Night riding...

Absent Husband said:

SNIP

So - just wondering if many people venture out for a road ride in the
late PM, or if this guy is an exception and most think it is a
bad/unsafe/whatever idea??????

Cheers all,
Absent Husband

Yeah, I ride late at night pretty often, but with a lot of lights - 3
red blinkies on the back and 35w on the front :-) Plus reflective
bits. Probably stand out more than in daylight. Never had any
problems.

TimC said:

If only I had ths skills and time to make a light myself...

Geez, when I were a lad, astrologers used to make their own kit. Now all they do is sit in front of the computer all day.

Regards,

Suzy

Gags said:

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Absent Husband" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

So - just wondering if many people venture out for a road ride in the
late PM, or if this guy is an exception and most think it is a
bad/unsafe/whatever idea??????

Yes. Midnight training not out of the question..
Cooler, less cars, "different", fun..

It's almost certainly safer than my regular
peak-hour commute..

hippy

Have you ever taken the track bike out on the velodrome at night??? I love
riding at night or pre-dawn both on and off road and once I get my track
bike up and running and get a few daytime sessions in I might have to give
it a go.

Might make for a good photo if you leave a camera set up with the aperture
open and try to ride the same line for a few laps to get one of those "river
of light" type pictures that you always see across the Harbour Bridge (I am
sure that some of the more photographically aware people will know what I am
talking about and might even be able to tell me if it would be possible)

Gags

In terms of night training, that just led me to memories of my first
dark ride in a bunch. Our squad used to always head out before dawn but
after first light, but one morning we rode from Brissie to Mooloolaba to
watch the Australian Olympic Distance Tri Champs (they're not the Aus
Champs this year...) so we started at around 0430 and it was full dark.
Unlike rides that we did later in the year, which basically followed lit
roads, we went along the least busy roads up to the race, which involved
unlit streets. We all had flashers but only our coach had proper
headlights, so he led, and we just sat nose to tail, hoping that we'd
hear the call before we hit anything...

Later my friend from the Marcellettes told me they always used to do the
uni/chelmer ride in the darkness, and took me through - but at least
it's only light because trees block !some! of the streetlight.

T

TimC said:

On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 at 08:49 GMT, [email hidden] (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>>>> "Absent" == Absent Husband <[email hidden]> writes:

Absent> Hi all, Was driving home with my wife last night after movie
Absent> & dinner (kids being baby-sat at their aunt's - woohoo!!) at
Absent> the late (for us!) time of 10:45pm.

Fortunately not regularly but I have in the past commuted to work at
22:00 and commuted back at 04:00 by bicycle. About the only ``dodgy''
thing was a late night reveler expressing admiration of my Lycra
encased legs (it was winter, it was cold).

He must have been REALLY drunk.

Are you female or male?

I've had a guy grab my [censored] before when I was grinding away. Kindof
weird 🙂

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
The Klein-Gordon equation was derived by Schroedinger.
Hence its name. -- Peter Robinson, Rel. Quant. Mech Lecturer.

What do you expect to happen when you grind in public?

T

quote='suzyj'TimC said:

If only I had ths skills and time to make a light myself...

Geez, when I were a lad, astrologers used to make their own kit. Now all they do is sit in front of the computer all day.

Regards,

Suzy[/QUOTE]

You were a lad?

Resound said:

You were a lad?

Only on odd-Thursdays :P

Regards,

Suzy

On Thu, 13 Jan 2005 at 00:03 GMT, suzyj (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

TimC said:

If only I had ths skills and time to make a light myself...

Geez, when I were a lad, astrologers used to make their own kit. Now
all they do is sit in front of the computer all day.

I bet I couldn't even locate Ophiuchus in order to tell the King that
Neptune was being eclipsed by the sun, and his reign was in mortal
danger.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
DJ - "Isn't it pathetic to quote yourself?"
David Barnes - "No, not when you are as good as me"

I ride with steady front white light and rear flashing red light; these are
both as bright as many car/motor cycle lights. I also have excellent and
large reflective stickers on my helmet and backpack.
I often ride at night or early morning (dark hours) from Kingston to Browns
Plains and back (27km). Some times I also detour on the ride home by
turning right onto Kingston road instead and head out to Beenleigh. There
is a black section of road along there not yet upgraded. Once last year 2004
I also rode out to Flagstone about 3am and got there as the indirect rays
were rising about 4:3am. That was a long black stretch. I ride to and from
work (1.5 km each way) when I do nightfill. In 2003 when I got my new
lights I started riding most weeks from October 2003 through to February or
March 2004, in the early morning, about 2pm onwards from Kingston to the top
of Mount Cootha where the TV stations are and then back home again (80km).
It was usually sunrise around the time I was approaching or climbing the
mountain road. I usually went up the steep way and down the long way.
Night riding is good if you pick good routes and do them alot so you always
know what to expect and can more safely negotiate the scary or less unsafe
bits.
The main reason reason I started riding in the wee small hours since 2003 is
there are very few cars on the road to get in my way. The side benefit is
cooler and seemingly faster riding and no need for sunsceen. Plus I get to
use my cool bikelights.

