General Cycling Discussion - A Question of Style....Sort Of

A firend of mine, who has been cycling for quite some time made an observation about my bikes the other day.

Without giving it any thought, I have left the reflectors in the spokes of both my and my wife's hybrid as well as my road bike.

My friend tells me that this is tacky and reflects on my amateur status as a cyclist. As a side, he also disdains my cycling jerseys and prefers T-shirts. He says it is a matter of correct style.

I'd appreciate some comments on the reflectors please. It is highly unlikely that I will remove them based on any consensus I might see here. Yet I'd like to hear comments on the issue.

Carl

Style or Safety?
Style or Comfort?

Your choice, I personaly dont have reflectors on any of my bikes, but for any ride over 5 miles, a jersey is a must.

i vote for jerseys no reflectors here on the road bikes. the touring rig has reflective tape on the fenders though

Originally posted by webist
As a side, he also disdains my cycling jerseys and prefers T-shirts. He says it is a matter of correct style.

Umm..I think your friend is a bit backwards on this one

Correct roadie style is with a jersey, not with a tshirt ;)

Of course...we can let Style Man settle the issue heh.

I tend to agree. But I don't judge. I like offroading and refuse to wear a jersey. And I don't ride on the road so I don't care about reflectors.

Roadcycling is usually seen as roadies and tourers (freds) but there is really a lot of tastes in-between.Go with what you like.It seems to me that 'roadies' would think your a 'amateur' with reflectors or t-shirts?

Well...since you asked about style...the style is definitely NO relectors, and NO t-shirts. But, unless you're a racer, it really doesn't matter. ;)

absolutely yes to the jerseys.
As to the reflectors, one simple question:

Do you ride at Night?

Marty

I'm not exactly enamoured of the "style police", so basically dress as you like. Many people consider cycling shorts and jersey as essential (and they are more trendy), but I much prefer loose-fitting regular clothing.

As for reflectors, wheel reflectors help a bit other drivers to see you when they come out of a side street. They aren't a panacea, because, as John Forester points out, they are only seen when you are in the collision course of a car, but still, they help a driver see you before he starts from a side street (after a stop, and providing you have lights to be seen).

There are a few drawbacks of the 1980-style bulky wheel reflectors, but modern ones are slender and lightweight, so if a reflector is installed opposite the valve, the resulting wheel imbalance is not greater than the imbalance from a Shreader valve.

Other solutions for side visibility are reflective tires (available in Europe -- could someone enlighten me about long term visibility), and the use of side or all-around red or amber blinkers.

Yet an additional factor to consider is the province or state highway code. In U.S., all bikes sold since approx. 1985 (+- 3 years) have to be equipped with a series of reflectors as per CPSC rules. However, CPSC doesn't say what to do once the bike is your own. Your state may require all these reflectors (probably no enforcement anyway)... or it may just require front headlight and rear taillight and/or reflector.

Regards,

Reflectors are still on my bike ... any safety helps. Cycling jersey ... I'm agnostic.

I regularly blow my "stylish" friends away on hills and the like. The best style one can have is excellent bike riding.

Wheel reflectors are totally worthless by day and mostly worthless by night. For safety, one needs bright-coloured and/or reflective clothing. At night, a powerful headlamp and bright flashy rear LED display are crucial. Unfortunately, sometimes "the law is a ass," as Mr. Dickens would write. However, although California law officially requires side reflectors at night, I have never been hassled about my lack thereof, probably because I take such great pains to make myself visible in other ways.

I do differ with Forester on the issue of tail lights -- whereas he seems to favour reflectors only, I strongly advocate bright flashing red lights in combination with reflectors.

Pedal reflectors are frustrating -- yes, they can be a visibility-enhancer at night, but rear-facing reflectors interfere with toe clip operation.

Originally posted by webist
A firend of mine, who has been cycling for quite some time made an observation about my bikes the other day.

Without giving it any thought, I have left the reflectors in the spokes of both my and my wife's hybrid as well as my road bike.

My friend tells me that this is tacky and reflects on my amateur status as a cyclist.
He's full of himself.

