Advocacy & Safety - Reflective tape on rims

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View Full Version : Reflective tape on rims


txtricrossryder
12-24-06, 09:29 AM
Anyone know where I can purchase reflective tape made for the rims of the bike? I am not wanting to jerry rig the tape, but to find some made specifically for the bike.

Thanks in Advance!


DataJunkie
12-24-06, 09:34 AM
Rim brakes and tape on said rims would not work. A wheel is made reflective by reflective sidewalls on the tire. I suppose it may work if you have disk brakes. I have yet to encounter reflective tape made for the rim itself.

nick burns
12-24-06, 10:03 AM
Nashbar or Performance used to sell reflective tape strips made specifically for rims, but I haven't seen it around for a few years. They were pieces about an inch or so long that you put between the spokes just like the rim labels. Maybe a google search might yield results.


cyccommute
12-24-06, 10:09 AM
Personally, I'm looking at these (http://www.sweetskinz.com/index.htm#) because I detest the way tape looks on a bike. Make sure you look at the night view.

SluttyDuck
12-24-06, 10:56 AM
http://www2.msstate.edu/~srh96/IMG_0975small.JPG

ken cummings
12-24-06, 03:03 PM
The wheels on my Cannondale Tourer/commuter have rectangles of silvery tape between the spokes. Works fine and they are hard to see in daylight. Every tube in the frame also is covered with bright silver 3M tape.

AndrewP
12-24-06, 07:38 PM
I have deep V rims and cut white reflective tape in diagonal lengths to match the distance between braking surfaces. I put 9 pieces on each rim. I also put rfective tape on the front and back of the crank arms.

soze
12-28-06, 04:33 PM
On my old Rockhopper I had tape between the spokes on the non-braking areas of plain ol' generic rims, and it was quite visible. Just get the big length of 3M tape at Home Depot and some scissors, dude.

niccolo
12-28-06, 05:23 PM
Any hardware store should stock 3M Reflective tape- bright silver industrial grade. Before you apply the reflective tape, put a baselayer of electrical tape on first (so that if you decide to remove the tape it peels off easily instead of you having to pick it off with a razor blade). Same goes for the frame.

odie91
12-31-06, 05:09 PM
doesn't the electrical tape leave a nasty hard to remove residue too though?


Any hardware store should stock 3M Reflective tape- bright silver industrial grade. Before you apply the reflective tape, put a baselayer of electrical tape on first (so that if you decide to remove the tape it peels off easily instead of you having to pick it off with a razor blade). Same goes for the frame.

Gojohnnygo.
01-01-07, 11:57 AM
Any hardware store should stock 3M Reflective tape- bright silver industrial grade. Before you apply the reflective tape, put a baselayer of electrical tape on first (so that if you decide to remove the tape it peels off easily instead of you having to pick it off with a razor blade). Same goes for the frame.

I use a hair dryer just get an edge started, heat the tape up and pull slowly. if the tape separates and leaves the adhesive behind just keep it warm and roll/rub it off with your thumb. Works for me and most other adhesives.

John Wilke
01-01-07, 01:11 PM
I've put reflective tape between the spokes. Worked well.

jw

LeMansGTi
01-01-07, 01:48 PM
duck, man thats alot on there but I bet you can get some nice pics in motion with all of the reflection!!

caloso
01-01-07, 02:59 PM
I have deep V rims and cut white reflective tape in diagonal lengths to match the distance between braking surfaces. I put 9 pieces on each rim. I also put rfective tape on the front and back of the crank arms.

I have done exactly the same. Works well and is hardly noticeable in the daytime. (Assuming you have silver rims.)

rhm
01-02-07, 11:29 AM
I covered the inside of my rims with a white reflective tape before I lace up the wheels. Same tape on on crank, pedals. I also wrapped almost the whole frame in it a red tape that more-or-less matched the color of the frame. This is the tape I used:
http://www.identi-tape.com/eng-sr4.html
It stretches well enough to cover the V of the rims pretty well. I have also used the high-intensity retro-reflective reflexite tape from the same company; it's more reflective but less stretchy. I posted a pic of the bike in the 'reflective material' thread.