Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Reflective tape

Are you using reflective tape(s) or stickers - on your bike, helmet, bags, clothing ...???

Which one(s)?

What's your opinion on the one(s) you're using?

TIA

I use 3m prismatic high intensity for hard surfaces.

haven't gotten around to buying tape for soft surfaces.

they're a nice compliment to blinking lights, especially for side visibility.

I have the 3m prismatic tape which works just fine.
However after I bought it, I have met a guy using this stuff, which seems way cheaper and does not have the stupid 3M print over it.
http://www.identi-tape.com/hi-intensity.htm

I am using the Reflexite from identi-tape all over the commuter bike. It's very good. My ANSI-2 vest came with 3M tape. Other clothing has whatever it came with. For some soft goods, I have some "luggage tag" like things I made from credit cards cut longitudinally and covered with the Reflexite, then hung with loose cable ties. I stole the idea from the Timbuktu bags.

I got reflective tape from McMaster-Carr, because I was too lazy to track down any of the other vendors people always talk about. I got the blue, it is a little darker than my bike. Actually matches my commuter really well, but I'm not sure it would be visible from any angle that I find people try to run me over from.

eBay has 3M reflective tape for a good price:

http://shop.ebay.com/items/__reflective-tape_W0QQQ5ftrkparmsZ72Q253A1171Q257C66Q253A2Q257C65Q253A12Q257C39Q253A1QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQ _sopZ15QQ_scZ1

I got 2 feet of 18" wide black reflective vinyl tape from a local sign company. I then cut pieces for the fork, headtube, seatstays, wheels, and crank arms. Then I got a little piece of DOT red reflective tape and put that on the back of the seat post which makes the bike completely within the letter of the law in Florida (which requires a red reflector in back and clear in front). Since it started out as a mostly black bike and I was careful to put down the vinyl as smooth as possible you wouldn't even notice the tape during the day unless you catch an angle where it reflects sunlight. At night though you hit it with a beam and the whole bike lights up. Really impressive to see and the vinyl weighs almost nothing. Cheap and effective.
I wish bikes came painted reflective. Should be a requirement for Wally-world bikes since those are the bikes that are so often ridden the wrong way down the road or sidewalk at night with no lights.
I still have a bunch left over so I'm going to put some on my mountain bike. Maybe it'll make it easier to find the bike (and maybe me) if it ever takes a trip to the bottom of an exposure on a night ride.

DOT rated reflective tape is good, uses prisms instead of glass beads.

the black reflective tape uses glass beads and aren't very reflective, but they sure are stealthy.

I use 3m prismatic high intensity for hard surfaces.

haven't gotten around to buying tape for soft surfaces.

they're a nice compliment to blinking lights, especially for side visibility.

I believe that most of the reflective tapes (like 3M) fare well on hard surfaces. I'm wearing quite a dark jacket. The jacket is very comfortable, light and protects me well from wind and occasional rain. So I was thinking about putting some reflective tape on the jacket for the sake of increased visibility, even during the daylight hours. I'm not sure that 3M (and similar) will stick and hold on soft surfaces.

oh, and the prismatic high intensity white tape is grey under regular light so it blends in really well with silver parts.


I believe that most of the reflective tapes (like 3M) fare well on hard surfaces. I'm wearing quite a dark jacket. The jacket is very comfortable, light and protects me well from wind and occasional rain. So I was thinking about putting some reflective tape on the jacket for the sake of increased visibility, even during the daylight hours. I'm not sure that 3M (and similar) will stick and hold on soft surfaces.

there's fabric based sew-on and iron-on reflective tape available for clothing.
http://www.reflectivelyyours.com/generic143.html

there's fabric based sew-on and iron-on reflective tape available for clothing.
http://www.reflectivelyyours.com/generic143.html

That tape might be ok for clothing, but can't be used on anything goretex or similar.

:)

well, captain obvious, that's what reflective vests are for.

That tape might be ok for clothing, but can't be used on anything goretex or similar.
:)

Well, of course you can. :crash: It seems, you might be a whimp and are only worried about the warranty? :) Stitch away on that expensive stuff and support the stimulus packages.

Well, of course you can. :crash: It seems, you might be a whimp and are only worried about the warranty? :) Stitch away on that expensive stuff and support the stimulus packages.

It's not to do with the price of goretex clothing, it's to do with the function.

Perforated goretex isn't going to be very waterproof......

goretex is perforated to begin with. iron on reflective tape will clog the pores. but only in that area.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Goretex_photo.gif

if it's just a normal wind breaking polyester jacket, there's no worry.

Yes, get a vest. You can wear anything you like under it, and you won't have to bother with sewing or damaging the jacket.

The tape I am currently using has "DOT C2" imprinted on it. I bought it at a local NAPA auto parts store.

I paid ten dollars for a piece two inches wide and three feet long.

It's not to do with the price of goretex clothing, it's to do with the function.
Perforated goretex isn't going to be very waterproof......

Well, you gain some, you loose some (functions of jacket?). No pain , no gain, etc. ...... :)

(Actually, the previous post was a joke).

Well, you gain some, you loose some (functions of jacket?). No pain , no gain, etc. ...... :)



It's not to do with the price of goretex clothing, it's to do with the function.

Perforated goretex isn't going to be very waterproof......


Yes, get a vest. You can wear anything you like under it, and you won't have to bother with sewing or damaging the jacket.

My jacket's label says -- "SHELL: 100% POLYESTER".

Not sure if it is (or claims to be) "waterproof", but it serves me good. So far.

And I don't want (or need) extra layer of clothing over it (like a vest). Sorry Litespeedlouie - I know you meant well ... :)

goretex is perforated to begin with. iron on reflective tape will clog the pores. but only in that area.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Goretex_photo.gif

I wouldn't say that goretex is perforated, as the holes are too small for a H2O molecule to fit through.

Goretex has 9 billion pores per square inch, pores aren't the same as perforations.

Iron on tape is actually a far worse idea than perforating goretex. :(

This is a good pic of reflective tape.

Not my pic. I copied it from Our New Teacher.

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/Mreflects.jpg

Apparently this (Scotchlite 3000X) is the best reflective tape there is: http://www.identi-tape.com/high-gain-sheeting.html

It is kind of expensive...

The Scotchlite 7610 is said to be outstanding for application to rain gear (like Gore-Tex®), and even to leather motorcycle jackets.


There was a thread about reflective tape on CPF not very long ago: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=228178&highlight=reflective+tape

And these older threads : http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2644876
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5634

I ordered some SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) tape from the Cole Brothers (http://www.colebrothers.com/biketape/) and it reflects very brightly. $6.99 plus $.50 shipping for four 1" x 4" inch strips. Recommended.

For more on glow in the dark bikes, you can check out this thread on bikeportland.org's forums (http://bikeportland.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1357).

http://www.geocities.com/ktesh_kag/detail.jpg

It details how I did that to my bike...

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh