Fifty Plus (50+) - Safety Reflectors - On or Off?

Multiple responses are encouraged.

Recently someone (I believe it was DG) stated that one of the first things they did when they got their new bike was to remove the front safety reflector.

I know that it is common practice for folks to remove wheel reflectors, but less common for folks to remove rear reflectors, and, in fact, some folks add rear reflectors.

So, I wanted to know what you do.
Multiple responses are encouraged.

I keep all my reflectors on for a couple of reasons.

1. They really do serve a safety purpose. I know that those rotating wheel reflectors are highly visible, and I know that when I am driving, there have been a number of times that they were the only way to identify a bicycle at dusk or in the dark.

2. If I were an attorney defending an auto driver against a bicycle injury claim with an issue involving bike visibility of any kind, the first thing I would do would be to have the bike inspected to see if it met state or CPSC safety requirements/suggestions. If not, and it was relevant, that would be a portion of my defense to either have the claim denied or the amount of money ameliorated and reduced.

This is now standard procedure in auto accidents involving lack of seat belt usage, and has also been used to reduce payouts when someone smokes and the smoking is related to the condition.

So, what do you do? Multiple responses are encouraged.

Reflectors off. Blinking lights on. (not on the wheels)

I removed my front reflector (good memory, DF!)

I also refuse to smoke while riding my bike. (Or while not riding it, for that matter.)

Capo and Bianchi (daytime fair weather use only):
no reflectors; (Campag. Omega rims actually do have inward-facing reflective tape strips)
For visibility, I always wear a bright-colored windbreaker, jersey, or t-shirt

UO-8 and Schwinn (occasional dusk, rain, or nighttime use):
front halogen light instead of front reflector, but have used both in combination at times;
bright rear blinkie plus big red rear reflector;
reflective tape on rear rack supports;

I do not use rear-facing pedal reflectors, because they interfere with the flip-up tabs on the backs of my pedals, making it hard to get into my toeclips.

I removed the wheel reflectors on my LeMond but not my Gary Fisher. They're harder to get off of the Fisher. Front and rear are left on. My stock pedals came with reflectors which I lost when I swapped 'em for SPD pedals. I added the reflectors back on. I use front and rear lights when I ride in the dark and I ALWAYS wear a bright yellow jersey or windbreaker.

You fossils all fail at cycling mechanics 101.You ALWAYS take off the wheel spoke reflectors so the clothespins and baseball cards can be attached without interuption in tone.BZZZZZZZZZZZZ.............

Funny you would ask this today, as I just removed my pedal reflectors yesterday in order to install PowerGrips on them.

But being that I don't ride on roads and don't ride at night, reflectors aren't doing anything for me.

If I rode on roads and at night, I'm sure I would be adding reflectors to my bikes.

No reflectors but add front and rear blinkies if riding at dusk

No reflectors but add front and rear blinkies if riding at dusk
Removed all reflectors And If I didn't on the MTB's then they would fall off. On the road bike All reflectors off but A rear lamp that incororates a reflector is permanently on the rear and a small blinkie on the front.

My bike has all the original reflectors, plus front and rear lights and a reflective triangle on the trunk bag (http://www.customized-applications.com/recycle2/21280ab0.jpg)or panniers (http://www.customized-applications.com/recycle/22780ab0.jpg).

Illinois law requires a red rear reflector for night riding, even if the bike has a rear light.



(625 ILCS 5/11-1507) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11-1507)
Sec. 11-1507. Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle.

"Yeeesh". Just spent umteen thousand dollars on the bike and you want us to keep those cheap plastic reflectors? At least someone could make some in titanium or carbon fiber.

All reflectors are on my Trek 5200, plus I have added a front white strobe and a rear red blinkie.

I have removed all reflectors on all of my bikes. I make it a point to wear reflective clothing when riding at night, and I've added reflective material to my helmet. I don't really care if they see my bike, I want them to see me. Hence, if I must get off my bike on a night ride, I want to remain visible. I do ride with lights at night, but follow the same logic (I have a helmet with a light mounted on it in addition to one on the bike & I wear my blinking red lights on my clothing.)

