Just curious, how many others actually take the time to make themselves more reflective. By no means am I saying that people don't, wondering about the ways people do try to make themselves more noticable to traffic. I'm in the Air Force and we have to wear a reflective vest, and if we have a back pack on we need at least a reflective belt on that as well as the vest.

I bought a bag of reflective tape at a NAPA (auto parts) store, it's the alternating red and silver stuff that you see on big commercial trucks and 18-wheelers. I cut the red half into strips and did barber pole wraps on the upright parts of my bike's rack, and I used the silver half to put reflector strips on my rims and on m crank arms. I also used bits to put silver on the front of my helmet and red on the back. This is in addition to a Busch & Muller headlight w/ Shimano dynohub and a Petzl headlamp for the front, and one steady and 2 or 5 blinking red LED taillights on the back of my bike. I ride home from work late at night and frequently arrive home after midnight, so I've become very conscientious about making myself visible and being able to see road hazards.

Does the Air Force make you wear reflective clothing riding your bicycle?

I bought a bag of reflective tape at a NAPA (auto parts) store, it's the alternating red and silver stuff that you see on big commercial trucks and 18-wheelers. I cut the red half into strips and did barber pole wraps on the upright parts of my bike's rack, and I used the silver half to put reflector strips on my rims and on m crank arms. I also used bits to put silver on the front of my helmet and red on the back. This is in addition to a Busch & Muller headlight w/ Shimano dynohub and a Petzl headlamp for the front, and one steady and 2 or 5 blinking red LED taillights on the back of my bike. I ride home from work late at night and frequently arrive home after midnight, so I've become very conscientious about making myself visible and being able to see road hazards.

Does the Air Force make you wear reflective clothing riding your bicycle?

Nope, just as long as the vest and/or belt is there. Obviously the saftey items such as the helmet. Their not as strict on bicycles as they are on motorcycles. We have only one stretch that is about 1/4 to 1/2 mile long for bikes (dedicated bike lane) out of a 4.5/5 mile stretch that I need to ride. Looking at all the different ways to make myself visible even in the day. Drivers in Va are insane!! You gave me some good ideas though, thanks.

Passive:
1. 3M silver reflective tape on frame
2. black "stealth" reflective tap inside rims
3. reflective jacket
4. reflective tape on helmet [stealth]
5. reflective sidewalls on tires
6. reflective diamonds on winter gloves [they are as bright as stock bike reflector]
7. reflective stripping on cycling shoes

Active:
1. front front clearance side lights
2. strong front light
3. strong double row flashing tail light
4. blinking lights in handle bar plugs

Daytime:
1. hi vis: jersey/jacket/shirt

Caution: treat daybreak and twilight as night and turn on lights.

Hope this helps

Passive:
1. 3M silver reflective tape on frame
2. black "stealth" reflective tap inside rims
3. reflective jacket
4. reflective tape on helmet [stealth]
5. reflective sidewalls on tires
6. reflective diamonds on winter gloves [they are as bright as stock bike reflector]
7. reflective stripping on cycling shoes

Active:
1. front front clearance side lights
2. strong front light
3. strong double row flashing tail light
4. blinking lights in handle bar plugs

Daytime:
1. hi vis: jersey/jacket/shirt

Caution: treat daybreak and twilight as night and turn on lights.

Hope this helps

That it does, thank you. I hate that it may sound like I bad mouth the drivers here, but my gosh, they have a hard enough time seeing me in my truck and van let alone a bike! But hey, that isn't going to foil my fun!

You're welcome. Have fun, 5 miles is a short ride and a blast if some days you try sprints.

For rain I use an illumiNite rainsuit, but that's it for on the body reflectiveness. I do want to get the Timbuk2 "pro" bag though....that giant orange reflective area will do a great deal for visibility.

Reflective tape on the rims and a couple of other spots, and I wear a chartreuse Illuminite vest when I ride at night, in addition to my rear blinky and 10 watt headlight.

