Commuting in the dark of night.

[flake99please]

I have been commuting to work by bike for the last six years during the night (0300hrs departure). Some of the journey through lighted roads, some through unlit wooded paths. Some decent lights should give you no reason to worry about your journey.

 

[lazybloke]

If I do a Google maps directions search from my house to work, the car option is 13.8 miles with ten of that being a busy A road with some four miles of suicidal dual carriageway.

If I do the same search using cycling as my mode of transport, I get a 17 mile each way trip utilising a very flat and scenic coastal cycle path followed by about 3 miles of very dangerous and winding Devon A road.

But if I set the route option to walking, I get 9.8 miles door to door on country lanes and that is the route I cycle.

The first five miles of road have pretty decent surfaces but there are no white lines or signs.

The second half can only be described as farm tracks which were tarmaced maybe fifty years ago and are not adopted by the local authority.

If I had my way, I'd ride a road bike along the first half and then get my butler to hand me an lumpy but sturdy steel framed MTB for the last 4.8 miles. Trouble is, I can't remember my butlers name so I can't ask him.

I was about to recommend finding an enjoyable route; whic his rarely the shortest.
You're very lucky If those farm tracks tick both boxes.

 

[Lovacott]

I was about to recommend finding an enjoyable route; which is rarely the shortest.
You're very lucky If those farm tracks tick both boxes.

Your input is valuable to me.

To avoid the farm tracks, I'd need to add a minimum of five miles to my journey and most of it would be on really fast A roads.

During the summer months, I've been making a mental note of where the potholes are and where the branches overhang.

Because it is getting progressively darker every morning, I am being gently weaned into night commuting.

I'm not complaining. I'm simply trying to garner something useful from others with a bit more experience.

Thanks for your help.

 

[furball]

Sounds a though you've been sensible. Don't worry. Just do it.

 

[MrGrumpy]

I think you are worried about the least of your problems, lighting is easily resolved, rain, ice and snow less easy to deal with, and wind!.

Amen to that !

 

[Blue Hills]

From a quick thread scan am uncertain if you have sorted your lights yet lovacott.

If not and you don't go the much recommended dynamo route, I can thoroughly recommend this

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/b-m-ixon-iq-premium-led-headlight-80-lux--703596

I don't commute at night but quite often ride through the night at all times of year.

I share your (sensible) concern about hurtling downhill in particular in dark lanes.

You will have no problems with that light - great beam pattern.

I'd marry it with some quality rechargeables and a quality charger (ask more if you want more advice/opinion) and have a Lidl front as a back-up - like the above light they will use the German standard beam pattern.

I second the advice about using two live rear lights - they don't need to be expensive at all.

 

[Lovacott]

From a quick thread scan am uncertain if you have sorted your lights yet lovacott.

If not and you don't go the much recommended dynamo route, I can thoroughly recommend this

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/b-m-ixon-iq-premium-led-headlight-80-lux--703596

I spent a good deal of yesterday installing a dynamo set on my bike to supplement the two rechargeable LED light sets I already have.

It's a bottle dynamo and it works so well, I'm already fully converted to the idea of a hub dynamo as a long term solution.

I'm really glad I found this site. So much good and useful feedback.

 

[Blue Hills]

I spent a good deal of yesterday installing a dynamo set on my bike to supplement the two rechargeable LED light sets I already have.

It's a bottle dynamo and it works so well, I'm already fully converted to the idea of a hub dynamo as a long term solution.

I'm really glad I found this site. So much good and useful feedback.

If you want to experiment with a hub system (far superior I think to a bottle dynamo) Decathlon do a complete wheel with a shimano hub dynamo for £30. Even includes rim tape and the shimano connector.
Available online only I think, though you can pair that with free click and collect from a Decathlon store.
Available in 700 and 26inch wheel sizes.

 

[Lovacott]

So you don't need to hurtle down that hill in the dark.

Probably not.

 

[fossyant]

I've got lights coming out of my ears at the moment. I've got two sets of rechargeable LED's on the front and back and I've installed a Dynamo and light set today as add ons/fail safes.

But to be honest, hurtling downhill along a pitch black country lane still seems like a scary prospect.

You'll be fine. I off road MTB at night. It's ace.

 

[lazybloke]

Your input is valuable to me.

To avoid the farm tracks, I'd need to add a minimum of five miles to my journey and most of it would be on really fast A roads.

During the summer months, I've been making a mental note of where the potholes are and where the branches overhang.

Because it is getting progressively darker every morning, I am being gently weaned into night commuting.

I'm not complaining. I'm simply trying to garner something useful from others with a bit more experience.

Thanks for your help.

Well you've sorted the lights and route; what does that leave? Clothing.
I used to abandon the bike and revert to train if it was raining, and I'd take a couple of months off the bike in the depths of winter.
But after a bit of shopping at Decathlon I was cycling year round in all conditions. Layers are good.

 

[JhnBssll]

From a quick thread scan am uncertain if you have sorted your lights yet lovacott.

If not and you don't go the much recommended dynamo route, I can thoroughly recommend this

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/b-m-ixon-iq-premium-led-headlight-80-lux--703596

I also rate Busch & Muller lights very highly. I run a dynamo hub on my commuter connected to a Busch & Muller IQ-X front light:

https://www.rosebikes.co.uk/b-m-iq-x-led-headlight-837399

Whilst the lux rating compares poorly to some high powered battery lights, the beam pattern is so well designed that I find it illuminates the road better than my Lezyne battery lights on the other bikes. Another advantage of this well designed beam pattern is it does not blind oncoming traffic, even when aimed fairly high. I run a combination of dynamo and battery rear lights.

I also own a Proviz reflective jacket - it's incredible. I purchased it after seeing a cyclist wearing one about 4 miles in the distance The only problem I find with it is lack of breathability - I feel a bit like a pouch of boil-in-the-bag rice when I get to work on warmer days

 

[HobbesOnTour]

There's been some great advice on here.
Good lights
Give yourself time.
I'd add to make sure you're comfortable being able to fix a puncture in the dark. That's where a detachable light can come in handy.

If I'm understanding correctly you're using Google to pick out a route? I wouldn't trust Google to take me across the road! I don't know how well you know the different road options, but I'd suggest trying
https://cycle.travel/ or even just taking some time to explore alternatives to the rough bits.
I don't want to put you off but rough and bad surfaces do not get better in foul weather

On the other hand, starting to commute was one of the best things I've done. An hour in the morning, arriving to work fresh and alert - best part of the day!

Take your time and it will all come good.
Best of luck!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

It's a bottle dynamo

Hope that works well for you. I went to rechargeables after finding bottle dynamos are prone to slipping in the rain, exactly when you need them most!

But as you've got plenty of backup, it's probably worth seeing how it goes.

 

[Lovacott]

If I'm understanding correctly you're using Google to pick out a route?

I know the local roads pretty well and I've tried all of the different ways in by car. Google just confirms that I am taking the shortest possible route from A to B.

There is another route which is about half a mile longer overall and the roads are a bit better but that is used as a rat run by a fair bit of traffic.

The route I take is pretty much traffic free (saw one car this morning, two foxes, a hare and a dead owl).