Night Ride at the Local Trails

[Prairie Dog]

I did a bit of trail riding last night and had a blast. I can say that, without a doubt, that it undeniably helps to have a decent light system and that along with my frequent use of this particular single track made the ride less intimidating.

 

[TOOSLOW]

I think I get more lumens from my bic lighter !

 

[Prairie Dog]

It must be difficult holding your bic lighter in one hand while riding the trails. I think that you’ve attended one too many outdoor concerts.

 

[TOOSLOW]

Not really a problem, and if my bic lighter runs out of fuel, I use this.

Main Features:
● Massive 8000 lumens light output for epic night riding adventure.
● High-end rechargeable 21700 battery pack of 7.2V/10000mAh that supports USB-C PD (10-30W) fast charging & discharging.
● Multiple modes settings for all-around lighting solutions for various riding environments.
● Straight forward operation with one button, memory function for instant mission.
● Easy-to-read battery indicator both on lamp head and battery pack.
● Secure Garmin type mount that compatible with different size of handlebars and helmets.
● Robust and compact design with IPX 5 waterproof to withstand in the most challenging weather.

MONTEER 8000S GALAXY

Maigcshine® MTB bike light Monteer 8000S will give you the most exciting experience of night riding thoroughly. Lumen: 8000 Lumens (CREE XHP-50 LED ) Runtime:1.5-32 Hours Battery: 7.2V 10000mAh (USB-C PD) Waterproof: IPX 5

www.magicshineworld.com

Probably a little brighter than you candlestick.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I manage just fine, thanks. You must visit a lot of dark places in Edmonton’s inner city to require that much light!

 

[6zfshdb]

I did a bit of trail riding last night and had a blast. I can say that, without a doubt, that it undeniably helps to have a decent light system and that along with my frequent use of this particular single track made the ride less intimidating.

Night trail riding is indeed a lot of fun. What headlight are you using? It appears to throw plenty of light and is more than adequate for the job.

I use this 12000 lumen X7R model from Olight:

Olight X7R Marauder Rechargeable LED Search Light|12000 Lumens

The Olight X7R is brightest, most compact search light on the market today! Delivering 12000 Lumens in a soda-can-sized body, this flashlight is a must have!

www.batteryjunction.com

It has a self contained lithium battery that recharges from the USB port on my bike's display.

I do a lot of tunnel riding and need to see what's above and well to the side. Falling chunks of concrete from the walls & ceiling and even bats can be a hazzard.

It's a bit overkill for trails. I use a much lower setting for night trail riding. I use an even lower one for streets so as not to blind oncoming traffic.

The light easily detaches from the bars for use as a portable floodlight.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Night trail riding is indeed a lot of fun. What headlight are you using? It appears to throw plenty of light and is more than adequate for the job.

I use this 12000 lumen X7R model from Olight:

Olight X7R Marauder Rechargeable LED Search Light|12000 Lumens

The Olight X7R is brightest, most compact search light on the market today! Delivering 12000 Lumens in a soda-can-sized body, this flashlight is a must have!

www.batteryjunction.com

It has a self contained lithium battery that recharges from the USB port on my bike's display.

I do a lot of tunnel riding and need to see what's above and well to the side. Falling chunks of concrete from the walls & ceiling and even bats can be a hazzard.

View attachment 97539View attachment 97538

It's a bit overkill for trails. I use a much lower setting for night trail riding. I use an even lower one for streets so as not to blind oncoming traffic.

The light easily detaches from the bars for use as a portable floodlight.

Wow, that’s terrific output from that searchlight. Versatile too as it's detachable.

Mine is a Nightrider Enduro and it puts out 4200 lumens which is more than adequate for my needs. I purchased it lightly used from a fellow MTBer for $150 Cdn which to me was a relative bargain when you consider the price of a new unit. It also comes with a thumb operated remote switch making on the fly changes to the lighting a breeze. The Li-Ion battery attaches to the frame top tube via Velcro straps.

 

[TOOSLOW]

I manage just fine, thanks. You must visit a lot of dark places in Edmonton’s inner city to require that much light!

