Categories: Accessories and GearNostalgiaProduct ReviewTechnology

The Eye of Sauron

Aside from wheels staying in one piece and the frame holding together, the thing we take most for granted when riding a bike is how our bodies instinctively respond to and absorb bumps. The human body is, in fact, an incredible shock-absorber; our arms and legs are capable of flexing and shifting in ways that no mechanical suspension is capable of and reacts at near-instantaneous speed to the intelligence streaming in from the ocular system. Remove the power of sight from the equation and the effect is staggering.

My first encounter with night riding was during a 24-hour mountainbike race in Minnesota. Until that race, I had taken care to always ride during the day, partly because I couldn’t afford a reasonable headlight and partly because I could always arrange my training to take place during daylight. A 24-hour race, however, held distinct implications for nighttime riding.

I never bothered practicing riding at night, and I didn’t bother with buying a proper headlamp. Instead, I recommissioned my semi-reliable headlight which I used for nordic ski training in the dark winter months. The week before had also seen the decommissioning of my first-generation Rock Shox which had always graced the front-end of my beloved Schwinn mountainbike, made of what I assume were sand-filled tubes. I didn’t maintain the shock the way a shock should be maintained, and with its death came the rebirth of the fixed fork that had originally steered the machine.

I don’t need to go into detail on the race, but suffice to say that my headlamp stopped functioning within minutes on the first nighttime lap and that I rode the remainder of the race by the light of the moon and my insufficient instincts. Climbing was unpleasant, flats were uncomfortable, and descents were a blend of suicide and anarchy. Each bump the front wheel found blew through my unprepared arms and cascaded through my body, usually focussed on the saddle which ungracefully found its way to my crotch whether I was sitting on it at the time or not.

With this induction into the dark art of night riding, it has been something I’ve typically done with some reluctance. In other words, I’ve avoided it like the plague. Living in Seattle and having the privilege of a fulltime job does have certain ramifications on riding in daylight hours in Winter; namely that it isn’t possible. With the introduction of a good headlight comes the surreal solidarity of riding cocooned in a cone of light. The shorted line of sight together with the elimination of one’s peripheral vision has an inexplicable calming effect despite the sense that you can’t properly judge the bumps in the road as your headlight briefly illuminates them, and that every puddle looks like a small lake whose depth cannot be judged until you’re on top of it.

I’ve ridden with a Mammut Zoom headlamp and a Lezyne Super Drive, both of which served the purpose of making nighttime riding slightly less terrifying. But with my new 45km commute, I moved to the Lezyne Mega Drive, which is basically a car headlight refactored to fit on a handlebar. I heard that the lights in small villages dim when I turn it to full power and I’ve noticed that deer come running towards it when I ride by with the mistaken belief that it signals the arrival of a deity.

Never one for half-measures, I still mount the Super Drive on the helmet and the Mega Drive on the bars; its like riding with the Eye of Sauron on your bike. Oh, and I have three different red flashers on the back of the bike and another white flasher on the front. You know, just in case.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Marcus says:

Nov 20 2012 at 12:49 pm

@Oli

@frank Seeing you seem so interested you'll have to ask Marcus for your ovine romance tips. As I say, I've never dated one.

I just put on a kiwi eccent
itburns says:

Nov 20 2012 at 12:51 pm

@itburns

That didn't work - it's in the Flemish Tan Lines thread.
the Engine says:

Nov 20 2012 at 1:04 pm

@Skip

@the Engine

@frank

In Scotland we prefer to have multiple hand holds just like on the bike...

Does your MTB look like this?

No but it is fucked.

Just back from an evening in the woods with the club (fnarr) as it happens and frightened the little Engines when I got home with my Flandrian Facial - cow shit with a hint of sheep poop. Brakes are completely shot so off to the LBS in the morning to sort it all out so I can do it all again tomorrow night.
the Engine says:

Nov 20 2012 at 1:07 pm

@wiscot

@the Engine

My dad sent me in to action with one of these on the lamp bracket on the front fork of my Raleigh Shadow in 1977. It was like cycling with a candle in a horn lamp. The battery (unrechargeable) theoretically lasted for 24 hours (well it only had to light a lamp with the intensity of those they used to use on telephone switchboards) but it would start to brown out after half an hour or so.

The rear right used big torch batteries that you couldn't swap with the front and was equally useless.

Tweed and wool are not reflective at night and there are no reflective strips on brogues either.

At best they were warning lights because you could see fuck all even when they worked (which they often didn't because the contacts would work loose or the bulb would expire). Once they'd gone out you had to try and fix them in the dark - hilarious.

Obviously they bounced off their mounts and self destructed when you went over cobbles too.

