Night Riders - Canal Routes

I want to try and do off road rides at night but most of the eligible rides around where I live involve mostly canal tow paths a mixtue of semi-rural and urban /industrial surroundings

 

Anyone here done much night riding along canal towpaths?

id get some decent lights as cant see jack otherwise esp with speed.

I want to try and do off road rides at night but most of the eligible rides around where I live involve mostly canal tow paths a mixtue of semi-rural and urban /industrial surroundings

 

Anyone here done much night riding along canal towpaths?

Many times. I ride the canal a lot, mostly after 7 pm this time if year before it gets too cold and quite enjoy it at night as the dog walkers are mostly indoors.

Plenty if advice on here about good cheap lights...

I've cycled sections of the Grand Union: The path is narrow, littered with potholes and slippery/decaying leaves (dangerously close to the water!), and the residents who are moored up in their boats often straddle the path in their chairs evenings and weekends. I found it something of an obstacle course to navigate, and whilst you are allowed to cycle it, its stated cycle speed is limited to 10mph. Coupled with unleashed dogs at all hours, it's not my favourite ride.

It would seem that the tow path varies depending on where you live.. the Leeds Liverpool is mostly rideable where I live.. in fact it has been improved from Shipley to Leeds...

I have ordered Exposure lamps - one for the handlebar and one for the helmet.

 

There are a couple of short sections that are narrow and can be slippy but easy to do in daylight.

 

I was thinking more about experiences with critters, undesirables and other things that go bump in the night

I have ordered Exposure lamps - one for the handlebar and one for the helmet.

 

There are a couple of short sections that are narrow and can be slippy but easy to do in daylight.

 

I was thinking more about experiences with critters, undesirables and other things that go bump in the night

The only critters I have encountered are generally hiding in small black plastic bags. The ground ones are easily killed by simply riding over them but beware of the tree dwelling variety as they tend to just hang there swaying gently in the breeze waiting for a passing apple picker that hasn't been to Specsavers..

There is nothing there at night that is not there in the daylight

Only it’s now awake and hungry

I work nights so often ride on my nights off. On the open road of course. No trafic means I can steepen the learning curve a little and chuck the trike around using much more tarmac. Night trike rides are off the menu from December to April though.

 

And of course I ride home from my Thursday evenings out in the south, usually with quite a charged breath... And no, I don't do that on the trike, it is too dangerous to ride that under influence.

I have done my first night ride. It was a local off road nook called "The Dingle" in Walsall.

I thought it would be better/safer than the canal.

 

First lesson I got was don't cycle at night on a new trail. I hit a sawn off branch hidden behind leaves at chest height at about 10mph. Stopped me in my track and winded the tish out of me. Not sure I would have even seen it the day.

 

Second lesson, lots of fleeting shadows appearing like rats and foxes etc coming towards me.

 

Overall it was more unnerving than I thought it would be but still great fun.

 

I am thinking of joining a local group to do night riding, does anyone know of any in Walsall?

 

The Exposure lights were fantastic. They take ages to charge though.

I have done my first night ride. It was a local off road nook called "The Dingle" in Walsall.

I thought it would be better/safer than the canal.

 

First lesson I got was don't cycle at night on a new trail. I hit a sawn off branch hidden behind leaves at chest height at about 10mph. Stopped me in my track and winded the tish out of me. Not sure I would have even seen it the day.

 

Second lesson, lots of fleeting shadows appearing like rats and foxes etc coming towards me.

 

Overall it was more unnerving than I thought it would be but still great fun.

 

I am thinking of joining a local group to do night riding, does anyone know of any in Walsall?

 

The Exposure lights were fantastic. They take ages to charge though.

I would say that the lights you are using are not adequate for the job. My lights illuminate absolutely everything..

I would say that the lights you are using are not adequate for the job. My lights illuminate absolutely everything..

I am not so sure I would have seen it even in day light.

 

I have the handlebar light pointing slightly down the same as the old fashioned lights, do you think I should tilt it up to level?

Hi

I’m new to the forum and I’m wanting to do a night ride, however I live in stockport!

I’ve always wanted to do derwent valley/ladybower so if you’re ever in the area give me a shout

 

Chi

I am not so sure I would have seen it even in day light.

 

I have the handlebar light pointing slightly down the same as the old fashioned lights, do you think I should tilt it up to level?

My opinion is that if riding in total darkness off road then one light isn't enough, if only to guard against failures..

