TIPS FOR RIDING AT NIGHT

Riding in the dark can be a tricky business and it pays to be prepared. So we asked a selection of Avantiplus dealers across NZ and Australia for their top tips to stay safe in the dark

• When riding in a bunch / group and you are wearing a helmet mount light be considerate to other riders! When you want to communicate the potential for either being temporary blinded or temporarily blinding someone else is very high with the end result not being pretty.
• Best to have bar mounted lights to compliment helmet mount.
Adelaide Hills Cycles Avantiplus

• Put new batteries in your old lights before you go to use them and if the light doesn’t blind you with its brightness buy a new light. At the price of a new light it’s worth the money to be seen!
• With rechargeable lights, it pays to get them out during the summer and recharge the battery once or twice so you get the most from the battery when you go to use it in the winter.
Avantiplus CentralNorthIsland Region

• Have good quality lights
• Open your eyes - use clear eye wear to keep them protected
• Ride familiar trails if MTBing
• Don’t drink and ride
• If you run over a possum (in NZ) – its 10 points.
Avantiplus Cycology Hamilton

• Modern flashing tail lights need to sit flat facing the traffic for them to be seen effectively. Lights mounted on helmets or on chainstay that do not sit flat facing the traffic are often hard to see and should only be used as a backup to the main tail light mounted on the seatpost under the saddle.
A couple of road tips are:
• Your rear lights are very important to be seen so make sure you have a least 2 in case 1 fails.
• If the roads are wet stay off the white lines - they are very slippery
• Pick your roads (the safe, wide roads ) the shortest way home is not always the best
• If your hours at work are flexible start earlier and finish earlier (for more daylight later in the day)
• Always wear eye protection, especially if its raining, the spray off a damp or wet road can damage you eyes
A couple of MTB tips
• If you are riding off road have a high powered front light mounted to the bike and your second light mounted to the front of your helmet so in the tight switch back sections where ever you look you have light
• If you’re riding off road make sure you have a first aid kit and someone knows where you are
Cycle Worx Avantiplus Adelaide

• In life, we all know that you can't change the past but you can control your future, the same is to be said of lights on a bicycle, a headlight is great for lighting up the future but without a taillight to protect our past, there is no future.
AvantiPlus Croydon

• Wear bright clothing
• Always ride with front and rear lights
• Know the road or trail you ride on before you ride it in the dark
• Help fellow riders miss that pothole or at least stop and help them get out of it!
• Change batteries before they run out completely. You don’t want them to run out part way through a dark ride.
• If all else fails invest in a computrainer and ride your Tour or Trail of choice in the warm, dry lounge
Avantiplus NSW

• Use Ankle bands when riding on the road. Lights are great for front and rear views but because your legs are almost always moving this gives you great visibility all round
Avantiplus South Island

• We encourage our customers to have light on bike front and back and F + R on Helmet so you can be seen riding through traffic .
• Always replace batteries at start of winter to maximise effect.
TopGear Cycles Avantiplus, Melbourne