Cycling over Sally Gap at night....

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.

Paddigol

WillyFXP wrote: »

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

160 lumen each... is that enough to light up a dark country road, travelling at 20-30kmph?

If so it's a great deal. If not, I'd be reluctant to shell out €60 for something that a cheap set of lights can do just as effectively - ie signal your presence to other road users.

Have others not said they use up to 2,000 lumens?

Lumens... Lux... I'm lost!

WillyFXP

Paddigol wrote: »

160 lumen each... is that enough to light up a dark country road, travelling at 20-30kmph?

If so it's a great deal. If not, I'd be reluctant to shell out €60 for something that a cheap set of lights can do just as effectively - ie signal your presence to other road users.

Have others not said they use up to 2,000 lumens?

Lumens... Lux... I'm lost!

More than enough, for reference, the average car headlights on high beam will be around 1200 to 1700 lumen

detones

Paddigol wrote: »

160 lumen each... is that enough to light up a dark country road, travelling at 20-30kmph?

If so it's a great deal. If not, I'd be reluctant to shell out €60 for something that a cheap set of lights can do just as effectively - ie signal your presence to other road users.

Have others not said they use up to 2,000 lumens?

Lumens... Lux... I'm lost!

I'd agree with this, it also looks a messy set up with 2 lights and a battery pack when all you get is 320lumens. You can get a self contained unit with battery and light that will put out up to 800 lumens.

WillyFXP

detones wrote: »

I'd agree with this, it also looks a messy set up with 2 lights and a battery pack when all you get is 320lumens. You can get a self contained unit with battery and light that will put out up to 800 lumens.

I posted because its a bargain for what you are getting, I know there are better lights with higher output, but you wont get anything lower than €200 for a single lamp with that output.

Lumen

Paddigol wrote: »

Lumens... Lux... I'm lost!

Lumens is output, lux is illumination.

A wider beam will have less illumination (lux) for the same output (lumens).

The best bike lights put all the lux where you need them, and nowhere else. The worst put all the lux into the sky (or oncoming drivers eyes) and/or on to the ground immediately in front of you (which just wrecks your night vision).

A wider/longer beam is more pleasant in the sense that you get to relax and see more of the world around you, but it doesn't help with pothole avoidance.

Lusk_Doyle

Lumen wrote: »

Lumens is output, lux is illumination.

A wider beam will have less illumination (lux) for the same output (lumens).

The best bike lights put all the lux where you need them, and nowhere else. The worst put all the lux into the sky (or oncoming drivers eyes) and/or on to the ground immediately in front of you (which just wrecks your night vision).

A wider/longer beam is more pleasant in the sense that you get to relax and see more of the world around you, but it doesn't help with pothole avoidance.

Of course, some riders don't require any form of artificial lux, for their outfits provide ample Lumen(s).



See what I did there?!?

lennymc

riding at night in the dark on quiet roads is really lovely. good set of lights and away ye go!

RV

Riding at night in the perfect dark is fun ... for a little while. Until you get tired, then cold. Your world becomes the size of your light beam. On an unfamiliar road you lose context. It becomes surreal and staying focused is difficult. As you get tired and hungry you become vulnerable. -1 C is enough for a ground frost and a skid on fast descent could cause injury or a mechanical. Alone, dark, cold, hungry and tired...
On the fleche you may not be alone, but riding alone through (a Winter's) night is a big challenge; not many can do it.

The Noble Nudge

mirv wrote: »

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!

You could be a weirdo Mirv;) What type of person goes cycling over the gap at night......
Looking at tomorrow eve again but will have to check weather etc.....

The Noble Nudge

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!

I wish at times I was more articulate..:D I hope that's written correctly....