mstraus

It is almost always light out for my AM commute. On days with the later sunrise it might still be dark if I have to be in earlier then normal, but typically I leave late enough in the AM that it is light out.

For they way home it is dark every day in the winter, and virtually never in the summer - spring and fall could be mixed.

This winter was my first time riding in the dark. At first I was nervous about it, but now I really enjoy it. On a clear and mild night I am treated to some great views of the moon over the water and the city skyline.

vol

Night commuting is quite nice with less vehicles on the streets, as long as you use enough bright lights. The con is that there is no broad view. With too much time in front of the computer, and NYC being full of tall buildings, the time on the bike is when I can look a bit far and relieve my eye strains; dark surrounding is not helpful for that.

KenshiBiker

I leave for work before 6 am, so this time of year it's still dark for a while before the sun starts coming up (if it's going to come up that day). I leave for home any time between 4:30 and 6:00 pm, so I sometimes catch a little daylight before it gets dark, but often arrive home in the dark. Yesterday I needed to meet the garage door repair guy in the afternoon so I had a commute home in full daylight (and gorgeous weather too - got to leave the jacket, balaclava and winter gloves in the trunk) for once. It's nice riding in the dark, but I really like riding right at dawn and dusk, just as the sun is rising or setting.

vol

That may be the most accident-prone time to ride.

KenshiBiker

Agreed. I probably should have expanded my response. Most of my commute is on the MUP that meanders alongside a river. It is there that I appreciate riding at dawn and dusk, with the increased opportunities for seeing (and hearing) wildlife (although the skunk scurrying across the MUP a few months ago certainly was not appreciated). On the road, I prefer broad daylight, followed closely by full dark (when I'm lit up like a Christmas tree).

KB

zacster

During Standard time my rides are usually in the dark on the way home. During Savings time it'll be light out.

By the time it gets warm enough to ride, it'll be light in the evening.

As I was writing this, an email came announcing the beginning of "Company Fridays", which coincide with the time change. That's just over a week away! I guess they aren't "summer" Fridays anymore since it is only 25 degrees out now.

CommuteCommando

Every morning, and some evenings in the winter time.

PatrickGSR94

I started commuting back in May, and most of the time up until the time change in November I had daylight in the morning and evening. I leave home about 6 AM and leave the office between 4:30 and 4:45 or so. During the winter it's dark when I leave home, with sunrise happening during the ride. I usually change my light from night flash mode to daytime flash mode at some point during the ride. Lately that point where I change over has been getting earlier and earlier. I suppose once the time first changes it will be more dark for awhile in the morning. I'm near the eastern edge of the Central time zone, which affects that somewhat.

In the evenings during winter I try to leave by 4:30 so that at least some of my commute is in daylight. Most of my commute is on 2-lane rural roads with considerable traffic (such roads are the only connections between municipalities around here, aside from the interstate). The last 1/3 of my commute is through town so it's not nearly as bad. So I like to have as much daylight as I can while on those rural roads.

scoatw

I commute every morning in the dark. Traffic is light. I use a helmet mirror to monitor any cars that come up from behind me. I use a TerraLUX Lightstar 300 flashlight from Amazon that is inexpensive and powerful for its size. It definitely gets the cars' attention.

Rick@OCRR

On my morning rides, I leave the house on or about 5:20AM so pretty much always in the dark. About now (late Feb.) it's getting a tad light by the time I actually get to work. This will continue to improve (more light!) until we change over to daylight savings time, at which time it will be a totally dark commute to work again.

On the other side of the coin, my commutes to home start on or about 3:30PM so always in the light, whether daylight savings time or not.

The only time it feels less than safe (morning or afternoon) is going under the 5 freeway where the road (Rosecrans) goes from 2.5 lanes to 2.0 lanes. So it gets a bit scary there but thankfully for only about 1/8th mile.

Rick / OCRR

Mark Stone

In the morning, always dark; afternoon, sunshine salad!

xtrajack

I work third shift, so all my rides into work are in the dark.

AGoodleyUK

All of my commutes at the moment are in the dark, there and back. In one month it will be light.

Walter S

I always start out in the dark, before dawn. Depending on the time of year, the sun often rises during my 1.5 hour ride to work. During the winter it is dark or nearly so by the time I reach home, but my return trip is usually starting in the daylight.

I really really enjoy a pretty sunrise in the morning! It fills me with energy.

wipekitty

It really depends on my schedule. I do more evening commutes in the dark than morning commutes.

Sometimes, I stay late at work until it gets dark - on purpose. I seem to be more visible with a bunch of lights in the dark than riding directly into the glare of the setting sun. My front lights are bright enough that I can generally see obstacles on the road.

Medic Zero

Pretty much. I work night shift and am commuting in around 5PM and commuting home around 8AM. In the past few weeks it's just getting to where I'm commuting in dusk and the sun is more or less up on my way home. I say more or less, because it's likely to be dark grey out or worse (raining). I don't mind the darkness (especially since I run my lights during the day anyway), but I'd like for it to be warmer out, if for no other reason than so I could spend less time putting on and off layers.

no motor?

The ride home is usually dark about 6 months out of the year.

devianb

I usually work 2-8pm or 6am-2pm. Either way I am commuting one way in the dark.

alan s 

I always leave at least one headlight and one taillight at work year round, because sometimes I need to work late. It's nice not having to worry about whether I'll have enough daylight to make it home.

harshbarj

In the winter I commute home in the dark. All other times it's sun. Really love summer and going home while it's still light out and not black as midnight. My bicycle has a hub generator so I run my lights day or night. They are the to see type and nearly as bright as some cars and most motorcycles I see. The front is the busch und müller lumotec iq cyo t, while the rear is the Busch und Müller seculite plus LED, fender mounted as it should be.