Tips for night shooting in summer

We are in the middle of summer, and that means that the ideal hours to go out riding are reduced to the early hours of the day or late afternoon. But... have you tried riding at night?

Riding a bike at night is a pleasant and strange sensation that everyone should try at least once. The feeling of seeing only what the lights of your bike illuminate is something different that gets you hooked. 

But we know that this entails different risks than what we are used to, so today we are going to talk about what we must take into account to avoid unforeseen events if we go out with the bike at night.

 

 

Make yourself visible

The biggest drawback, as you may have deduced, is the poor visibility at night. It is therefore essential to carry both lights and reflective elements, to have good visibility and offer good visibility to users circulating on public roads.

The lights we use must be of great power and duration, it is important to use both front and rear lights, and combine them with reflective elements. These elements can be incorporated into your equipment or your bike, and there are countless options for you to choose the ones that suit you best. You can even add lights to your helmet, although this will increase the weight on your head and you may feel it slightly on your neck, but the advantage is that it directly illuminates the area you are looking at, resulting in greater comfort and safety.

To be more specific, the rear light must be powerful and red in color. On the other hand, the front light must be white and illuminate at least 220 meters. It will be useful to have a good front field of vision and to alert cars or people in front of you.

In addition, we must be careful and make sure that we do not carry any element that is covering the lights, especially the rear one, since it is easier for us not to notice if this happens.

 

 

 

Battery

If you ride an E-BIKE, it never hurts to remember to check the battery charge so it doesn't ruin your ride. It is also a good option to carry an extra battery to help you in case something unexpected happens.

 

 

Good equipment

The equipment you will need is the same that you use during the day, but it is recommended that you add a layer, such as a thermal shirt or a vest. Keep in mind that nighttime temperatures drop very quickly depending on where you are. 

In addition, it is important that your clothing has some reflective detail to increase your visibility.

 

 

 

Plan routes

The planning of the routes when riding at night is very important to know the route and total time we will be riding. As in the daytime routes, you must take into account hydration and food to enjoy the entire route. 

In case you are going to ride in very cold places, an extra trick that we recommend to increase your body temperature is to carry hot drinks such as teas or coffees in a thermal flask, so that the temperature of the liquid is maintained as long as possible.

 

 

Always alert

Riding a bike always involves risk, so it is important to be alert and focused. But the risk increases when riding at night, so it is essential that you always keep an eye out for anything that may arise around you. As for the danger of crossing paths with animals, a good option is to carry a bell to let them know where you are so that they are forewarned. 

Finally, and to increase your safety if you go out alone, a good idea is to share your location in real time with someone you trust, so that in case something unexpected happens to you, they will know exactly where you are.

 

 

Nowadays, cycling at night is one more modality of cycling. A dangerous modality that requires more caution on the part of the cyclist, but by taking the measures we have mentioned, you can ride safely and enjoy the good summer night temperatures.

Undoubtedly, it is a very different experience from what we are used to, and even the routes we know best seem new to us, do you dare to try it?