"Andrew Reddaway" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Absent Husband said:

SNIP

So - just wondering if many people venture out for a road ride in the
late PM, or if this guy is an exception and most think it is a
bad/unsafe/whatever idea??????

Cheers all,
Absent Husband

Yeah, I ride late at night pretty often, but with a lot of lights - 3
red blinkies on the back and 35w on the front :-) Plus reflective
bits. Probably stand out more than in daylight. Never had any
problems.

Laurence Dodd said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

March 2004, in the early morning, about 2pm onwards from Kingston to the top
of Mount Cootha where the TV stations are and then back home again (80km).

Which route did you take for that ride?

T

I used Bleasby Rd -which I recall (I think!) joined up roughly with
where Granadilla Park ended up. After some backstreets, you spat out
onto Kessels Rd (where the Woolworths petrol station is now), then I'd
ride up to Mains Rd and brave the T3 lane....

Remember taking my girlfriend (now my wife!!) on that ride once. Didn't
realize it was her first time in REAL traffic. I was riding behind her
and a bit further to her right (so cars had to go waaay around me so
she would be safer) - but a truck went past, and she got such a fright
she literally leapt from her bike onto the grassy verge (adjacent to
the cemetary). I was laughing so hard I stacked it into the gutter as
well. Needless to say, that 'date' didn't finish as well as planned....

Anyway - I understand they are doing a SE Freeway bikeway extension
from its current start (near Griffith Uni on-ramp) out to Garden City
shops. Once that's complete (looks like soon), you should be able to
take Logan Rd up to GC and then hop safely onto bikeway from there....
Much safer than the Mains Rd T3 terror I reckon...

For the moment though, you could ride Kessels Rd straight through until
the Griffith Uni campus entrance, and then ride their Ring Rd around to
the SE Freeway on-ramp. I think Kessels maybe safer than the Mains Rd
T3.....?? Let me know how that turns out.....

Cheers,
Absent Husband

Hi Tamyka Bell,

Ok here is the route:

Kingston Rd from Logan Central/Kingston area all the way to where it becomes
Logan Rd and continue onward,

L into Kessells Rd,

R into Orange Grove Rd,

onward into Toohey Rd,

L into Sexton St,

R into Ekibin St (I recall I usually went through a red light because there
was no traffic in my direction and the sensors didn't change the light for
me), then around the left corner,

R into Lewisham St, and onward along Earl and Junction Sts (I would usually
hand activate the pedestrian light crossing to get a green to cross from
Earl to Junction)

L into Cornwall, then cross Cornwall to enter the Bike Path,

Follow the bike path along the Fwy to its end at (I believe) Lower River
Terrace right by the right in between South Bank and Kangaroo Point, then

L along the path at South Bank,

R across Victoria Bridge,

L down to the Coronation Drive bike way and ride along it until,

R into Sylvan Rd (I would hand activate the pedestrian crossing to get a
green light),

L into Milton Rd,

Onward through roundabout into Mt Cootha Rd,

R through roundabout into quieter section of Mt Cootha Rd,

R into Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, then when I reach the steep part I would
probably ride fluctuating between 9 to 13kph up to the top then stop into
Grey Gum rest stop for about 20min or so, then take the ride down the other
part of the Drive and follow route backwards home. Sometimes I would not
take Kessels Rd but would go straight across at the end of Orange Grove Rd
so I could make my way around into Beenleigh Rd and follow that back to
Kingston Rd (or even detour across into Compton Rd, before getting back onto
Kingston Rd).

Laurence.

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Laurence Dodd said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

March 2004, in the early morning, about 2pm onwards from Kingston to the
top
of Mount Cootha where the TV stations are and then back home again
(80km).

Which route did you take for that ride?

