Mountain Biking at Night

Now that summer is here depending on where you live it can be too hot to ride during the day which can take all the fun out if mountain biking. It can also be dangerous since it's easy to over exert yourself and you really have to drink your water to stay hydrated to avoid overheating. Plus overdoing it in extreme temperatures can be downright dangerous.

So how about doing some rides at night? Sure you can't get the same views as during the day but it does add a little more of a challenge to your ride because of the decreased visibility. And one of the best parts is that you don't need to worry about getting a sunburn or slathering on the sunscreen. Depending on where you live it can even be pretty hot at night so you still need to bring your water. Being able to ride at night also opens up more possibilities for after work rides since you don’t have to rush to beat the sun from going down. Plus it leaves your weekend days done for things like…chores.

Now to have a fun and safe night ride you need to be prepared rather than just taping the Mag Lite to your handlebars and hitting the trail. You need to have the appropriate lights so you can actually see where you are going. There are many types of lights to choose from and some are way more effective than others. You need to do your research to see what type of light you want and what type of light you can afford.

Some people choose to mount their lights on their handlebars while others choose to mount them on their helmets. Others do both which gives you the benefit of having the handlebar mounted light shining the direction your bike is pointed while the helmet light points in the direction you are looking. If you have a bright enough light on your handlebars that has a nice wide beam then you can most likely do away with the helmet mounted light.

When shopping for your light you will want to decide if you want one with an internal battery or an external battery pack that you will have to either attach to your body or to your bike since there will be a wire connecting the battery pack and the light itself. These types of lights tend to offer brighter beams because of the bigger batteries used on them. But then again the self contained units offer the freedom of not having to worry about dangling wires. These are better suited to be used on helmets since they are smaller and you won't have wires dangling off of your head. When shopping for a light be sure to check out the lumen rating since that will tell you how bright the light will be, the higher the better. We suggest going with at least 700 lumens. Also check out what type of bulb and lens the light comes with as well as the battery type. Some of the more popular bike light brands include NiteRider, CygoLite, Gemini, MagicShine and Gloworm.

Once you get your new lights setup try them out on an easier trail to get used to them. You won't have the same visibility that you do during the day so you won't be able to see as far ahead and as far off to the side as you normally would. Once you do get used to them you will find yourself riding almost as fast as you do during the day. Just try and avoid super technical trails and downhill runs at night unless you feel you are up to the challenge.

Posted by Jim Bernstein