Cycling over Sally Gap at night....

The Noble Nudge

Considering this but think its a death wish......
Have the lights and bought a 2nd set, have flashy LEDS for arms and legs....
Leaving about 7pm through Tallaght over the hell fire.....
Anyone currently doing it?
Thanks

AstraMonti

If you are not afraid of the dark you 'll be fine :pac:

Zyzz

Make sure the lights you have up front are very bright to ensure good visibility in the dark.

Done it before with a fairly poor set of lights and it was not fun at all!

The Noble Nudge

AstraMonti wrote: »

If you are not afraid of the dark you 'll be fine :pac:

Not afraid of the dark just motorists.......:D
and Tallaght in the dark.........;):cool:

The Noble Nudge

Zyzz wrote: »

Make sure the lights you have up front are very bright to ensure good visibility in the dark.

Done it before with a fairly poor set of lights and it was not fun at all!

Any recommendations on lights? I remember Lumen had a thread on here but cant find it......

Presume me Aldi €7.99 jobs aren't up to scratch....

coastwatch

Looks like ckear skies tonight, so not as dark as you might think. Expect sleepwalking sheep though.

The Noble Nudge

coastwatch wrote: »

Looks like ckear skies tonight, so not as dark as you might think. Expect sleepwalking sheep though.

Nearly forgot about them bad boys........

The Noble Nudge

May test out the light first.....see where im at....so to speak.....

Zyzz

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Any recommendations on lights? I remember Lumen had a thread on here but cant find it......

Presume me Aldi €7.99 jobs aren't up to scratch....

Id use my big ebay lights, they are 20 something quid but are incredibly bright. They are too bright for regular use but when the roads go dark and quiet I switch em on and happy days :pac:

Tenzor07

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Have the lights and bought a 2nd set, have flashy LEDS for arms and legs....

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Any recommendations on lights?
Presume me Aldi €7.99 jobs aren't up to scratch....

Well for starters flashy Led's are only good for commuting.. And if you have cheapo lights well, they'd not be much good either..

No way would I do this spin alone at night, bring a couple of mates..

Personally speaking I would want something like the Niterider Lumia 700 on the bars, and another one as backup on a helmet strap/mount..

mrbike

There's some great advise on riding at night on the Audax Ireland website : http://www.audaxireland.org/the-saddlebag/night-riding/

On a nice clear night, nothing beats it.

mrbike

Make sure you check the weather before you head out as well...

http://www.met.ie/latest/reports.asp

Check the Dublin Airport weather, and subtract a few degrees at take the altitude into account. You don't want to be up there at night below 0 on slick tyres...

You probably should check for rain as well : http://www.met.ie/latest/rainfall_radar.asp

Valentine1

I wouldn't fancy heading over the Gap at night on my own. Aside from the stoned boy racers who are often up there you wouldn't know what sort of strange characters you might meet up there.

Also in Winter icy roads could be a problem.

Planet X

Why didn't you do it during our long hot summer?
Asking for trouble at this time of the year.

Tomred13

Fairplay NobleNudge

Go for it.. some great advice here already, first test out your lights up howth, always bring spare batterys and be prepared to change them in the dark by feel, as mentioned check the forecast and be prepared for the cold. i use two lights for nightime spins and mtbing, one 400lumen on the bars and 800lumen on my head for dark roads and back up, plus a load of flashing lights on the bike. Remember to take it handy when your out as you will only see potholes and road debris at the last minute, and always tell people what route your taking.. most of all enjoy!!!!! nightime biking is great,, less cars n less people.

Dermot

DaithiMC

Valentine1 wrote: »

I wouldn't fancy heading over the Gap at night on my own. Aside from the stoned boy racers who are often up there you wouldn't know what sort of strange characters you might meet up there.

Also in Winter icy roads could be a problem.

Yeah, wrap up - a puncture or a mechanical and the heat is stripped out of you in minutes...... in August!

07Lapierre

Bring spare lights/batteries, two spare tubes, mobile phone etc. (is there a phone signal up at sally gap?)

