Will you be cycling in the dark?

[al78]

I cycle-commute all through the winter on unlit country lanes (have done for the last six years). I have a decent dynamo setup and the full compliment of legally required reflectors, plus reflective ankle bands, reflective trips on my cycling jacket, reflective bits on the back of my shoes and gloves, and reflective bits on my rack bag. I have never had a problem with drivers not seeing me, and there is no difference in the way drivers act around me during the winter nights or on sunny summer days.

 

[gaz]

high viz isn't great under most streetlighting, although as SOX lamps are replaced with whiter SON or Metal Halides then this should improve.

In what way will it improve?

 

[gaz]

I have some high power lights to help me see down the dark roads I travel down.

 

[HovR]

In the middle of summer I often ride in the dark to avoid the +100f summer heat. Also my work schedule during the week means I don't get home 'til late.

Like last night it was a bearable 89f when I went out at 9pm.

As someone who just flown through Dallas amidst the 110+ degree heat mixed with torrential thunder storms, you have my commiserations! Sitting in the air conditioned airport was enough for me!

 

[Cyclist33]

I've just done a few rides where I started off in the late afternoon and finished somewhere around midnight. A magical experience

Stu

 

[subaqua]

In what way will it improve?

colour rendering. the whiter the light the less washout of the yellow or indeed the orange of a viz vest. a white SON is just that white light. a normal SON can have a colour from just off white to a pale orange.

if you want to be seen then SOLAS reflective tape ( the reflective strip on Hi Viz vests is almost SOLAS standard) will reflect even the tiniest amount of light.

 

[potsy]

Regular shift worker so have already started to need the lights on, just on the inward leg but will be both ways in a few weeks on nights.
Quite enjoy it, especially since buying the Moon 500, this combined with a couple of decent rear lights and a Hope1 back-up should be plenty

 

[Teuchter]

I actually like cycling in the dark. Most of my commute is on lit roads for which bog standard Cateye flashing lights have done me fine for the last 4 winters. I do have a mile or so of unlit country roads (sometimes extended to a few miles of unlit roads or cycle track if there's no risk of ice) for which I used a Fenix light in the past but this failed on me last year and I replaced it with a cheap Cree LED light from Halfords (the only place I could buy one mid way through the cycle home). Not as bright as the Fenix but plenty bright enough.

One of the rare pleasures of night riding is taking a path through some quiet forest past some spooky old railway sheds. I turn off my flashing lights, just lighting up the way ahead with the Cree. Occasionally I'll come across and bomb past a group of ne'er do-wells hanging about... being strafed by this silent, bright disembodied light seems to scare the sh*te out of them!

I live for these simple pleasures.

 

[gaz]

colour rendering. the whiter the light the less washout of the yellow or indeed the orange of a viz vest. a white SON is just that white light. a normal SON can have a colour from just off white to a pale orange.

if you want to be seen then SOLAS reflective tape ( the reflective strip on Hi Viz vests is almost SOLAS standard) will reflect even the tiniest amount of light.

The difference will be minimal, if any.

 

[middleagecyclist]

So with the dark nights approaching, will you be cycling in the dark, and how do you rate it? Not just the safety point of view but also for other reasons maybe?

Most of my cycle commuting year round is done in the dark thanks to 07.30hrs starts and 21.00hrs finishes. I firmly believe I am more visible in the dark or at least I am given more room when being overtaken/being pulled out on, which is the important thing IMO.

I wear an Altura Night Vision jersey, have small but eye catching refective stickers on the commuter bike at various angles plus a dynamo powered main light set up front and rear and strobing front and rear lights on the bike and helmet.

I can see very well thanks to the Schmidt Edelux front light and enjoy the ride as much as in the daylight. Potholes are easily seen. It's just a shame I can't cut through the local park when it's dark though as the gates are shut at dusk. That's been nice recently as I have come aross several foxes and a badger who thought they had the place to themelves at last. I also like messing with some time exposure photos on my way home if i'm not too tired.

This is a vid of me on the bike in the dark earlier this year. Of course this doesn't show the reflectives so here is a still pic at the same time, although with all lights on 'solid' rather than 'strobe' to get a better time exposure image

 

[alans]

I don't have a commute so don't have a need to cycle in the dark.
However I do enjoy night riding & actually choose to ride in the dark.I use my "winter" bike for night riding which in ddition to many lights front & rear has reflective tyre sidewalls & reflective sleeves on the spokes.I also wear a head torch & reflective ankle bands.

 

[subaqua]

The difference will be minimal, if any.

between standard SON and SOX yes but under a white SON there will be a huge difference as is a white light. Metal halides are the best as they give a very good colour rendering. surrey council are working towards white for the lighting

 

[GrasB]

I HATE white street lamps. It makes it far harder to identify what is a vehicle light & what isn't if the terrain isn't flat. A white street lamp often looks very similar to a car headlight at 3/4 on.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Night riding? A hoot. On road, off road? Yes please. Solo or in a small group or as part of something much much bigger? But of course.

Commuting in the dark. I do it. But I (often) hate (bits of) it. It's a rush hour thing. The fear as you hear the distant engine noise behind you in the dark, the crossed fingers that they will come around the bend behind you at 60mph with enough room to pass without taking you out, etc., etc.. The certain knowledge that, no matter how many lights, no matter how many reflectives, no matter what you wear, if they aren't looking they won't see you, and knowing that they generally aren't expecting to come across someone travelling 40mph slower than them on that blind bend.

The sound i fear is that of a tractor. I see quite a few of them while driving and cycling, holding up the traffic while using a phone at the same time. I hear that rumbling sound behind me and wonder if he's on that bloody phone, and not judging his passing distance well enough!

 

[ushills]

In what way will it improve?

Hi-viz doesn't work that way anyway. It reflects light back in the direction of the light source plus an element of dispersion.

If you were sitting on the streetlight you would see it reflecting back at you but on the road you would see no reflection.

Hi-viz is designed to reflect light back at the driver, I.e his car lights and therefore the streetlighting has no effect other than increasing the background illumination.


Quality hi'viz consists of millions of micro-mirror beads, that's why it shouldn't be washes as they come off.