Mountain Biking - So.. give me the low-down on night trail riding.

This summer I might be very buisey with work during the day, and I'm not quite willing to sacrifice my riding for weeks at a time.


Is riding XC trails at night with a good light feasible? Or are lights and whatnot only really useful on roads?


Could sufficient light be had for under $100?




Thanks.

Riding at night is frikin awesome! The same old trail you've done 100's of times is a brand new experience at night.

I definitely recommend it.

Another recommendation is to up your budget and get a good light system. I bought an H.I.D. last fall and it's the best!

For mountain biking a helmet light is the way to go. That way, the light shines where you are looking, not where your handlebars are pointing. If you have TONS of money to burn, get a helmet mount AND a bar mount.

If you can only get one, get the HELMET!!!!!

L8R

How much would I have to up the budget?

I thought I got a deal on a Niterider H.I.D. Storm for $280, and then about 2 weeks later I saw them at $225.

Don't know what current price ranges are though. I recommend either NiteRider or Light & Motion.

My preference was the L&M for their features, but the deal was on the NR system.

I think the L&M has the option to run it as either a helmet mount OR a bar mount. Nice option to have, but not worth the extra $60 at the time.

The bar option is nice because I was doing some early morning riding/commuting and on the road, your light is more to "be seen" rather than to "see". Plus, you're not sawing the bars back and forth between trees.

L8R

Buy 2 niterider trail rats. one for the helmet and one for the bike and head on out. I've been doing a weekly wed night nite ride for about 4 yrs and have done 4 24 hr races. I find that riding at night I have better focus than riding during the daytime. to many distractions to look at in daylight. 2 trail rats run about 80-100 dollar each .. if you can afford it go for a HID light. this is one area where More is Better.

Good suggestion on the Trail Rats, my buddy has this system and it's reliable as HECK. Not as bright as my bad arse H.I.D., but it works well.

L8R

I have a cat eye hid and I find that here in San Diego with the color of the dirt the light is so bright that it white outs the ground and you have a hard time picking out dips and little rises in the trail. That's where the helmet light comes in because its pointed at a different angle it picks put most of what the handle bar light misses.

For mountain biking a helmet light is the way to go. That way, the light shines where you are looking, not where your handlebars are pointing. If you have TONS of money to burn, get a helmet mount AND a bar mount.

If you can only get one, get the HELMET!!!!!

L8R

a2p, I'm too looking at some night rides but does the weight add significantly to the rig? My Gemini does not have any fixings for a screw-in battery, so it has to be something that can strap around one of the tubes but not obstruct the brake hose or shifter cables. The top tube and bottom tubes are no-nos so that means having additional clutter on the downtube only.

How long do your lights last?

How long does it take to get a reasonable charge?

Are the helmet lights adaptable to most vent lids or do you need fixings for the make of helmet?

Do you find the cable a pain in the a$$?

I have a NR Trail rat, which is plenty bright, but it's bar mounted. I didn't buy it, but now I know for sure that bar mounted lights are crap for trail riding unless you ride in a straight line. Weaving in and out of gnarly singletrack with a bar mounted light is dangerous.

This summer I might be very buisey with work during the day, and I'm not quite willing to sacrifice my riding for weeks at a time.

Is riding XC trails at night with a good light feasible? Or are lights and whatnot only really useful on roads?

Could sufficient light be had for under $100?

Thanks.

Do it - you'll love it. As already stated, it makes old trails new again, again, and again. I have a helmet, and a bar-mounted light. When I get my broken but back in the saddle, I may opt for an HID to replace @ least one of the two. I've ridden with a few people sporting the Nightriders, and they are awesome.

a2p, I'm too looking at some night rides but does the weight add significantly to the rig? My Gemini does not have any fixings for a screw-in battery, so it has to be something that can strap around one of the tubes but not obstruct the brake hose or shifter cables. The top tube and bottom tubes are no-nos so that means having additional clutter on the downtube only.

Mine is a helmet mount and the battery slips easily into my Camelback or Jersey pocket


How long do your lights last?

Mine last 3.5 to 4 hours.


How long does it take to get a reasonable charge?

I charge mine overnight usually, the system comes with a trickle charger with an auto shut off so you don't cook the battery.


Are the helmet lights adaptable to most vent lids or do you need fixings for the make of helmet?

The helmet mount is pretty universal. It has two adjustable straps that wrap around most any helmet vents. It's also adjustable up and down so you can direct the light where you want/need it most.


Do you find the cable a pain in the a$$?

If you ride with a camelback, you won't notice it at all. I velcro my cable to the back of the helmet, and then into the Camelback. Don't even know it's there.

L8R

I started night riding last October and it was the greatest! Old trails become new, busy trails become empty, and the scary-dark all contribute to FUN. You'll see different critters. Full moon night rides are the best - you can often ride without lights, assuming you know the trail well.

Regarding lights - get quality/reliability. I bought bar mounted, halogen lights from JET with NiMH battery. Not as bright/harsh as HID, but very adequate. It's a two beam set-up. My fear is a bulb going out during a ride - with two independent lights, I feel more secure. My lights cost about $250.

About 75% of the time, I ride solo at night. I know I shouldn't in case of an emergency, but I just love it!

Ride at night, you'll feel like a kid again - with thoughts of the Boogey man lurking behind that tree.

I'm in Florida and riding at night can be scary. You see, most of our trails are next to or very near water. Most trails are along streams or lakes.

When you shine you lights into the water, you can see two orange dots illuminate. Those are GATORS!

Makes you much more careful!

L8R