Is it more dangerous cycling during winter?
Discussion
I have been cycling to work regurlarly over the past couple of summers but when the nights draw in I as good as stop cycling.
The weather has an effect, i'm not the biggest fan of gale force winds but my main concern is safety. My commute is a 16 mile round trip and almost all of it is on a fairly narrow A-road. At one point there is a long steep hill which I crawl up at about 8mph and I have cars coming past doing up to 60mph. Bad enough in summer with people getting close, throw in darkness and drizzle and I feel a lot more vulnerable.
I wear a bright yellow jacket and have pretty good lights but is there anything else I need?
Thanks
The weather has an effect, i'm not the biggest fan of gale force winds but my main concern is safety. My commute is a 16 mile round trip and almost all of it is on a fairly narrow A-road. At one point there is a long steep hill which I crawl up at about 8mph and I have cars coming past doing up to 60mph. Bad enough in summer with people getting close, throw in darkness and drizzle and I feel a lot more vulnerable.
I wear a bright yellow jacket and have pretty good lights but is there anything else I need?
Thanks
The short answer is, "Yes." It is more dangerous cycling in the dark, on cold, sometimes wet, very often more slippery roads.
Thankfully, you have recognised this, and seem to have taken all the logical steps to make yourself as visible as possible.
Ensure you have the right sort of tyres and brakes to enable the bike to grip the road and you to stop as effectively as possible.
Finally, think about yourself. Can you see as much as possible too, which means in rain or spray conditions as well as clear nights. Make sure you're warm enough, and stay that way for a whole trip in the horrible conditions.
Finally, consider changing your route, but bear in mind that dark country lanes may just provide a different kind of danger to a lit A road.
Safe cycling fella.
Thankfully, you have recognised this, and seem to have taken all the logical steps to make yourself as visible as possible.
Ensure you have the right sort of tyres and brakes to enable the bike to grip the road and you to stop as effectively as possible.
Finally, think about yourself. Can you see as much as possible too, which means in rain or spray conditions as well as clear nights. Make sure you're warm enough, and stay that way for a whole trip in the horrible conditions.
Finally, consider changing your route, but bear in mind that dark country lanes may just provide a different kind of danger to a lit A road.
Safe cycling fella.
I find the low sun the most worrying. Once it's dark, I know my lights will keep me seen. However, with the sun blinding drivers, I find a couple of stretches of my commute worrying at this time of year.
I'm sorted for lights, winter clothing and hi-viz. However, I've just ordered some Marathon Winters (carbide spiked ice tyres) so if we get an icy spell, I can keep up my 60km a day commute. I'm at 13000km for the year so far, and I'd love to hit 15000km this year. An icy December could scupper that without proper kit.
I'm sorted for lights, winter clothing and hi-viz. However, I've just ordered some Marathon Winters (carbide spiked ice tyres) so if we get an icy spell, I can keep up my 60km a day commute. I'm at 13000km for the year so far, and I'd love to hit 15000km this year. An icy December could scupper that without proper kit.
I commute in London and I have to say I really don't like it when it gets dark. Lights obviously work but it's still easy for cars and other road users to miss you. I don't know what it is this year, maybe because I'm still getting used to cycling home in the dark, but I feel distinctly more vulnerable than the past couple of years.
Won't stop me but I am certainly more cautious.
Won't stop me but I am certainly more cautious.
if anything I think your more visible at night with lights then you are in daylight.I commute at night anyway so 9months of the year it is dark when i go to work I have lights and a hump rucksack cover which imo gives plenty of visibility, my only suggestion would be to run 2 back lights as if one packs up the first you'll know of it is when it fails to get you seen which may be too late I put this into place as my knogs don't seem to give any warning before the batteries die.
snowdude2910 said:
if anything I think your more visible at night with lights then you are in daylight.I commute at night anyway so 9months of the year it is dark when i go to work I have lights and a hump rucksack cover which imo gives plenty of visibility, my only suggestion would be to run 2 back lights as if one packs up the first you'll know of it is when it fails to get you seen which may be too late I put this into place as my knogs don't seem to give any warning before the batteries die.
