Night riding ==> Spatial disorientation?

[Grog]

By the way I'm also worried that you can only see the patch of asphalt immediately in front of your wheel... When I commute in absolute darkness I use two lights. A blinking white light and a beam that allows me to see my surroundings somewhat. Think about it for a second: what if you had a flat tire? How could you change it in the light of your dynamo??

[laura*]

Think about it for a second: what if you had a flat tire? How could you change it in the light of your dynamo??

By the light of my battery powered taillight?

Or, more likely, push the bike until an area with light. Pushing would be required anyway to get to a flat driveway or turnout where I can get off the road.

(Actually, I've never ever carried flat fixing utensils! I switched to some form of puncture protection soon after my most recent on-the-road flat - almost two decades ago.)

...

Might it work if I clipped one of the "coin" battery operated mini headlights to my helmet visor?

...

In case anyone wants to look at this segment of road on Google Earth, the coords are lat 37.0238 deg and lon -122.0254 deg.

[OakLeaf]

what if you had a flat tire? How could you change it in the light of your dynamo??

Phone? My phone's flashlight is crazy bright on its brightest of three levels.


I don't commute in pitch dark like the OP is talking about - the only people I know who do, ride 'bents with insane lighting, powered by 12-volt car batteries. But even in the car, I don't have the depth perception at night that I do during the daytime. There are no landmarks. I see a pair of headlights in the oncoming lane and I just wait for them to go by before I'll pull out to pass someone ahead of me ... sometimes it turns out they were a mile or farther away.

[Grog]

Isn't your taillight red? For me that wouldn't be enough light.

I have very good, puncture resistant tires, but I would never want to jinx myself by not carrying whatever tools I need to change a flat.

Oak, I don't know how one would hold their cell phone, directing the light beam, and change a flat at the same time, but maybe I need to get creative (or grow a third arm...)!