Lusk_Doyle

Be on the look out for hapless Brazilian lads too with keys that need help partying in the woods!

Wishbone Ash

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

..... have flashy LEDS for arms and legs....

Concentrate more on being able to see where you're going. You won't have to worry about being seen. Unlike urban cycling, on an unlit road, any light will alert motorists to your presence.

07Lapierre wrote: »

(is there a phone signal up at sally gap?)

There is during the day anyway. I often send Mrs WA a text when I reach the crossroads (which is about 70kms from my home) just to let her know I'm ok.

I'd love to do it at midnight but it wouldn't be fair (family wise).

Plastik

D1, Tallaght, Boharnabreena, Featherbeds, Enniskerry, Greystones. Just in the door. Beautiful evening to be heading up the mountains. There is a beautiful tranquility to cycling the deserted roads.

CatFromHue

Here's a good guide for buying lights for use on dark country roads.

http://eddys.com/articles/how-bright-is-that-light-ig493/

I have a 2Watt light and thought it was the bees knees but then I used it once on an unlight road and was pretty disappointed.

I now use a 300lumen light as well as the 2 Watt light and would consider this the minimum you should use.

allez

Just saying, beware the sallygap sasquatch. YOU SHOULD FEAR THE DARK

They can 45km/h, i'd like to see anyone do those speeds up the gap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmr-cDD0Hdk

inc21

allez wrote: »

Just saying, beware the sallygap sasquatch. YOU SHOULD FEAR THE DARK

They can 45km/h, i'd like to see anyone do those speeds up the gap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmr-cDD0Hdk

Looks like you have thing about bigfoot

allez

inc21 wrote: »

Looks like you have thing about bigfoot

He's Real haters gonna hate haha Nah think the worst thing ive ever seen up there was people sunbathing at the summit of glenmacnass who should have been wearing more clothes and of course the obligatory curious sheep.

Zyzz

allez wrote: »

He's Real haters gonna hate haha Nah think the worst thing ive ever seen up there was people sunbathing at the summit of glenmacnass who should have been wearing more clothes and of course the obligatory curious sheep.

lol.

inc21

I was out this morning before light.
It is nice and quiet no cars no noise.
It was very scary though coming down the hill on unfamiliar road on a wooded area and only light you have is your 6.99 aldi torch.
Aldi light is pretty bright but still not enough for downhill speeds. No help from the sky, you could just about tell that there was road looking up to the tree tops.
Now it was no Sally Gap but very enjoyable all the same.

mirrormatrix

Can I ask the obvious question? Why?

Plenty of roads out there that are well lit and much safer to cycle on at night. Plus you could always do the gap at the weekend. It's not like you're going to see much up there at night, so you could really just go for a night cycle anywhere. Do hill reps somewhere lit up if you want the climbing miles.

Personally I think going up there at night, even with a really good set of lights, is just asking for trouble.

Plastik

What sort of trouble exactly? If the weather is ok then what inherent danger is there of going over the Sally Gap. Is there some sort of nighttime wildebeest up there that we don't know about?

07Lapierre

Plastik wrote: »

What sort of trouble exactly? If the weather is ok then what inherent danger is there of going over the Sally Gap. Is there some sort of nighttime wildebeest up there that we don't know about?

Lack of visibility/light maybe?

Plastik

What lack of visibility? There's exactly the same sort of visibility as there is on every other unlit country road - none - it's dark. Are we scared of the dark? You don't go up there without suitable lights, there's nobody arguing otherwise.

Apart from that it's almost safer in terms of traffic because in general you can see it coming from a long, long way off as opposed to a set of headlights suddenly lighting up the ditch one corner ahead of you.

mirrormatrix

Darkness. That's plenty trouble enough. You can't see as well as during the day (no matter how good your lights are) and hence run the risk of hitting potholes/ice etc. It's obviously your own choice whether to head up there or not, but I don't think that there is any arguing that going up there at night is inherently less safe than cycling in a well lit area.