I'm not sure. I was driving tonight in the wet, there's the glare from oncoming traffic, perhaps your windows are a bit misted up, much easier to see cyclists during the day if you ask me.It probably depends on your lights. My bike is pretty well lit. No bugger is going to run me over
snowdude2910 said:
if anything I think your more visible at night with lights then you are in daylight.
... I used to think that, till the other week ... Just entering a roundabout, it was dark ...Reflective cycling jacket
Hi-vis vest
x2 front lights on bike
x2 rear lights , one very visible from 'the side', the other only visible from the rear ...
... so I'm dressed like a road cone, and lit up like a Christmas tree ...
Look right, nothing, look left one approaching, quickly ...
Hmm, is he stopping ???
Brake hard to stop as he sails across in front of me ... by which point I'm fully established on the roundabout ...
mph999 said:
... I used to think that, till the other week ... Just entering a roundabout, it was dark ...
Reflective cycling jacket
Hi-vis vest
x2 front lights on bike
x2 rear lights , one very visible from 'the side', the other only visible from the rear ...
... so I'm dressed like a road cone, and lit up like a Christmas tree ...
Look right, nothing, look left one approaching, quickly ...
Hmm, is he stopping ???
Brake hard to stop as he sails across in front of me ... by which point I'm fully established on the roundabout ...
And this is my biggest fear at night, visibility from the side.Reflective cycling jacket
Hi-vis vest
x2 front lights on bike
x2 rear lights , one very visible from 'the side', the other only visible from the rear ...
... so I'm dressed like a road cone, and lit up like a Christmas tree ...
Look right, nothing, look left one approaching, quickly ...
Hmm, is he stopping ???
Brake hard to stop as he sails across in front of me ... by which point I'm fully established on the roundabout ...
Are there any lights that can be used to light up the side a bit - maybe orange lights perhaps?
To reply to the OP in a more serious tone, I find it a lot more dangerous cycling in the winter, but out in the wilds of rural Essex it tends to be the road surface, or stuff that's on it that increases the danger from slipping/sliding or punctures miles from home. To be honest, I'll be glad when the clocks change so that it'll be fully dark by the time I finish work. I love to ride in daylight, and don't mind riding in full darkness, but I would suggest anyone with any sense should avoid that nasty dusk period when your bike lights are unlikely contrast enough with the fading sunlight to stand out well. Worst case is when the sun is low and you are riding into it - you just know that the cars approaching from behind you almost certainly cannot see a damned thing until they are almost upon you. It's not their fault, just the way it is. For that reason I try to stay off the roads in the hour around sunset. It's just not worth the risk (speaking as a sport/leisure cyclist). My sympathies to any of you commuters whose working hours put you on the roads in those most difficult of conditions. At least I have a choice.
It's significantly more dangerous in the winter. You tend to be less comfortable - cold and wet mainly - and therefore less attentive, visibility - yours and other road users - is reduced, you can't stop as quickly, road markings become lethal ice in the wet. Or to put it another way, you're not as good, you can't see, you can't be seen, you can't stop, and the road is slippery.
Buy the best kit that you can to keep warm, dry, and visible. Buy lights, lots of lights, and use constant and flashing combinations front and rear. Get reflective ankle straps, and stickers for your bike. Upgrade your brake pads to Swisstops (or others with good wet performance) - it makes more difference than you think. Practice your bike handling so you are used to the bike moving underneath you a bit. Ride even more passive aggressive and defensive at the same time. In other words don't sit in the gutter, hold your road position, don't get pushed around, but expect drivers to pull out in front of you, turn across you and all the other wonderful things we have to deal with.
Have fun. Winter brings different challenges, but you will emerge into Spring fitter, stronger, leaner, and a better rider than you are now.
Buy the best kit that you can to keep warm, dry, and visible. Buy lights, lots of lights, and use constant and flashing combinations front and rear. Get reflective ankle straps, and stickers for your bike. Upgrade your brake pads to Swisstops (or others with good wet performance) - it makes more difference than you think. Practice your bike handling so you are used to the bike moving underneath you a bit. Ride even more passive aggressive and defensive at the same time. In other words don't sit in the gutter, hold your road position, don't get pushed around, but expect drivers to pull out in front of you, turn across you and all the other wonderful things we have to deal with.
Have fun. Winter brings different challenges, but you will emerge into Spring fitter, stronger, leaner, and a better rider than you are now.
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