Advocacy & Safety - Bike reflectors and other reflective items

I just bought these items for my kids bike. He's 12 but has to ride at night on what I consider a dangerous road between our house and his grandmother.

After I installed these kits, I had him ride this road and I followed first then reversed and approached him from the front side.

If you love your kids, have a look at these. While I used YELLOW on a black frame bike for daytime conspicuity, you can use similar color for a stealth look but night reflective. The company streetglo suggested two kits, and that's what I put on. The wheel reflectors worked fine but if you have rim brakes you'll have to be creative...

http://www.streetglo.net/bicycle-reflective-decals-stickers.html

The reflective gloves were a nice addition and I could see these for a mile away when approaching him.

http://www.streetglo.net/reflective-gloves.html

I didn't remove any of the legal reflectors, just added these and the results were better than I had hoped for.

Kim.

Have you equipped his bike with real lights (front especially) in addition to the relfectors?

That's a pretty good idea. I did something like that on my old commuter bike and helmet using red, yellow and white reflective tape.

Haven't gotten around to it on the newer bikes and helmets, though.

How 'bout a rear blinky or two, and a headlight? Reflectors don't work when there isn't any light hitting them. Say if he's riding down the sidewalk, and going through an intersection. A car taking a left turn, or going straight would not see him very well because the car's headlights wouldn't be shining on the bke until it was pretty much in front of the car.

Also, why does your son have to ride his bike in the dark? I just have concerns about a child making appropriate decisions about what is safe. I am not saying that he is irresponsable, or dumb, I'm just saying that he may not think everything through the way an adult would.

Get your son a Cateye TL-LD1000 for the back of his bike, and a bright light for the front. If he can see well enough to ride now, a battery powered light like the Cateye EL-500 will make the cars notice him. I've also got a white blinker for the front.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19371&subcategory_ID=4320

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19999&subcategory_ID=4322

http://www.rei.com/product/47468138.htm?vcat=REI_SSHP_CYCLING_TOC

http://www.rei.com/product/11068458.htm?vcat=REI_SSHP_CYCLING_TOC

I would also suggest a headlight/backlight on top of those reflector stickers.

I agree with these other fellers. Reflective stuff is great, but get him a couple of rear blinkies and a headlight. In some states, Ohio being one of them, the law requires lights if riding at night. You should see me commuting on dark mornings/evenings...I don't need a Christmas tree, I just park my bike in the living room. ;)

This person has eleven posts here and all of them have to do with reflective gear and shilling for Street Glo. Something's hinky

This person has eleven posts here and all of them have to do with reflective gear and shilling for Street Glo. Something's hinky


Yeah, all that "if you love your kid" stuff kinda tips you off. Um, reflective tape, novel idea. Anyway, doens't mean its not true.

The gloves are a great idea, but for riding at night in the winter, when daylight is shortest and temperatures are coolest, it would be nice to have gloves w/ fingers, and not fingerless gloves...

This person has eleven posts here and all of them have to do with reflective gear and shilling for Street Glo. Something's hinky

Noticed that too. S'ok,I only buy from http://www.identi-tape.com/ . ;)

This person has eleven posts here and all of them have to do with reflective gear and shilling for Street Glo. Something's hinky

The irony of the reflective tape ads is that they have to leave lights off of the bike in order to make the tape visible in the pictures. Add the legally required lights to the bike, and the tape becomes barely visible, it's so dim in comparison.

Some reflectors look quite bright under direct illumination from bright headlamps. A more useful depiction of reflective technology would show what conspicuity it might add to lamp use when under illumination from car headlamps.

-Steve

Yeah, all that "if you love your kid" stuff kinda tips you off. Um, reflective tape, novel idea. Anyway, doens't mean its not true.

I hate when I get suckered into replying to a spambot!

I ride at night a lot now. It is dark when I go to work, and if I study at school, dark when I return home. I have about fifteen reflective pieces of tape on my bike, and four on my helmet. I have two flashing red lights on the back of my bike. One is a big light with two 'on' buttons for control of two sets of lights with varying patterns. It can be seen from the sides, and is about an inch and threee quarters in diameter in the side view. The other red light is a varying pattern flashing light that also has some limited side illumination. On my front I have a 5 LED white light on my handlebars, which is only good for being seen. On my helmet I have an old 5 volt halogen mushers headlamp. It puts out a strong white light. I figure that overdoing it a little on the lights (if that can be done), sends a message to the car drivers. One; we are here, two we are really here, pay attention. My attitude is not agressive, just that through communication is important

The gloves are a great idea, but for riding at night in the winter, when daylight is shortest and temperatures are coolest, it would be nice to have gloves w/ fingers, and not fingerless gloves...


If you have a local police supply store (or check with an online one) they will probably carry a pair of lycra overgloves that have an orange triangle on the palm side and a yellow triangle with the rectangles on the half fingers on the back side. I just slip them over my other gloves, full or half finger, and they work fine.

Street glow has always had good stuff. Including reflective and reactive paints. Also got stuff like glow wire etc.

Yeah, all that "if you love your kid" stuff kinda tips you off. Um, reflective tape, novel idea. Anyway, doens't mean its not true.
I actually looked at his / her past posts. What I said is true. All s/he talks about is that company