As I recall, the new bikes I've bought did not come with wheel reflectors, only F and R reflectors, which I removed.

I have a fender equiped rain bike which sports a big fat rear blinky but no front reflector.

I never ride at night, but if I did I would certainly use the proper lighting to be legal...and safe.

In my state, they are not required unless you ride at night. I never ride at night, therefore have no use for them. If I rode at night, there is no question but that I'd put on at least the minimum, plus wear a hightly reflective vest.

Reflectors are still on the bike that I ride most - went to a bit of trouble to fit the front reflector neatly. Why? Because it's the bike I use for 'normal' stuff as well as 'fun' stuff and is ridden in all weather conditions and light conditions. It's my belief that anyone who claims they can predict when they'll get caught in poor light is fooling themselves ... a comment which flies in the face of the next paragraph.

My fixie at the moment, is only used in fair weather and for 'fun' ie, pleasure rides and up to now, no more than half an hour in length. No reflectors at the moment. However, I plan to start using her a lot more and for longer - that may change the reflector policy.

Reflectors - they actually don't cost you anything except in the fashion stakes and while they don't replace lights, do improve your visibility if the light gets dodgy and you get caught.

Richard

Tandem and mountain bike: took off the rear reflectors and replaced it with mounts for blinkies, which I use religiously at night. Also installed mounts for my Nite-Rider light with a 15W halogen lamp.

Buenos Aires: interesting. It didn't come with any reflectors. I put blinkies on the saddlebag if I ride in dim conditions. I don't ride at night with it.

Rear reflector on all bikes (mine, wifes, and kids) gets replaced with a "Blinky".
Front reflectors can stay (unless it gets ridden at night, then it gets replaced with a "Blinky".
Wheel reflectors stay, the weight and/or balance doesn't affect a hack such as myself, in
fact I've got three spoke reflectors per wheel on my commuter plus an inexpensive Cateye
headlight mounted on the handlebar which I switch on "to be seen" when I encounter oncomming traffic.

I don't post often, but I will here. I've spent a large portion of my life crawling under automobiles. I have a very healthy fear of being ground into hamburger underneath one. I therefore leave all reflectors on my bikes, and add lights, reflective tape, and sometimes more reflectors. I still ride the roads, may look Fredish, but I'm too old, and happily married to care.

Be safe! :)

I"ve removed all reflectors from my bike. Donna has left all of her reflectors on. I don't ride at night, but if I was riding when it wasn't light out, I'd have blinking LED's, or ones that stayed on. I wouldn't rely on reflectors.

My state requires front, rear, wheel, and pedal reflectors. At night front and rear lights are required of which one has to be visible from a 90 degree side view.

My bike, a custom built Seven came with no reflectors installed. While I know it doesn't adhere to state and local regulations, I haven't felt the need to put them on. I have installed a red blinkey to my seat bag, and will clip a light on the front for night riding. PS, by law my bike needs a bell, but no one can hear them with their headphones in their ears.

I removed the wheel reflectors but added two blinkies to my seatpost bag.

Reflectors off. Blinking lights on. (not on the wheels)


+1

I've kept all the reflectors on my commuter rig, even though I view them as next to useless. They represent lawyer repellent. I rely more on my CatEye LD-1000 taillight and dual DiNotte headlights. In really bad weather, (rain-of-the-40-days, snowstorms, pea-soup fog) I supplement them with additional front and rear blinkies and a safety vest. And of course, reflective geek straps whenever I'm riding with long pants.

I bought my road bike used and all the reflectors were gone when I got it. I've added my usual complement of lights (see above) since I ride at night regularly.

I can not remember buying a road bike that had anything but wheel reflectors, which were removed in short order. If you look at just about everything you have related to cycling, there is some kind of reflective material(seat bags, jerseys, helmet, bib shorts) that may not be quite as good as a reflector but I bet it would hold up in court. Flyte even put out some road forks with 3M reflective material built in.

