Night Riding
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Contents |
Where Can I Night Ride?
Here are the current trails that allow night riding at their posted times:
Lebanon Hills: 8am to 10pm (This means the lot AND the trail are closed at 10pm)
Theo Wirth:
River Bottoms:
Battle Creek:
Salem Hills: Park closes at 10pm
Finding Night Group Rides
Night Ride: Lebanon Hills, Thursday October 19 @ 6:00pm
Some posts will contain more information than others - it depends on the mood of the poster. Watch for the key words "Night Ride" to be certain, especially during early fall. Often early fall rides will be one lap during the day and one lap at night. These might appear as follows:
Day/Night Ride: Theo Wirth, Monday September 19 @ 6:00pm
Night rides normally take a bit longer to prepare for, so please remember to allow enough time to get your lights configured before the ride starts. Once the weather turns cool its tough to make the group wait while one person is still getting their lights working. Night rides tend to want to stick together a little more than day rides, so it is a good idea to start all together and on time.
Can I Night Ride Alone?
Sure you can, many ride at night alone. However, many like to go with someone else just in case there are problems out on the trail (injury, mechanical, or even a light goes out etc.) If you don't ride with someone else, its a good idea to have someone else that knows you are out there. Trails like Leb can be confusing to find a way out in case of injury or mechanical, so imagine how tough it can be at night.. or worse, if your lights go out. We don't want to have anyone stranded out there over night!
What Light(s) Should I Buy?
Ok, this could be one of the single largest topics around night riding. The selection available varies greatly by quality and cost, and there are even people who pride themselves in building home brew lights (some achieving as high of quality as consumer brand models!)
This topic can be argued, but in general the brighter the better. Helmet mounted lights are usually preferred, with handlebar mounts being a close second. Better yet, ride with both! Many riders will use two lights which can help with depth perception, provides more light, and can act as a safety net in case one light goes out.
There is a huge variety of bike lights available and they seem to improve each year. Common brands of night lights include NiteRider, Cat Eye, and Light & Motion. Lights can range in price from around $12 to over $600! The most popular lights tend to range right around $100 to 200, with HID lights being somewhat preferred among the locals. Check out this page for more information on purchasing bike lights.
Runtime is very important at night. You should only plan rides for about 60% of your battery runtime. If you don't, getting lost or a mechanical can extend your ride and leave you in the dark. Also remember that battery runtime can be reduced by as much as 30% in really cold weather.
Want to build your own light? Check out this page on beginner home brew lights and this page on advanced light building.
Many statements made above can be argued. We suggest clicking on the discussion link above to ask questions and get more feedback from other riders.
What About Tail Lights?
This is yet another topic that varies greatly. In general it seems the view is to use a tail light when riding alone, but turn it off when riding in a group as to not bother the individual behind you. If you are riding to the trail, you should use suitable front and rear lights when on or near the road.
When racing you might want to check with the race organizer for rules regarding lights and tail light usage.
What If I Don't Own A Light?
Sometimes people will have a light to share, so if you have never ridden at night and are not sure about it watch the post as often you will see extra lights available to try! It is considered polite if borrowing a light to show up to the ride early, as it can often take a while to configure them properly. (usually 30 minutes prior is sufficient)
What Should I Wear?
This can be a tough one as well. We live in Minnesota, after all, and it can get cold at night! Temperatures can vary depending on the time of year. Layers are generally the best. Check out this thread for some good fall clothing information on what to wear at night, especially as the weather gets colder.
Post Night Group Ride
Since most night rides happen in groups, it is worth mentioning some of the same information also available on our Group Rides information page. Mountain Bikers can be a fun group to hang out with after a ride, especially at night. Many times a group will gather around after the ride for a cold (or hot) one and BS for a while... if you are new, be sure to feel welcomed and pull up a chair! Sometimes one of the riders will even bring treats... these are always welcome and appreciated. If you are really lucky, you will be on a ride that features Katie's Sex Cake, Briana's Pie, or Liz's Popcorn Balls! A nice to have at a group ride is a lawn type folding chair and a cooler of your favorite drink.
Backwards Riding
This is a touchy subject. Many of our local trails are one way only. This is often for safety and for the good of the trail, as it might be designed with one direction in mind. Riding trails backwards at night is not allowed on one-way trails.
Having said that, it can get confusing at night as not all trails are marked properly. When you ride at night you should ride as if there are people going both ways. Watch for headlamps at all times - they are normaly easy to spot and accidents easily avoidable. Again, the "official" word is no riding backwards. This is not to say it doesn't happen by accident so please keep an eye out.
