[Da Peach]

So I went for my first night ride last night. Did the climb in dusky conditions, but the descent was in the dark.

My light setup is... modest.
Rode a trail that was fairly technical, and a blast to ride when you can see where you're going. At night...a little scary. Perhaps not the most sensible thing I've ever done.

I spent much of the ride "at the end of my rope" for fear of hitting something. Funny how you tend to focus on what you can see, realize you should be looking farther ahead, look farther ahead, then worry about what you're about to ride over. Repeat. Also, the trails are super dry around here these days. When the guy ahead of me skidded a bit, I'd suddenly be staring into a cone of light reflecting off of all the dust. Extra ridiculous.

Verdict: night riding is fun.

Verdict#2: need moar light.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

About to go outside and grab my lights from my car and charge them at my desk for tonight. Getting light worthy at around 7:00 now.......sort of depressing.

Solo night rides give me the willies.

 

[kazlx]

Night riding is definitely fun...and definitely different. The eye opener for me was how you can have a trail dialed during the day, then you can ride it at night and be in for a surprise.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Ironically I have found (as well as others) that stuff tends to be EASIER to ride at night. I think not being able to see as well allows you to not second-guess potentially crappy looking lines you can see clearly in daylight and just go for it. Of course that can backfire on you, but it rarely has for me.

 

[OGRipper]

Night rides are super fun. Definitely makes trails more challenging.

Are you running a helmet mounted light? That cone of dust/light should be much less of a problem if you add a handlebar-mounted light. I prefer just a helmet mount with good output but for dusty stuff I'll also run a bar mount.

 

[kazlx]

Running a helmet and a bar mount light also seemed to help with depth perception for me. Seemed to limit a lot of the funky shadows.

 

[clarkenstein]

i like the two light set up too. i found too much light on the helmet can wash out the trail and make even uber-technical trails look flat as a sidewalk. i like a brighter handlebar light for the shadows it creates and only put the helmet light on sunburn for fast downhills.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Bah. Next time try night riding WITHOUT a light. Joker enjoyed himself.

 

[HAB]

Ironically I have found (as well as others) that stuff tends to be EASIER to ride at night. I think not being able to see as well allows you to not second-guess potentially crappy looking lines you can see clearly in daylight and just go for it. Of course that can backfire on you, but it rarely has for me.

I think that means you're a pvssy.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

I think that means you're a pvssy.

It means I'd prefer not to blow into a straw the rest of my life if I can avoid it.

 

[KavuRider]

We do a lot of moonlight rides out here. No lights.

Of course, one night, a cloud blocked out the moon as I dropped into a really technical rock roller. Pitch black all of a sudden. Somehow rode it out.

 

[big-ted]

Solo night rides give me the willies.

Why do you think I invited Da Peach along? I figured he could be my sacrificial peace offering if we encountered any bears/zombies/hungry sparrows...

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Why do you think I invited Da Peach along? I figured he could be my sacrificial peace offering if we encountered any bears/zombies/hungry sparrows...

I think I'd rather take my chances than ride with one of the Derp Bros.

 

[eaterofdog]

Have your irises removed for MAX PHOTONZ YO.

 

[mandown]

It means I'd prefer not to blow into a straw the rest of my life if I can avoid it.

The straw ain't so bad. Mine only lasted for a couple of months. In the hospital, some visitors thought my straw was a direct tap to roorbeer.

Night riding is a game changer. Did it once or twice by accident without lights. Did it once with lights, and think it was easier to not see what was coming and just assume the worst. The light ride was on a trail I knew like the back of my hand, but it was almost a shorts changer.

 

[sanjuro]

I always run 2 lights, because if one fails...

 

[I Are Baboon]

I always run 2 lights, because if one fails...

What? What happens then? WHY ARE YOU LEAVING US IN SUSPENSE!?

 

[TN]

loco sux

 

[JohnE]

Full moon summer nights in teh Mojave made for fun rides...scaring up coyotes, stopping for beers at the halfway, none of those sissy lighting systems...

 

[Da Peach]

I think I'd rather take my chances than ride with one of the Derp Bros.

You're a Derp Brother!

