My first night ride - glad it is over.

slavedave

Been on a bike commuting for the last 15 years or so - the first 5 years consisting of a mile and a half each way, the next 5 years consisting of a 17 mile round trip into Dublin and back, whilst the last 5 have involved a 5 mile round trip. All of the above were on well lit streets.
But tonight I took on a return trip from Clonee to Swords Village because there was no practical way to get there with the timings involved. The most direct route involved the back roads from Tyrellstown, over the old n2 and past the airport to the north.
When I got my current bike through the cycle to work scheme ( a Boardman hybrid) I got the best lights that Halfords had. On a well lit street they are the bees knees for getting noticed but they were next to useless for lighting up the surface vaguely resembling a road tonight. I took the extra precaution of strapping a LED headtorch to my helmet to make me more visible but it didn't bring much to the party in regards to lighting the way.
It was terrifying! Couldn't see the pot holes but certainly felt them.
When cars came up from behind all was good but when approaching from the front, when combined with glare off of the wet road and glasses speckled with raindrops going was precarious to say the least.
Then I remembered an old Bear Grylls trick that he used in the jungle- keep one eye shut when lights come at you in true darkness so that it remains less affected by night blindness. It did actually work! Once the cars passed the unaffected eye gave pretty good vision of the road ahead. Helped no end, but I probably looked even more demented than usual squinting at all and sundry as they passed.
With the wind behind me I flew in but coming back was very tough. In the end the 26 miles took me 1 hr 57 minutes but now my knees (and derriere) hurt.
What was I thinking? Will probably never attempt it again - most cars were considerate but lorries in the narrow road made for hairy encounters.
Did see one guy on a mountain bike with lights that actually lit up the road like a main beam. Can you get light envy?:D

thebouldwhacker

slavedave wrote: »

Can you get light envy?

Yes

catastrophy

Im only a novice when it comes to cycling but Ive found that on my night time trips to work (I work shifts so I can be out at all hours) cars and trucks are far more courteous than during daylight hours.

OP, why dont you try using two lights at the front, although I must admit one good light I find is more than adequate.

mfdc

You get used to it. I've been doing training spins at night a couple days each week for the last month, and it does get easier over time. It helps a lot to have a good light - was out last night in the rain and I had no difficulty seeing the road ahead. Good lights ain't cheap though - I use a Fenix L2D which cost about €60 I think, there's a thread around here somewhere recommending good lights. It also helps if you know the road, and have done it a few times in daylight. Lets you avoid some of the potholes

But yeah, cars coming toward you are a bitch. I find that until they dip their headlights I'm basically blind which is far from ideal! I agree that they're way more courteous at night though - usually dip immediately, slow down and some even pull in if the road is narrow.

blorg

You went out cycling at night without effective lights. Of course it was terrifying; it is a genuinely dangerous and inadvisable thing to do (I have had the experience myself cycling Dublin-Navan in the dark before I got proper lights.) If you have a proper light you will both be able to see the road and cars will dip their headlights coming towards you. Reliable proper lights include the Fenix torches; cheaper and brighter can be had from the likes of Dealextreme but the quality is not always as reliable.

+1 on what catastrophy says about drivers being more courteous in the dark too- as long as you have proper lights!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055705708

Lumen

The conditions were pretty nasty last night. I was wearing glasses myself and had problems seeing where I was going. Contact lenses FTW.

Driver stupidity/impatience also seems to increase when it's raining. No idea why - they're cooped up in warm dry comfy boxes.

slavedave

Man, do I now realise it was naieve? Unfortunately (or fortunately) I don't hope to make the same trip in the dark again but if it comes to being able to anticipate one then I will certainly purchase a better front light rather than g through that again.
Blorg, you are right. Right equipment for the right conditions are essential, but the lack of good public transport last night informed my decision to "take a flyer" at it. Feeling it in the thighs this morning but pleased that:
a) I didn't have a serious mishap
b) I could do the 26 miles in horrible conditions without ay pre-rides of any similar distance. Maybe there is life in the old ticker after all!
My son (13) had notions of doing a 100 miler last July, and last night made me realise just how hard that would be. You cyclists that do that kind of distances are legends!

c montgomery

I bought one of these lights for night time mountain biking.
It pumps out 900 lumens and turns night into day. Cars would have no bother seeing you with one of these and you will have full visability of the road.
They cost me about 100euro from this site and they arrived in 3 days.
http://www.magicshinebikelights.co.uk/front-bike-lights/magicshine-mj-808-900-lumen-bike-light-set.php?item=1&category=1&p=1&so=0

You can get them cheaper (60-70euro) on dealextreme but you might have to pay vat and stuff as they will then come from the U.S. and i have heard that they may take up to 6 weeks to arrive.

Thats my 2 cents anyway.

Beasty

Plenty of advice in this thread on lighting options - let's not go over it all again

Thanks

Beasty

victorcarrera

If you cycle regularly at night time get a peak for your helmet or put a strip of insulating tape over the top of your glasses to block out the oncomming headlamps. It prevents the night blindness and you can focus better on the ditch to your left.

BostonB

slavedave wrote: »

....I got the best lights that Halfords ....

What exactly are these lights. I've never noticed any decent lights in Halfords...

Civilian_Target

slavedave wrote: »

But tonight I took on a return trip from Clonee to Swords Village because there was no practical way to get there with the timings involved. The most direct route involved the back roads from Tyrellstown, over the old n2 and past the airport to the north.

I know this route too, and I refuse to cycle it. It's genuinely nasty at night, even with good lights. The road is narrow and twisty, theres lots of holes and lots of traffic making dangerous overtaking manouvers. The better alternative is to go down the N3 and then turn back up towards Ashtown station, through Finglas and up the N1.

I got the best lights that Halfords had. On a well lit street they are the bees knees for getting noticed but they were next to useless for lighting up the surface vaguely resembling a road tonight. I took the extra precaution of strapping a LED headtorch to my helmet to make me more visible but it didn't bring much to the party in regards to lighting the way.
It was terrifying! Couldn't see the pot holes but certainly felt them.
When cars came up from behind all was good but when approaching from the front, when combined with glare off of the wet road and glasses speckled with raindrops going was precarious to say the least.

Yeah, everyone has said it already. Get some lights.
I did the ride in the dark once also (but in France), and dropped 60 euros on proper lights before repeating the experience. With proper lights, it was fine I think nearly everyone with good lights goes through this process.
But, like I say, the back road from Clonee to the airport is nasty, even with good lights.

pprendeville

Started working in swords recently. Started off cycling but light has faded and had a near miss so invested in good light from tumble And fall which I'm still waiting on. Anyway, I drive back road from finglas out past airport and pass a Chinese/Asian guy every morning about 7. This guy has no lights whatsoever. I think eventually he's going to get knocked down. What can you do! Some people are just foolish.

slavedave

These were the lights that were available at the time I bought the bike:
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_525191_langId_-1_categoryId_212469#dtab

Thanks for all the comments.

twinsen

try this : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24391

I use it almost every day to get to work from Dublin to Leixlip. On a full power I have no problem with potholes. Naturally it wont help for careless drivers.

Lumen

slavedave wrote: »

These were the lights that were available at the time I bought the bike:
http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_525191_langId_-1_categoryId_212469#dtab

One of my front lights is 13x more powerful than that; I use two of them, and they're far from the most powerful available. Whilst that light might be fine for being seen, there's no way that's going to be useful for lighting up the road.

Whilst candlepower, lux and lumen ratings can be confusing, the clue is in "63 hours on constant mode" from 3 AA batteries. That's about 0.2W.