dusk / night riding
 

hi,
So far, I have been a summer / fair weather commuter...
I have enjoyed it and have become more fit due to the exercise. I would really like to continue through the fall / winter but the days are getting shorter and I am a bit nervous about riding during dusk / night.

I work a normal "day" schedule that could have me at work to about 6 pm... not really a problem now, but it will get to be dusk and then dark during the fall / winter.

I ride in using a 1 lane road (one way) that has really nice bike lanes but the speed limit is 45 and drivers do go a bit faster.

I have lights (red blinky in the back and a cree 1200 lumen bike light that I can attach to the front), and I have a hi-vis reflective vest. oh, I also have this "turn signal" setup that was a gift that I have on the bike, which I have grown to like...

so I guess, I need some advice from guys that have been in the trenches both general and specific. Actually any help is much appreciated!

Sounds like you're ready for the dark days ahead. You might get a second blinky -- preferably a different brand or model. The idea is that one blinky's batteries will die and the second one will get you home safely.

As long as you're on a separate lane, you shouldn't need to worry about the traffic on your one-way stretch.

It would seem to me that, from an equipment and clothing perspective, you're set to go. I would like to add that people are creatures of habit so when you ride in and out from work, using the same preferred route, you'll see the same cars (and drivers) using the same route and they have been getting used to seeing you on the same roads which means that it'll be no surprise for them to see you as the summer approaches fall, etc. Therefore, they shouldn't be surprised to see you or expect to see you and as long as you're a good and careful cyclist (not doing anything surprising or stupid), they'll accept you just as they have accepted you to date. Just continue riding but, perhaps be a bit more aware of approaching cars as it gets darker and be more aware of battery life too so you don't lose a light along the way.

I keep a spare battery pack at home in case I forget to charge, or the pack fails. Also in addition to the headlight, when it gets to where I'm riding in the dark I carry an ultrafire LED flashlight in my pack which I can stick onto my helmet if necessary (I use velcro, it holds fine).

I work until 8pm so I commute in the dark 10 months/year. I prefer commuting at night. The only thing I would add to your set-up is a second blinkie fixed to your helmet. I feel safer at night and I see a big difference in drivers behavior, they give me more space and they go slower then during daytime. Your set-up is very good so you'll be more visible at night.

I keep a spare battery on the bike and another at home. I constantly rotate my 3 battery pack so I never run out of light. I commute on a pitch black rural road, no street light at all so I want to make sure the battery will last the trip.

Think about being seen from the side. I like wheel lights. I also run a helmet light and a blinking and steady light on the bars. One rear red light on the rack and one on the helmet.

I go home from work in darkness everyday. The first time I did I didn't buy lights yet. I was freaking invisible. So Immediately bought lights the next morning. I purchased a headlight, a taillight(which I just replaced for one that goes on the back of my rack), and a strip of bright blue lights I have that are mounted on the bottom and make me super noticeable. Whether no traffic or moderate traffic people stare, and I've had kids yell from cars how cool my bike is lol. So extra lights, reflector tape or glow in the dark accessories can really help make you noticeable. I also wear a fluorescent water resistant Jacket. I'm used to it and it's not scary. Sure I've had people go pretty fast past me, but they saw me and move way over.

If you're commuting to work, try to get blinkies/headlights that are USB rechargeable so you always know you're starting out a trip with a full charge. If you want to invest a little money you can get a front wheel with a dynohub and get new lights that drive off that.

after decades of kludgy battery lights to keep charged, , and tire driven dynamos ,(that slip in the rain)
I spent the money on a Hub Dynamo wheel , and good LED,wired, head and tail lights.

now I no longer worry .. as soon as the wheel turns I have light.in most any weather ..

(studded tire Ice bike doesn't get more than a week of use a year, here , I have a battery LED light pair on it.)

For me in all circumstances, rearview mirrors add a boost of security and confidence about what's behind you. In the dark though, look for cars, not just headlights.

I like dyno powered lights supplemented with battery lights.

I think it's safer at night than at sunset. Your 1200 lumen light will make a big pool of light on the road that's easy for drivers to see.

I have a 1100 lumen light that I run on half power on dark country roads. In the city, it's at full power so I can be seen by drivers and to let me see the road even when headlights are shining in my eyes.

Those hi-viz reflective ankle bands really work, and are cheap and easy. They also help drivers to see when they are getting close to you, since there two bands. It's the same idea as having two rear lights for depth perception.

I ride on 50 MPH roads where people actually drive about 65, with zero shoulder. It's not really a problem. Traffic is fairly light over most of my commute.

I feel safer at night than I do during the day.

You didn't say what you have for a taillight - they are varied. In my situation I really want more than one taillight (one can fail and I might not know) and I want them bright. I run an Axiom Pulse 60 on the bike on steady/low or medium, and a Cygolite Hotshot on the helmet. If I were buying again I'd get two Axioms.

