Bike Safety - riding at night or alone on trails

I work full time and by the time I get home, its dark outside. I'm relatively new to cycling. I started this summer and was on a roll since the weather was warmer and the days were longer. Now that it's starting to get dark earlier, I have not been able to ride at all! I'm not comfortable riding in the street, especially in the dark and I feel like my local trails are so....empty and somewhat terrifying.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get a ride in after work? Is night time riding safe or am I just being a big old chicken? My goal is to try to get better at riding so I can buy my new bike in the spring but I'm not sure I can accomplish my goal since I can now only ride on weekends.

Lights to see with and be seen. Personally I would not ride remote trails alone at night but that's me. You might try to find a local bike shop that does evening/after work shop rides. That way you could get tips from them and have the safety of company. Likely they also are familiar with the routes and in the dark it's comforting to have someone familiar with the territory. Things look different at night and it could be easy to get lost unless you are in a well lit city.

I cannot speak to trail riding because I do not ride in trails. If I did, I would worry about the lack of traffic, a personal safety concern. This season, I started to ride before dawn. I find it very peaceful, lower traffic (traffic after work is a reason for me to avoid rides in the evening). My clothing has some reflective piping and I bought Niterider MiNewt 600 and a Light & Motion Vis 180. I generally can see the roads without lights, but I want to be seen.

I don't mind riding on the streets at night because there are plenty of streetlights where I live. I still use lights and reflective gear and im very comfortable riding in traffic. I do not like to ride on trails at night, however.

You could get a wind/mag trainer to ride indoors in the winter, or you could take a spin class at the Y or other gym. In the spring, you could work on getting confident riding on the roads, and eventually start commuting to and from work by bike. That's the most efficient way to work cycling into your day. You get to ride your bike and you get to where you need to go, all at the same time.

I really like riding home in the dark - with good lights, my cell phone, and on streets with which I am familiar. I would avoid deserted trails and crowded streets. My dark route is ~2.5 miles longer than my day route, too avoid crowded streets mostly. I ride home after rush hour traffic when I do ride in the dark.
Good lights, good good lights. visible clothing and moving reflectors - to be seen and to see.
I like Dinottes, but they've fallen out of favor due to their wide beam. Ay-up look great. Niteriders already mentioned are probably pretty good.
When I tried Niterider I was still trying to save money. I bought a $25 light - nope, a $65 Niterider - nope, then finally a $150 Dinotte. I now own 3 Dinottes, 1 white to see, 1 yellow and 1 ret to be seen.
Don't skimp, spend the money, or you will just be wasting your money.
I also figure I don't necessarily look like a woman, and I try and keep it that way.

Edit to say the other thing you might consider is an airzound or similar - that way if something happens you will also be heard.

Can you take your bike to work and ride at lunchtime?

Can you commute or part commute to work on your bike?

Ride in the weekends and do gym or swim during the evenings?

I second the pre-dawn riding. It is peaceful, there's less traffic and there is something very cool about riding as the sun comes up.
I swore I would never ride in the dark, but I started bout 3 years ago. I bought a light that was better for the "to be seen" category, and that didn't fly in the semi-rural suburb I live in, with very few streetlights. Got a better light and went from a 4 mile ride home from the train station on my hybrid when I was going to grad school, to 10-20 mile rides starting anywhere between 5 and 6 AM on my road bike.
It does require cold weather gear at this time of year, but I already had that.
I would suggest getting used to riding on the road. It's actually easier to do this early in the morning. Trails are OK, but as you progress, you will start getting annoyed with the walkers, strollers, roller bladders, dogs, etc.

<sigh> I had just mentioned I liked riding before dawn and this morning, the MiNewt 600 totally failed. The battery is dead. It is less than 20 days old. At least it failed right in front of my building.

It *should* be under warranty, but with a $150 light, I did not expect to try their customer service. I am so mad right now.

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Originally Posted by pll

<sigh> I had just mentioned I liked riding before dawn and this morning, the MiNewt 600 totally failed. The battery is dead. It is less than 20 days old. At least it failed right in front of my building.

It *should* be under warranty, but with a $150 light, I did not expect to try their customer service. I am so mad right now.

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I'm sorry...I know how disappointing that is!

My NR TriNewt went back for service very early on due to a known battery issue. I wasn't happy about such problems so soon, but Nite Rider was very easy to deal with and I've had no light troubles since. *knocks wood*

Give them a call.

I think it really depends on where you are.

