slvoid

Reflectors aren't bad, they're just not as useful by themselves.
A bike with reflectors will be more visible than a bike with none, period.
I have enough lights on mine to make reflectors look like a joke but I still have reflectors on. If it doesn't get in the way, why not, every little bit helps.

"The CPSC doesn't think reflectors alone are safe for nighttime riding. I have asked, and been told in no uncertain terms, "We don't think reflectors [alone] are okay for night riding.""

I don't know how old that link is, but right here at the bottom, "Most state laws don't require taillights at night." How many states don't require headlights? Cause new york sure does.

ruchai

The refrective tires that come with my Giant Halfway are very bright.

ruchai

May be this picture will show the effective of the reflective tires better.

Dchiefransom

I just added my vote to that column. I added wheel reflectors to my commute bike. California law just says we have to have two reflectors which can be seen from each side. Wheel reflectors fit that, but reflective tape, if effective, can also meet that requirement. I don't have front and rear reflectors, though. I use lights. I also have the snap in yellow reflectors on my SPD pedals.
My other two bikes, that I ride during the day, have no reflectors at all.

scoana

My bike is a rolling christmas tree. Never knew about the tape on the rim idea. Now I have something to do.

MetalHead90

My bike came with reflectors and I have tried very hard to get them off...they just won't break. They are attched very well on my bike.

ollo_ollo

Most of my bikes came with reflectors on the wheels & I added more. I commute in the dark during Fall, Winter & early Spring. I also use multiple red rear & yellow front blinkies, a headlight & wear a reflectorized vest & reflective tape on helmet, bike, booties etc. Really great was the LBS bin where I found 4 NOS sets of the long 1/2 circle red & yellow wheel reflectors that were popular in the late 70s, early 80s. Many of my co-workers have complimented me for high visibility vs other cyclists they see on the way in to work. Seems I'm very visible from front, rear & the side.

Erick L

If that article was about helmets, he'd say "helmets aren't any good unless you hit your head".

My bike came with reflectors and I added some. They are required by law and as a biker and driver, I find them effective. I also use active lighting because reflectors have limitations.

pyze-guy

My bikes at home don't have them, I use red and white reflective tape on the rims, forks and seatstays along with my lights. My bike here came with them and I need all the help I can get to be seen by drivers.

Daily Commute

My bike came with reflectors, and I left them on. They aren't perfect, but they weigh next to nothing, so I think their benefits outweigh their inconvenience (whatever that may be). Of course, I still use lights.

andygates

Damn, I thought I invented the reflective tape idea. My rims are absolutely festive with the stuff (and reflective sidewall tyres on one bike too). Wheel reflectors unbalance the wheel and look dorky. 'flec tape is so much cooler and you can custom it however you like.

[bEn]

Yes, i need them when i ride at night. I suppose my bike would probably look better without them, but you can never be too carful when riding at night.

PurpleK

Eight of my nine bikes do not have wheel reflectors, but my commuter does. They came on the bike and I never bothered to take them off. Also, my commuter is the only bike I have which is likely to be ridden in darkness. In most cases, I do not think they offer the visibility nearly as well as the rear and front lights I use, but I figure what harm can they do.

I have had only one personal experience where the wheel reflectors actually made a difference. Once when driving (which I do not do very often :-) ), I was approaching a stop sign at an intersection when a cyclist still some distance away passed through it from my right to my left. His spinning wheel reflectors lit up as he passed through my headlights. He was still far enough ahead of me that I could not make out him or his bike, only the moving reflectors. When I reached the stop and made the turn, I knew there was a cyclist somewhere ahead of me, so I made it a point to look out for him down the road. I should point out that this particular cyclist did not have any other kind of illumination on his bike. Had he had a rear light, I probably would have noticed him even had he not had the wheel reflectors as I approached from his rear.

ghettocruiser

Again, reflectors and reflective tape RELY ON THE DRIVER to illuminate them.

If the guy has dirty headlights, burnt-out headlights, misaligned headlights (from the do-it-yourself fake HID installation) or his headlights turned off (usually so you can see the green LEDs he has installed on his wipers), you are the invisible man.