Unless of course you don't have any well lit roads to cycle on. In which case I can see some sense in this.

07Lapierre

Plastik wrote: »

What lack of visibility? There's exactly the same sort of visibility as there is on every other unlit country road - none - it's dark. Are we scared of the dark? You don't go up there without suitable lights, there's nobody arguing otherwise.

Apart from that it's almost safer in terms of traffic because in general you can see it coming from a long, long way off as opposed to a set of headlights suddenly lighting up the ditch one corner ahead of you.

Descending from Sally Gap in the dark is not my idea of fun. I like to descend fast. I have a 2000 lumen headlamp and I still wouldn't do it.

The Noble Nudge

Survived....
Why some of you ask....My sense of adventure and I hadn't cycled at night before and from cycling the area during summer there's very little traffic so my thinking was there would be even less this time of year.
Gunny hill to past ballnasmutton bridge only 1 car passed me.....no stray sheep but the defense forces were on night time ops and lads in camo appearing on the road kept me sharp.
Temperature dropped up the gap to -0.9 which made the descent cold but otherwise grand....I was dressed appropriately for the weather been out in colder too.
N81 and cars with full beam lights was the only complaint really....
Found a torch and improvised a fix to the handlebars worked well but proper light would be my only fix...

The Noble Nudge

Actually great view up at lough Bray 2 bus loads of hill walkers making there way to the summit with just torch light.
Great moonlight too and a clear night to see all the stars. Great spin I've to say.

https://www.strava.com/activities/94750675

The Noble Nudge

Thanks for the tips I'll read them now

mirv

If you're up for going for a night spin again sometime I might be persuaded into getting some use out of my petzl headtorch and 3W cree torch!

Zyzz

This was my setup when I went along those roads as there is no light whatsoever, albeit I haven't cycled up there while dark in quite a while!

Zyzz wrote: »

As of this year I only really head out in the dark, I enjoy it and roads are relatively quieter aswel



(1200 lumen each light so plenty, lights up the whole phoenix park when needed)

CramCycle

allez wrote: »

think the worst thing ive ever seen up there was people sunbathing at the summit of glenmacnass who should have been wearing more clothes and of course the obligatory curious sheep.

You'd be disgusted by the photo shoots up there sometimes.

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Darkness. That's plenty trouble enough. You can't see as well as during the day (no matter how good your lights are) and hence run the risk of hitting potholes/ice etc. It's obviously your own choice whether to head up there or not, but I don't think that there is any arguing that going up there at night is inherently less safe than cycling in a well lit area.

Unless of course you don't have any well lit roads to cycle on. In which case I can see some sense in this.

Buy a good Dynamo hub and a schmidt edelux light. If you can see better during the day, your not looking in the right direction

Qualitymark

I have friends who live on one of the roads near the Sally Gap, and they and their neighbours won'd drive on the Featherbeds-Sally-Gap road after dark. There are some dangerous criminals who like to have fun there, they said to me.

cdaly_

mirrormatrix wrote: »

Darkness. That's plenty trouble enough. You can't see as well as during the day (no matter how good your lights are) and hence run the risk of hitting potholes/ice etc. It's obviously your own choice whether to head up there or not, but I don't think that there is any arguing that going up there at night is inherently less safe than cycling in a well lit area.

Unless of course you don't have any well lit roads to cycle on. In which case I can see some sense in this.

Ya see, this sort of night-riding is all about staying away from the well lit roads (which are more likely to be trafficed even at night). It's all about the night closing in around you; you, your bike and a pool of light on the road. The hills disappear; you pedal at the same speed, sometimes you're moving faster, sometimes slower. As you round a curve, the beam of your light washes across the trees by the roadside, occasionally picking out the glowing eyes of a deer or fox. You're living in the moment, you have no responsibilities, no worries, nobody expecting you to behave this way or that.

Can't wait for the Easter Fleche...

Macy0161

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Temperature dropped up the gap to -0.9 which made the descent cold but otherwise grand....I was dressed appropriately for the weather been out in colder too.