In rural Ohio, I just would not ride after dark, no matter the lighting. The roads are narrow, hills and curves are blind (there's almost never more than a quarter-mile sight distance, and those are the long straightaways), no one is expecting low-speed traffic, cell service is spotty because of the hills, and unless you were carrying a SPOT device (which is just too heavy for me to run or ride with), if someone did punt you into the weeds, it could be days before anyone found you.

It's a little better a bit north of me in Amish country, where drivers are conditioned to expect lower-speed traffic, but I think they pretty much stay home after dark too. I know exactly one person who rides after dark, mostly on the MUP but a little bit in town (NOT out in the country), and he has a 'bent with a light system powered by a 12V car battery.

I don't ride off-road, so I can't speak to trail riding, but I think I'd really want a SPOT device before I'd try it after dark. And of course, there's been so much publicity and grumbling from first responders about how people take insane risks because they now have a panic button that they never had before ...

By contrast, in certain towns where there are MUPs along the busier roads and the residential streets are very quiet and well-lit, and it's possible to get from one place to another without having to ride on busy narrow arteries, I love to ride to dinner or a movie or the park. I wear plenty of reflective gear and take it easy - those rides are for fun and transportation, not for a workout. There's definitely a peacefulness to it that you don't get during the daytime.

I once got stuck finishing a ride on a trail in the dark. I wasn't alone, but I admit I was spooked. It was very hard to see, because most trails are not light. I also came upon a jogger, totally dressed in black (not smart!) and we just missed a collision!

So, if you can ride on roads safely, try that. But, please, avoid the trails in the dark. Also, I have heard of people stringing a rope across the trail to make you fall and then they can do horrible things to you. Paranoid, maybe a little bit. But it is better to be safe than sorry.

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Originally Posted by turbojackie

Also, I have heard of people stringing a rope across the trail to make you fall

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Monofilament and thin wire are just as invisible during the daytime as they are as night. Every time I've heard of that happening, the people who've gotten hurt have been riding in the daytime. It's a valid concern - yes, a little bit paranoid, but some people are just vicious - but it's more like a fear of having things thrown at you while road riding. Or of being shot at. It's really not a day/night thing.

I think it's more likely to be directed against moto trails than bici trails too, at least I've heard of it happening more often on moto trails.

While I know plenty of people who don't respect this rule, our local MUT "closes" at night. No one is supposed to be on it. The OP should verify whether her local trails have a similar restriction.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I second the pre-dawn riding. It is peaceful, there's less traffic and there is something very cool about riding as the sun comes up.

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WARNING! It can be addictive. I am so miffed after not riding this morning, that it is starting to make me laugh at myself. I was ready to go, the temperature was probably 50.

Thanks All for the advice and thoughtful responses.

A little bit of background, I live in the suburbs of NYC - not exactly a bike-friendly community as there are tons of hills, sharp turns and very little bikes on the road. Most bike riders ride in designated areas (trails, parks etc). While I would love to ride to work, there is no direct path. I would have to cut through the Bronx (yikes!) or get on a parkway (not an option). There are bike trails along the highways but they do not all tie together.

I would love to ride in the early morning but my husband actually leaves early in the morning for work and I have 2 kids at home.

I think riding the trail at night is not an option (I'm paranoid) so maybe I can buy a really good light and ride around my neighborhood or a nearby school (lighted) at night. I may pick up an airzound as well (may make me feel safer). I do have cold weather riding gear so at least I can check off that box!

The other option is to enroll in a gym and take up spinning. I have a couple of gyms in the area that I can look into. I am waiting for a bikeshare program to become available in NYC. When that happens, I'm hoping I can get some lunchtime rides in but the program won't roll out until next year. Still, it's something to look forward to :)

Thank you again for your help.

Quick update, just close my hijack... The MiNewt had somehow gone into 'locked mode' and their tech support asked me to press the power button for 6 seconds... It works now. I still worry about how long it remains charged, but I'm riding tomorrow morning. :D

woah, I would think riding on the trails after dark is WAY scarier than city riding. I frequently ride after dark since I don't own a car and pretty much refuse to use public transit now : D

Riding at night is the best. There's a lot less traffic, and since there aren't cars *everywhere* I can rely on my ears a billion times more than during heavy daytime traffic. Because of this, I actually feel a little safer! I do tend to ride a little more left than normal, due to reduced visibility + skunk possibility. I was nervous at first too but quickly found zipping through the cool night air to be relaxing.

On a trail? I wouldn't trust my ears to hear pedestrians, and I would imagine there is a greater risk of rocks/garbage/roots/holes/whatever than on a paved road. I've never done it, but give me pavement any day.