We will try to educate you, being you live in Alberta, thought you might already know this, but apparently you do not. So just for you !

"Edmonton has the largest urban parkland in North America, with a river valley system 22 times the size of New York's Central Park, and eight times larger than Vancouver's Stanley Park. So, pack your hiking shoes to trek through river valley trails."

So, with all those trails, ah, I guess ya require a good light! Oh yeah, and for the inner city too !

 

[Prairie Dog]

We will try to educate you, being you live in Alberta, thought you might already know this, but apparently you do not. So just for you !

"Edmonton has the largest urban parkland in North America, with a river valley system 22 times the size of New York's Central Park, and eight times larger than Vancouver's Stanley Park. So, pack your hiking shoes to trek through river valley trails."

So, with all those trails, ah, I guess ya require a good light! Oh yeah, and for the inner city too !

Just toying with ya. Our fair capital is a great place to hang your hat as I have family members who live there. Nice cut and paste, BTW.

 

[TOOSLOW]

Anytime ya need a trail tour up here, just hit me up, but bring your light !

 

[ElevenAD]

Kick ass video!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Kick ass video!

Thanks! Here's daylight footage shot along the same single track earlier this summer.

 

[ElevenAD]

Thanks! Here's daylight footage shot along the same single track earlier this summer.

Beautiful trail! i enjoyed every minute of that!

 

[ruffruff]

Not really a problem, and if my bic lighter runs out of fuel, I use this.

Main Features:
● Massive 8000 lumens light output for epic night riding adventure.
● High-end rechargeable 21700 battery pack of 7.2V/10000mAh that supports USB-C PD (10-30W) fast charging & discharging.
● Multiple modes settings for all-around lighting solutions for various riding environments.
● Straight forward operation with one button, memory function for instant mission.
● Easy-to-read battery indicator both on lamp head and battery pack.
● Secure Garmin type mount that compatible with different size of handlebars and helmets.
● Robust and compact design with IPX 5 waterproof to withstand in the most challenging weather.

MONTEER 8000S GALAXY

Maigcshine® MTB bike light Monteer 8000S will give you the most exciting experience of night riding thoroughly. Lumen: 8000 Lumens (CREE XHP-50 LED ) Runtime:1.5-32 Hours Battery: 7.2V 10000mAh (USB-C PD) Waterproof: IPX 5

www.magicshineworld.com

Probably a little brighter than you candlestick.

$400 bucks for an LED bike light! That's a lot of BIC lighters!

 

[TrailSeeker]

Is that Johnny 5?

Sorry I loved that movie and the eyes reminded me of him. Very cool bike and I love your lighting scheme!

I wish they had trails near me that I could safely ride at night - it looks to be a whole new experience

 

[Prairie Dog]

Is that Johnny 5?

Sorry I loved that movie and the eyes reminded me of him. Very cool bike and I love your lighting scheme!

I wish they had trails near me that I could safely ride at night - it looks to be a whole new experience

Now that you mention it, perhaps #5 is still alive!

Riding the trails at night can be quite enjoyable and without trepidation if done in a safe manner. Though vital, having the proper lighting setup is only part of the solution, being familiar with the local trails is just as important and can go a long way in making the evenings a special time to ride.

The trails here are mostly of the single-track variety and are decent enough considering that we have a relatively small community of MTBers here. They certainly don’t offer the scenery and variety of terrain that the mountain resorts do but then again, it’s only a matter of around a 2-hour drive to the closest e-MTB friendly trails from here.

 

[6zfshdb]

Night trail riding is indeed a lot of fun but it isn't the same as street riding. Your focus needs to be to the side as well as straight ahead. Side or flood lighting instead of a focused beam ahead is important. I almost found this out the hard way when a raccoon darted across my path during a night ride. I was using a street appropriate light with a forward focused beam and didn't see the animal until he was practically under my front wheel. It wouldn't have gone well for either of us had I hit him.

Since that incident, I switched to the floodlight I mentioned in post #6 for night trail riding as well as for use in tunnels.