[JaredP91]

As I have a young child, I tend to do a lot of my riding at night in low visibility conditions. While this is ok on well lit roads, I am conscious that on roads without adequate street lighting I may not be visible to drivers.

I have front and rear lights on my bike, as well as wearing clothing with reflective sections. However, I wondered if anyone can recommend any good performance fit clothing that is hi-viz/reflective whilst still maintaining a close fit for fast riding? For example, I came across the Proviz jackets/gilets which offer fantastic reflectiveness, but they look to be very loose fitness.

Or, indeed, if there is anything else I could do to increase my visibility during low light rides?

Topic

[Hirsute]

Set phasers to stun !

Set phasers to stun !

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Laser-5-Led-Flashing-Rear-Bike-Bicycle-Tail-Light-Lamp-Beam-Safety-Warnin-CI/233583254661?hash=item3662a59c85:g:z8EAAOSw4DJYmuIT

[Hirsute]

I remember reading a medic

I remember reading a medic write that you shoudl have at least 2 rear lights as due to the the stereoscpoic way the eye works, it is easier for someone to work out the distance at night.

I also have a exposure link plus head light which I use to ensure any motorists at a sideroad know I am there.

I think the ulitmate is

Don’t think it is so good for wheel balance though

Just rechecked my bike and no reflectors at all – it was sold with none.

This I will get a one to stick on the mudguard.

 

[fenix]

Obv lights are your first

Obv lights are your first point.  Always 2 at the rear as you can’t see immediately if one has broken – although this is less of an issue now with modern kit. 

And check the visibility and brightness. Park your bike and then walk 20 yards back to see what you look like.  I’ve seen people with glow worm lights, or lights hidden by a coat hanging over it, or a basket behind it. 

Now get some reflectives. Movement really works so its best on the wheels, feet, legs. Upper body not so much. 

I’ve seen a guy pedalling on a fast dual carriageway in the pitch black. No lights – but he did have pedal reflectors – bloody lunatic but I could see him 100s of meters off.  So reflective shoes, overshoes, leggings whatever.  I think it’s Lusso that do reflective longs with 360 coverage.

You can also buy Tyre flies – glue them onto your valve caps so you can take them off in the daylight.  They’re pretty good and cost pennies and really stand out. 

There’s also reflective tyre sidewalls – but if they’re reflecting back at the driver – you’re already in a very dodgy situation. 

 

I’m not keen on helmet mounted lights – they are too high for motorists to be able to recognise as a bike close up, plus we all move our heads too much.  Great if you’re off roading mind you. 

[nniff]

IMHO it’s harder to see a

IMHO it’s harder to see a cyclist in lit areas than it is in pitch black, unless that cyclist has no lights.  I have two Exposire Sirius on the front – flashing, but with a solid ‘backlight’ in town, and then one or both of them on fixed beam out of town – if I’m concerned about a car or a junction I’ll switch one to flashing to avoid the ‘car in the distance’ illusion.  Two flashing lights on the back (one of which is a camera too) and one on my helmet.  All bright and with different flashing patterns.  Reflective bands on right wrist and right ankle.

During the day, a day bright flashing light front and rear, especially on bright sunny days, because when you’re in the shade under some trees and the cars are in bright sunlight, you are invisible without a light.

[Cycloid]

You are correct, HARDLY

You are correct, HARDLY anyone has pedal reflectors nowadays, but if you want to comply with the letter of the law you can probably retro fit them to your pedals.

Ankle bands have the advantages that they are both Hi Viz  and retroreflective. They generally display a larger area than pedal reflectors, and can be seen through 360 degrees. But strictly speaking they are not a legal replacement for pedal reflectors.

[Cycloid]

You are correct in saying

You are correct in saying that you only need lights between sunset and sunrise. Motorised vehicles have different lighting up times to cycliclists, which is crazy! The times of Sunrise and sunset vary across the country on any given day. You don’t have display lights 10 minutes before sunset in thick fog!

You must also have a seperate red reflector between sunrise and sunset.

Like pedal reflectors you are very unlikely to get done by the police for not complying with this requirement. But it could count against you in an insurance claim

 

[brooksby]

mdavidford wrote:

A rear light and reflector can be combined in one, but a rear light doesn’t automatically count as a reflector if it doesn’t include a reflector that meets the standard.

One of my bikes has a Busch & Muller rear light, the other has a Spanninga: both lights are bolted onto the end of the rear carrier and both have an integrated reflector so they’re street legal for that and I don’t need a separate reflector.

[Woldsman]

Cycloid wrote:

The law says you MUST have a Front white Light, Red Rear Light, Red Rear Reflector and Amber Reflectors on the front and rear of each pedal. All of which must meet required standards…. No one has pedal reflectors nowadays, Hi viz reflective ankle bands are naff but work well, you get the bio-motion effect. They may help in an insurance claim, “if only the cyclist had the legally required pedal reflecors M’Lud, this accident would not have happened”

Given that the OP makes a point of mentioning that he wants to do all he can to avoid any blame being attributed to him in the event of an accident at night it seems unwise to dismiss legally required amber pedal reflectors in favour of spangly strips of tape, however effective they may seem to be.  

