Tips for pre-Dawn riding?

[bigbill]

I commuted six days a week in Oahu. No DST in Hawaii so every morning commute was in the dark and in some areas around Aloha Stadium with some significant traffic. I used retina searing headlight (for the time), a NR Blowtorch and the NR taillight that used the same battery. My wheels had Salsa Delgado rims which were box-shaped and I put yellow reflective dots between the spokes (36) and yellow reflective strips on my seatstays. I had a rack and bag with a jogger belt around the bag. I saw guys with red flashers on their helmets but I was a big believer in putting the red lights around the same height as a vehicle taillight.

Dark riding means you'll run over stuff so you might sacrifice a little ride quality for some tough tires.

[bicycletricycle]

Wake up early

[many_styles]

Echoing everyone who mentioned preparing a majority of things the night before. It’s one less barrier for your brain to use as an excuse to not ride that early. Removing and adding barriers to change human behavior is very effective.


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[joev]

I ride a lot in early mornings and here are some tips:
- Agree with others on a good light. Lezyne 1300 lumen, Outbound Hangover or other similar. Bonus tip, you don't need lumens. I run mine about half power so I can see the sides outside the beam and the night sky.
- It's always cold. Layers, windbreaker, full finger gloves.
- I ride about an hour to an hour and a half. Usually just a cup of coffee is all I need to get through the ride.
- Subdivision streets are best. No/low traffic.
- I do carry pepper spray. Loose dogs and been chased by coyotes.
- Ride tubeless! I ride a gravel or mtn bike. No need for speed and you can get a good workout. No fun changing tires in the dark/cold.
- Take one of those tiny headlamps as backup in a jersey pocket. Your light might fail, at some point, whether you miss a charge or something else happens.
- As mentioned, rear flasher a must.
- Avoid wearing black. Yellow/neon vest or windbreaker.
- Consider breaking up the routine by doing a set of hill intervals for one of the morning rides during the week.
- Wave/acknowledge the other riders/joggers you'll see. If you see someone, likely you'll see them again and possibly regularly!

[sasquatch16v]

Good lights, obviously

I tend to stick to back/side streets and area's I'm familiar with in the first place while its dark and try to avoid riding home into the sun because you'll be harder to see.

I really enjoy riding early morning, it's usually much quieter traffic wise, and I've found the traffic to be more consistent. Consistent as in I see the same handful of cars at roughly the same place each day, like I can almost expect when I'll see them... part of me wants to believe they expect to see my dumb ass too.

[AngryScientist]

I don't ride early these days anymore, but when I did, what really put a smile on my face was fresh brewed coffee over ice in a water bottle. That's the good stuff.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by m_sasso

This seems like a good deal on a light, Light and Motion Seca Comp 2000 Headlight, $99.00, anyone want to comment on the use of this light for pre dawn riding, please?

https://lightandmotion.com/products/seca-comp-2000

I use that light and it is good...as mentioned previously, if you don't get the mount tight enough the light can slip forward, but easy enough to adjust. I do like the mount because it is easy to completely remove the light for charging - no stuff left on the bike when you don't need the light.

As far as the OP goes...lots of reflective gear (helmet, booties, gloves are especially important), clear lens glasses, and keep an eye out for deer and raccoons.

[Hilltopwalters]

Perhaps I missed a response in regards to this, but consistency was essential for me. If my sleep hygiene got too messed up, but my Pre-Dawn ride would get messed up, which then had a tendency to snowball into the rest of my day and would take a bit to reset back into a rhythm where it all felt natural.

+1 on waving and interacting with others who are up at that hour.

[ltwtsculler91]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I don't ride early these days anymore, but when I did, what really put a smile on my face was fresh brewed coffee over ice in a water bottle. That's the good stuff.

You're giving me bad ideas now for my own rides... Even if I don't go out THAT early anymore since there's no longer a need to account for commute time. I'm normally out 6:30 or so til 8-8:30. I'll still try the coffee bottle though, I've only put a hot latte in a bottle during the winter at a cafe stop.

When we're down in Florida and it's dark until 7:30 the only real major adjustment is running a front "headlight" rather than a "be seen light". I typically choose kit and socks with some reflective markings on them anyway, and try to ride in a group if it'll be dark for a while as 4 rear blinkers are better than 1.

[mdeth1313]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Curious....

Sept-June and not June-Sept in NY?

Brave

teacher.

[Mark Davison]

Dawn is very late in the winter in Seattle, so pre-dawn riding is a common thing for me. I'm now using a Son generator hub and Edelux LED light, having forgotten to charge my battery operated lights on more than one occasion.