Back lanes commute

[Holdsworth]

I have tried using the back lanes for my ride home from work for the past two days now. I only use them on the run home due to not having adequate lighting to see potholes in the dark, which it is at 7-15 in the morning.

I am glad I haven't been using them in the dark, some sections are like the Somme!!! Well compared the A51 anyway

I have been able to dodge a few in the dwindling light at 4-30 to 5-00 pm which is when I am using them. I don't plan on getting a really powerful light very soon, maybe in a week or two, looking at a MS MJ-808 as a possible purchase. I will continue to use the main roads in the morning and use the back roads in the evening when it isn't so bad.

I'll tell you what though, I am glad I fitted the crud mk2's to my bike in the autumn. The mud that lies on the lanes in terrible, if it wasn't the guards I would arrive home with a huge brown streak up my back and all over my rucksack. I have never ridden on mud before but these guards seem to be doing the trick for riding a road bike without eyelets on anything more than perfectly dry roads. They do a good job of keeping the cr*p off the vital components (chain ring, downtube, me!!!) They just seem to be letting a bit of muck get onto the BB area where it is already quite badly rusted, respray in the next month I swear

Overall the route is mostly more peaceful than using the main roads. It does get a bit worse when I go through Church Minshull and up the bank over the narrow canal bridge, I get a few close overtakes on that stretch and a lot of cars seem to speed past as the road straightens out when you get about a mile from Middlewich Road. The traffic lights at Bradfield Green are a pain in the a***, they are out of service ATM and they have some temporary ones up at the moment that take 3-4-5 minutes to go through a full cycle. This means long tailbacks on all roads leading to them and more close overtakes down Flowers Lane where cars can't pass for a while because of the width of the road and the jam going the other way.

 

[cyberknight]

Well worth the money !!

Thats what i think of the magicshine light as i have a similar commute with maybe 5 miles of unlit country lanes that i do at 6 am and the return at around 5.30 pm , then on nights 7 pm with a 6 am return and the ligh has been a god send .You can get the light quickly but more expensively from

http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/

Or cheaply but it will take a month from.....

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mj-808-ha-iii-ssc-p7-c-sxo-3-mode-900-lumen-led-bike-light-set-44459



I use crud Mk 1 and although not as good as mk 2 they certainly help to keep the muck of me and the bike .

 

[Hacienda71]

I use an mj808 on my unlit country lane commute from Macc and it is great, no problem spotting pot holes at speed.
I've got crud mark 2's as well as good as it gets as a substitute for a proper full guard.

 

[Panter]

90% of my commute is desolate lanes, it really is quite a different experience!
As you've found, good lights are a must and the mud/slime combo is persistent a long time after the main roads are dry and grippy.

I do also worry about the few nutters that use them as a personal racetrack, but I've always got an ear out and will leap into a hedge if nescessary!

 

[Brommie77]

Something I found helped was to get a small light clipped on the back of my helmet (I use the tension strap as the clip point) , this moves with you and is higher so tends to be even more noticable, and also when you go over hump back bridges it can often be seen before any other lights, so can give a little advance warning. - I know your route well Holdsworth, Its nasty even driving it, let along on a bike, and middlewich road/flowers lane is plan scary at the wrong time of day.

Someone even grumbled the other day that my rear lights were too bright, and he could see them nearly a mile away (like thats a bad thing...)

 

[Panter]

Something I found helped was to get a small light clipped on the back of my helmet (I use the tension strap as the clip point) , this moves with you and is higher so tends to be even more noticable, and also when you go over hump back bridges it can often be seen before any other lights, so can give a little advance warning. - I know your route well Holdsworth, Its nasty even driving it, let along on a bike, and middlewich road/flowers lane is plan scary at the wrong time of day.

Someone even grumbled the other day that my rear lights were too bright, and he could see them nearly a mile away (like thats a bad thing...)

Completely agree with this.
I have a small light on the back of my helmet, the idea being that it's visible over hedges etc as the well as the other two on the bike. Not much more you can do really!
Oh, and reflective clothing of course. Say what you like about it, but it's glaringly visible to other traffic on dark country lanes.

 

[johnr]

I use country lanes a lot. I go with a knog helmet light, 4 Aldi armbands (16 little flashers in all), a single light on the back of my jacket as well as a biggish rear light on the bike.

I travel rather later than you, but find I get given plenty of space by those using the roads. It might be subjective, but I think they've got used to seeing me over the years. Or maybe I'm just more confident. Keeping well out of the way when there are loonies about is always good. I also try to pointedly pull over if I'm holding up traffic approaching pinch points etc. It may slow me a little but I'm sure it helps their mental health and my blood pressure.

I'm glad of the Hope light on the front to highlight the excavations. I also have a smaller light which I have pointed down at the side of the road. The edges are getting more and more blurred as the winter progresses.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Something I found helped was to get a small light clipped on the back of my helmet (I use the tension strap as the clip point) , this moves with you and is higher so tends to be even more noticable, and also when you go over hump back bridges it can often be seen before any other lights, so can give a little advance warning. - I know your route well Holdsworth, Its nasty even driving it, let along on a bike, and middlewich road/flowers lane is plan scary at the wrong time of day.

Someone even grumbled the other day that my rear lights were too bright, and he could see them nearly a mile away (like thats a bad thing...)

+1

Helps make you visible above the bush line around bends earlier... I use a "electron backupz" was about £10 a pair (I also have the white front on the helmet). I got cheaper alternatives for £2-3 from China, which are okay but not as powerful.