Southern California - SART in the dark - anyone riding Lakeview to Greenriver in the early AM?

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Circumstances are such that I have to move my rides earlier in the morning if I am going to get them in. I've got a blinky rear light, and will have two tactical lights up front, and will wear some reflective gear too, as I have to get from my house to the SART via surface streets.
I wonder if anyone else is out there riding in the dark and how much light you have found to need. It's pitch black, I took a look last night on foot, so I'm trying to gauge if the lights I have will be enough.
surfrider
04-13-10, 07:06 PM
I ride at the ocean-end of the SART, and sometimes get on it in the pre-dawn hours. Biggest issue is the (probably) low wage workers riding bikes down the SART to their jobs in the tourist oriented businsses. A lot of them are dressed in dark clothing and rarely carry any lighting (not even a hand-held flashlight). It can make for some harrowing encounters. You might run into a similar situation if you get too close to the touristy areas around the Angel Stadium/Honda Center area before dawn.
As for riding on city streets in teh pre-dawn hours: I've got lights on my bikes, and some well-lit streets here in the Huntington Beach area where I can do some big loops for a great weekday workout before traffic starts to fill the roads and before going to work.
snowman40
04-13-10, 08:50 PM
2 of these (http://topeak.com/products/Lights/WhiteLiteHP3W) and the battery pack accessory. I've found that is enough for the San Deigo Creek Trail in the really dark section.
I have one aimed short and circular and the other is aimed further out and in an oval shape (lengthwise going in the direction of travel). I find it is enough for me, it gets the path and any irregularities and the ninjas or anything reflective that they have on their bike(s).
They aren't really effective on the streets though....
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