:thumbup:

Reflectors aren't useful unless you ride at night. They are not cool! As for jerseys, until someone cycles in a good jersey and understands how the perspiration is wicked away from their body and dried by the breeze created through motion (unlike a cotton T-shirt that gets wet and stays that way) they just won't get it. As for jerseys that the pros wear? They are paid for that. If you aren't a pro and wear a pro shirt, you better be darn good. Try Assos - they are expensive but you can ride in 90-degree weather and stay dry and comfortable. BUY A CYCLING JERSEY! You won't regret it.

Except I would end up looking like a 6'4 pylon. They don't make jerseys that fit my back / chest and shoulders (at least that I have found) and they are ALWAYS tooo colourful.

IANAL, but as I read it Texas law states only that reflectors are required for cycling after dark. It says nothing about reflectors being required on a bicycle during daylight hours. Your state laws may vary.

Your friend is out of step!
What is in this year for the road, is tee shirt with the sleeves rip off and reflectors duct taped to the teeshirt.:thumbup: :thumbup: :fun:

What do they call those people who have all the latest gizmos and stylin' gear???? Oh I remember now! POSERS :D

Who gives a rat's a** what you look like when you ride. It's all good when you're on the bike! :thumbup:

If state law says reflectors are required, the issue is technically moot. Even though I don't have them on my road bikes... My touring bike, -yes. they came with the bike. Did not intentionally leave them on, since I am well lite at night anyway.. Police have not bothered me on bikes without..
As to jerseys.. I believe a cyclist can wear whatever he wants.. However, just doing a road poll- it is few sweaty cyclists, that I see; that do not wear jerseys..
Wearing cotton when you sweat is nuts.. The wicking properties of most jerseys is better than wearing no shirt at all. And t shirts that might be made of coolmax, don't have zippers that you can lower when you are hot..
Plus, to the motoring primates - we need all the color we can muster.. I suspect your cycling friend does not read 'style man' if you have a need to be in style..

No reflectors (increased weight) but my bikes date from the pre safety days when men were men and sheep were nervous.

I do add scotchlite tape to the rims though, minimal weight and it does reflect. (When I remember to wash the brake dust off)

i use a mix of t shirts and jerseys, but for a long trip a cycling jersey is a must.

The style you choose definitely depends on where you are riding and why. Bike shorts and slick jerseys look great on the road and sometimes around town, but they can't hold a candle to courier style.

Similarly, I saw a guy the other day that is definitely at the top of the style pack. He had a dura ace commuter (triple, midrange cog) with a mirror finish frame with no logos on it and a thin, black bmx foam pad around the top tube. He had on dark grey slacks, a black shirt, and black Sidis.

Of course this can only be pulled off properly if the weather is nice (which is a big reason that I live in Seattle), or when you are not riding very far or very fast. But still, I find it difficult to argue that any shorts/jersey combination can out-style that guy. ;->

Style???? Pshaw!!! Who cares? The last thing I care about is what I look like whilst I am sweating my a$$ off. We are not going for the supermodel looks on the bike. I don't want to egg on the truck drivers any more than I do just being me. (I think its the long hair they like.)

Once I got past the early teen years, I found that style was the least important thing, in biking or just hanging around. True beauty is simple and classic and doesn't need excess makeup, the latest fashion or too much of anything. I usually take about 20-30 mins total for a shower, dry my hair (lots), and to put on very light makeup and get dressed. My husband still calls me high maintenance. :eek:

Reflectors?

I never thought about it.
I've had my Bianchi for over a year and I think it still has the reflectors on. It would take maybe 10 minutes to remove them - that's 10 minutes that I could be riding.

Guess the reflectors are gona stay!

What is it with redheads having loads of hair? I'm the same way, and come to think of it, I haven't seen many with stringy hair. Nice that it soaks up any sweat while riding; don't have to bother with headbands. I've never had the pleasure of getting sweat drops in the eyes! Maybe we should throw thick wigs in on the list of necessities.
Get a jersey for the functianality if you want it. It does it's job! Me, I can't handle the crazy patterns. Solid bright colors are good though. But I tend to get bright halter/camisole tops made from wicking fabric. Hard to find, but I am determined not to get biker tan! Uh...I don't suppose men generally wear halters/camisoles though...

