Flags: where to get them and how to install?
 

I recently bought the BikeE AT semi-recumbent and have decided I need a flag to increase my visibility. I've looked in a few LBS's and haven't seen any nor can I find an appropriate place to install one on the bike. Any ideas?

A giant Pirate Flag! a 2x3.5 ft flag would sure increase the chances that cars'd see you.

I have got them before at the local "discount" store. You can make your own mount or use the one that comes with the flag which mounts on the axle. peace

Flag
 

The pictures and one of the links here: http://www.recumbenttrikestore.com/trikestore5.html will give you ideas how to make your own if you are so inclined.

Chip

That's a great idea. But with my luck, the big flag would blow across my face just as I am making a tricky maneuver! Arg, Billy. You ever seen Davey Jones locker?

You could do like did and buy one of those ugly orange triangle style bike flags - they come with mounting hardware and put your own flag over the top of it. I bought one of those American flags made for attaching to your car window and removed it from its' mount. Then I rolled up the ugly orange flag and slid the Stars and Stripes over it and sewed it in place. Voila, a patriotic bike flag. I have yet to see one anywhere like it and get a kick out of people who salute when I ride by.

Andy

Great job unbent!

You can often get these flags at walmart or other such stores....

Here is where I got mine. http://wheelerwhip.com/

Easiest way to attatch a flag easily is to buy a foot of rubber gas line tubing from any hardware store and zip tie it to the frame of the bike. When you sant to 'fly" the flag, just put it indown the tubing. I have a fairly good sized stars and stripes and I have seen people slow down or stop and salute, too. Also I really think it keeps the young hairy chested redneck type of guy off.

check other bicycle shops (let your fingers do the walking)... if you still have problems, i'll contack my lbs (where i got my bikeE CT) and send you link to their supplier.
my flags are safety orange with white 4.5 ft fiberglass poles. mounting device goes from fender or kick-stand mount (above rear axil) and pole is supported on the upper sweet-seat tube.
try getting fairing and fenders next, a real attention grabber here in s nj!

[QUOTE=unbent] " slid the Stars and Stripes over it and sewed it in place. Voila, a patriotic bike flag. I have yet to see one anywhere like it and get a kick out of people who salute when I ride by."

cool idea!
gotta try that, my own version of course! i've been thinking of attaching lighting -blinky/colored led tape to the bike and pole for night riding light show...!

I have four different flags for my trike. They all have the same kind of base as a starting point. I have a standard orange triangle for my road riding. I have a Catrike flag that is a wind sail style. And I have Wisconsin and US Flags. The last two are mounted to the pole with glue. To mount to the trike, I installed two rubber washers. One of them flat the other a cone shape. I just slip the flag onto that. A bit further up I use a short double sided velcro strip(Menards have them) to secure the flag. It's an easy and cheap connect/disconnect.

You could try taping a tirefly to the top of your flag pole. The only problem I had with this was it would only light up if I went over a bump. If you could figure out a way to make it stay on you would be all set.

I also thought it would be cool to get a rigid small diameter clear plastic tube and run fiber optic cable up it with some sort of light source at the bottom. Then attach a flag to the top. That way you have a shaft of light waving behind you to get peoples attention at night.

Andy

Here's a pic of my bike from 2003. I have a custom Q/R nut, which has a 1/4" hole drilled in it and a set screw. The fiberglass pole slides right in, tighten the set screw, voila!

Oooh, The fiberoptic idea sounds pretty rad. I wonder how much that'd cost?

I would zip-tie the pole to the seat back's frame. Small zip-ties would go through the meshing holes without damaging anything, and you wouldn't feel them behind your shoulder. As for the flag, if you want to fly country flags, a great place to find good quality flags of all countries in all sizes, often with a halyard mounting cord sewn in, is a marine shop. When I tour abroad, I always fly my country's flag. If I know it rubs on the locals for whatever reason, I replace it with a dayglo triangle, so as to not get nasty remarks or punches in the face.

Here is a pic of my bike with coroplast fairing and stars and stripes in the back (hopefully)
Attachment 14118

If you like windsocks, I have gotten one at www.catchthewind.com. They are made for car antennas and very noticeable.

I managed to find a standard orange triangle one and mounted it with....what else...hockey tape (I am Canadian, after all). I wouldn't mind flying my nations flag. It rarely illicits punches in the face or rubs locals the wrong way.

Of course, just today, some jerk putting his bike in the bike rack at work snapped my flag pole in half, but I fixed it with...what else...hockey tape!

What size are you using the 5" or 7"? Did you add the tail?

I use this one: http://www.catchthewind.com/windsock...spinsocks.html

As a Hoosier, I gotta ask: What's hockey tape?

i spent yesterday afternoon searching for the site i had about 1 year ago. they (flex lites) were multi-color pulsing and listed for +/- $40.00 to $60.00 for a 6ft piece "batteries not included".
today, i went to eBAy and found through search "led flex lite" about 50 hits from $14.00 to $400.00, the $14.00 from Austrailia with solar battery may be a way to go!
be seen!

Hockey tape is the adhesive tape use to wrap the blades of hockey sticks.