Reflective Bike?

[MontyVeda]

Now the longer days are with us, night time visibility less of a concern... however with all these reflective thingies they put on clothing, panniers, clip on thingies for yer spokes, reflective strips on tyres and mudguards and so on...

why not just make the whole frame & forks reflective? Additionally, reflective cable outers, rims, bars and seatposts could also be manufactured.

aside from the obvious, a completely reflective bike would look the bees knees

is it just down to expense?

 

[Boris Bajic]

I already have a reflective bike. I was discussing some of life's bigger issues with it last week; I found its insight quite astounding.

Needless to say, it was my steel fixed-gear fixie I was talking to. My shiny, new muli-speed road bike is both inarticulate and shallow.

 

[Muddyfox]

The lettering on my Cannondale is reflective .. but as i have'nt got a piccy of it in the dark you'l have to take my word for it

 

[gaz]

Why would you need a reflective bike? Are you not using well above adequate lights?

 

[Night Train]

I noticed, in B&Q last night, that they have light reflective spray paint and luminous spray paint.

Won't make any difference if the person riding the bike is wearing a long black coat and hoodie and doesn't have lights. And how many of them were there last night?

 

[MontyVeda]

Why would you need a reflective bike? Are you not using well above adequate lights?

want, not need.

 

[gaz]

want, not need.

I think planet X do one which glows in the dark.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

i may have to get an old steel frame and spray it glow in the dark just for the hell of it!

what about using glitter paint? lol.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Geek Warning!!

In various conflicts of the 20th century, the silhouettes of warships were lit up with a row of powerful lamps.

In certain conditions this rendered them almost invisible on the skyline/horizon.

As a tubby older father, I now usually follow my 16yo son on his training rides at some distance () . Climbing towards a setting sun I notice that he sometimes becomes invisible even with lamps on and wearing a reflective gilet.

Do not rely on reflection and illumination to make yourself visible on the highway.

Paint your steed whatever colour you want, but don't go believing that it will make people see you.

Geekery Ends.

 

[lulubel]

Not exactly on topic, but there was a bloke in Penzance when I lived there who'd wrapped his whole frame in hazard tape. I don't know how visible it was in the dark, but you certainly couldn't miss it in daylight.

 

[MrJamie]

I was looking for a glow in the dark bike i saw a while ago to link, but did find this reflective one: http://www.beacongraphics.com/brightbike.html

People seem able to miss anything though, it reminds me of...

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
which im sure most people have seen before. I think it has a lot in common with how drivers can miss a cyclist no matter how well lit up/reflective you are, if theyre busy judging gaps/speeds of motor traffic and genuinely trying to concentrate.

 

[GBC]

Not reflective, but have a look at the future at http://www.revolights.com/. Cool or what?

 

[Kiwiavenger]

i was thinking of getting This then getting LED strips and a battery pack to it for night time riding!

 

[MontyVeda]

...

People seem able to miss anything though, it reminds me of...

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
which im sure most people have seen before. I think it has a lot in common with how drivers can miss a cyclist no matter how well lit up/reflective you are, if theyre busy judging gaps/speeds of motor traffic and genuinely trying to concentrate.

All that video demonstrates is how, when told to keep our eye on the ball, we miss other things.

Do not rely on reflection and illumination to make yourself visible on the highway
...

Okay... so If i shouldn't rely on lights and reflectors... what prey tell do you recommend?

The reflective kit from Beacon Graphics does look quite good though...

 

[Boris Bajic]

Okay... so If i shouldn't rely on lights and reflectors... what prey tell do you recommend?

Sorry, my wording was poor.

I ought to have written: "Don't rely solely on lights and reflectors".

You ought also to rely on providence and road position. Or something.