How you enjoying Langley? Whatcha do? I was EMS for 6 years in the armament shop, from 87-93

Reflective tape on the rims and a couple of other spots, and I wear a chartreuse Illuminite vest when I ride at night, in addition to my rear blinky and 10 watt headlight.

How you enjoying Langley? Whatcha do? I was EMS for 6 years in the armament shop, from 87-93

Langley isn't too bad, once you get past the political BS! LOL Just like anywhere you have your moments with it. I work in Vehicle Ops. Right now I'm in the Licensing area. Finally a desk job! Nice to be off the road and let some of the younger guys have the fun! I'll hit my 14 year mark this October. Still seems forever but just around the corner!

Lots of politics there for sure, always has been. For a while when I was there, there were 16 general class officers on base. Should be plenty of group rides available, check with Conte's. I would think that Poquoson would be good riding, or out toward Buckroe. I did my six and left, wife hit 19 in March so we're counting down.

I use two oblong automotive reflectors (one amber, one red) plus a bright blinky in the back.

I have added reflective stickers or tape to the back of my bike shoes (SPD) and my helmet.

I use use a bright headlamp with a rather wide beam in front.

I don't bother with any reflectance on the sides because those drivers who need to yield to me at my sides seem to see me reliably before their headlamps can illuminate my side. Side reflectance (or 90 degree side visibility in general) isn't very important for vehicles that are short, especially if they are moving.

I'd like to get a high-reflectance cycling jacket at some point to help overtaking or oncoming drivers with estimating my range and relative speed.

http://www.mechbgon.com/cdale1.jpg
DOT red/clear reflective tape on the fenders, oblong automotive red reflector on the rear of the pack. I have another bike, a hardtail mountain bike, that's my true dedicated commuter, and its frame is plastered with reflective tape all over the place, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do that to the Cannondale.

Reflective legbands are especially good. They're cheap, light, and they're down where low-beam headlights catch them stronger. Plus they move in an eye-catching cyclic motion that people associate with pedestrians and bicycles.

The red light in that photo is a Nova BULL strobe, a baby-sized police strobe. It's completely beyond the power level of any bicycle blinkie except perhaps the 3-watt DiNotte. http://www.bullled.com If you want to try one out, a rechargeable 1600mAH 9.6-volt RC-car battery pack will run it for about 10 hours on flashing. They're weathertight, made in U.S.A. and have a 5-year warranty.

Here is one more item I got and I think it's good, maybe you guys use these yourselves: http://www.hivis.biz/products/safetyequipment.asp?pg=1&tid=5&pid=95 For $5.50 + s/h, you couldn't buy a plain reflective belt, let alone a self-illuminated one.

http://www.hivis.biz/images/products/s_pb_belt.jpg

mechBgon, are those clear blinkies on both side of your fork near the hub? If so, how well do the mounts hold there?

mechBgon, are those clear blinkies on both side of your fork near the hub? If so, how well do the mounts hold there?Those are the cheapie $6 Nashbar blinkie, "F" model (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=101&subcategory=1068&brand=&sku=2149&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=) (clear lens, amber LEDs) and I posted a thread in Commuting (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=205700&highlight=fender) showing how they're attached, which is by means of O-rings around the blinkie's clothing clip and around the fender struts. They've stayed on there well, even over washboard pavement, through rough construction zones and some bunnyhops over obstacles. :)

I know they're not very powerful, but my headlight isn't visible from a direct side view, so any active lighting is better than nothing.

edit: oh, and if the intended topic was reflective clothing/vests, then I'm a sometimes user of a self-illuminated PolyBrite vest, but it's orange mesh and I think I'd rather get a neon-lime ANSI Class II or III vest and just use the illuminated belt with it. I do take the belt with me if I might be out at sundown or beyond, and wear a white XL t-shirt (too hot for my neon-lime jacket right now). If I had a neon-lime vest I'd use that over my shirt even if it was quite hot out, because the unnatural color is a good attention-getter.