If you are going to ride at nite or dusk, nothing beats Illuminite clothing. You will be seen. I have had one of their jackest on while walking my dog at night and a car driver actually stopped to ask what kind of jacket I had on because he could see me from quite a distance. Bought one for my wife to use when she walks.

I've kept them on some bikes,the older ones. I've actually put them back ON one that I'd stripped of it's reflectors, primarily to annoy certain individuals,you know who you are. Seriosly, if I decide to night-ride, or ride more at dusk,I'll get a flashing tail light.

None of my current bikes came with reflectors for various reasons, but the bikes I use at night have good front and rear lights, and lots of DOT conspicuity tape in the appropriate places, including on the crank arms, on the rims, and barber pole style on the rear rack struts. I also have blinkie and reflective tape on my helmet.

Well I had to check the stable. The Trek 7200 I bought new, so I removed wheel reflectors and front handle bar mount reflector. Put some larger platform pedals on the bike, and they did not have reflectors. I kept rear reflector and actually remounted it on back of rack, so anything on the rack would not block the reflector at it's former, on seat tube, placement.

I bought the Trek 1000 used and it came with no reflectors.

I built the Bertolette and installing reflectors never crossed my mind. However, since I sometimes ride evenings this time of year to escape heat, and have been out on road after sunset, I did install an LED tail light. So far have only used tail light to entertain the grandson.

I took the reflectors off but put on a blinking light on the rear. I wear high visibility colors and hope for the best.

I must say, while motoring at night and encountering a bicyclist, wheel and pedal reflectors usually catch my eye first.

Removed all reflectors, including the Fred-guard on the cassette, immediately after purchase of all bikes. Use headlight on front, and blinkie on the back, at dusk and evenings.
I saved a good 2 ounces. Isn't that's worth a Culvers ButterBurger.......?

Reflectors off. Multiple blinkies on - front and back - no wheels.
For commuting - blinkie vest and reflective ankle bands.

Multiple bikes with multiple reflectors. I always wear a reflective vest & use lights & blinkies after dark & on dusk/dawn rides. Some of my bikes have generator light systems plus blinkies. If I get a bike without reflectors, I go down to my LBS & get some. They always give them to me & refuse my offers to pay :) Before I retired, I commuted to work in the dark all Winter & old habits die hard. Don

2. If I were an attorney defending an auto driver [/B]against a bicycle injury claim with an issue involving bike visibility of any kind, the first thing I would do would be to have the bike inspected to see if it met state or CPSC safety requirements/suggestions. If not, and it was relevant, that would be a portion of my defense to either have the claim denied or the amount of money ameliorated and reduced.

Reminds me of a true story.

A 13 year old boy rode his bike to a friends house. That night he called his mom for a ride home. She said that, since he got himself to the friends house, he could get himself home. The boy is riding a bike that is several years old and has no reflectors. The boy is also wearing all black clothing. He attempts to cross a 4 lane divided highway against a red traffic light and is struck and killed by a drunk driver.

Guess who got sued? Winner (if any) gets a pair of brand new in the box inner tubes.

Reminds me of a true story.

A 13 year old boy rode his bike to a friends house. That night he called his mom for a ride home. She said that, since he got himself to the friends house, he could get himself home. The boy is riding a bike that is several years old and has no reflectors. The boy is also wearing all black clothing. He attempts to cross a 4 lane divided highway against a red traffic light and is struck and killed by a drunk driver.

Guess who got sued? Winner (if any) gets a pair of brand new in the box inner tubes.
bike manufacturer?

Another multiple reflectors situations for multiple bikes vote.

The commuter has a complete set, plus extra reflectors, plus front and rear lights. I often ride this bike at night.

The recreation bike has a limited set, and I keep a blinkie in the seat bag. I've never been caught out after dark on this bike.

