TIPS FOR RIDING AN EBIKE AT NIGHT

Riding your bike at night requires more attention. From the clothes, you wear to the route you use.

Here are a few tips from our team to ensure you’re safe riding your bike at night.

• Lights:
  
   At Ariel Rider, we equip all of our ebikes with both front and rear lights. In most conditions, you shouldn’t need anything extra. However, if your route is particularly dark, we do recommend getting an additional battery-operated both front and rear lights just to increase visibility. Remember, most of the bike/car collisions are at night time due to the low visibility of the bicycle itself.
  
  
• Use reflective gear:
  
  For a safe night ride, being visible is the key. Please consider wearing clothing that will help you stand out in the darkness.
  
  There are many reflective vest options in the market. We know they’re not stylish, but style vs safety… You do the math.
  
  You might want to look into reflective tapes as well. These tapes are barely visible during day time, but during night time, it will make your ebike stand out and make it visible.
  
  
• Dress properly:
  
  Not all of us live in a 24/7 summer climate. For example here in Seattle both in summers and winters, there’s a vast difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures (and a lot of rain, but that should be another blog post all by itself). Not only you need to consider wearing clothing that will help you stand out, but you will also wear clothing that will keep you warm.
  
  I personally am a huge fan of wind/rain proof clothing. Because when it’s cold outside, it’s not the temperature that gets me the most, but it’s the cold wind that freezes me inside out. Many brands are now gearing towards cyclists, there are some great styles out there. From wind-proof Khakis to wind-proof sweatpants are all available without breaking the bank.
  
  
• Ride Defensively:
  
  The general road rules apply to cyclists as well. You cannot expect the car behind/next to you to do the expected right more. Always be alert. Expect the unexpected in a way. Yes, some cars are difficult to see at night because -god knows why- some drivers do not turn their lights on, but remember; you’re harder to see on the road than a car.
  
  While we all love listening to our jams while riding our ebikes, I recommend you to refrain from doing that at night rides (actually daytime as well if you’re in traffic), so that you can be more alert to sounds around you. 
  
  
• Plan your route:
  
  When planned correctly, nighttime rides can be a lot of fun – especially in summer. Sometimes it’s just a leisurely ride, and some for just commuting. Regardless, I always try to pick the road which I know is well lit and has fewer potholes, because let’s face it, if you’re living in a big city, there won’t be any roads in the city free of potholes.