Reflective Taping

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I keep thinking about adding a few stripes to Senior Managements Boardman. as she intends (so she tells me) continuing to commute through the winter
Plus maybe a few to my CGR too

I was looking at this supplier, as they can provide a 'blue' for hers, & a 'hi-viz yellow' that should merge into the colour of the CGR
https://www.flashbacktape.co.uk/collections/reflective-tape
They appear to be very similar to the sheets that are custom cut for Ambulances, etc.... and we all know how visible those become when a light-source strikes them


Has anyone used them?
If so, can you comment of the flexibility of the tape? (for sticking to fork-blades, seat-stays, etc...)

If not them, can anyone recommend another supplier?
Maybe of a 'clear' reflective tape (if such a thing exists)
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Have you considered the spoke covers, I've not seen them for a while think Wilko was the last place

Edit:- https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12pcs-Cy...786766?hash=item1f013d644e:g:UQUAAOSwMSdddOlU
 

the_mikey

Legendary Member
Has anyone used them?
If so, can you comment of the flexibility of the tape? (for sticking to fork-blades, seat-stays, etc...)

I've been using a similar tape on my GCR, mostly yellow (about 1.5cm wide) and a little bit of Amber (on the crank arms) 1cm wide , seems to work , even when used in wind and rain, it's been two years since I added the tape and it's mostly still okay, I've had to replace a piece of tape that I had stuck to the seat stay but that's kind of expected.
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
You could also look at motorcycle rim tape, not the pre curved, but they do straight rolls of about 5 mtrs, 1cm thick. You can get all sorts of different colours that are highly reflective. Its dirt cheap around a few quid a roll on ebay.
Personally, the reflective band tyres are enough for me.
 

berty bassett

Legendary Member
Location
I'boro
i bought very similar tape from wish
worked very well but was a pig to remove when i sold bike
they also did a ribbon that was just like the material on high viz jackets that worked better but was non adhesive , i used a bit of insulation tape same colour as frame and wrapped it like bar tape with no issues at all
 

Drago

Legendary Member
When applying such tape a little heat from a hairdryer keeps it flexible, reduces the chances of it tearing or creasing.
 
Good morning,

I like to idea of the wheel rim with partial tape and I can so no reason not to add something that might stop you being hit.

I do have a but, a lot of reflective stickers are indeed very effective but only when light hits them at a certain angle, which is usually close vertical, once off this angle the reflectivity drops massively.

So stickered up seat stays and seat tube may look good if you point a light at a certain angle, but is that angle ever going to match a car's headlight? If so will it be so far away or so close as to make no difference?

Instead how about a large square that hangs from the saddle and if done right it would hang vertically but could also be allowed to flap a bit giving a flashing effect.

At night I ride with a high vis lime green top which has some ScotchLite vertical and horizontal bands, whenever I hear a car I make sure that I am riding on the hoods so that my back is close to vertical. As the top is made out of a mesh material it doesn't make me hot or flap around.

Bye

Ian
 
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silva

Über Member
Location
Belgium
Since I have big bags hiding the rear wheel and Schwalbe's Super-Moto-X tyres lack a reflective side, I put yellow reflective tape at the sides of the lower tube, held in place by a few ties. You can see them in my avatar pic.
Since the tube is round, when tied to it they follow the curve, so the angle they reflect light can even be 360 degrees if you put several to cover the tube entirely. Another benefit is that a cyclists legs intermittently cover the tape, so it reflects light like a strobe.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I have some bits on the rear uprights if my rack and on the tip of my rear mudguard. I've tested it from a distance with car headlights and it seems to work. Whether it was really worth doing ... who knows.

I wish I'd known some of the tips above when I applied it.
 
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When applying such tape a little heat from a hairdryer keeps it flexible, reduces the chances of it tearing or creasing.
Yes, I'd have warmed it up a bit, or left it (& bike) in a heated basement room overnight, before decalling


I do have a but, a lot of reflective stickers are indeed very effective but only when light hits them at a certain angle, which is usually close vertical, once off this angle the reflectivity drops massively.

So stickered up seat stays and seat tube may look good if you point a light at a certain angle, but is that angle ever going to match a car's headlight? If so will it be so far away or so close as to make no difference?
Instead how about a large square that hangs from the saddle and if done right it would hang vertically but could also be allowed to flap a bit giving a flashing effect
Hence why my plan was to 'wrap' the seat-stays, fork-blades (& maybe down-tube), so that multiple 'striking angles' are covered

As for the 'Large Square'
My mudflaps are from Raw
https://rawmudflap.uk/product/ref-black-stealth-mudflap/
They appear black normally, but if any light-source strikes them (vehicle lights/low Sun) they turn reflective silver
To all intents & purposes, they glow like the stripes on a good Hi-Viz jacket, & with the movement (due to riding) they almost 'flash'
There's also a red rectangular reflector bolted through the rear flap, as an extra

Unlit (when I got the bike, as the spoke protector is still in place)
487963


Camera flash used
Low hanging, so the first place a vehicles headlamps 'touch'
487964


With 'Added'
487971







You could also look at motorcycle rim tape, not the pre curved, but they do straight rolls of about 5 mtrs, 1cm thick. You can get all sorts of different colours that are highly reflective. Its dirt cheap around a few quid a roll on ebay.
Personally, the reflective band tyres are enough for me.
Wifes Boardman has reflective walled Schwalbe tyres (labelled as 'Citizen', seemingly a 'Marathon')
However, finding (Schwalbe) Durano tyres, as a 'reflective' sidewall is a bit hit/miss, as they seem to be few & far between in my width section ('28')

487965



I also added a Triangle to the rack, when I bought her it
(pre 'guard fitting)

487966



Recently, I also added a pair of side-reflectors (from my remnants of trailers & 'BWSOW' stock)
Plus a mudguard reflector too

487968 487969
 
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steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I am quite lucky because we use reflective taping at work and I am allowed to get scraps out of the bins. I am beginning to look like Tron man. ^_^
 

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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
There's plenty of options on Ebay. Even the iron on stuff made for clothing can be applied to solid surfaces and non-ironable stuff. It doesn't need much heat to soften the adhesive. You could chuck one of these gelpacks things (for sports injuries) in the microwave as the heat source to bond it to tubes...
koolpak-hot-and-cold-pack-front-shot.jpg
 
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