Shortening of daylight hours and cycling.

[Milzy]

I'm the same - I ride for joy, not performance (luckily, given my genes) and riding in the dark does nothing for me. I generally run (in the dark) in winter and ride at weekends.

I can’t get any joy in the countryside at night, even with powerful lights. It’s still pitch black around & a bit spooky.

 

[icowden]

Don't need Zwift. Just a cheap ass bike trainer from Amazon.

AND somewhere to put it that doesn't involve your partner's new carpet / laminate floor / kitchen tiles etc ...

 

[fossyant]

Ride off road at night, now that is fun, and spooky !

 

[NorthernSky]

I guess my problem is,as I am not training for competition, I like to go out on the bike and view the countryside,that and I feel night riding,I just do not feel safe at night.
Maybe I should invest in lights and give it a go.

yeah you'll need lights, i go between 2 or 3 rear lights and a high viz . 1 powerful front light.
i just stick to a short route close to home over the dark months. sometimes little further on the weekends.
any frost about i jump on the turbo trainer in the kitchen 🚲

 

[cyberknight]

Going to work at 4.20 am ,using my Cree 2 spot light at full power already and had to have arm and leg warmers on too this morning

 

[cyberknight]

Ride off road at night, now that is fun, and spooky !

Late shift means I'm riding home after midnight, after a couple of rides along my usual route I switched to the longer lit one as the noises from the hedgerows was " uhm spherical object retracting'

 

[matticus]

I'm the same - I ride for joy, not performance (luckily, given my genes) and riding in the dark does nothing for me. I generally run (in the dark) in winter and ride at weekends.

Is that because running is no fun anyway, so better to not waste nice daylight+scenery?
Makes sense 👍

;-)

 

[matticus]

I can’t get any joy in the countryside at night, even with powerful lights. It’s still pitch black around & a bit spooky.

There is about 2 miles of road near me, basically a "country road", no street lights, but you're still near decent sized towns.

Most of the week it is quiet-ish after 7pm; I know the road surface is good enough that I can turn off my front light and cruise by star/moonlight for several minutes before I see the next headlights in the distance. Illicit, harmless, almost surreal fun

(the road surface everywhere else isn't suitable, I don't live in some weird tarmac dream-land ... )

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

I think your key word is "feel" - even though you feel less safe after dark, you're probably safer as with good lights and reflectives you're probably more likely to be seen by an inattentive motorist than you works be during the day. I write as someone who (until covid) commuted 5 days a week ago year round.

The only extra danger you face is ice when frosts come.

Good lights and reflectives, especially "moving" reflectives such as tabs on legwear are really good at attracting attention of drivers. I think that at night, your more visible to drivers. Just make sure you have two rear lights, just in case one fails unknowingly.

I guess my problem is,as I am not training for competition, I like to go out on the bike and view the countryside,that and I feel night riding,I just do not feel safe at night.
Maybe I should invest in lights and give it a go.

It can be good fun. You see much more wildlife; rabbits/hares, owls and deer

The danger us not darkness: lights and reflective gear work well. The danger time is low sun and dusk when drivers can be blinded by low sun and lights cant compete with our nearest star.
If your commute runs East West, consider this danger.

Remember if heading East that you might not be visible to oncoming traffic as well.

 

[Arjimlad]

Love my country lane route home from work, especially on a clear night with a lovely view of the moon. A decent front light means drivers see the light around the bends and I certainly see their lights sooner than their vehicles. Having 2 rear lights in case one conks out, and reflectives, makes me feel safe.

 

[CXRAndy]

Ive got an SuperNova M99 Pro to wire up on my bike for winter. It comes with running leds and huge dipped beam and also high beam capability Something like 1600 lumens with sharp cutoff pattern for non dazzle in dipped mode

 

[Andy in Germany]

Probably an issue raised before but as we enter September and our daylight hours are rapidly on the decline,what alternatives does everyone opt for?
I work until 5.30 pm Mon - Fri but I really do not feel safe on the roads after dark. ATM, can get out on the bike safely until around 830. Really going to miss the summer weather as we head into winter. Unfortunately,I wouldn't have the finances to get a full zwift etc set up so I would imagine it will be weekend cycling for me.
Am thinking of going to a couple of exercise classes through the week but just not the same as a couple of evening rides on the bike.
Anyone any good alternative suggestions?

I use a Hub dynamo all year, although I appreciate that's probably on friendlier and flatter roads.

 

[gavroche]

In winter, I ride between the hours of 10 am and 3 pm, that is in daylight but if weather is dull, I use lights too, including a built in light at back of helmet. Never ride on rainy days or if temperatures are below 7 degrees to avoid icy roads. I also use the same bike on every ride, that is my Specialized Allez which is my designated winter bike. The other three bikes wait till the spring before they go out. I also tend to do shorter rides in winter because I lose some of my fitness due to not going out as often. Not very keen on using the turbo either , boring.

 

[CXRAndy]

The only safety issue with winter riding is when the sun is low in the sky. It can blind drivers approaching you. Riding in the dark is much better, even fun, roads can be deserted which is very pleasant

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

If cycling is possible find another with similar interest as more people on a night ride = more lighting and longer battery life as you can both run lower brightness settings.

Failing that, any activity is better than none (maybe not beer) I've notived lately that even if I got home at 6 and was promptly out the door again, on pretty much every ride I could do, lights would be required.