Thanks mechBgon. I don't know how I missed that post. I like the mounting idea and it would work on my SKS fenders. I'll give it a try.

heres' my standard 'flecco' tape job and etc. i have taped most of my bikes up like this in the last 10-15 years...a buddy calls my distinctive 3 stripe pattern on my stays, fenders, forks... my "racing stripes" and i appreciate the term :)

i run blinkies and lights as well ,and an ANSI class II traffic safety vest in the dark months and while on tour, or big country rides.....

Passive:
1. 3M silver reflective tape on frame
2. black "stealth" reflective tap inside rims
3. reflective jacket
4. reflective tape on helmet [stealth]
5. reflective sidewalls on tires
6. reflective diamonds on winter gloves [they are as bright as stock bike reflector]
7. reflective stripping on cycling shoes

Active:
1. front front clearance side lights
2. strong front light
3. strong double row flashing tail light
4. blinking lights in handle bar plugs

Daytime:
1. hi vis: jersey/jacket/shirt

Caution: treat daybreak and twilight as night and turn on lights.

Hope this helps

Ditto pretty much all the above. I use two flashing tail lights on back, which is a real eye catcher since they really are never in sync. I also put reflective bands around both ankles. I have a big triangle I put on the back of my rack pack for day touring also.

As to daybreak/twilight, I use a dual beam Cygo light for my morning rides. I generally run with just one beam unless traffic picks up, but I have had people blink their lights at me if I switch the second beam off or on.

My theory is, if they are going to hit me, they'll have to aim at me, because there is no way they can miss seeing me.

Here's a flash photo from the rear on my Cannondale, with the front wheel turned a bit:

http://www.mechbgon.com/visibility/DOT_Reflector2.jpg

Those big flat DOT reflectors are nice, I may put a couple more on that bag. They hardly weigh anything, and just one has the rear-facing reflective surface of probably 10 standard wide-angle bike reflectors.

I also want to get a Illuminite jacket but I don't want one with black sleeves, I want it neon-lime all over. Performance Bike has one but it's technically a ladies' model, I wonder if an XL would be big enough...

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_5672HVY.jpg

I'm glad that I've gotten as many responses to this thread as I have so far! All have had great ideas that I'm sure I'll incorporate into my riding. I originally started this thread after reading some of the horor stories in advocacy and safety. It truly is amazing how some people get so wrapped up in their own world while driving that they don't even begin to see how much is around them. Not to mention the people that do see whats going on and just not care periiod. I'm definately getting some better ideas of what to look for in lights clothing and tape. Thanks agian to all.

http://www.identi-tape.com/hi-intensity.htm

I'm using the black tape because it blends in with my bike. I also have the "pro" timbuk2 bag, an led on that, and the big cat eye on my bike. This weekend I'll put some more of that black tape on my bike and take some pics.

I just added this to all my lights and reflective tape on the bike. Its Hi-vis neon yellow vest at the top with reflective belts and jog-lite leg bands attach to my back pack.


http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/741/pict0010ph6.th.jpg (http://img429.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pict0010ph6.jpg)

My MTB has slicks with reflective sidewalls. My road bike, helmet, and camelback have lots of reflective tape. I also have an LED blinky, an amber strobe, dual helmet halogens, and a dual DIY halogen setup on the handlebars.
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/1750/im000489fe6.th.jpg (http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=im000489fe6.jpg) http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/6028/im000490on2.th.jpg (http://img80.imageshack.us/my.php?image=im000490on2.jpg)

Just curious, how many others actually take the time to make themselves more reflective. I have a bunch of reflective items on my bike, panniers and clothing. Some just were a bonus feature that I don't mind having and some I put on deliberately.

- white reflective tape on forks, red on seat stays (really for legalities more than for visibility)
- big yellow reflectors on panniers (I would've prefered red but oh well)
- backpack with white reflective bits (when I wear one)
- reflective "construction worker's" vest
- jacket with reflective stripes
- reflective sidewalls on tires (even though I don't really believe in passive lateral illumination - usually if you suddenly see a bike from the side you're already on the way of hitting it...)

