Only whilst the temperature is about 10 degrees and above

You can't beat a muddy mountain bike ride but there's a lot less mess going for a road cycle though.

*edit, sorry for rambling mind-dump/typos in last post

Quite enjoy it. I tend to stick to familiar routes where I've memorised road imperfections. I too have a raveman 1200, it leakes a little light upwards, so I point it down a bit. Luckily I have quiet rural roads or well lit town roads near home to ride on. Always use a tracking app and estimated time away. I'm more prepared to stop on a narrow road to let cars pass too, it can be quite hard to spot broken road edges for both me and the motorists. I always assume that drivers give you more room at night (especially rurally) because you're obviously nails.

All the 'spirited' young drivers come out after dark round here, so the best country roads are sadly out of bounds.
Luckily, we're next to Towneley Park which is large, quiet, well surfaced and safe.
Great fun, often see deer, badgers and the occasional dogger....

Dynamo lights and mudguards, as above. And a flask.
Can't go wrong, great fun.

A tiny headtorch helps for mechanicals and punctures

That really is good advice. I carry a Thrunite H01, which also has a firefly mode, turbo and SOS mode, not to mention a handy magnet.

Oh there's a Raveman adapter for GoPro mounts under out-front mounts.

Do they all have the car-friendly beam?

Do they (Ravemen) all have the car-friendly beam?

Yes, sort of, but in different ways. It’s a bit confusing.

PR-series (up to PR1600) = 2 x emitters (ie LHS = DuaLens ie road/gravel w/cutoff, RHS = MTB/torch)

PR2400 = 5 x emitters ie 1 x central ‘DuaLens’ ie road/gravel + 4 x MTB/torch.

CR Series = Single emitter. Varying beam-patterns depending on model*, ie ‘T-shaped beam’ or ‘DuaLens’**. All are anti-glare with side visibility

LR Series = Single emitter ie ‘Curved beam’ flood w/side visibility, no cutoff AFAIK)

* https://www.ravemen.com/t/Road%20cycling.html

** ‘Dualens‘

similar to automotive low beam headlight, providing broad close-range flood light with anti-glare cut-off line, no dazzle and glare for oncoming riders and pedestrians’ eg: https://www.ravemen.com/CR/CR900.html

Thread needs pics

I’ll sometimes pull over and spend ten minutes here or there faffing about shooting.

Here are a few, for other lunatics to enjoy 🙂

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