Yes, the evenings are dark but that’s no reason to neglect your cycling. Here’s why.
1. You’ll maintain your fitness
If you have a full-time job, the opportunity to ride in the daylight might well be limited to weekends at this time of year. If you want to maintain your fitness, health, mental well-being and all the other benefits that you get from cycling, get out on the bike in the evening.
2. It’s a buzz
Cycling in the dark can be really fun. It feels faster than in daylight and roads you know well look entirely different. Riding a sweeping descent that’s lit only by a light on the front of your bike is an addictive experience and the same goes for hitting a gravel track with a couple of mates.
3. The roads are quieter
Head out in the evenings and the roads tend to be quiet. That’s always good news. There’s also something intoxicating about riding roads where you can’t see any lights from traffic or nearby towns or villages.
4. There’s only so much time you can spend on the turbo
Yes, you can ride the rollers or turbo to preserve your fitness and get your cycling fix, and things like Zwift’s 3D virtual world make the experience much more enjoyable, but nothing beats getting out there on the road.
Here’s our guide to getting started on Zwift.
5. Lights are really, really good these days
If you grew up enduring dim bike lights that needed new batteries on an almost constant basis, forget them. You can get amazing bike lights these days that provide excellent illumination, they’re simple to recharge, they’re durable, they’re lightweight and compact… Plus, we all like the excuse to buy new kit.
Check out our guide to the best front lights for cycling, complete with a beam comparison engine.
32 thoughts on “5 reasons to get out and ride in the dark”
Also, I have noticed that
Also, I have noticed that cars seem to give you a bit more respect at night. They will often stop to let you pass on a country lane.
I suspect they don’t know you’re a cyclist…
gsavill90 wrote:
I second that!
As soon as the Range Rovers see my Volt 1600, even on medium, they dive out of the way.
Also pass with far more caution.
Plasterer’s Radio wrote:
Burnt out retinas can make people do that… even Range Rover drivers.
Medium power on the volt 1600 is still 500 Lumens which is more than the combined output of the TWO Hope One lights I use when out in the country in the dark..
But hey… I’ll not start the lighting argument just yet… 😀
There’s probably safety in
There’s probably safety in numbers, but on my own I feel pretty vulnerable on country lanes at night. Cars bomb along and just don’t expect you to be there.
I get the buzz and thrill of it all. It seems faster. Dodging potholes and praying that you don’t puncture or crash is probably part of that too! But thrill-seeking is tempered by caution for me more and more these days.
I used a Hope One for a
I used a Hope One for a couple of years but I’m with Plasteresradio on this one. I have an Exposure Diablo and at third power (allegedly 433 lumens) it’s fab for road riding but the 1,300 lumen full blast is excellent for off road excursions and unlit farm tracks. It’s nice to have a bit of proper wallop in reserve.
6. To commute
6. To commute
BikeJon wrote:
Ditto, working 14:00 – 22:00 shift means 50% of my commute is in the hours of darkness. I do get exclusive use of a 10 foot ‘cycle lane’ back into Bristol when riding home.
I’m not advocating the Hope
I’m not advocating the Hope Vision One as a light for all occasions and if I was doing more frequent mileage in the dark (other than my normal commute) I would invest in something a bit brighter.
However, I have some very real concerns that to the majority (of inexperienced riders at least) more lumens is the only way to go when it comes to riding at night and while I personally love riding at night (I do at least 1200 miles a year in the dark) some people seem determined to make it harder for me.
Anyway, I’m going to put my final comment on lights here and be done with it… mibee…
In my limited experience of using and observing LED’s (all on-road) I’d put lights into the following groups:
10-25 lumens is the low end of “see me” lights – little or no issue blinding people but these are only for back up lighting.
25-150 gets you a very visible “see me” light but at the higher end of this range, consideration of other road users should start to should be taken into account when seting them up and using them.
150-300 will comfortably show you the way through shadows but also, very definitely, needs to be used with care. Even at 150 lumens you will dazzle anyone in front of you if using a light without a cutoff beam angle OR have it angled incorrectly. This, as I’ll expand on later is my big issue with powerful lights.
Over 300 lumens on the road in an urban environment is unneccessary and inconsiderate if not potentially dangerous.
On unlit roads, you’ll struggle to see much with anything under 200 lumens and I’d go so far as to say 300 is probably the starting point for night riding in unfamiliar territory. 500 is probably enough to cover most situations but again lights in this category need to be set up properly AND used considerately.
So… lights like PR’s Volt 1600 orr the BBB light recently reviewed? They’re both very capable lights and set up correctly with a reponsible user behind it can cover the majority of on and off road scenarios… BUT…
…Far too many people are simply buying a bigger light and sticking it on their handlebars in the naive belief that more output means they’ll be safer. Meanwhile, they also appear not to give a shit if people in front of them (be they oncoming or travelling in the same direction) are being blinded by the searchlight beam they’re caught in.