You're only a wee bit older than me. I started with the BIG Every Ready (boy, was that not true) lights. Two D batteries and they were crap. Almost all bikes back then came with either a headset mounted lamp bracket or one brazed on the fork. This was considered a selling point! I remember when Wonder lights appeared in the 80s with their plastic clips and decent clamps for the light. Compared to the Ever Readys, they were great! Still the same shitty bulb scenario though . . . Thanks to LEDs, you can light yourself up like a Christmas tree for less bulk and weight than any old Every Ready lamp. Don't get me started on generator lights either . . .

Ooh - my dad had a dyno hub on his #2 bike - never worked - but he was too tight/poor to put a new front wheel on so rode around with the extra weight for decades.
Deakus says:

Nov 20 2012 at 1:14 pm

@brett

Although I have never interfered with a sheep, I may indeed have been lurking in a dress on Oli's night ride. Nothing sus.

Agree with Marcus, flashers on the front and too much lumenage is worse than not enough, it is distracting to drivers and can impair distance perception. 350 lumens is more than enough for a road bike. Same out back, super bright flashers can be almost blinding to drivers (not to mention riders when in a bunch)... we ride through winter at night on the road, and most of us run one up front and two out back max. I always have one of these mounted permanently now, un-noticeable and there if needed...

Riding singletrack at night is probably the most fun to be had on any bike anytime... but you'll need some bigger lumenage for max effect. Though back in the early 90s we had some pretty basic set ups, which were state of the art back then... heavy bid on batteries and quick-fade halogen lamps. Then HiD came along and changed the game, and now the LED technology and tiny Li Ion batteries is so affordable that everyone can ride fast on trails without wearing a diaper.

Frank; a shock is on the back of the bike, a fork up front.

OK now you got me thinking...I was eyeing up the lezyne mega drive, light up the way ahead like those night shift road crews on the motorway (read freeway for you guys over in the states). I have one requirement for my front light and that is.....LIGHT!....my night rides are going to be on country lanes...expect zero or very little traffic in the pitch black. My logic was something that will light up the whole fucking ball park..i,e, cars can see me coming over the rise of a hill (like you see with car lights) and that 1000 lumens looked like just the job...you saying that 350 lumens is enough....we are not talking commuter rides here on main roads with street lights or much oncoming traffic....if a car sees me coming I want him to shit himself and slow down?
frank says:

Nov 20 2012 at 2:29 pm

@Deakus

I can't understand this business about headlights being too bright or some arbitrary level of lumens being enough. So long as there are cars on the road the bike will never be the thing with the brightest lights blinding people, and so long as there are potholes and other objects to worry about anywhere in the vicinity of the cyclist, you will want absolutely as much lighting as possible for safely sake.

Unless you're a gambling man and you don't have anyone around who cares if you make it back in once piece: if you are interested in actually training that means you will be going fast and that means you need a big, bright fucker on your bike and one on your head for looking outside the Cone of Awesome.
The Pressure says:

Nov 20 2012 at 3:28 pm

@Chris

@the Engine

@frank

@Marcus

@frank by telling me to go back to New Zealand (a country I have never visited) are you trying to underhandedly call me Minion? If so, that really hurts.

Try not to get too turned on:

In Scotland we prefer to have multiple hand holds just like on the bike...

The ladies at the top are for riding in a group with your friends or club while the lass in the second photo is for solo efforts against the clock or those Rule #42 defining moments when you are going to have to dip your mount of choice first and then make a quick exit afterwards.

This is some confusing shit! Are the "ladies" being dipped to prevent infestation or are you mounting the Big Horn? And since when does SIDI make sheep boots?
Chris says:

Nov 20 2012 at 3:43 pm

@The Pressure Dipping, shearing, isn't that what they call sport down under?

@frank & @Deakus I'm in the bright is right camp. As long as the lights are pointing down a bit and not straight into the eyes of oncoming traffic, 1000 lumens isn't overkill.

I could do with a properly strong light with a full beam function o that when cars fail to dip their lights I could return the favour briefly.
Oli says:

Nov 20 2012 at 3:44 pm

@frank I completely agree with this post.
brett says:

Nov 20 2012 at 4:51 pm

@Chris

@frank

1000 lumens on a road bike is stupid. Blinding an oncoming car and having it run you down isn't good sense really. Cars have a high/low beam for a reason, and if a bike is putting out more than a car, drivers are gonna get pissed off. They hate us enough already. And shining a helmet light into their face isn't exactly bright either (boom-tish).

@Deakus

The Mega Drive is enough (450l). Easy to mount, lightweight and plenty of power.