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The Outdoors manual: Biking At Night
By Richard Luo
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Many bikers prefer cycling at night for a multitude of reasons including less traffic, less cars, and simply, the serene environment. However, biking at night poses numerous risks which prompt necessary safety measures. If you want to eliminate the chances of being bulldozed by a truck, here's a guide for you.
Accessories
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The only difference between biking at night and biking during the day is vision. When drivers can't see you, they're more likely to crash into you. When you can't see the ground in front of you, you're also more conducive to crash. Therefore, the purpose of any tool you buy would be to increase your range of sight and noticeability.
One of the most effective and popular gadgets that cyclists use are Bike Lights. The 2 types of lights that attach to your bike are the Headlight and Taillight. The Headlight is attached to your handlebars facing forward, increasing your visibility to prevent stray rocks or twigs from tripping you up. The Taillight can go under your seat or even on the back of your helmet, notifying drivers and other commuters of your existence. Also, Headlights and Taillights are easy to install and have many valuable attributes. Some Bike Lights have supplementary functions including different modes that allow the user to change frequency and brightness of lights. Typically, Headlights and Taillights come together in sets and cost from $10 to $20.Finally, not only can they be used for biking, Bike Lights are also adaptable for hiking, camping, and can even serve as an emergency flashlight.
Another device you can utilize for safety is the symbolic, neon safety vest. Even though it may look silly, these safety vests are specifically geared towards increasing your noticeability. A number of people even choose to wear them during the day. But if that's too excessive, my last recommendation would be purchasing a helmet that already comes with built-in functions. For example, a helmet made by Crazy Safety features a rechargeable LED implanted on the back side of the helmet and is composed of reflective straps to further act as a precautionary measure.
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Biking at night is calm and peaceful but also poses significant risks. And to truly be able to enjoy the ride you can't be scared of the ride. So even if you've never tried biking at night before, all you need to do is order a few parts, wait 2-5 business days, and try something new.