There are two reasons to ride at night - if you're commuting or if you simply get a kick out of heading downhill with only a cone of light showing your way. This article discusses both kinds of lights.
Biking is one of the most enjoyable hobbies there is. However, biking is not always a hobby, cost-conscious commuters also bike to and from work.
Unfortunately, bicycles are small in comparison to even motorcycles, and we all know how many motorcycle accidents there are. The most common comment from the motorist: "I didn't see him."
With bicycles, the situation is even more acute, as not only can a motorist very easily not see you... but won't hear you either. It is important, therefore, that cyclists where bright clothing - incandescent orange or yellow. This should be done in the daytime as well as at night, but of course it is more important at night. Nothing frightens a motorist more than to pass within a foot of a biker wearing a black jacket, black pants, an underseat bag that obscures the reflector.
Bicyclists often blame motorists for being unkind to them. "They can slow down for a few seconds," is their comment. But bicyclists don't take into account a motorist's problems. The driver of a car has to pay attention to other cars to his left, behind him, and even to the right when he wants to make a turn. Sometimes the roads are very narrow and not in the best of condition...and then they come across a bicyclist who weaves all over the road, or is biking the wrong way down the road. It's usually children that are guilty of that transgression.
Bicyclists who continue with these bad habits at night only exacerbate the problem.
Biking at night is certainly possible, but it is important to take some extra precautions.
1. You Want To Be Seen
2. You Want To See
Being Seen
It is perhaps most important that you be seen, than anything else. To that end, the more lights the better. It's possible to get small orange reflector lights that you can attach to your biceps and even legs, so that it's very easy for motorists to see you - much easier than if you just have reflectors which only light up when a car headlight lands on it.
Seeing
The technology for bike headlights has increased tremendously in the last several years. Again, the main goal is for motorists in front of you to be able to see you, although it would also be nice if the front light was powerful enough so that you can see in front of you as well.
A new hobby for mountain bikers is to actually ride at night. Of course if you're going to do that you want a really powerful light to ride behind.
Lights can be helmet mounted or mounted on your handlebars. The more powerful lights would be placed on your handlebars, of course.
Manufacturers of such powerful lights include Light & Motion, JetLites and NiteRider.
By: Alastair Hamilton -
Alastair Hamilton use to write on mountain biking and similar subjects for www.bikecyclingreviews.com . Find more publications about mountain bike reviews at his website