And the aforementioned bad headlight setups are over-represented in people who drive fast and aggressively. DON’T RELY ON DRIVERS FOR ANYTHING. Use lights. Bright ones. Seriously.

Maybe even during the daytime.

powers2b

Don't need reflectors when you have tireflys.

Enjoy

andygates

"Again, reflectors and reflective tape RELY ON THE DRIVER to illuminate them."

Of course reflectors should only be an addition to good strong visible lights.

Anyone ever mount a fire torch on their bike?

SpokesInMyPoop

I bought my bike used, and it came with reflectors. I mainly stick to the roads, so I don't have to worry about them breaking off. OG wheel reflectors IN DA HAUSE.

And if they ever broke off, I'd probably replace them with similar ones. Why? When I used to drive, wheel reflectors really helped me to notice cyclists at night. They look pretty cool when you're crossing the street, kinda like dancing lights

The reflective tape on the rim is a cool idea, but my rims are flat, and VERY prone to getting cruddy/dirty/wet.

I've seen those valve caps that have lights on them... but I don't think I'd ever use them. I'm fine with crap reflectors.

Helmet Head

I don't understand the purpose of wheel reflectors, or reflective tape on wheels...

I mean, yeah, I understand that if you ride in front of a vehicle with its headlights on, they'll illuminate, but I don't understand when that might help prevent a collision, conflict or close call.

Consider:


Okay, so they can't hurt, expecially if you have no other lights or reflectors, but assuming you are properly equipped for night riding with head light, rear light(s), rear reflector(s), what problem do wheel reflectors solve?

Assume a car is stopped at a stop sign and you're moving through the intersection perpendicular to them. What's going to prevent a collision is them looking left and seeing you coming because you have a headlight. By the time the car's headlights illuminate the wheel reflectors, it's way too late.

Can anyone describe even a hypothetical situation where wheel reflectors would actually solve a problem?

'nother

I don't think anyone's disputing that, but there is an issue of being required to have reflectors. Whether they are effective or not is kind of irrelevant if you are required to have them. Obviously that doesn't preclude you from also having lights, but I don't think it's an either-or question.

nick burns

If you were riding in a race against an arrogant Italian team & they tried the ol' pump in the spokes routine, maybe they'd end up hitting the reflector saving you from going down hard on the roadside.

khuon

Also, if sharks with lasers on their heads try and attack you from the side, you can deflect their shots.

Erick L

I've noticed wheel reflectors from the back when driving. They can be even more effective than lights since lights can be confused with any other lights around. Wheel reflectors identifies the bicycle pretty quickly. When a car arrives at an intersection a little too quickly, the front wheel reflector can be noticed easily, better than some headlights that don't offer any side visibility (I added sidelights on the front for this very reason). And of course, lights can fail (batteries, bulb, wiring, smashed, stolen, forgotten).

Like you said, they just don't hurt, so why not have them?

ghettocruiser

But the goal of me strapping something like this on my bike is to lessen the chances of getting plastered over the front of a car, not avoid a $35.00 ticket that no cop will ever bother to write to me anyways.

As I mentioned previously, at least in Ontario, all the obscure, vague regulations mean that no ones ever gonna fit the letter of the law anyways.

I'm more an advocate of reflective materials on clothing, which are (hopefully) more likely to get washed and hence be visible. When I am driving, it seems bike reflectors are usually to dirty to show up much, particularly in the winter road-grime season, and I largely view them as useless.

khuon

On my offroad bikes, they're removed because they do break off easily and become trail litter. On my roadbike, I find them unnecessary so off they go. I have had a wheel reflector turn sideways on me before. It then got jammed up againt my fork legs and trashed the wheel and spokes before it itself disintergrated into road litter. I have not ridden with a wheel reflector since.

nick burns

Nice avatar ghettocruiser. The Star bicycle made by H.B. Smith being ridden down the capitol steps, right? It's inventor lived in a town not far from me.

Here's a pretty good article if you're interested:

https://www.bcls.lib.nj.us/county/smithville/