vrkelley

Today was a bright sunny day my bike is a darker color so I wear reflectant across my backpack, and helmet and run a large blinky on the back of the bike.

So while waiting at a light a company van driver pulls up along side and hails me. He was an older retired no-nonsense look'n guy. Said... "Hey! You'd really get better visibility if the reflectant was on your rear end"

The light changed, and I smiled and thanked him. That took some real guts to say that! He's right. In a perfect world, the jerseys, shorts, helmets gloves would all be made of reflectant The bike's should have reflectant embedded in the paint also.

Any insight on this?

d2create

Ooooooo.... i like the idea of reflectant in the paint!

genec

I have often wondered why the clothing manufactures put these dinky thin "piping" reflectors in clothing. I wanna be seen at night! I wanna be a glowing ghost to any auto headlights.

I have often thought about some sort of signal on/in my gloves... right now I wear red gloves so in the daylight when I signal/gesture, I hope the red shows up more. I wonder if now an LED or something could be used for night riding.

JavaMan

Performance bikes has a line of reflectorized cycling wear that includes, jackets, arm warmers, leg warmers, etc. I don't own any of these, but I was thinking about getting a jacket. Seeing a reflectorized human form has got to be more eye-catching than a simple reflective stripe.
Tom

jeff williams

Nice way to say good looking butt. Maybe a pic?

slvoid

Will you perverts stop asking her for pictures of her butt?
Don't post them here, Kelly, just email them to me.

Hemlock

Seems I saw something about paint that would do this very well. It has tiny glass beads in it which are highly reflective when the paint dries. It was a safety product. Don't remember what it was called, but if you're really interested a google search for "reflective safety paint" may turn it up.

vrkelley

Ha ha Sl! I'm surprised someone hasn't started a thread like that already!

vrkelley

I'm wondering if you could apply that right over the regular paint and whether it'd work on a carbon frame?

jeff williams

no idea V was female...(o.k I hoped, but a nice butt, but..butt..)

More of a leg guy...Glad you take the leftfield complements well.
I love complementing women on athletic physeque? (sp).
Must be a treat to have notice of something you've developed rather than 'god sure gave you big b00bs.'

Man I don't even know if this post is PC. And I have a 13Y daughter...geez it's gonna be close to hypocrisy around home soon.
"I said NO! NOMEANSNO!" (Great band! From Victoria original, REAL punk, sorry, had to put in prop's for bro's).

ollo_ollo

That van driver was right. Last Spring at our bicycle swap meet, I got several blinkies at a good price. Since I was blinkie rich, I started hanging one from each hip pocket to supplement the one on my bike. Co-workers who see me on the road say I'm much more visible this year.

slvoid

I just got a NR 19-LED light. LIke a truck.

jeff williams

I wish I had a big @$$ to reflect. I'm 20 lbs underweight.

I still like reflective tape. Lots, no weight.

vrkelley

As that van driver drove off, I thought the same thing! There's simply no room for a caboose-style 19LED unit. The tape would probably work OK along the back edge of a jersey.

cyclezealot

I have a pair of Cannondale shorts...They have like 5 reflective dots down each side of the back side of the upper thigh area...I think that pretty reflective..
I have those UFO lights . They say the band is big enough to fit across smaller calfs..Blinkies about ankles...Wish they would fit as promised..My calves are medium sized and don't fit..I attach them to my helmet..
Plus, I put a reflective band about my ankles and wrists.Think that is a good idea.

slvoid

Hehe the 19-LED unit's actually only about the size of a large watch.

jfz

My wife bought me an outdoor products belt pack that was on clearance, it is covered with reflective thread. I have it hanging on my handlebars in the garage when I am not riding and when I drive into the garage and the headlights hit it you would think a flash bomb went off.
I also have a blinkie tie wrapped under my seat so it is more in line with a car drivers eyes (be careful in the cooler weather your coat does not cover it in this position).
I noticed that the local Walmart is now selling tires with a reflective strip on the sidewall.

RainmanP

Nathan makes a cycling specific orange mesh vest with reflective strips. It has an extra long tail with a reflective strip right across the, uh, rear. I think it's on sale for $15 at performancebike.com. I have one, and it is great. It's the one I posted about in another thread. I want the same vest but in the newer hi vis lime color that everything is going to.

jharte

The most interesting thing about this is what I see in the mornings when I ride to work. I can't believe the 'stealth' runners and cyclists I see (or barely see). I like to be lit up! Illuminite has some great products but they are a little pricey. I ended up putting reflective tape on my fenders and in stratigic places on my front fork. I also wear reflective leg bands. I think it helps. How nice of that driver to give decent advice. There just my be hope for non-cyclists after all.

NathanBrazil

I have used a Performance illuminite jacket for about 2 years. Pricey and chinzy but it works. The only problem is that it is completely waterproof--only vent is on back. Sweat builds up during my 10 mile commute. On cold days I turn it inside out and shake off the ice that has built up by the end of my ride. Still I feel much safer with that jacket. I think that it makes me more visible especially when signaling for a turn.
I also use a huge 18 LED light on the rear. It is heavy but clearly visible both day and night.
My computer case has been covered with reflective tape.
On the front I use a pair of Jet lights.
When doing a lot of city riding, I have also used a flashing xenon strobe light strapped to my arm to get attention from drivers at intersections as well as those coming from behind.

vrkelley

OK Now I see the problem!

The Scotchlite stipe that goes horizontally across the backpack is not visible *at all*, because I ride on the drops. Probably the only time drivers see it is when I arrive at a light and lean back to take sip of water.

slvoid

Hehe yeah. Technically the reflective stuff should go on the bottom of the bag instead of back.
You don't know how many times I yell to bikers, "your blinker's pointed at the sky!" when I pass them.

vrkelley

Yeah, I fell for the "feel-good" blinkies and reflectant. Rather than the Christmas tree approach, maybe I'll print out a front, side, and back view of a roadie, and sketch where the reflectant and blinkies should go...then ramp up from there.

Day-view, and night view recommendations...I'm surprised there isn't some sort of recommendations like this on the web already.

slvoid

Here are the areas that I recommend you light up for the "christmas tree" effect.

Honestly I think my NR has done me good. I ran it this morning as a daytime running light at 9am through heavy midtown traffic and NO ONE honked at me going from city hall to 60th street in manhattan flying along layfayette and 1st avenue. Cars actually let me accelerate back up to speed from a standstill even when I was in the middle of the lane and there was 2 car lengths in front of me and cars all around me. The cabbies didn't even try to cut in from behind.

cyclezealot

[QUOTE=RainmanP]Nathan makes a cycling specific orange mesh vest with reflective strips. It has an extra long tail with a reflective strip right across the, uh, rear. I think it's on sale for $15 at performancebike.com.
Rainman...Been awhile, I bought a reflective safety vest from "Home Safety Products", I think it was...Has a blinking horizontal strip a little above the arse, plus the usual reflective stripes... really shows up well.
As I said, the Cannondale bike shorts, the reflective dots going down the outside of your thigh comes pretty close to across the rear...But, the reflective Illuminite jacket by Performance really lights up, but as stated, the moisture generated on the inside is a good weight reduction program..