Spoke Reflectors
 

Something I just noticed. Back in the 70s bikes were sold with reflectors in the spokes. Probably to help with being seen from the side. New bikes don't have them. When did they stop putting the reflectors in? And Why?

When? After the performance video on YouTube was made.
Why? The performance.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RobinMoo.../1/Vn29DvMITu4

My wife's Day six comfort bike came with spoke reflectors. I don't remember if my Kona came with them or not---it has them now the long ones, from a vintage Ross Professional Gran Tour.

funny vid that.

Up here, all new bikes must be sold with spoke reflectors and pie plates. Some people consider them dorky and remove them. Others sport them ironically. A third demographic is blissfully unaware of this oft-debated topic that threatens to tear the cycling world apart.

I think that nearly all bikes come with reflectors, it's just that most bike shops don't put them on.

My mistake. I remember the big amber and red ones from the 70s. Looked closer and the ones on my new bike are little white ones. easy to miss if you're not paying attention.

Don't remember the last time I saw one on an expensive bike, but I see them every day on the cheap, big-box crap. One on each wheel, seatpost, handlebar, and one or two on each pedal. (A couple of idiots have actually returned their bikes for refund because the reflectors broke! LOLOL!)

Just go to your LBS and ask for some. They probably have scads of them that they never put onto bikes. If they even charge you, it will most certainly be a minuscule amount. They will probably be white, though.

So...
http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Bicycl.../dp/B000WYAD2E

http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Bicycl...ef=pd_sim_sg_3

Post some pics once you get them installed. ;)

I have them on my hybrid bike. They didn't come on my road bike.

and lots of idiots take them off for no reason at all. Retroreflective gear isn't the be-all end-all in safety equipment, but it sure helps. I always add reflectors and reflective tape to every bike that passes through my hands, so the bike does the work and I don't have to wear a dorky hi-vis kit jacket. reflectors on pedals and cranks are in motion when you are pedaling and work as well as a rear blinkie for visibility to following motorists at night, without batteries; test it sometime on the road with car headlights and you will see.

:thumb:

+1

I would not go out riding at night w/o rear blinkies, no matter how many reflective devices I was sporting. It's not legal, and not smart. I don't know if you actually meant to advocate reflectors in place of lights, but I would argue that lights are always needed. The lights can be seen from much further away, and do not depend on a secondary light source (like someone else's headlights, which could be pointed a different way, dim, unlit...).

It is legal where I live, to ride with only a rear reflector at night. I'm not saying it's smart, just that it isn't universally illegal.

On a recent trip to Seattle, I had opportunity to observe many bike commuters who where running blinkies. On a city street with street lights and other light sources (other cars, shops, what have you), those blinkies did not show up well at all. I'm actually rethinking how I light-up my rear-end :). My faith in my little, itty-bitty blinky has been greatly reduced.

In the USA, all new bicycles sold have a list of features they're required to have by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (a federal agency, with jurisdiction over all 50 states). Spoke reflectors are among them.

Some shops don't put them on because riders don't like them.
If your bike didn't come with any and you want some, call the shop and ask for some. They probably have extras laying around that they will give you for free (assuming you bought a new bike there).

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You can now get tires with reflective sidewalls, but these are not quite as good for safety as the spoke reflectors. The reason is that if you are moving on your bicycle, the spoke reflectors allow cars approaching from the side to see which direction you are moving in (either toward the point where you and the car will cross paths, or away from it). The reflective tire sidewalls don't show that.
~

Here, at least, you must have a front and rear light. The legal minimum, which you might see on many bikes, from Walmart, is poop. A lot of folks will run it with weak batteries, too. You can get two , or more, good blinkies at the bike shop for a reasonable price. If you have them, you'll be much more visible than without, obviously.

They make spoke tensioning and wheel-trueing a pain; most folks I know remove them. It's interesting to go out on mountain bike trails...You'll see collections of the things lying near nasty obstacles.

Oregon law only requires use of a red rear reflector.

If you're not in the beam of the secondary light source, there is little chance that they will hit you; you only need to worry about objects whose path will intersect with yours.

I hate blinkies, they are highly annoying; when I do use a tail light, I use a steady beam in consideration of my fellow cyclists.