I used to drive the gap on my commute - my only addition to the thread is a possible temp difference should be expected. It can be 4 or 5 degrees colder up there even compared to Roundwood.

Macy0161

Qualitymark wrote: »

I have friends who live on one of the roads near the Sally Gap, and they and their neighbours won'd drive on the Featherbeds-Sally-Gap road after dark. There are some dangerous criminals who like to have fun there, they said to me.

I'd be bit wary in the early hours, but in the evening that seems a bit extreme.

bazermc

Plastik wrote: »

What sort of trouble exactly? If the weather is ok then what inherent danger is there of going over the Sally Gap. Is there some sort of nighttime Beasty wildebeest up there that we don't know about?

FYP :P

WillyFXP

http://www.cyclestore.co.uk/productDetails.asp?productID=56425&categoryID=105
pretty good deal imo.

Tenzor07

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Actually great view up at lough Bray 2 bus loads of hill walkers making there way to the summit with just torch light.
Great moonlight too and a clear night to see all the stars. Great spin I've to say.
https://www.strava.com/activities/94750675

Well done for completing the spin alone and with a cheapo torch...

Still think anyone who would do this in the evening without decent lights and alone is mad, but each to there own!

spiderman1885

cdaly_ wrote: »

Ya see, this sort of night-riding is all about staying away from the well lit roads (which are more likely to be trafficed even at night). It's all about the night closing in around you; you, your bike and a pool of light on the road. The hills disappear; you pedal at the same speed, sometimes you're moving faster, sometimes slower. As you round a curve, the beam of your light washes across the trees by the roadside, occasionally picking out the glowing eyes of a deer or fox. You're living in the moment, you have no responsibilities, no worries, nobody expecting you to behave this way or that.

Can't wait for the Easter Fleche...

This is the first post that actually makes me think it could be enjoyable, until this point I was thinking, why would anyone do this!

ford2600

spiderman1885 wrote: »

This is the first post that actually makes me think it could be enjoyable, until this point I was thinking, why would anyone do this!

Cycling at night is a joy, @cdaly description is almost poetic!

Qualitymark

Macy0161 wrote: »

I'd be bit wary in the early hours, but in the evening that seems a bit extreme.

Not extreme people, these. One, for instance, told me about risking it in dusk in her big four-wheel drive (necessary for driving over the land and getting through snow), and being chased by guys who crashed deliberately into the back of her car, then continued to chase her, trying to do the same. Also a carful of v scary guys who asked to use mobile phone because they were broken down, and when they couldn't get her out of the car, vroooomed away. Neighbours have similar tales.

And the last couple of times I used my favourite road into Glenasmole, I saw that locals had put a huge concrete barrier across this public road; I assume it is to keep out the joyriders and thieves they've warned me against. Lots of stories of sinister people coming in in the dark - in one case, they found a woman alone in her house; unfortunately, she was a woman with a shotgun, who chased them for half a mile or so…

jetsonx

OP, do you like hospital food or something?

Your plan is totally mad hat. The Sally Gap is not a sealed road. Its a
pot-holed D-road through a mountain for Chri@tsake. As other posters have said, even with powerful lights
you will only see potholes at the last minute. Sometimes that is too late. Moreover, motorists up there at
night will NOT be expecting cyclists. This is another substantial risk.

If you want to add some adventure to your life, I'm sure there are loads
more imaginative but safer ways to do it.

07Lapierre

ford2600 wrote: »

Cycling at night is a joy, @cdaly description is almost poetic!

Agree, but it does depend on where you cycle. IMO descending from sally gap at speed is not the best place to be on cold, dark winter evenings.

Qualitymark

Actually, I'd have to disagree with most posters who are talking about cycling in the dark (as opposed to cycling in a place that's become a Deliverance clone); I would love love love love love to cycle over the Sally Gap in the moonlight or at dawn. But not in the current conditions, when mentallers have taken it into their hegemony.