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Night riding is a blast. I run a combo bar and helmet mount to help with depth perception.

Highly recommend the Light&Motion Stella for a helmet mount light.

Water crossings, solo, at night, in the winter are extra special creepy.

 

[DirtyMike]

I gotta say.... I dont do night rides with lights at all . Only go out on clear full moon nights, and I can see just fine... In fact The only time I did go out with lights I couldn't see ****, full moon with no lights I could see much better..... Theory is that my eyes just adjusted for the low light situation, were with thelights they adjusted on the light leaving everythign else pitch black....


Speaking of full moon rides... I think its time

 

[splat]

Night riding is Awesome!!!

Strangeland2 and BADdna from last nights ride in Nam

 

[stevew]

night riding was more fun when i was a kid.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

night riding was more fun when i was a kid.

"You're only as old as you feel"

 

[Da Peach]

Night riding is Awesome!!!

Strangeland2 and BADdna from last nights ride in Nam

That's pretty brave. I don't think I left the ground once last night. I need more light.

And balls.

 

[jdcamb]

I dabble in it. I currently I have a 10" scab on my abdomen from almost impaling myself on a tree after Joe Badass Dog Walker stood his ground on a trail by my house while coming home last night. I was poaching and out of control to qualify...

 

[Matchew]

Night riding on inches of freshly fallen wet leaves on a rigid single speed is where its at. Did it once last year on trails I know well and it was quite humbling to say the least. The bike actually does a good job of making you ride within the limits of your vision.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Used my helmet mount for a bit tonight on a new trail. Didn't see a single Zombie.

 

[jdcamb]

Used my helmet mount for a bit tonight on a new trail. Didn't see a single Zombie.

They knew better.....

 

[splat]

Actually on last Nights we saw a Flying Squirrel

 

[big-ted]

You guys that ride w/o lights on full moon nights must lack these things we call trees. No way in hell you could do that here. The fireroad climbs, sure, but once you're in the forest it's pretty much pitch black, full moon or no.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

They knew better.....

I'm guessing the smell from my helmet threw them off.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Forgot to charge the battery for my helmet lights and only had the handlebar lights for last nights ride in HP. Could have swapped them over but I was too lazy (much prefer to have helmet if only one set is working).

I didn't die so it was a success. Charging both at my desk for tonight as we speak. Thinking about getting out of work early and doing 2 rides.....one in the late afternoon and one at night.

 

[clarkenstein]

Thinking about getting out of work early and doing 2 rides.....one in the late afternoon and one at night.

that would be an awesome day.

if i only have one light i actually prefer having the light on the bars. i usually ride twisty singletrack for my night rides, so it makes corners a little harder to figure out, and it takes a little getting used to it, but i feel like bar lights just work better for me.

i guess i do have to slow down more when i only have a bar light, but i dunno, it just makes me feel... more complete as a person.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

The main reason I prefer the helmet is for rocky/chunky, quick up-and-down technical sections, which a lot of stuff around here is. With lights on just the bars, you could be heading up the crest of a rocky section that drops off immediately, but you can't see **** on the back side because the lights are shooting straight up into the air.

As a matter of fact, I almost went OTB last night on a rock roller because of that very reason. Backside wasn't lit up and rolled right into a rock with the front wheel, bringing me to a dead stop. Momentum made the rear wheel come off the ground (keep in mind this is a ~45 incline) and had that "oh ****" feeling. Luckily I was able to yank up on the bars super hard, lean back and roll over it. Too close for comfort though.

 

[splat]

I agree with Joe ,only 1 light it goes on the Lid!

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

It's that time of the year again kids, so I scored one of these to run on my bar in addition to my Stella helmet mount.

Light&Motion Seca 750:

old light vs. new light:

With both bar and helmet lights on high:

So much fun being able to see more than just the width of singletrack. Makes it a lot easier to stay on the trail.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Plug for local light mfgr and all-around good guy:

http://amoebalight.blogspot.com/

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

Sunday night a huge gray owl swooped down a few feet off the trail, caught a critter and perched on a limb with it hanging out of it's mouth. Pretty freakin cool to see in person at night.