Full Tips and Guides for Cycling at Night

Every vehicle user, no matter what type of vehicle, knows that driving conditions change considerably when night falls and everything around them goes dark.

Many cyclists feel uncomfortable riding after dark or do not know what safety measures to take for their own protection and that of other road users. If you are one of them, we advise you to read this article. In this article, we are going to offer full tips and guides for cycling at night.

Following the regulations

Each state has its own regulations governing the use of lighting and visibility elements. Always remember to follow the general traffic regulations. But there always be the common regulations, due to the conditions is at night, you must wear a reflective garment, and have white front light. Red rear light and always be seen.

First and foremost, you must be seen. It is essential that other road users can see you immediately. To do this, you should know that lighting is not the same as being seen.

For this, in addition to reflective clothing, there are catadioptrics and other lights designed for this purpose, which are different from those we would use to illuminate.

On wheels and pedals, reflectors are optional. Although they are a great option if you are going to ride in town, as they do not disturb or add weight and yet they greatly increase our visibility when we are in motion.

How to choose good lighting?

If you are going to ride on urban roads that are already illuminated and what you want is simply to increase your area of visibility, cheap standard lights will be enough.

If you are going to ride or make routes in unlit areas, you will have to equip yourself with a sufficiently powerful light with good autonomy to ride safely.

For this, you will have to look at the lumen (lm), which is the unit that measures the luminous flux emitted by a light source.

Preventive check

Before setting off, check the condition and quality of your lights, as well as the wiring and connections. It is also a good idea to calculate the battery life of your lights to avoid unnecessary surprises.

To improve the autonomy of the battery of the lights there are a couple of tricks:

Lower the intensity of the lights on climbs or wide tracks.

Turn it up only on descents or more complicated areas.

If you carry a spare bulb, all the better. Staying totally in the dark on a mountain or road section is a very unpleasant experience. Don't gamble!

A good tip would also be to carry a spare light on your helmet. In addition to serving you in case the main light fails, you can use it as a complementary light in complicated areas or to consult a map, look for something in your backpack, etc.

Magicycle has all the different lights that must meet your need.

Protect your vision

Wearing goggles is a great help. Even at night, they protect your eyes from wind, dust, insects, mud, and a multitude of particles that may be in the environment. The lenses of the goggles should be transparent, so that they serve simply as a protective barrier, without diminishing our visibility.

An extra layer never hurts

Pack an extra layer of clothing in your backpack. The thermal sensation when the sun goes down decreases considerably. And it is preferable to be cautious by putting a windbreaker or a sweatshirt in your backpack, rather than risk having a bad time because of the cold.

Take everything you need

Of course, if you are going out at night with your bike, take everything you need to cover your needs in case something happens. Take with you plenty of water, something to eat, your smartphone with a fully charged battery, etc. Ideally, you should also carry a spare battery in case your electric bike runs out of power to assist your pedaling.

In case that happens, you can continue pedaling yourself or stop somewhere to charge the battery.

Plan the route you are going to take

Routes you already know are better than those you have yet to explore. If you can choose areas that are illuminated, better than those that are not. Move forward little by little, familiarize yourself with the environment, and observe your sensations. At night we perceive many sounds that go completely unnoticed during the day.

Better in good company than alone

Finally, you should know that if you are accompanied, all the better. At night it is more difficult to cross paths with other people who can help you in case of need. And if you go alone, it would be more difficult to locate you if necessary.

We can only say that you should enjoy the experience. Cycling at night can be very magical and surprisingly different. An ideal way to disconnect at the end of the day and relax enjoying the silence and darkness. As long as you pay attention to these tips, we are sure you will enjoy it to the fullest.

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