Update: Ok I decided to take a chance and ended up riding at a local school which was well lighted and had a couple of cars in the lot (most likely the cleaning crew). I got about 25 minutes in and it felt good.

I still have to buy a light and reflective tape before I can ride on any public roadways but at least it was a start.

I also looked into 2 gyms. The prices were a little outrageous so I am going to try and see if I can continue riding around the school. If I do this again, I will need something to cover my ears. My ears were the only part of me that were cold!

I don't know if you have any YMCAs near you, but their rates are pretty reasonable. They also don't have any long-term contracts. I can use any Y in my metro area, which is great since I live about equidistant from three of them.

I spent the last two winters telling myself I would ride outside daily, but I rarely did. I paid for it in fitness. This year, I'm sucking it up and going to the Y for spin classes and some weight training. If I had a commute, I would commute by bike, but I don't since I work from home. It is surprisingly difficult to get up and away from work to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day even when it's technically possible.

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Originally Posted by tulip

I don't know if you have any YMCAs near you, but their rates are pretty reasonable. They also don't have any long-term contracts. I can use any Y in my metro area, which is great since I live about equidistant from three of them.

I spent the last two winters telling myself I would ride outside daily, but I rarely did. I paid for it in fitness. This year, I'm sucking it up and going to the Y for spin classes and some weight training. If I had a commute, I would commute by bike, but I don't since I work from home. It is surprisingly difficult to get up and away from work to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day even when it's technically possible.

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I don't have a Y near me but there is a planet fitness and they have stationary bikes. I'm trying to determine if I will be motivated enough to actually ride a stationary bike without an instructor and a group motivating me. To be honest, last winter, I gained 10 pounds and I don't want that to happen again so I definitely have to do something!

I totally know what you mean about not being able to go for a bike ride in the middle of the day when you work from home. I actually work from home on Fridays (in the city the rest of the week) and I can barely get away for lunch, much less a bike ride. I find it much easier to leave for 30 minutes when I am physically in the office then when I am at home.

However, I did find that if I ride in the morning (after the kids get on the bus and before I start my work day), I am more apt get out. The key is getting out before I start my day.

I would absolutely cry without my trainer. If I'm alone with the boys they can play with something and I can ride with them there. Until we took the training wheels off their bike we had a homemade trainer for their bikes as well. It is really something to consider if you have problems getting out. I still prefer real rides but it is better than nothing.

I agree! How great it feels riding upon the cool wind of the night and love doing it daily from our house to the beach and to nearby towns for about an hour but of course with lights on. Having one on one with the road, (sometimes I can make a one hour bike ride encountering cars that I can count on my fingers) I can even look up counting stars not bothering to be hit by a car at all!

I ride all winter but not daily. my rules are (which are subject to change) either dark or rainy, but not dark AND rainy. this time of year that reduces me to about 1 commute a week.
I have powerful lights on my bike and on my helmet.

I was pretty gung ho when i went out for a ride on Tuesday but haven't gone out again. However, I should be able to get some rides in over the weekend. Hopefully i can ride at least 2x during the week and during the weekend until November. I'm not sure if I will be able to brave the cold after that :)

I've been riding after work some on streets and some bike path, the bike path is a little desserted, but its still light. As it gets darker I will just ride on the road - theres a little bit of a bike lane. I have some lights, a Cygolite and just got a MagicShine, and a red blinky on the back, plus I wear 'killer yellow and 'reflective' clothing.

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Originally Posted by jyyanks

I don't have a Y near me but there is a planet fitness and they have stationary bikes. I'm trying to determine if I will be motivated enough to actually ride a stationary bike without an instructor and a group motivating me. To be honest, last winter, I gained 10 pounds and I don't want that to happen again so I definitely have to do something!


However, I did find that if I ride in the morning (after the kids get on the bus and before I start my work day), I am more apt get out. The key is getting out before I start my day.

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biking and running interval podcasts are your friend. I highly recommend motiontraxx.com, getcyced.com, and podrunner.com.( plain and interval training) Get yourself an i pod shuffle or the like, download a bunch plug yourself in and ride like the wind. Get cyced has several hill climb ers that are fun.

marni

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Originally Posted by Cynedra

I would absolutely cry without my trainer. If I'm alone with the boys they can play with something and I can ride with them there. Until we took the training wheels off their bike we had a homemade trainer for their bikes as well. It is really something to consider if you have problems getting out. I still prefer real rides but it is better than nothing.

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Hey Cynedra = what kind of trainer do you have?