I have a cat-eye rear blinky that I got awhile ago at the LBS...

I've also come to prefer dynamo lights. I haven't used sidewall dynamos much, but I've installed them on my wife's bikes recently. She may not ride on dark rainy nights, so the slipping problem may not affect her. I have two commuter bikes with hub dynamos.

It's really not that expensive to do this, since the system is so reliable and durable. I bolted the headlights onto the fork crowns on both bikes. One bike has a tail light bolted onto the rear rack. The other bike doesn't have a permanent tail light.

I'd ad a helmet light. Not only will it give you some redundancy, but it also makes it easier to see into turns as well as making your more obvious to turning vehicles that aren't looking for you. Or are looking at you and turning towards you anyway.

What do you think of this, Taylor Wheels 28-inch front wheel ZAC2000 with DH-3N20, $100 on Amazon?

That looks like an excellent value. I bought a wheel recently from some eBay vendor in California, I think. Same price. It had a Sanyo hub and a Sun CR18 rim. Similar, but the Shimano hub is thought of as better than the Sanyo.

I use three tail lights and reflective tape on my fender myself. Most accidents are going to come from behind, I figure. I also use a helmet mounted mirror which I would highly recommend to anyone riding in traffic. Watching the cars behind me and making sure they are doing what they're supposed to do and not swerving toward me gives me peace of mind. Having an escape plan if they do.

here is some reading material for commuters. Bicycling Street Smarts - Table of Contents

My 2-cents: See and be seen. I have a rechargeable Niterider 500 lumen LED that clips on my handle bars so I can see the road. To be seen I have permanently attached front and rear inexpensive BELL-brand LED blinkers with 180-degree plus coverage. On my 700c road bike I mounted them on the left side forks, so they scatter off the spokes for increased coverage. I also clip a small amber flasher to the back of my helmet, and a small, inexpensive 8 LED flashlight to the front. This puts be-seen lights up high in traffic for added visibility. The added advantage of the helmet headlight is that if I am looking at a car approaching from the left or right, they see my light head-on. I also added 3M reflective tape to my bike and helmet and backpack, and finally I wear a reflective sash (double sash). All the lights (except the Niterider) use AAA batteries, and I carry extras in my backpack. In addition I have a glasses-mounted mirror and a handle-bar mounted mirror, plus an Airzound U-pump-it-up airhorn. It sounds like a lot of lighting, but I've actually scaled back a bit. The helmet headlight lasts a couple of weeks on a set of batteries; the flashers all seem to last a couple of months.

A few adjustments I make for winter/commuting after dark:
1. Leave work later. It's dark regardless. Less traffic later. Dark with less traffic is better.
2. Change route so there is more lighted streets (supplemental lighting).
3. Slow pace a bit on the sections where I've learned to expect foreign objects on the road. Less speed helps with reaction time.

Lots of good advice here. Lights.High Viz. Reflectors and reflective tape. Good mirrors - I have a bar end mirror for a motorcycle on my utility child hauler - always good to have a good view of what's coming up behind, eh?

I also wear either high viz gloves or a reflective strap around my wrist to make gestures and arm signals more obvious. I know that the OP mentions turn signals, but everything extra helps, and you may want to make gestures beyond the vocabulary of a simple turn signal. (no not just THAT gesture)

I actually really like riding at night. With lights and reflective high viz clothing, I think I am actually harder to overlook at night than in daytime.

The only thing I really covet is a better headlight. I did just upgrade my light, but I neeeed morrre POWER!!! Bwah ha ha!

Avoid rush hour traffic, ride slower, find a quieter route. Less traffic is really really good in rain - don't like tire spray me.

I am a Chef and I work long hours and never at a set time. I am always riding in during the day and always riding back in the dark( I can count on one hand how many times my ride home has been in the light). I use blinking front and rear lights that are usb charged from mec.ca as well as reflective strips on clothing. I also use valve stem lights to make me noticeable from the side. Basically I look like the final scene of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (reference for the older tykes here).

Cheers,

Dave

I enjoy riding at night. I have *three* rear red blinkies. I also have an 800 lumen light on the bars but also a 500 lumen one on the helmet. This is useful to be able to see around tight corners as well as turning your head so that cars approaching from the side can see you. I hate riding at dusk or when sun is low and in the eyes of drivers. Also try to avoid the worst of rush hour when there are so many cars on the road that a cyclist is difficult to see. Slow down a bit so that you have more time to react and until you feel more comfortable riding at night.

Wear light/bright clothing. There are a number of solutions for side visibility; I don't have any lights designed for this, but I am extra paranoid at intersections and my commute fortunately has very little traffic for much of it.

Mechbgon's web site mechBgon's info page on cycling visibility is a great resource.