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The Official "I Love Riding My Bike At Night" Thread (join in)


Mr. Beanz

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I started riding with a group last year and really started digging the night rides. Not so much the group, 98& wheel suckers ha ha ha! But the night air is so sweet. Cool during the Summer and fresh in the Winter and other seasons. It only gets down to about 39 as a low around here so a base layer and a windbreaker will do.  I use 2 headlights, one on the bars and one on the helmet, ankle band reflectors and 2 rear red blinkies. One on the helmet and one on the seatpost. To be honest, I feel much safer on night rides than day rides nowadays.

I was usually a bit intimidated by the posts on many cycling forums but after giving it a try, I feel that being lit up like a Christmas Tree is much safer than the dull colors and no lights that I see on many cyclists around here. And I see a lot here in the foothills. One thing is that abound 7 PM in the foothills, there are lightly traveled roads.  So less traffic, bike friendly area, and lights, I feel good about it. 

So I have been trying to do more rides at night vs day rides and digging it!

So if you others ride at night, have pics that you enjoy, or videos, feel free to post them up along with mine. Don't be shy! I love viewing pics from others as well. 

 

Break time at a local school. Not a usual stop, just checking it out.

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Usual stop for a while, Nice area but  million roaches around the water fountain. Had to find another stop place.

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I like taking pics of the lights on the bike. Like Christmas!

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I got a cheapo XOSS GPS unit. About $35 and loving it. Actually using it more than my Garmin because the light stays on auto at night. And, 25 hour charge life.

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Love it when the roads are clear.

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After a ride, about 40 degrees so I was stalling on the windbreaker removal ha ha ha!

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I was never an online shopper till a few months ago. I have a PI windbreaker. But no pockets, not much in the way of reflectors. Payed about $60 years ago. Now $90. But I found this cheapo Chinese model on ebay for $18. Pockets, vents, rear pocket, and lots of reflectors. Heck, liking it more than the PI. Taken with lights out testing the reflectors along my outfit.

 

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Gina rides at night if we ride lightly traveled roads. Otherwise, on main streets, we ride the tandem.

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I don't know why, but she makes that Chinese face when I take her pic ha ha ha! I have had people on forums ask if she is Chinese ha ha ha!

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Gina on the GMR mountain climb at night.

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Sometimes I hit up a local industrial center used for crits. I ride here when I just want an easy spin of 15 miles or so.

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Gina rides with me at the industrial center once in a while. When I can get her out at night.

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The tandem at night around the local loop.

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Have to test the devices for weather resistance. A little night ride with light rain. The Garmin and lights passed the test.

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Not too much rain but the PI water resistant windbreaker barely passed the test. Haven't tested the Chinese model yet. No rain.

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My buddy Sandra loves the night and climbing! Nice ride when she doesn't give me the wrong name of the street to turn on. Laughing as I was ahead on the climb looking for the road she named. I was about 50 yards ahead and beyond the turn when she started shouting my name.  :lol:

 

 

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I started riding with the guy who got me into cycling in 1981 last year. We have been meeting after work on Thursdays regularly (well not for the last 6 weeks…) and through the winter we’re riding at night/in the dark.

As the days got shorter last fall I got some inexpensive lights on Amazon for under $30 and they have been great. I haven’t been using them in a while but we do plan to ride tomorrow so I’ll see if it still works.

I enjoy the night rides, it puts a different spin to trails I ride often. We both try to avoid roads as much as possible so we do a  ride that’s mostly MUPs in around Newport Beach/Irvine/Turtle Rock/Shady Canyon & loop back. We do have to ride on roads for about 4 of the 25 or so mile route. 

No video & I generally don’t take pictures on my rides so nothing to report that way. 

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11 hours ago, ChrisL said:

I started riding with the guy who got me into cycling in 1981 last year. We have been meeting after work on Thursdays regularly (well not for the last 6 weeks…) and through the winter we’re riding at night/in the dark.

As the days got shorter last fall I got some inexpensive lights on Amazon for under $30 and they have been great. I haven’t been using them in a while but we do plan to ride tomorrow so I’ll see if it still works.

I enjoy the night rides, it puts a different spin to trails I ride often. We both try to avoid roads as much as possible so we do a  ride that’s mostly MUPs in around Newport Beach/Irvine/Turtle Rock/Shady Canyon & loop back. We do have to ride on roads for about 4 of the 25 or so mile route. 

No video & I generally don’t take pictures on my rides so nothing to report that way. 

I have always wanted to do a night ride on SART. Tried to organize a ride with the SoCal people on dot net. Seems most think about it but don't really want to do it. I did ride with the group months ago along the Pacific Electric trail here in Rancho Cucamonga to Claremont. But that trail is stop and go along the entire trail at major streets. Hard to get going for more than a mile at a time so it got pretty boring.