T

Actually if there is anyone reading this (or whos knows of anyone) in the
Logan area who has any qualms about cycling around the area at night I would
actually recommend it to you/them. I would add this: go prepared to change
punctured tyres, so don't forget the pump, and have good bike lights, front
and rear, with something on front to help you see the road with, because not
all suburban streets are well lit. And I actually recommend the small hours
of the morining over the evening, because of the fact that vehicle numbers
are almost zero, because nearly all the drunks and rev heads and late night
shoppers and weary workers are gone by then. Though the cycling can also be
good in the late evenings. I use a mountain bike on the road. I have never
used a road/racing bike. My rides usually average a speed of between 19 and
25km per hour. Slower for the longer or more meandering rides. Faster for
the quick drag say between home and the Grand plaza and back (27km); once I
actually got an average speed on that trip of 27kph, the wind and traffic
lights must have been on my side.
Actually if anyone wants to go for a ride originating in the Logan area (or
somewhere else, I can use the train), then email me at
crushable02<atsymbol>optusnet.com.au

Laurence.

"Laurence Dodd" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi Tamyka Bell,

Ok here is the route:

Kingston Rd from Logan Central/Kingston area all the way to where it
becomes Logan Rd and continue onward,

L into Kessells Rd,

R into Orange Grove Rd,

onward into Toohey Rd,

L into Sexton St,

R into Ekibin St (I recall I usually went through a red light because
there was no traffic in my direction and the sensors didn't change the
light for me), then around the left corner,

R into Lewisham St, and onward along Earl and Junction Sts (I would
usually hand activate the pedestrian light crossing to get a green to
cross from Earl to Junction)

L into Cornwall, then cross Cornwall to enter the Bike Path,

Follow the bike path along the Fwy to its end at (I believe) Lower River
Terrace right by the right in between South Bank and Kangaroo Point, then

L along the path at South Bank,

R across Victoria Bridge,

L down to the Coronation Drive bike way and ride along it until,

R into Sylvan Rd (I would hand activate the pedestrian crossing to get a
green light),

L into Milton Rd,

Onward through roundabout into Mt Cootha Rd,

R through roundabout into quieter section of Mt Cootha Rd,

R into Sir Samuel Griffith Drive, then when I reach the steep part I would
probably ride fluctuating between 9 to 13kph up to the top then stop into
Grey Gum rest stop for about 20min or so, then take the ride down the
other part of the Drive and follow route backwards home. Sometimes I
would not take Kessels Rd but would go straight across at the end of
Orange Grove Rd so I could make my way around into Beenleigh Rd and follow
that back to Kingston Rd (or even detour across into Compton Rd, before
getting back onto Kingston Rd).

Laurence.

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Laurence Dodd said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

March 2004, in the early morning, about 2pm onwards from Kingston to the
top
of Mount Cootha where the TV stations are and then back home again
(80km).

Which route did you take for that ride?

T

Laurence Dodd said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Actually if anyone wants to go for a ride originating in the Logan area (or
somewhere else, I can use the train), then email me at
crushable02<atsymbol>optusnet.com.au

Laurence.

do you take that mtb off road and if so, you been through karawatha
forest?

T

Absent Husband said:

give it a shot and see how I go. Only front light I've got though, is a
flashing LED (although I'd only be riding on well-lit main roads)... Do
people think that that is enough?? Or should I shell out for a "real"
front light that is designed to 'see things' (rather than just an "I am
here!!" warning light)??

In Qld, you're legally required to have a full front light. The flashing
LEDs are not considered a suitable substitute, although you won't get in
trouble for having them on if you also have the full front light as
well.

---
Cheers

PeterC

[Rushing headlong: out of control - and there ain't no stopping]
[and there's nothing you can do about it at all]

"Peter Cremasco" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Absent Husband said:

give it a shot and see how I go. Only front light I've got though, is a
flashing LED (although I'd only be riding on well-lit main roads)... Do
people think that that is enough?? Or should I shell out for a "real"
front light that is designed to 'see things' (rather than just an "I am
here!!" warning light)??

In Qld, you're legally required to have a full front light. The flashing
LEDs are not considered a suitable substitute, although you won't get in
trouble for having them on if you also have the full front light as
well.

---
Cheers

PeterC

Queensland Consolidated Regulations
TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT--ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999 -
SECT 259
259 Riding at night
The rider of a bicycle or powered wheeled recreational device must not ride
at night, or in hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility,
unless the bicycle or device, or the rider, displays--

(a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at least
200 m from the front of the bicycle or device; and
(b) a flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at least
200 m from the rear of the bicycle or device; and
(c) a red reflector that is clearly visible for at least 50 m from the
rear of the bicycle or device when light is projected onto it by a vehicle's
headlight on low-beam.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.

Tamyka Bell Wrote

Quoted message said:

do you take that mtb off road and if so, you been through karawatha
forest?

I've been there a few times. It's alright, but definitely not great. It's fairly loose and gravelly and there's not much in the way of hills. Some sections don't look all that technical, but can be a bit tricky (mainly because it's loose). I didn't manage to find any North Shore (not that I'm any good at it, but it's fun to at least try).

