Burton

Personally I have a tendency to dilly-dally during the day when the suns up, things are open and parks are available for cooking, siestas, and exploring. And on several trips can remember some pretty boring stretches with not much to see and nothing to do except put in the miles to the next distraction.

So this year I'm planning on experimenting with something a little different - driving after dark and taking siestas during the hottest part of the day. There's currently 16 hours of daylight (and dropping) here I'm installing a complete lighting system on the bike. The biggest issue I'm expecting is bugs at night while driving.

So anyone else try this ocassionally? Whats the latest you've driven into the evening and how early do you typically start?

Machka 

Driving?

If you mean cycling, I've been a randonneur for years, and have ridden right through the night many times.

However on a tour, I prefer to cycle during the day. And I prefer to choose scenic and interesting areas to tour.

That said, in the heat of Queensland (Australia in December), my cycling partner and I modified our touring style so that we were up and on the bicycles at about dawn. We cycled till early afternoon, then found a cool place (shady park, ocean beach, etc.) to rest for several hours. About 4 or 5 pm, we'd continue to cycle until just after dark.

wahoonc

There was a guy on COB that pretty much did that.

My night vision is no longer the best, but I sure don't mind riding when it is cooler and traffic is lighter. Most of my bikes have good quality dyno light systems on them because I use them for transportation, I am not going to drive a car without lights WTH would I want to "drive" my bike without them. BTW both my car and my bike have auto-sensing headlights that turn on when it gets dark.

Aaron

digibud

I ride at night often and suggest you get a good lighting system that is reliable and have highly reflective clothing. I've never seen a bug at night ...can't help with that...

BohicaX

I quite often ride through the night and for many reasons. Night time when there is nothing too see you tend to cover more ground and the hills seem to blend into the back of your mind as if there not there. In some cases less traffic and being at night you can see headlights miles away plus vehicles coming from your 6 can be spotted easy due to head lights but you just have to keep your wits about you for the odd moron with no lights on. Summer time in calm conditions riding at night the protein level increases so use what ever you choose to cover your nose and mouth or just enjoy the free meal......

Sometime I know that I want to cover XYZ distance so an early start is required but I like early starts anyway. Most times depending on time of year the winds have eased up or it's calm leading up to sunrise or dusk but this is where you hear the best of nature and in most cases you have a 2 hour window to enjoy this so that window of time your riding just passes you by. Another reason for riding late into the night or starting early is a tourist spot you want to visit has a closing time that doesn't suit your daily commute so you have to plan ahead to make that location giving enough time to see what it is you want to see before closure. Even many of the things you wish to see there done by guided tours and there time related so if for example the 1000 tour you can't make leaving you the 1300 tour only then your going to have to plan your ride to coincide with these strict departures times. If you going to ride at night just make sure your hi-vis and while lights are great Diamond grade reflective tape is even better once you have head lights on you so for me that stuff is all around me no matter what direction vehicles approach.

Night riding is fun in my opinion I think you will enjoy it for what ever reason you need to do it.

jimblairo

I don't tolerate the sun and heat well and in the summer months I do a lot of riding at night. I usually start around 6pm and the 2 hours of daylight gives me a chance to get out of the city and I usually ride 8 to 10 hours.

I found that if riding on trails or bike paths, I use a spot lens b/c a flood spills a lot of light onto the surrounding plants and trees and some of it reflects back and screws up my night vision. Also, I clipped a couple of racoons and a skunk who sprayed my back wheel. I mounted a bear on the bike and it gives the wild life a chance to get clear.

fuzz2050

I'm sorry, I'm going to have to ask for clarification. I have no doubt a bear would cause wildlife to give you a wide berth, but doesn't it attack you?

enigmaT120

Thanks Fuzz... back to the OP, I commute at night 9 months out of the year, generally in the rain too. Thank you generator hub. But if I'm riding for fun/touring I prefer to see stuff, so I would mostly ride during the day. I'm a scenery junky, my winter commutes are kind of depressing to me.

sam21fire

Any man who can successfully mount a bear I will salute and call "Sir"....

rodar y rodar

Here, here!

I also enjoy riding at night. There are a few problems when it comes to touring, though. As has been mentioned already, you really don`t get to see much view further than your headlights. Even on a full moon, your eyes get accustomed to watching where the light beam is and you can`t see very well what`s out across that meadow or up in the sides of that beautitiful canyon. There are also fewer services open at night, especially the really cool little family run shops and restaurants. Finally, sleeping becomes a little problematic. Daylight makes it hard for a lot of people (masks probably help that), many sleeping spots are a lot more noisy in the daytime, and if you want a motel, the check-in/check-out times can play against you. Just things to keep in mind.

