Good point LittleBiggy, Most of us have come up on a car with no taillights and even when right directly behind them the car reflectors are literally useless, especially if travelling at fast speeds.

Here's a good alternative. Self adhesive reflective bands , light and far more esthetically pleasing than clunky plastic spoke mounted reflectors. https://www.safetyonbike.com

SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) reflective tape is pretty hardcore. This tape is made to withstand very rigorous conditions (sea conditions). I wouldn't be too concerned about it degrading regularly. It's amazingly reflective (Google some pictures, or maybe some folks here who use it will post up pics). This stuff is designed to help spot people at sea... it's pretty darned visible, and probably some of the best reflective stuff you can get.

I'd still want some lighting that doesn't rely on reflectors... but I also wouldn't rely on just a blinky with no reflectors. The two complement each other.

EDIT: Whoa.... just noticed it's a necro thread. Brrrrrrrainsss.... (still... at least people are using the search function)

Rather that reprise the subject here, please refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroreflector

Ever notice the alternating red and white reflective strips on trucks? That stuff works great and stands up to weathering and sun very well. I've used that on trailers, motorcycles, and other stuff.

https://www.conspicuity.com/

Granted there are lots of reflectors alongside the road, but in general, motorists try not to hit them. So if you have reflectors on your bike, they'll probably try to avoid hitting you too. So, they do work, but IMO, nowhere near as well as bright flashing lights...which don't work anywhere near as well as not riding at night.

While Sheldon may be completely right, legally, you might want to reconsider ditching the reflectors, at least in Alabama.

Alabama's contributory negligence law and you

I put reflective tape on my fenders, it works very well, esp. on the rear. My tires have reflective strips, those work nicely as well. But I use two lights up front and two lights in the rear. They have reflective properties as well, of course. I hated the old red and amber reflectors, I thought they were practically useless. Maybe they have gotten better these days.

When my Mom got her new bike, she wasn't really interested in changing the appearance of her bike with reflective film, until she got caught out after dark. I cut strips of 3M Scotchlight (the white (applied to the frame)) and Avery's Retro Reflective films (the black (applied to the fenders)), and used Lightweights for wheels on her spokes.


After application of the films, the changes are barely noticeable.


Close in photo with flash after dark


Distant photo with flash after dark

Compare that to my bikes (where I was less concerned with altering the appearance of the bike).


Giant Rainier 2004 and GT Transeo 1.0 2008

For more info, check out this thread on BikePortland.

As I ride a lot at night this has been an interesting thread, I have been using a combination of all three, lights, reflectors and tape. So far so good. My wife says I look like a UFO ..

I'm using reflective tape with the grade "DOT C2" printed on it. I think it's the "C2" grade or better that you have to use.

This means reflectors work most of the time. But indeed I also use active lighting... frankly I am of the opinion that the more you look like the alien mothership, the greater the odds that you will be seen. I like reflectors on things that move... such as pedals and wheels (reflective tape works there just fine.)

Great idea... never though of using SOLAS tape... I viewed images and got a great idea for putting reflective tape on my boat which would make it much easier to see in an anchorage. I already use solar garden lights on the boat, but everything helps.

Yeah, the guy I bought my bike from put some of that on... it's stayed on through rain and snow, for ages.

+100. I encountered some kids riding in our subdivision recently at dusk. They had no lights, but from their pedal reflectors, I could tell immediately that I was approaching bicycles on the road.

How long have you had the lightweights on? I'm going on my 3rd or 4th year of using them, but doubt mine have seen the use yours have. No signs of wear on mine, and they still seem to attract attention when I'm crossing major streets in the dark.

Aren't the uncolored (white) reflectors even more reflective? Amber is certainly better than red, however.

I destroy wheels before I destroy the Lightweights (I weigh a lot, and I ride a lot). Even if one were to be worn off (or I loose one to a broken spoke), the package contains enough spares to replace several. Besides, having one per spoke, you already have a redundant built in redundancy.

I like adding reflective tape on the inside of my crank arms, good for side visibility.

I can't say looking like an alien mothership works, but as an alien scoutship, it seems to work for me.

Qapla!
K'Tesh
tlhIngan VutwI Quv
Commander of the UFO Bike

I've got tape (fork, fenders, top tube), and front and back lights (multiples of each in case of one going out), but no reflectors other than the one that's part of my radbot 1000. Just no room and switching to clipless pedals means I lost the last two reflectors I had on there.

Interesting Sheldon Brown article. But it doesn't quite say that reflectors are worthless, so much as that they aren't a substitute for lights. I agree w/ those who above who recommend some combo of tape, reflectors, and lights.

angel 4.jpg

In Britain a rear reflector is a legal requirement. Whether it should be subject of any particular safety standard I don't know, but I doubt it.

I like Lightweights a lot, lighter than reflectors, brighter, and last longer.

I use it on any bike that will get night riding, this is my commuter:

IMG_20141215_164400_224.jpg

(the rear wheel was new in this pic and didn't get it's Lightweights yet)

Edit - derp on the toad, didn't see how old this thread is... didn't think to even look. sorry.

I like those. I need spoke lights, thanks for the link.

That's what I've done. Each wheel has 8 strips of white reflective tape spaced between every 4 spokes. So not only will they see the wheel reflectors (which I'm too much of a Fred to remove) but they'll also see the diameter of my two wheels and should instantly realize that it's a bike.

*edit* Ulp, I too didn't realize I was replying to a very old thread. My first day back after being away from BF for a while. But this is still a very good idea.

Yes, I would never rely on reflectors alone, although on occasion while driving I have seen unlit bicycles with the standard reflectors shining in my headlights, and it was enough for me to know that it was a bicycle. So reflectors do work. Not as good as lights, but they do work and will at the very least warn drivers that there is a bicycle ahead. Better than not having reflectors while riding at night, but of course not as good as having lights.

On my cheap hybrid i use with my lil one and her trailer its SOLAS tape everwhere, 2 rear red strobing lights, truckers safey tape, spoke reflective things and bright headlight. On my other bike I have SOLAS tape, couple rim things light on bike both front and rear, white and red light on the helmet, a vest, iron on reflective on my old water pack. I get a wide berth.