I’ve seen many, many lights pointing upwards or straight ahead as if deliberately designed to shine directly at people. So much so, that even a cut off beam angle would be rendered ineffective. They’re also often permanently on full power when the lowest setting would be more than enough. The concept of switching modes to a lower/higher power to depending on the situation seems to enturly escape many.
Whether this is a lack of knowledge or deliberate fuckwittery is debatable, but with every passing winter I see more bright lights being used innappropriately on well lit roads.
How do we improve this?
Better instructions – no light I have ever bought shows or tells you how to set it up properly.
Warnings on the packaging eg. “not for on-road use at full power”
Responsible reviews – eg. at least mention the fact that its a light designed for trail riding and isn’t really meant for riding in traffic on well lit roads.
More info online – how about a Road.cc “how to set up and use your lights properly” article?
I’m sure there are dozens of more ways to help with this, but I’ve siad more than enough already!
Jack Osbourne snr wrote:
I agree. It would be nice to see some guidance on the appropriateness of lights for lit road/unlit road and off road. I am seeing more and more bike lights that are dazzling. It would be good for reviews that include it. As a commuter it’s very irritating, especially bright flashing rear lights. Having the cyclist in front of you dazzling you is rather annoying, but I bet they have no idea. They just want to be safe
Jack Osbourne snr wrote:
I’ve had somone have a go at me, one time, for apparently shining lights at them dangerously. Except my light *was* pointing forward-and-down at an appropriate angle but if you are riding uphill then that angle apparently changes, doesn’t it? I don’t imagine there’s a cyclist in the world who’d think “Uh-oh – hill: better stop and adjust the angle of my front light”. I’m sure the motorists don’t, either.
Which leads me on to a second
rantpoint – the irony of motorists complaining about bike lights when so many of them don’t seem to have worked out how to switch from ‘dipped’ to ‘full’, with their nuclear powered gazillion lumen headlights!brooksby wrote:
I think I once blinded a recumbent rider as we passed each other on a shared use path. Unfortunately, lights pointing downwards doesn’t help when your eyes are only a couple of feet from the ground. Next time, I’ll remember to cover my light with my hand when passing.
Everything above
Everything above
Especially the suggestion of an article on this, although your comment is halfway to being that article. I went through my own learning curve with lighting, less fun being on the receiving end of so many others doing the same now that lumens are so cheap.
I’m a big fan of using two
I’m a big fan of using two lights – a long ‘strip’ light (COB) mounted on the head tube and fairly sharply angled down (shining a meter or so beyond the front wheel), and a beefier 400+ Lumen directed at a further point on the road. The first is kept on all the time during winter, and the second only used on darker roads. With more powerful lumination and the advent of USB charging, there’s an argument for using the flash mode less as well, perhaps.
I recommend Fenix BC21R. This
I recommend Fenix BC21R (or BC30 if you need more output). This light costs less than £70 (or less if you shop around), offers a good 880 lumen output, runs on standard user-swappable 18650 lithium cells, and most importantly has a beam cut-off to prevent blinding other road users. More info here…
http://reviews.mtbr.com/review-fenix-bc21r
http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/Shop/Fenix-Torches/Bike-Lights/13272-Fenix-BC21R-Bike-Light.html
I’ve got a lovely Busch &
I’ve got a lovely Busch & Muller Luxos on my commuting/touring bike that runs off a dynamo hub. Works out your speed & lighting level & balances the beam between widespread ‘be seen’ LEDs and focused on the road ahead LEDs. Great fun riding quiet Derbyshire country lanes in the dark as it spreads across the whole width of the road but in a controlled way so you’re not dazzling other road users.
On my MTB I’ve got a 25 quid eBay speacial which is great off road – it’s like strapping a lighthouse to your handlebars, but I pair it with an old Cat Eye & turn it off for the road sections as it’s seriously antisocial. Again, I’d thoroughly recommend off road night riding. Even familiar trails have a real buzz when you ride them at night, and the feeling of being on top of a hill in the middle of nowhere at night is brilliant, especially around a full moon.
1 big reason surely this
1 big reason surely this time of year after 4pm, it’s dark, end of
riders on a budget, 10 quid ALDI USB lights front and back, and a 20 quid hi-viz jacket off decathalon, drivers will have no excuse to see you on those unlit b roads
offroad, i like the moon mask at full whack to light up some pitch black loose singletrack
It’s about time smart
It’s about time smart headlights were produced.
We’re already seeing smart tail lights which can detect both deceleration as well as traffic approaching from the rear. It shouldn’t be a huge leap to have head lights which automaitcally dip in strength if they detect oncoming traffic, permitting cars to pass without blinding drivers.
I predict that we’ll see them within a couple of years – with more automation and smart behaviour bundled in.