I'm about 5 minutes ride - if that - from Karawatha, but I do prefer to pack my bike in the car and driving 5 minutes to Daisy Hill where the riding is heaps better.

Marty Wallace said:

"Peter Cremasco" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Absent Husband said:

give it a shot and see how I go. Only front light I've got though, is a
flashing LED (although I'd only be riding on well-lit main roads)... Do
people think that that is enough?? Or should I shell out for a "real"
front light that is designed to 'see things' (rather than just an "I am
here!!" warning light)??

In Qld, you're legally required to have a full front light. The flashing
LEDs are not considered a suitable substitute, although you won't get in
trouble for having them on if you also have the full front light as
well.

---
Cheers

PeterC

Queensland Consolidated Regulations
TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT--ROAD RULES) REGULATION 1999 -
SECT 259
259 Riding at night
The rider of a bicycle or powered wheeled recreational device must not ride
at night, or in hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility,
unless the bicycle or device, or the rider, displays--

(a) a flashing or steady white light that is clearly visible for at least
200 m from the front of the bicycle or device; and
(b) a flashing or steady red light that is clearly visible for at least
200 m from the rear of the bicycle or device; and
(c) a red reflector that is clearly visible for at least 50 m from the
rear of the bicycle or device when light is projected onto it by a vehicle's
headlight on low-beam.
Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.

I was going to say something but someone beat me to it.

🙂

T

LotteBum said:

Tamyka Bell Wrote

Quoted message said:

do you take that mtb off road and if so, you been through karawatha
forest?

I've been there a few times. It's alright, but definitely not great.
It's fairly loose and gravelly and there's not much in the way of
hills. Some sections don't look all that technical, but can be a bit
tricky (mainly because it's loose). I didn't manage to find any North
Shore (not that I'm any good at it, but it's fun to at least try).

Yeah, I found a bit I was scared to RUN down, all rutted and gravelly
and looking a lot like a fire trail at Mt Coot-tha that I nailed but my
mate barely survived.

Quoted message said:

I'm about 5 minutes ride - if that - from Karawatha, but I do prefer to
pack my bike in the car and driving 5 minutes to Daisy Hill where the
riding is heaps better.

Been through Daisy once, and I liked it, not too technical and seeing as
I've mtb'd a sum total of about 4 times there were plenty of spots that
I could do, didn't like riding on the balance beam bit (but managed to
jump off, not stack it) and there was one bit I rode up a hill, over
some cobblestone-type rocks and between some trees... I remember landing
on a very comfortable rock...

In fact, it's because Daisy was so popular with mtb that I choose to run
at Karawatha; I don't really want to get in the way of the cyclists, and
whereas on the road it's easy to stay clear, on sections of single track
it gets pretty damn blind.

And what do you think of Toohey...

T, who is always very interested in what LotteBum has to say about
cycling in Vegas

In 1998 when I got the Mongoose MTB (front suspension) I used to go riding
in Daisy Hill Forest and probably did about 100km all up over a period of
time and couple of times to short cut through it on the way home from
on-road rides. I gave it up after I sliced my rear tyre on a rock. Once in
2000 I reluctantly went MTB offroading with a friend in Karawatha on both
sides of Compton Road. I prefer not to offroad so as to keep my bike
cleaner and because I prefer faster longer rides. Though I can ride through
offroad shortcuts when I need too. And I think the wider tyres mean I can
ride over pretty rough bitumen surfaces. I've done over 15000km since I got
the bike mid 1998. I also have a blue Malvern Star MTB (no suspension) that
I bought in late 1994 but now only use it as back-up so I rarely ever ride
it.
If you want someone to ride through Karawatha Forest with I would not be
averse, since a) I haven't done it for ages, and b) I am going to get my
bike serviced soon (the shop has not called me yet to say the parts are in)
so I would prefer to get it dusty before it gets serviced rather than
afterward.

Laurence.

"Tamyka Bell" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Laurence Dodd said:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Actually if anyone wants to go for a ride originating in the Logan area
(or
somewhere else, I can use the train), then email me at
crushable02<atsymbol>optusnet.com.au

Laurence.

do you take that mtb off road and if so, you been through karawatha
forest?

T

Laurence Dodd wrote:
<snip>

Quoted message said:

2000 I reluctantly went MTB offroading with a friend in Karawatha on both
sides of Compton Road. I prefer not to offroad so as to keep my bike

<snip>

Wait, Karawatha exists on the other side of Compton as well? I just been
entering from the Acacia Rd side (this rd leads to Woodridge), and I
know you can get in from Illaweena at Stretton also, but what's on the
other side of Compton? How big?

T