Speedo

Other Response
Mountain Bikes: As Stapfam said, all reflectors off, for trail safety and they serve no purpose.
Road Bikes: All reflectors on, unless I've installed a blinker on that bike, then only the rear reflector is removed, all the others stay.

All the reflectors on my Dolce Comp are gone -- they added too much weight. ;) I don't ride after dark anyway.

The tandem still has all its reflectors, simply because we haven't taken the time to remove them. Guess we'll lighten it up tomorrow before our TT Sunday.

If and when I ride after dark I'll make sure the bike complies with safety rules, including blinky lights :eek: I know, so Fred, but better Fred than dead.

My pedal reflectors were fragile plastic and broke off after a few hundred miles. I took my front reflector off to make room for a computer and bar ends. I always wear a neon yellow vest and my trunk bag has lots of reflective tape.

I've noticed too that the wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are particularly effective. I'm thinking I should replace the pedal reflectors. Anyone know of reflectors for platform pedals that will hold up?

My pedal reflectors were fragile plastic and broke off after a few hundred miles. I took my front reflector off to make room for a computer and bar ends. I always wear a neon yellow vest and my trunk bag has lots of reflective tape.

I've noticed too that the wheel reflectors and pedal reflectors are particularly effective. I'm thinking I should replace the pedal reflectors. Anyone know of reflectors for platform pedals that will hold up?

Louis Made a point in that he can see the wheel and pedal reflectors at night. If you want to be legal- In the UK if riding at night you have to have front and rear lights----And pedal reflectors. Stock pedals supplied with bike in the UK will have reflectors on them- So why don't Shimano fit them to their SPD's? I ride SPD's but on night rides I also have leggings on that have reflective strips on the ankles. Not strictly legal but coupled with the two rear lamps and the powerfull front lamp- They do add abit to safetey.

Although I'm not following the letter of the law, I am rather close to its spirit. We are required to have at all times white front and red rear reflectors, amber pedal reflectors (no number specified) and amber and red wheel reflectors. Headlight and taillight are also required at night. I find it silly not to require that lighting be present at all times – why then are reflectors required in daytime?

Incidentally, white must be in the front only and red must not be in front, but there is no restriction on the use of amber, as long as it supplements the required stuff.

What do I have?

- Front: Dynohub with E-6 primary and Lumotec secondary. I also have a small LED battery headlight which is useful when I'm stopped. The Lumotec has a built in white reflector, so I have one.

- Rear: The standard-issue CPSC reflector is still there as it helps protect one taillight. I also have 2 or 3 large amber SAE reflectors, 1 large red SAE reflector, two Planet Bike Superflash and two Cateye TL-LD1000. Incidentally, as John Allen indicates on his website, rear-facing reflectors are truly effective at night because car headlights illuminate them.

- Sides: smallish wheel reflectors. For the roads I use, I don't really believe in side illumination. Other types of roads might indeed warrant some side blinkies.

- Pedals: I have bare SPDs. If I had any, the reflector(s) would be hidden by my rear panniers most of the time.

Reminds me of a true story.

A 13 year old boy rode his bike to a friends house. That night he called his mom for a ride home. She said that, since he got himself to the friends house, he could get himself home. The boy is riding a bike that is several years old and has no reflectors. The boy is also wearing all black clothing. He attempts to cross a 4 lane divided highway against a red traffic light and is struck and killed by a drunk driver.

Guess who got sued? Winner (if any) gets a pair of brand new in the box inner tubes.

No winners. With all those people who were negliagent in some way. They sued the biggest bike shop in town who was able to produce computer records to prove they didn't sell the bike. They had nothing to do with it. I think that it's outrageous that they even had do defend themselves against the suit.

I go in phases, but as I get older, I am into the more is better realm.

I have most reflectors on, just in case, and I almost never ride in less than full daylight.

I also have some reflective tape I plan to install for added visibility. I also have a Cateye LD-1000 and a headlight on my main rider.

I agree with an earlier post... Why don't they make higher end reflectors? We should have a choice in reflectors. :)