I LOVE using the 3M black tape that shows up white under lights. I put it on my commuter bikes at various points, have even put it on my LOOK Keo road pedals on my road bike.

I wear a high viz vest or jacket for commuting, plus front/rear lights.

If I'm just riding around town, I actually wear a "workman's" jacket with hi viz strips. In all honesty, I hope some of the monster truck drivers will see the jacket and think "Damn, somebody stole that dudes monster truck and he has to ride a bike around" or "Shucks, the poor son of a gun musta got a DUI and has to bike." I hope mentally they think I'm a manual laborer and not worth running over, as opposed to see free spirited bike nut:)

I have three lights in front and three in the rear. Today I got these.
https://www.amazon.com/Bud-8512A-Jog...yield+triangle


https://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Ve...eflective+vest

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3b74a87da6.jpg
I bought a large roll of that stuff. I have not used it much because it is really hard to see under a bright light. I saw a bike on the side of the road once with this, and it barely glowed. Practically speaking its about as bright as a white license plate. I don't find the black very useful. The white on the other hand can be blinding.

I've taken to just putting red on the inside of my front fork and chainstays. I like the look.

This bike was all black/grey. Now it has blue and red reflective striping.

I think you did an excellent job with that. At first glance I thought the tape pattern was just how your bike came, and it looked good. Had to look again to realize that was the tape.

I have always liked the cycling specific orange vests with the long flap in back. (If it doesn't have a reflecting strip hanging below my waist, that vest is only useful for helicopter search crews looking for me; I ride leaning forward that much.) But I have also been aware the past 4 or 5 decades that reflectors and nearly all bicycle lights are not seen at all by drivers coming out of side streets and driveways, nor oncoming left turning drivers. (Left turning drivers being a real source of cycling deaths/very serious crashes.) So a few years ago, I sewed loops to hold blinkies on the straps of my vest so those blinkies sit at the front corner of my hips. It was immediately obvious that drivers took note.

The other piece of gear I no longer ride with that worked very, very well was a blinking or steady light on my ankle (or below the knee). I stopped using those lights simply because I am skinny, bony and the straps and contact were leading up to chronic injuries, especially since most of those miles happened riding fix gear and down hills which meant either too tight straps or real banging that was damaging to both me and the light. 30 years of that took its toll. I may go back when I find a more comfortable solution. It is the simple, most effective light for a bike there is for cars behind, Nothing else out there moves in that pattern. Nothing, I used little more than that light plus a rear blinkie that often didn't work and a vest for 30 years after a very rude awakening to the fact that the headlights of my early days were invisible to drivers and lead me to the illusion I was seen. I don't see my leg light so I rode knowing I was "salmon". Didn't get a headlight until NightRIder came out with their halogen light in the early '90s.

Ben

That is a nice graphic effect - looks dynamic and it works well with the lines of the frame

Thanks! It was pretty grey when I bought it.

Typically I'll use reflective tape to match the bike (i.e. red tape on a red bike silver on a silver bike) so that the tape is invisible during the day, but this design worked well with a little contrasting color.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e31930636d.jpg

How about wheel light or spoke light? They are very effective for side visibility, and you'll get compliments from pedestrians and taxi drivers (I did).

https://revolights.com.....always wanted these.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e50b118ae2.jpg

These are very nice but cost $200+. The dirty cheap wheel/spoke lights are just as visible.

I simply put a Serfas thunderbolt (LED bar) on my front fork and chain stays. They light up my wheels very similar to that picture.


Quick Take: Serfas Thunderbolt Tail Light Road Bike News, Reviews, and Photos
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...988a458ae7.jpg

I've seen revolights here. They are impressive.

I find that as a driver I pay more attention to lights that communicate quickly and without distraction "I'm a cyclist!" and especially lights that move. Overkill christmas-tree bikes, fully-reflective jackets, and other such paraphernalia just make me go "what the hell is that?" and delays my decision making. For this reason I prefer using normal lights, a high-vis reflective vest, and reflective ankle wraps (bought those immediately after I saw someone biking with them in the dark and realized how visible they were to me and easily identified as a cyclist). I'm also a fan of reflective tape and will put some on my rims as soon as I get to buying it.

Edit: this vest: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0030AA3YK

Jog-A-Lite now makes accessories that light up. I wear reflective ankle bands but only when I'm wearing long pants. Maybe I should always wear them. Anyway, you can now get light-up ankle bands.

I totally agree.

I do like this idea too and wish someone would make me one. :-)

Ikea sells nice reflective ankle wraps in 2-packs for cheap.

Wow!

Some great thoughts in this thread. I wear a construction vest and safety yellow high-viz long sleeve shirt under it. Since I ride upright (I have a hybrid), it works well for me. I agree with other posters to have more than one rear light, and at least one steady and one blinking.

And of course, at least one forward-facing white light. Mine is mounted on my handlebars. I want to get a second one for my helmet, to help with curves and corners.

And I feel that my Ortlieb backrollers, with their reflective patches, also really help with visibility.

But mostly the construction vest--it particularly helps commercial drivers instantly recognize me as a person. I feel that it helps encourage drivers to give me more room on the road, as well.

Cateye Orb bar end lights

Cateye Orb bar end lights review | Cyclist

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5b58de1ffa.jpg

5 lumens? Meh. Are they really any good?