 

I have a couple Cygolite Metro lights, 300 lumens models. Had I known better, I would have gotten better on ebay vs the lights the LBS sold me at their price. Ebay is much cheaper obviously so I could have gotten the 500 or 600 I paid for the 300. But a 600 for $70 is well worth it. I get compliments on the 300's.  If one ever goes out, I'll upgrade but for now, they do the job.

I got a new rear red blinking, Cygolite 150 ($35) and boy this sucker is bright! Love it! Even during the day it is blinding and the strobe speed is adjustable. I almost go blind trying to set it ha ha ha! But it's a great addition. Glad I lost the old one! :D

I also get little red blinkies for about $10 on ebay for the back of my helmet. I had a chick drive up along my side asking where I got it so she could get one for her boyfriend. So they are cheap and cool too!

 

My light box. :D

2 headlights, 2 rear cygolite blinkies, 3 ebay cheapos (but effective)

 

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Charge chords underneath with some brackets.

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All neatly tucked aside in the box, right side. Box to the left is all go pro mounts and brackets.

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Headlight on the helmet, go pro strap and buckle with Cygo adapter.

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I have heard stories of others losing red lights due to broken rubber straps on rides.  I use a camera wrist strap as a tether just in case. I hate to lose anything even if it's only $10. :D

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12 hours ago, Mr Beanz said:

I have always wanted to do a night ride on SART. Tried to organize a ride with the SoCal people on dot net. Seems most think about it but don't really want to do it. I did ride with the group months ago along the Pacific Electric trail here in Rancho Cucamonga to Claremont. But that trail is stop and go along the entire trail at major streets. Hard to get going for more than a mile at a time so it got pretty boring.

 

I have a couple Cygolite Metro lights, 300 lumens models. Had I known better, I would have gotten better on ebay vs the lights the LBS sold me at their price. Ebay is much cheaper obviously so I could have gotten the 500 or 600 I paid for the 300. But a 600 for $70 is well worth it. I get compliments on the 300's.  If one ever goes out, I'll upgrade but for now, they do the job.

I got a new rear red blinking, Cygolite 150 ($35) and boy this sucker is bright! Love it! Even during the day it is blinding and the strobe speed is adjustable. I almost go blind trying to set it ha ha ha! But it's a great addition. Glad I lost the old one! :D

I also get little red blinkies for about $10 on ebay for the back of my helmet. I had a chick drive up along my side asking where I got it so she could get one for her boyfriend. So they are cheap and cool too!

 

My light box. :D

2 headlights, 2 rear cygolite blinkies, 3 ebay cheapos (but effective)

 

152898427_5293441164061672_9052561790292649386_n.jpg

Charge chords underneath with some brackets.

151985011_5293441230728332_2017280836637436077_n.jpg

All neatly tucked aside in the box, right side. Box to the left is all go pro mounts and brackets.

152439591_5293441317394990_8272663758137770493_n.jpg

Headlight on the helmet, go pro strap and buckle with Cygo adapter.

20210525_190200.JPG

I have heard stories of others losing red lights due to broken rubber straps on rides.  I use a camera wrist strap as a tether just in case. I hate to lose anything even if it's only $10. :D

03.JPG

I like the helmet strap.  I haven’t found a way yet to put my more recent light on my helmet. An older light came with a helmet attachment but it had a separate battery and was heavy & cumbersome so I don’t use it as a helmet light. Well actually I just don’t use it…

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I have Cygolites so I found an adaptor on ebay that allows me to use it with go pro mounts.  Actually I have 2 ways to mount on my helmet via straps. Not sure what lights you have but you might be able to find the light/GP adaptor somewhere.

 

The Cygolite adaptor $12'ish. My light slides into the mount then with a screw, fits onto a gp mount. Also allows me to mount it on a garmin handlebar mount with the underside GP mount.

 

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The go pro buckle mounts, pretty inexpensive

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Connected onto the Go PRo helmet strap. I bought a knock off for $6. Waste of money, Go Pro works best.

gpstrap.JPG

 

The other option I have is that the lights I have, Cygolite actually have their own helmet strap mount. Works well but the edge goes to the GP setup but this is less inexpensive.

 

 

strap.JPG

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14 minutes ago, Mr Beanz said:

I have Cygolites so I found an adaptor on ebay that allows me to use it with go pro mounts.  Actually I have 2 ways to mount on my helmet via straps. Not sure what lights you have but you might be able to find the light/GP adaptor somewhere.

 

The Cygolite adaptor $12'ish. My light slides into the mount then with a screw, fits onto a gp mount. Also allows me to mount it on a garmin handlebar mount with the underside GP mount.

 

adapter.JPG

 

The go pro buckle mounts, pretty inexpensive

buckles.JPG

 

Connected onto the Go PRo helmet strap. I bought a knock off for $6. Waste of money, Go Pro works best.

gpstrap.JPG

 

The other option I have is that the lights I have, Cygolite actually have their own helmet strap mount. Works well but the edge goes to the GP setup but this is less inexpensive.

 

 

strap.JPG

It’s a BV branded light from Amazon but thanks. I’ll check those out! 

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