Oh, and I have auto-sensing headlights on my bike too. They turn on when my wheels rotate

shipwreck

I tend to wake very early, and dislike waiting for the sunrise. Since I have never run a bike computer on a tour before, don't wear or carry a watch, and am often out of cell range I have no idea what time I get up. It can be midnight or later I guess. Usually if its at a campground its sometime after everyone else has finally gone to bed.
I like riding at night, generally in the AM, but try to figure if I will be riding into the sunrise. If so, then I will take a break until the sun is up and out of the drivers eyes, so they can see me better.
For my next trip I am getting ready for I got a flasher to put on my flag(I use a flag on a pole with a diamond frame, I like having it as I have been told by drivers that they have been made aware of me sooner than I would have been visible without). The flasher is a round unit made for dogs collars. Its pretty bright, 360 degree visibility, and its seven and a half feet up in the air. For front light I am afraid I just use a simple battery operated light. I will wear my headlamp as well, but leave it off unless there is a car coming, in which case I turn it on in flashing mode.

One thing about riding at night is its harder to find a place to use the restroom. Nothing is open, and so you may have to figure something out depending on the area.

gpsblake

At least around here, the biggest threat to riding at night is the critters.. way more opossums and such to duck and a lot less light to see them with. Plus you will probably not sleep as well during the day outside if it is hot.

imi

I love riding the hour before sunrise and the hour after sunset, as the whole sky changes colour

I wouldn't worry about nightime bugs

Burton

Thanks for the replies and sharing some personal insights. I've always loved driving around sunrise and sunset myself and since at the moment I'm still doing a 60 hour week - don't get to ride much during the day as it is.

Have noted that some of you don't consider bugs an issue in your areas - if you ever visit Eastern Canada - be prepared for clouds of mosquitos, blackflies and gnats. Mate gnats swarm together and form huge mating clouds at dusk. These are referred to as 'ghosts' and riding into one without eye protection or with your mouth open ain't something you want to do twice!

But these little make guys are really just interested in the girls are its the females that are the problem. After mating they need BLOOD to let the eggs develop and so riding into a swarm of these is a guarantee you'll get chewed up unless you're covered. Riding home along the canal after dark has gotten me in trouble a couple times when I've forgotten long sleeves and long pants.

But fall's coming and days will still be hot, but I'll have some time off and am thinking it'll be cooler to ride early in the morning and late in the evening. Also has the added advantage of being able to laze around in the hot sun, maybe do some trout fishing, and practice my picnicking skills. There's no overnight camping permitted in any of the parks around the city but day use for cooking or setting up a tent fir a siesta isn't an issue.

Got lots of battery life and its easier to locate electrical outlets during the day that at night. Internet xafes, laundrimats and coffee shops will usually let you plug equipnent in.

hybridbkrdr

Yeah, I'm thinking you mean during the darkness, not after.

Burton

Keep thinking. English is a language that has a lot of omissions and inferences. The complete expression used to be 'after darkness falls'; or 'after darkness comes'.

Your energy would probably be better spent finishing off at least one of your unfinished bikes and selling off all those incompatible parts so you can at least ride a bike instead of just talking about it.

hybridbkrdr

Did someone poo in your cereal? It's light-hearted joking. I already ride 2 bicycles if you're really interested.

Burton

Not particularly interested. Personally I'm finding your obcession with giving other people advice here a little distasteful when you're making such a mess out of putting together two cheap bikes yourself.

Tourist in MSN

I recently tried two LED headlamps in series on my dyno hub. The minimum speed to get any light is greater and now well above walking speed, but at riding speed I get an amazing amount of light.

fietsbob

Hub Dynamo and wired LED head and taillights, and having lights for the dark will be a given..

My Schmidt Edelux headlight works well as a single headlight..


had acquired a 2nd hand E6 pair .. Halogen.
their crisp defined pattern of light laid down was excellent,
but I never got around to installing the secondary light which was wired, differently, as
On or bypass through, so the primary always had power.. (Me Just not fast enough to matter) .
the primary headlight switch has the on/off function

rodar y rodar

After buying hub, spokes, headlight, and maybe-maybe not tail light, a nice mid level dyno system is going to run somewhere around $300 (can easily be a bit over or under). That buys a beautiful, very dependable system, and I loved mine so much on my commuter/tourer that I`ve since bought an additional dyno system to move between my folder and my recumbent. On the other hand, for the same money, I`m sure I could also have bought myself a damned nice battery lighting system. Any way you slice it, new technologies over the past decade have made us all very lucky when it comes to bicycle lighting, and the better value for any individual will depend on circumstances.

PlanoFuji

Particularly in the summer I actually prefer to ride at night when the temps are about 30 degrees cooler. You do need a really good light system, and I prefer a dynamo system so that there are no battery longevity issues (which is actually even more of an issue in cold weather).

Depending on the area I do have to deal with bugs, this is particularly true when riding stream side MUP's. Best advice, learn to breathe in and out through your nose! Biting insects aren't a problem since they rarely seem able to land and bite while moving. Swallowing insects is a whole other issue!

PlanoFuji

You can install a separate switch on one of those lights, thereby only turning it on at high enough speed. You keep good lighting at minimum speeds that way.

Sixty Fiver

I enjoy riding at night when the weather is nice, it becomes essential when we only have 7 hours of daylight in the depths of our winter.

bradtx

Very true. I've been looking at some of the new LED systems available and in every way measurable, they're better than what was available just a few years ago. I still use an old View Point system because the battery, while it doesn't last as long as it once did, just won't die and the light patterns are very good.

Brad