![\""Mountain\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2017\/01\/Night-riding-5-a6a242c.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"Mountain\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>First up, it\u2019s important to understand that not all bike lights are created equal.<\/p>\n
A decent front light is essential if you want to enjoy brilliantly illuminated trails, rather than spending the whole time scrabbling around in the dark looking for lines or wondering where the trail went.<\/p>\n
While you may be able to get away with a 400-lumen output light if you know the way or aren\u2019t looking to ride quickly and confidently, once speeds pick up or trail difficulty increases, you\u2019ll be left wanting more power.<\/p>\n
We would generally recommend 1,500 lumens as a starting point for night riding off-road on blue-graded trail-centre style runs. As a very rough guide, increase lumen output by around 1,000 per trail grading increase.<\/p>\n
That means for a red trail, you\u2019ll want at least 2,500 lumens and a black at least 3,500. Off-piste technical trails will require even more, so think carefully about the type of light you\u2019ve got and its output before committing to a gnarly downhill.<\/p>\n
Take a look at our guide to the best mountain bike lights<\/a>\u00a0for our favourite tried-and-tested options at a range of budgets. If your ride also includes sections on the road and you want to stay on the right side of the law<\/a>, you\u2019ll also need a good rear light.<\/a><\/p>\n Beam pattern is just as important as how much output a light has \u2013 there\u2019s no point having an 8,000-lumen monster if all of its power is projected into one spot.<\/p>\n That means the broader a light\u2019s beam, the more of the trail it can illuminate, and it will generally create a much better riding experience. This wider spread means you can see more of the trail you\u2019re riding, helping to improve context, which can make riding faster easier.<\/p>\n It also means you\u2019re able to see around turns, as the peripheries of the beam will cast light to the exits of corners. Being able to see where you\u2019re going, not where your light is pointing, is a crucial component of successful night riding.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in learning more about light beam patterns (though this guide applies more specifically to road riding), check out our guide to StVZO lights<\/a>.<\/p>\n If your light focuses its power into one small area, it\u2019s going to be best suited to being mounted on your lid. A broader beam pattern means the light will be best mounted to your handlebars.<\/p>\n Mounting a light in either place has both drawbacks and positives.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got an all-in-one light, where the battery and LEDs are combined, its weight might make helmet mounting prohibitive by destabilising your lid.<\/p>\n If your light has a separate battery and head unit, then mounting the head unit to your helmet and storing the battery in your pack is a great option.<\/p>\n Most lights with this form factor have extender cables, so you shouldn\u2019t need to mount the battery to the helmet.<\/p>\n Mounting either style of light to your bike is the easier option. There\u2019s usually plenty of space on your bars to fit a head unit or all-in-one light, and the battery pack can in most cases be attached to the frame using straps.<\/p>\n Clearly, the best option is to combine a lightweight helmet-mounted light<\/a> with a focused spot beam and a bar-mounted light with a broader spread. This gives you the best of both worlds and removes any potential mounting headaches.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve got your setup dialled, it\u2019s important to pick the right route to ride.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve never been on a night ride before, start on an easier and well-trodden route you\u2019re familiar with to build confidence.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll be surprised by how alien the trails look and feel. Subconscious cues that you use to initiate turns and features you\u2019re familiar with will be cast into shadow, and won\u2019t appear when you expect them.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to take it easy and not get too confident too quickly.<\/p>\n Trail centres<\/a> are ideal places to hone your night-riding skills. The tracks are less likely to have hidden surprises such as stumps or rocks that could cause you to crash by catching a pedal.<\/p>\n Once your confidence has improved and you\u2019ve got used to how the trails look, you can challenge yourself with more technical trails, but build up gradually.<\/p>\n When you become a seasoned night rider, the only limit to how far you can ride and the types of trails you can tackle is your light\u2019s power and battery life (unless you buy a dynamo light<\/a>).<\/p>\n Riding on your own can be great fun, but night rides become even better once you head out with other people.<\/p>\n After-work rides with mates are a great way to keep the winter blues away. Shops and cycling clubs around the country organise evening rides too, and they\u2019re a great way to meet new and like-minded people.<\/p>\n With daylight hours limited in winter, if you want to ride regularly you\u2019ll need to get out after dark. Having riding buddies to team up with can help you get out of the door when it\u2019s otherwise tempting to stay at home.<\/p>\n It also makes riding at night safer. Should the worst happen and someone has an accident, light failure or mechanical, you\u2019ve got company to help deal with the consequences.<\/p>\n Riding at night brings with it a unique number of considerations that wouldn\u2019t normally cross your mind on daytime adventures.<\/p>\n Remember to not ride too close to the person in front of you, especially if your light is brighter than theirs. If it is, you\u2019ll cast a giant shadow ahead of them, plunging the bit of trail they\u2019re riding into total darkness.<\/p>\n This will make what they\u2019re riding much harder, and could cause some unexpected accidents.<\/p>\n It\u2019s going to sound obvious, but if you stop to have a chin wag with your mates, try not to shine your light directly into their eyes, temporarily blinding them. This is easily done with helmet-mounted lamps.<\/p>\n To improve your light\u2019s battery life, remember to dim it on sections of your ride that require fewer lumens \u2013 for example heading down a smooth, flat fire road, or on-road transitions between bits of trail.<\/p>\n Remember to bump it back up to full power when the trails get more technical though.<\/p>\n Finally, and probably most importantly, you need to stay safe.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no denying riding at night can be dangerous. The likelihood of crashing is higher, you\u2019re less visible to other trail (and road) users and you\u2019re less likely to encounter other riders in the event of an accident.<\/p>\n Take a working rear light even if you\u2019re planning on staying off-road \u2013 you never know what might happen.<\/p>\n A back-up front light is a good idea too, and pay close attention to your main light\u2019s battery life \u2013 you don\u2019t want to get caught out in the middle of nowhere, unable to see or be seen.<\/p>\n Wait for friends if you get separated and always let someone know where you\u2019re planning to go and how long you\u2019re going to be out.<\/p>\n If you ride with a GPS cycling computer<\/a>, consider using a location tracker. Some of the best cycling apps<\/a> also offer similar functionality.<\/p>\n Make sure your bike is ready for the mud<\/a> if you live in a wet climate and take everything you need for trailside repairs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Wrap up warm, too \u2013 when it\u2019s dark, the temperature drops. A spare layer in your riding pack could make all the difference if the weather changes or you need to make an unscheduled stop.<\/p>\n You can read our guide to the best waterproof mountain biking jackets<\/a> for starters.<\/p>\n2. Beam pattern<\/h2>\n
3. Mounting options<\/h2>\n
![\""Magicshine\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2021\/02\/Magicshine-headlamp-beafa09.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Magicshine\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>4. Pick the right route<\/h2>\n
![\""Mountain\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2017\/01\/Night-riding-3-e81f715.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"Mountain\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>5. Make friends<\/h2>\n
6. Keep your distance<\/h2>\n
![\""Mountain\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/21\/2017\/01\/Night-riding-2-377900e.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"Mountain\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>7. Stay safe<\/h2>\n