The problems highlighted
The problems highlighted above about dazzling front headlights exist in part because regulations in the UK are so out of date and do not take into account high powered LED lights. In Germany regulations exist which mean that bike headlights are equivalent to dipped car head lights. As such German lights (e.g. by Bosch and Muller) or those intended for the German market (e.g. Cateye Volt G-80) are far less likely to dazzle oncoming motorists or cyclists since they are focused down on to the road. The UK regulations need to be updated to match the German standards.
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And they still do.
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Three years later. (Sigh)
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The Garmin light has a nice
The Garmin light has a nice sharp cut-off and changes beam pattern with speed if it’s set on auto
When the moon is bright, and
When the moon is bright, and you’re on a stretch of road you know is safe, riding with the light off is often nicer than having it on. My evening journey through Richmond Park is much more enjoyable when I can do this – I keep the rear light on to remain visible and just need to watch out for oncoming cyclists and deer!
arckuk wrote:
Just make sure you stay on the path!
Has anyone had any experience
Has anyone had any experience with the recent crop of STVZO compliant lights? I’m thinking more Exposure, but really anything.
Problem is that it’s not easy
Problem is that it’s not easy to find a StVZo compliant headlight that a) produces enough output for riding on unlit or scarcely lit roads AND b) that’s battery powered AND c) doesn’t require you to latch more than 1 lbs of batteries and cables to your bike. An issue with those lights also is that they’re not designed to work very well at speed due to the rather sharp beam cutoff. If you ride any faster than 32 kmph (about 20 mph) then reaction time for something ‘unexpected’*becomes minimal if you’re riding outside a well lit area. *The proverb about rabbits and headlights is true, unfortunately. I rode over a mesmerised rabbit or hare whileon an early morning tour last february. Luckily I didn’t go down, the culprit had limped off by the time my heartbeat went down and I had screeched to a stop.
The best StVZo one I personally used was a Son Edelux 2 but that’s dynamo powered so of no great use on a road bike. I hear from friends that some of the Lupines are good but they have the battery issue mentioned above and cost a pretty penny.
I commute on my gravel bike so from october until about nowadays that means setting out in the dark (I start work early). Use a Nightrider Lumina 1200 OLED, angled slightly down and on its lowest setting, works well but keep in mind that I know the roads and potholes. I think anything except the MTB ‘floodlights’ with tremendous output radiating in all directions will do fine if you angle them down a bit. Check out the headlight beam comparison engine on the site (at least I think it’s on this site, else try bike*****) and look for a slightly flattened beam.
Ta Xenophon2, I had seen the
Ta Xenophon2, I had seen the Lupines, and they do look good, I was actually thinking-
https://exposurelights.com/products/bike/stvzo-lights
The big puppy, maybe. Though the little one might just do.
Having a bit of a problem with my Hope R4, there may be problems with getting the connecting cable on the batteries fixed, their weak point (their servicing up to this point has been incredible, but the cables die, no matter how careful I am, and I have to remove them when leaving the bike locked, at work or at the shops), so Exposure’s contained units seem good, have had nothing bad to say of my helmet mounted Axis. If I’m getting another bar light, I’d like a truely “dippable” one for the road, but with with enough ooompf for off road.
And if I can keep the Hope going,and I would like to, having just brought another £30 light bracket and an extra capacity 2 and 4 cell ES batteries, maybe the little one for road and add power for the off road. Got to think about the new tech after all.
Expensive I know, but I have always considered quality lights to be a great investement, have done since I got my first NightSun Tri-Light. My lights probably cost more than my everyday bike is worth.
Good side bits.
Good side bits.
I’ve just bought a new light,
I’ve just bought a new light, a Sigma Aura 60 (£29 via Amazon though I got mine for half that on fleabay), the 60 designating the Lux, not entirely sure it’s as ‘bright’ as the stated Lux but the shape of the beam is excellent,nothing wated and no dazzle unless you’re a complte idiot and point it upwards. should be good for 30mph runs similar to my Sigma PAVA but one advantage it does have over the PAVA is that it has a side strip of light coming from it also so good as a side on ‘to be seen’. However run times are nowhere near the PAVA which uses 4XAA Fujitsu’s so I can get around 13-14hours on full and almost double that on the lower setting which is still good for 20mph in completely unlit conditions.
This article recycling is
This article recycling is getting ridiculous. Why has this come back in my news feeds just as the dark evenings disappear?
6. Because the boss won’t let
6. Because the boss won’t let you go home at 3pm.
I find riding in the dark quite stressful, these days, to be honest.
I always fit my Cateye 800 upside down!
Yes, fit it under the bars and not “on top”, it means the light is further down and pointing more towards the road so (a) you see the road surface better and (b) no blinding oncoming traffic.
Easy! 🙂
I find the roads are a little
I find the roads are a little quieter at night.
But there are far more idiot boy racers out after dark. They can’t resist slowing to your cycle pace and massively rev up their engines for a rocket launch.
I could easily compile a top 10 Don’t do it list.
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Try early mornings – they’re even better!
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