Reflector / rear light position

[wooster]

Hi all,

I'm knocking on a bit and I've just started learning to cycle again. I've been a bit surprised by how easily I fail to notice cars coming up on me and then not giving me an awful lot of room. I found the Garmin Varia Radar and I thought it would be a dandy idea to get one. I was going to get a back light anyway and I could do both with the RTL 515.

Now, here's the stupid question. If I do get the one with a light and stick it either on the back of my saddle bag or the seat post, I would need to remove the reflector which currently resides there. Where should I put the reflector? I don't have mudguards, so could I stick it on the right hand seat stay? Would this be legally all right and also practical?

 

[cougie uk]

Assuming you're in the UK ?

If you mount the reflector on the seat stay then it will be less visible from the other side of the bike. The wheel will block it slightly.

you can get some great adhesive reflective tape - if you're out cycling in the dark I'd be adding that to the bike.
on the crank arms, the backs of pedals, on the wheel rims if you have space.

just be careful that your reflector won't swivel into the spokes and put some electrical tape underneath when you mount it to stop the frame getting scratched.

I'd not worry about legal - just worry about being visible.

 

[Sharky]

A couple of suggestions.
Don't rely on a single rear light. Always have a minimum of two, so if one of them fails, you ve always got one.

Wear reflective slap bands on the ankles. One of the best ways of being seen from the rear and side.

Stay safe

 

[wooster]

Thank you, people. Yes I'm in th UK. I'm definitely going to be making myself as visible as possible and adding the tape and extra light are great ideas which I will definitely pursue. I do want to be sure I'm legal though as I'd hate to be involved in an accident and be liable because of some legal loophole over my lack of lights. Would the reflector on the seat stay get the legal bit out of the way and then I can add the other stuff?

PS I had never heard of slap bands until now. You live and learn

 

[Mo1959]

Thank you, people. Yes I'm in th UK. I'm definitely going to be making myself as visible as possible and adding the tape and extra light are great ideas which I will definitely pursue. I do want to be sure I'm legal though as I'd hate to be involved in an accident and be liable because of some legal loophole over my lack of lights. Would the reflector on the seat stay get the legal bit out of the way and then I can add the other stuff?

PS I had never heard of slap bands until now. You live and learn

I must be breaking the law I think as the first thing I do when I get a bike is remove the reflectors. 😺 I do use lights in poor light though.

 

[PeteXXX]

Something like an Altura Nightvision jacket is another good way to make yourself visible from all angles.

 

[Sharky]

PS I had never heard of slap bands until now. You live and learn

They are very effective. If you ever drive from behind, up to a cyclist, they become visible 100's of metres away and look like flashing lights, with the pedals going up and down.

Can also wear them on the wrists, to make hand signals more visible.

 

[MichaelW2]

Put some red reflective tape on both seat stays.

 

[bikingdad90]

Thank you, people. Yes I'm in th UK. I'm definitely going to be making myself as visible as possible and adding the tape and extra light are great ideas which I will definitely pursue. I do want to be sure I'm legal though as I'd hate to be involved in an accident and be liable because of some legal loophole over my lack of lights. Would the reflector on the seat stay get the legal bit out of the way and then I can add the other stuff?

PS I had never heard of slap bands until now. You live and learn

For the sake of £30-£40 consider joining CTC, British Cycling or London cycling and you can benefit from 3rd party indemnity insurance to cover you in the event of an accident. It works both ways; you can use it to take legal action against drivers and if you hit a car etc, you can use it mitigate the liability cost.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Pedal reflectors are the best, and many pedals no longer have them. Checking those would be my priority.

 

[figbat]

I must be breaking the law I think as the first thing I do when I get a bike is remove the reflectors. 😺 I do use lights in poor light though.

Only if you ride at night. Lights and reflectors are not legally needed in day time.

In terms of a reflector, should you need one…

• One rear reflector is required, coloured red, marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned centrally or offside (on the right-hand side of the bike), between 250mm and 900mm from the ground, at or near the rear, aligned towards and visible from behind.

So if it is the law you are worried about then retroreflective tape won’t do it. Putting a bona fide reflector on the offside seat stay would though (this is where old dynamo lights used to routinely go BITD).

If riding at night and wanting to be lawful then you also need pedal reflectors (both sides of both pedals) and a front white light. Front reflectors and wheel reflectors are not required but may be beneficial.

 

[wooster]

Only if you ride at night. Lights and reflectors are not legally needed in day time.

In terms of a reflector, should you need one…

• One rear reflector is required, coloured red, marked BS6102/2 (or equivalent), positioned centrally or offside (on the right-hand side of the bike), between 250mm and 900mm from the ground, at or near the rear, aligned towards and visible from behind.

So if it is the law you are worried about then retroreflective tape won’t do it. Putting a bona fide reflector on the offside seat stay would though (this is where old dynamo lights used to routinely go BITD).

If riding at night and wanting to be lawful then you also need pedal reflectors (both sides of both pedals) and a front white light. Front reflectors and wheel reflectors are not required but may be beneficial.

Yes, I remember having a dynamo light on my bike as a kid. I wasn't sure if the law had changed or was different for reflectors. So a reflector is good there. That's that sorted then. Thank you.

 

[wooster]

For the sake of £30-£40 consider joining CTC, British Cycling or London cycling and you can benefit from 3rd party indemnity insurance to cover you in the event of an accident. It works both ways; you can use it to take legal action against drivers and if you hit a car etc, you can use it mitigate the liability cost.

Good call. I hadn't heard of them

 

[Sharky]

Good call. I hadn't heard of them

Cycling UK or as they were called CTC, good for the insurance, and you also get a free monthly magazine with some good articles in it. That alone must be worth £3per month.

 

[Sharky]

Although completely illegal, when commuting a few years age, I had a red led flashing light on the off side seat stay and a Blue led flashing light on the near side seat stay. This in addition to a light on the seat post.

This was very effective and more than one motorist stopped after passing me and asked me where I got them from!