I have several front lights that I use on two bikes, some expensive and some cheap but generally I have found that the cheap Chinese cree lights work exceptionally well apart from the batteries that won't live up to promised run times.

I have never had a cheap Chinese light or battery actually fail and run times are about 1.5 hours on max brightness. Search this forum for "New best headlight" For an example of the cheaper variety.

For a more expensive example i bought this from halfords on special offer at £80 which is very bright..

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01LZ5A417/ref=mp_s_a_1_101?ie=UTF8&qid=1510324972&sr=1-101&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=lumen+bike+lights

I am not so sure I would have seen it even in day light.

 

Think about it this way, you were the only person there, Gubbins wasn't.

 

For all any of us know, you might well not have seen said branch in daylight hours, so I'd certainly not beat yourself up over it.

I way prefer riding in hours of darkness over riding in daylight hours, and spend roughly eight months of the year riding off road at night, between two and three evenings/nights a week, averaging between 40 and 60 miles each week, and except for trying them out, I have yet to have the desire or need for a second light fitted to either the bike or my cycle helmet. In fact for the riding around here, a helmet mounted light is just a liability and an irritating nuisance for other riders. The consensus when on group rides, is no helmet mounted lights. On group rides, great care is also taken not to have the light of following riders, cast shadow around the lead rider and their light.

 

What you need more than anything else, is simply saddle time to become accustomed to the differences in riding teqnique between daylight and hours of darkness. Over time you will become attuned, and your senses will sharpen. You will also discover, that a blindingly bright light, can often work against you. Also bear in mind that your Peripheral vision is significantly different at night time.

 

It is a shame that you weren't down here in my neck of the woods, as I'd happily venture out on a night ride or so with you.

Edited November 10, 20178 yr by EddiePJ

I have done my first night ride. It was a local off road nook called "The Dingle" in Walsall.

I thought it would be better/safer than the canal.

I can find canal routes local to me on the map but they show up as footpaths, are they still ok to cycle on, similarly I can only find a "the dingle" showing as a footpath too ?

Is it a case of just give it a go on one of these canal paths or would I get complained at?

To be fair the question the op asked was..

 

Anyone here done much night riding along canal towpaths?

 

Which is something I do a lot and tbh any unseen tree branch, rut or other obstacle could seriously dampen your ride.. I have followed a few narrow trails on the riverside where the water just looks like a black nothingness that eats your light and the trails look so much narrower when you can only see one edge and a battery going down here could be a big issue so I always have 2 lights by the water ..

 

Maybe I'm just and old wus.....

I can find canal routes local to me on the map but they show up as footpaths, are they still ok to cycle on, similarly I can only find a "the dingle" showing as a footpath too ?

Is it a case of just give it a go on one of these canal paths or would I get complained at?

The leeds liverpool canal by me has sinage allowing cycling but warning pedestrisns have priority..

Maybe I'm just and old wus.....

 

No, just sensible. One of our members did end up in the canal in 2012, e-bike and all. Link

 

And you nearly did, telling us about it on January 27th. Link

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No, just sensible. One of our members did end up in the canal in 2012, e-bike and all. Link

 

And you nearly did, telling us about it on January 27th. Link

.

Yes , and that was in daylight! Not been on that way since.

They have been improving the tow path of late and I can now ride the 23 miles into Leeds reasonably safely but the other way to skipton and gargrave is still a bit if a challenge.

How do you find all these old posts? Can't be just a good memory...

Yes , and that was in daylight! Not been on that way since.

They have been improving the tow path of late and I can now ride the 23 miles into Leeds reasonably safely but the other way to skipton and gargrave is still a bit if a challenge.

How do you find all these old posts? Can't be just a good memory...

 

A lot of it is good memory since the Search facility isn't very good. It needs the just right search terms entered so I need to remember at least a couple of the words used at the time, preferably next to each other.

 

At least I knew that canal was one of the words!

 

Search is top of the dropdown list from Resources above.

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The leeds liverpool canal by me has sinage allowing cycling but warning pedestrisns have priority..

I'm going to have a look tomorrow at an access point local to me. Google maps shows some signs there but I can't read them.

A few weeks ago offspring and I set off on the canal towards Leeds after dark, comming back after 9pm I was surprised by how many pedestrians there were, some walking dogs and others doing.. well not sure exactly what in the dark without a torch..

I'm going to have a look tomorrow at an access point local to me. Google maps shows some signs there but I can't read them.

Specsavers?