Re t-shirts: They suck unless you like bathing in your own sweat. There are lots of good looking plain or low-key jerseys. I got a nice looking Hind jersey from rei-outlet.com. I also have a US Postal jersey that I wear in honor of Lance and the Blue Train. I know that a lot of folks'll think I'm a poser. But when I wear my Niners jersey I don't expect people to think I'm Jeff Garcia....

Re reflectors: I took mine off. They're just one more thing that can rattle around. Instead, I have bar tape with a reflective strip and I put scotchlite tape on my seatstay and helmet. Combine that with a good light and blinkies on my pack, and I'm pretty well-lit at night.

The one thing I'd like to find, though, is a a pair of gloves with reflective tape. I keep thinking that hand signals don't do much good if drivers can't see your hands.

Thanx so much for all the replies. I do occasionally ride at night and have a bright front light and flashing rear lights. "Weight" is really not an issue for me. I ride for fun and fitness only. No competition or group rides yet. At my skill and experience level an ounce or so here and there is inconsequential.

I have received an enormous amount of support from friends and family for my medically induced efforts at fitness. I now have more than a half dozen jerseys and shorts and wear them on all rides. Those who commented about wicking are right on the money. I couldn't believe the added comfort offered by jerseys over other types of clothing and I just love the pockets.

I did not ask this question out of my own sense of personal vanity, but rather curiosity. i pretty much ignored my friend's comments as I do most comments of that type. i just wanted to hear from my friends in this forum. After all, where better to get answers about all matters cycling than here?

Carl

Oh yeah. I'm leaving the reflectors on and will continue to wear jerseys.

Are you gonna duct tape 'em to your jersey? or what?

I think the fact that your friend likely isn't a sponsored rider reflects upon his nature as an un-professional cyclist.

:D

Ride with the gear you want, on the bike you want, when you wan't. Oh, and if you see a blue-and-gold howitzer shell on a Bianchi catching up quickly, move out of the way...

...so that he can discover the pothole in the road about ten meters up ahead. Ouch! ;)

Ohhh, your friend is right about the reflectors. Reflectors in the spokes end up being an annoyance anyway. Stylewise, it shouldn't matter if they are on a hybrid. Leave them on the hybrid.

Jerseys are a matter of taste. Most roadies prefer jerseys. I didn't until I started wearing jerseys on a regular basis. They are much more practical -- pockets in the back, they don't retain as much sweat, and some actually look pretty cool (that one could be debated). Most jerseys do not fit me well -- an example can be seen in the "RAGBRAI" post! I run into a problem with the jerseys I have because the group ride I participate in is sponsored by a bike shop. Most of my jerseys were given to me and they have the name of other bike shops on them!

Styleman SUCKS!

Style is where you find it. Reflectors, that would be something in the area of safety. Tshirts vs jerseys.... I've worn them, but on the trials I like old snap button "western" shirts w/ the sleeves cut off. I learning to sew, and once I get good, the sleeve are going to be used as pockets. Just my own thing. Everyone wants to be different, but we all end up looking like each other (just people ridin' their bikes),

Hey at least your friend is not into wearing speedos and wearing reflective pasties.

Laters

What in the hay-yel do road bikers know about style anyway?

Bike style is an oxymoron.

Somebody gave me the buyer's guide issue of Mountain Bike the other day. I couldn't resist flipping through it...I had to see what new lows this trade mag was exploring these days. In it was an article on style do's and don'ts. It was quite reminiscent of a Cosmo article. Anyway, this fool advising on style was making all kinds of spurious claims about what the "freshest" bikers were doing and wearing. Here's an example:

Rule X: Your stem and your handlebars MUST match. If they don't, well you just have no hope of fitting in.

Rule Y: Absolutely NO MOJOS. Little figurines on your bars make you stand out, and therefore make you look juvenile. Remember, conformity is the key to pleasing everyone.