Erm, as for the claim that no one has pedal reflector nowadays…

[Oxoman1965]

Read the thread with interest

Read the thread with interest and as discussed elsewhere the answers are always pretty much the same. My own experience is that 2 lights front and back solid and flashing along with helmet mounted lights work. I also have reflective detail on most of my commute clothing all of which is close fit stuff. Most effective things on me and my bike according to colleague’s who pass me on my commute is the small LED flashing on the back of my helmet moving as I move and the spoke reflector straws or spokey,s as some call them on my wheels. I have 4 or 5 on each wheel and when turning they light up the whole wheel when caught in the light. Still get th  occasional poor pass, normally by impatient people who can’t wait to pass until it’s safe.

[mdavidford]

A rear light and reflector

A rear light and reflector can be combined in one, but a rear light doesn’t automatically count as a reflector if it doesn’t include a reflector that meets the standard.

[Awavey]

I thought the law technically

I thought the law technically said you only needed lights after sunset, and that a rear light counts as a red rear reflector

[Cycloid]

Pilot Pete has got it right.

Pilot Pete has got it right.

The law says you MUST have a Front white Light, Red Rear Light, Red Rear Reflector and Amber Reflectors on the front and rear of each pedal. All of which must meet required standards.

Several studies say that cyclists over estimate their visibility at night.

The Queensland University paper quoted in this thread is getting a bit out of date, it says that Fluorescent colours do not give a significant advantage at night. The paper does not say that there is anything better. However modern white LED lights can emit sufficient UV light to activate the fluorescence effect.

I agree with Pilot Pete, Two front and Two rear lights, one of each constant and one flashing. The lights should not be mounted side by side if possible, it has been suggested that they could make a cyclist look like a car a long way away.

(Retro)Reflectives (Retro means that they reflect light back at the headlights, not that they are old fashioned) can be good, but do not trust your life to them. Their efficacy depends on two factors, the Entrance angle and the Observation angle. They may not work if a vehicle is approaching you from a side road, slip road, on a roundabout, etc. If the vehicle coming up behind is a lotus where the driver’s bum is six inches off the road and his eyes are between the head lights they will work fine, If it is an HGV where the driver is sitting six feet above the headlights, they will work less well.

No one has pedal reflectors nowadays, Hi viz reflective ankle bands are naff but work well, you get the bio-motion effect. They may help in an insurance claim, “if only the cyclist had the legally required pedal reflecors M’Lud, this accident would not have happened”

Additional reflective tape, of the approprate colour stuck onto the Seat post, seat stays, forks and rims will only help.

John Franklin author of Cyclecraft (love him or hate him) warns against looking like a christmas tree and says that conspicuity (being noticed) is less important than perspicuity (being recognised as a cyclist). I’m not sure I agree.

I have found that additional bar end lights get me more passing room. Helmet lights can be useful for eyeballng drivers at junctions. Also a red helmet light gives me some confidence in heavy traffic. If there is a HGV coming up behind you, it’s last thing to drop below the driver’s hoizon.

REMEMBER cyclists over estimate their visibility at night.

Safe Cycling

 

 

 

 

[JaredP91]

Clearly you’ve never driven
Clearly you’ve never driven in Bradford!

Unfortunately, despite vehicles having headlights (and the majority of drivers remembering to turn them on when it gets dark), I have had experiences of close passes and don’t wish to give drivers the excuse of “I didn’t see you” should the worse happen.

[Woldsman]

JAREDP91 wrote:

JAREDP91 wrote:

… I am conscious that on roads without adequate street lighting I may not be visible to drivers … I have front and rear lights on my bike, as well as wearing clothing with reflective sections… I have had experiences of close passes and don’t wish to give drivers the excuse of “I didn’t see you” should the worse happen… is anything else I could do to increase my visibility during low light rides?

I can’t help with your clothing query, but just to hammer the point home here’s this already linked to earlier, from the Highway Code:

Section 60 wrote:

… Their bicycles must also be fitted with a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors…

Jazzy clothing and strips of tape are all well and good, but it is a legal requirement if riding your bike between dusk and dawn that your bike is fitted with above (technically, if it was manufactured in the last 35 years, but anyway…) as well as the kit you already have .  

On the only bike I use at night – as well as all the other stuff – I have a red rear reflector on my mudguard (er, pinched off my wife’s bike) and, although they’re not as sexy as bling cycling clothing, amber pedal reflectors. 

So that’s what you should do if you want to avoid claims of “I didn’t see you”.  

[brooksby]

So, like helmets, bike

So, like helmets, bike-mounted lights become another thing you use mainly to avoid “victim blame” in the case of your being knocked off…

[Author]

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