vaportrail

What about night riding? I have ample access to basically deserted roads, maybe a car every 15 mins. I would have to get some sort of light, and of course a good tail light. Would this be too dangerous? There are deer and armadillos in the area, but maybe I could just go slower, which admittedly doesn't sound appealing, but maybe better than no riding. These 530 nights are messing me up

Beaker

Buy the best front light you can afford -if you're going on twisty roads then an additional helmet mounted light is almost essential, but riding in the dark can be therapeutic and fun. Yes, each out for wildlife and also potholes/road trash that is always harder to make out until you're almost on it.

Lew.

Go out and ride, whatever the time. Last night I went out from 6-9, pitch black. Get some quality lights before going out though, especially on lanes with little traffic, in my area, cars fly down those lanes. Just be careful, check your back every now and then, cars seem to sneak up on me in the 'deserted' country lanes. Even better, can you ride with someone else? It can make the pitch darkness seem a little less intimidating the first time.

surgeonstone

Agree with the above, a beautiful and quiet time to ride, nothing better than a ride in winter with a full moon and fields covered with snow-ethereaal in beauty. Get the best, your life depends on it. I have this system- https://www.dinottelighting.com/ , older version of 800 lumen front and 400 rear. Have used it for 2 years in winter and summer, snow and rain without a single problem, quality all the way. Beaker is right about the front light but out where I live the rear is more important, it is the one that will save your life. Most of the rear lights I see people are cheap Blinkies that are totally worthless. I use the Dinotte 400 lumen rear set on strobe and can be seen a mile away. So bright is it that I have yet to have a car coming from the rear squeeze between me and an oncoming car, they all wait and pass in the opposite lane. I have been so impressed with the effect that I now use the rear light at all times of day or night, weather sunny or dark and amazingly it works to keep people away in the day as well.
Good luck in your endeavor, you will not regret it. Oh, and friends will chide you for the "danger of it" but truth be told, I feel much safer at night than during the day.

mkadam68

Cycling is dangerous. Anytime.

Lights (as above). Keep in mind, there is a difference between lights that allow you to be seen by others, and lights that allow you to see the road ahead. If going fast, get the latter.

I also have been known (in my high-traffic, Los Angeles neighborhood) to use reflective straps on my ankles, reflective clothing, and reflective sidewall tires (Continentals). I normall also use two rear blinkies, one on seatpost and another on my left seat stay.

surgeonstone

No, cycling is not dangerous-anytime. Be careful in how and where you ride and a lifetime of great activity is at hand. Sure people die, but remember- life is the only sexually transmitted condition with a 100% mortality.
https://www.medicine.ox.ac.uk/bandoli...sk/sports.html

surgeonstone

Putting this in perspective, the odds of death are about the same as in running, only 3 x greater than playing table tennis!

rishardh

I would get two different tail lights just in case one goes out. Sometimes they just die and you dont know if you are riding alone. If you are riding in a group someone will point it out.

The Dinotte 300R is the best tail light I have seen in person. In fact it's a strain riding behind one. I like the new Serfas Thunderbolt too. Not as bright as the Dinotte but brighter than most in it's price range.

B. Carfree

Yes, for essential safety equipment you definitely want some redundancy. I use two or three independent front lights, a Dinotte plus two other lights in the rear mounted at different heights, reflective ankle bands and a full-on ANSI class II reflective vest to which I have added more reflective tape.

Motorists aren't expecting you out there and you have to beat them over the head with a lit-up two-by-four to knock them out of their stupor so they can respond appropriately. Don't skimp on your lighting set-up. Your life likely depends on it.

vaportrail

Thanks guys, sounds pretty unanimous to get the best lights I can afford. Thanks for the link Surg, those look really nice. I need a good tail light for daytime anyway, to replace the cheap worthless blinkie, lol. That's really all it is. I know exactly how important visibility is, I got "clipped" by a young girl a couple years ago, right after I got into biking. 16 stitches in my wrist, which ripped off her passenger side mirror. A few more inches over and it could have been a lot worse. There was paint on my shorts from her car. I was pretty naieve back then. I still don't consider biking dangerous, but I did get a rearview mirror after that! And started my hi vis clothing wardrobe too. Like I said, I was pretty oblivious. so I know what you guys mean when you say "your life depends on it". Thanks for all the help.

Homebrew01

https://www.bikeforums.net/forumdispl...ng-amp-Gadgets

Plenty of very good headlights for less than $100