And on they went. Whatever. Bunch of sissies.

As for reflectors in the wheels...well I agree, they are dead weight. If you make a habit of darting out perpendicular to nighttime traffic, they may be of some benefit...but I doubt it. Reflectors on your pedals, however, are a great idea.

REAL cyclists never use reflectors or jerseys. REAL cyclists ride in the nude in full daylight and have no need for either.

Originally posted by Bikes-N-Drums
REAL cyclists never use reflectors or jerseys. REAL cyclists ride in the nude in full daylight and have no need for either.

nut'in but a cup! Right drummer boy? Can't have no strange chainring tattoos, can we?
;)

Phully Phredded is a style statement. What kind of style, I'm not sure, certainly not the "freshest". I have reflectors on my SLA battery. The only reason I would take the spoke reflectors off is if they make my wheel hop. In the Commonwealth of MA, with its cowpath path roads, many intersections are at strange angles and I will take all the help I can get in being seen on my nightly commute. I have a reflector zip-tied to my head tube. I put reflectors on my pedals. I riveted a reflector onto my rack pack. I put a safety triangle on the back of my hydration pack, and wear one as regularly as I wear a helmet. Every once in a while I look my bike over for another place to put a reflector. I'll wear anything Cool-max or Drylete or wool. I will wear a cotton Tee if the weather is 60 degrees, cloudless and otherwise perfect. Having said all that, no, my road bike is almost reflectorless.

Caloso.. What I do, is put reflective strips about my wrist, for when I make hand signals at night. Yes, reflective gloves would be a great idea.. I do have a whole jacket that is supposed to be made of reflective material. I lights up silhouteing the whole human, but it does not breath.
To me the purpose of jerseys is to be seen and to wick sweat.. Just like cycling shorts protect your rear and support your muscles.
If you want to celebrate your favorite team by wearing their kit, thats your thing. But we should not make judgements about a persons intentions.. Boy, it would be nice if just wearing your favorite category jersey would put a person on the team. We'd all be the cyclists we choose.. If only it were that easy.. I'd climb the alps like a pro. Dream on you so called posers.

I would use a T-shirt on my MTB with a child Carrier, But surely I would use a Cycling Jersey on my Road Bike, and will try to look very cool in this outfit...

Originally posted by orguasch
I would use a T-shirt on my MTB with a child Carrier, But surely I would use a Cycling Jersey on my Road Bike, and will try to look very cool in this outfit...

I wouldn't expect anything else of you.:D

Hi webist, I don't have reflectors on my bike because I crashed once and the front one broke off, so I removed the rear one, so that it wouldn't look stupid with only one reflector, as for jersey's I haven't tried one yet, I usually wear a T-shirt. :beer:

Originally posted by Crazy Cyclist
Hi webist, I don't have reflectors on my bike because I crashed once and the front one broke off, so I removed the rear one, so that it wouldn't look stupid with only one reflector, as for jersey's I haven't tried one yet, I usually wear a T-shirt. :beer:

Since my post, I have visited my LBS. The owner is also a friend of the same fellow who raised this "style" question. The LBS owner offered to put as many reflectors as possible in my spokes:lol: Said he had hundreds of 'em. Great sense of humor.

Since the LBS is a source of cycling jerseys and not T-shirts, the owner seemed to favor jerseys over T-shirst as well:)

I gotta say, the difference in the comfort of jerseys over any other shirt is remarkable to me. I really like 'em.

I'm leaving the reflectors on for now. If they start making noise or something, I'll probably take 'em off. I like the notion of reflective tape for the Camelback, gloves, shoes and such that I've read here.

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Caloso.. What I do, is put reflective strips about my wrist, for when I make hand signals at night. Yes, reflective gloves would be a great idea..

That's such a brilliant and simple solution, no wonder I didn't think of it. Duh. :)

Originally posted by rockymtn_girl
Who gives a rat's a** what you look like when you ride. It's all good when you're on the bike!
This statement is one of those basic truths of life to which nothing can be added.