NIGHT RIDING

When I first started doing a night ride, the equipment was still quite plain. It was a common occurrence for your lights to go out on the track. Today's high-end lights have all but relegated sudden darkness to the history books. The key to successful night rides now is knowing how to use your lights, and your head. Here are some pointers :

Set Your Light Right

The ideal light set up combines a helmet-mounted spotlight and a bar-mounted unit with a broad-coverage beam. But if you can afford only one, a helmet-mounted light is better because it directs the light where you are looking. Mount it close to the center-top of your helmet. The higher you put it, the more stable it's going to be,  which means it won't fatigue your neck as much over the course of the ride.

Look Where You Want to Go

Your light, like your bike, is going to follow your eyes, so look ahead, not down. Your helmet light should be aimed at least eight feet ahead. The final adjustments depend on the condition of the tracks you're riding, which you should plan for well in advance. A first-timer?  Stick to a track you know like the back of your hand so you can test your night vision on known obstacles and corners.

Lights and Arm Warmers Go Together

A good cold weather rule: If you need lights to ride, wear arm warmers. Temperatures can fall rapidly at night and when you're shivering you burn more calories, and on a ride every calorie counts. Stick with arm warmers because they're easy to remove, but in autumn, leg warmers and a vest aren't a bad idea, either.

Keep Your Perspective

Artificial light sources create shadows that skew your perspective on obstacles. Two keys to success in technical situations: knowing about the weird shadows, and saving your highest light-output setting for when things get rough. The switch to high will give you more confidence. You'll think, 'This is great!' even if the difference is minimal.

Be Confident--and Day Dream

Night riding success comes down to confidence and a good attitude. If you think you can do it, then you'll do it. That's the most important thing. You need to stay positive and think about fun things, like that pizza and beer afterwards. J