And then of course I run lights and blinkies at night as well.

For night riding:

- Reflective tape squares on the rim between the spokes about 1/4 way around (flashes when moving)
- Reflective tape on front/back of each crank arm (flashes when pedalling)
- Reflective tape on the back of each seatstay
- Two LED taillights (one solid, one blinking)
- Reflective patches on the shoes
- Reflective patch on the Carradice saddlebag
- Reflective patch on the CamelBak
- Reflective ankle bands.
- Reflective sash/belt
- Twin LED headlights.
- Reflective tape on the back of the helmet

Long ago and far away I had a fully faired recumbent trike. The shell was (max) 3 ft by 4 ft by 7ft. I got a can of reflective paint from 3M and spread it on the shell. It appeared to be a bloody UFO at night and sometimes caused cars to hit their brakes in shock. Imagine every paintable surface being reflective. 3M does not make it any more but told me a company in Texas did. Now I use a reflective vest, a 5 watt xenon strobe in back and a 50 watt headlight.

Here's my commuter machine. There's red reflective tape on the frame and white reflective tape on the rims, crank, pedals, and some on the fork. Also some reflective patches on the pannier and seat bag. If you do a good job with a nice, stretchy reflective tape, you can get the effect of a new paint job on the frame and rims. I put the tape on the inside of the rims --not the braking surface-- before lacing them up. I used to have reflective tape on the fenders too, but fenders don't last long enough!
Also a nexus dynamo hub with a dToplight and lumotech headlight.

Winter: yellow raincoat
Summer: light colored nylon track suit top.

At some point if they are not paying attention to the road (text messaging teens ect), extra watts ect will not help.

I have an led maglight to ward off ninjas.

Winter: yellow raincoat
Summer: light colored nylon track suit top.

At some point if they are not paying attention to the road (text messaging teens ect), extra watts ect will not help.

I have an led maglight to ward off ninjas.

This is where a steerable spotlight beam comes in handy. When you see your "text messaging teens" hit them with the beam. 100 watts generating a 2,000,000 candlepower beam WILL interrupt them. Then immediately divert the beam before they crash their car.

If you do a good job with a nice, stretchy reflective tape, you can get the effect of a new paint job on the frame and rims.

Where do you get stretchy reflective tape? Do you have a brand name?

I got mine from Identitape, exactly the same url that someone already posted. Every time I visit their website they have a wider selection, which complicates matters. The brightest stuff, with the geometric pattern (triangles, I think) is not as stretchy as the somewhat plainer stuff. I'll try to go back through my records and figure out what the stuff I used was, because I really liked it.

Years back I called the 3M marketing people and asked a number of serious questions about different types of reflective tape. They sent me a goodly batch of different types of samples. Try it.

3M also used to make a reflective bead paste that could be mixed with Xylene solvent and sprayed on. They stopped making it years ago. My contact said a company in Texas took over the product. Anyone know who that would be?

"....and I wear a chartreuse Illuminite vest when I ride at night"

But that's not what it's called. And it's not called "Neon Lime" either.

The new term, to be technically correct, is STRONG YELLOW GREEN.

The reflective tape on your vest must be Strong Yellow Green, and at least one inch wide.

I got this info from a friend who works in the Highway Division of the D.P.W. in Nassau County, New York (Long Island).

O.K. , the Law I'm reffering to applies to New York State only, AFAIK.

The reasoning is that road cones have silver reflective tape, and the new Law want's humans to not look like road cones.

Oh, I forgot to tell you what I have on my night-ride bike.

Two 20 watt halogen headlights

Two amber marker lights on the Suzuki GS fairing

Five 3 watt red tailights

an 83 decibel piezo alarm from Radio Shack

all these are 12 volt and have chrome toggle switches mounted on the aforementioned fairing.

a Yuasa 12 volt 12 amp/hour lead-acid battery which weighs eleven pounds

And I wear an orange vest with Strong Yellow Green reflective stripes.