Wheel reflectors

Mattbot2

Anyone know how to get them annoying reflectors that are on all new bikes off. The ones mounted to the spokes? Without breaking them.

Cheers,

Matt

cee

of course.......to comply with road safety requirements, wheels should have reflectors attached.

But usually they have a little plastic screw which can be undone.....or break them off gently...

If you want to put them back on at a later date, buy more.

The Northern Monkey

Anyone ever been stopped for not having reflectors?

Some of them need twisting off, but this can bend the spokes... just snap the little tab that holds it on around the spoke using pliers or something and it then falls off.

cee

bigbenj_08 wrote:

Anyone ever been stopped for not having reflectors?

nup

mtbikerboy

why do you want to remove them? to loose weight....?

P-Jay

I just break them off, but I don't ride on the road. My old DH bike came with reflectors on it, ha ha AND a bell.

Also if anyone has the pony ones that come on OE pedals take them off too, the Trails at Afan, Brecfa, Coed, Cwm Carm all seem to be littered with broken pedal reflectors.

P-Jay

mtbikerboy wrote:

why do you want to remove them? to loose weight....?

I take them off because they look pants and they're easily destroyed in normal off road use and litter the trails.

jweston

mtbikerboy wrote:

why do you want to remove them? to loose weight....?

Why pay for smooth running well balanced wheels and then put a weight imbalance in them?

The Northern Monkey

P-Jay wrote:

I just break them off, but I don't ride on the road. My old DH bike came with reflectors on it, ha ha AND a bell.

Also if anyone has the pony ones that come on OE pedals take them off too, the Trails at Afan, Brecfa, Coed, Cwm Carm all seem to be littered with broken pedal reflectors.

my bro's Kona Stinky had reflectors and a bell... maybe is for when he's going DH and theres someone in the way... ding ding.. get out of the fecking waaaayyyyy...

Northwind

jweston wrote:

Why pay for smooth running well balanced wheels and then put a weight imbalance in them?

Just fit another one on the other side to balance (I have 8 on my commuter now, I've gathered them up off various garage floors and random old bikes)

mtbikerboy

i usually wait for mine to break before i take them off. reflectors are still on. I took off the broken bell yesterday. The only thing i took off immediately i got the bike were those foot straps that were on the pedals.

Mattbot2

1. They look horrid
2. Will break in no time anyway.

Will be getting some reflective tape though methinks.

singlespeedexplosif

get a f*cking big hammer - the kind you put headsets in with - and tw@ them until they shatter into a million pieces. It's so much more rewarding and satisfying than gently unscrewing them...

Mattbot2

I don't want to break them lol.

Stephen-Hawking

Jeez guys, just had to run to the garage to make sure I hadn't left mine on - musnt've had them when I got it. TFFT, credibility in the toilet or what!!

Mattbot2

Was that sarcasm?

Stephen-Hawking

No for real!!

I remember it came with a bell in the box, so I thought bloody hell reflectors!! they're probably compulsory on new bikes - surely I wouldn't have missed that. Well you just wouldn't want them would you. would you?

Just can't understand why you're bothered about breaking them??

Mattbot2

Stephen-Hawking wrote:

No for real!!

I remember it came with a bell in the box, so I thought bloody hell reflectors!! they're probably compulsory on new bikes - surely I wouldn't have missed that. Well you just wouldn't want them would you. would you?

Just can't understand why you're bothered about breaking them??

Might come in handy one day.

Wheelieguy

They unscrew off with a decent flatblade screwdriver, mine, my pedal reflectors, sea and fork mounted ones and the bell that came on mine all vacated from the bike about five minutes after i bought it lol

Mattbot2

Did it. Required needle nose pliers.

"Some types of reflectors actually have two teeth that catch the inside of the reflector and hold it to the spoke. Yours may be like this. Look at it closely on both sides around the middle of the circular piece of the reflector and you should be able to see them if you have this style. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to squeeze them together so you can then push it out from the backside. A couple of pictures of the middle of the reflector rather than just the side would help the rest of us see which style it is as well. Hope that helps. If not, take some closeups and post them here so we can figure it out for you."

Got it from googling.

batch78

Might come in handy one day.

Probably, but it won't matter if you've taken them off! :roll:

Mattbot2

batch78 wrote:

Might come in handy one day.

Probably, but it won't matter if you've taken them off! :roll:

No, I meant. I rarely go out at night. So I can just stick em back on when I do. Or just get some of that reflective tape. These wheel reflectors are awful, you can only see them in a car when the bike is at a 90 degree angle to the car. By which time the car has hit the guy. Or the guy has crossed safely.

batch78

I agree completly, don't have any on my bike, but are you really seriously contemplating putting them on and taking them off again each time?

What about if you go out and it gets dark before you return?

Reflective tyres are available! Or tape, but wont last long if you use your bike heavily off road, I think your spending far too much time pondering this situation now.

Damn that means I am too! :oops:

I think we all just need to go for a ride and forget about it now.

Mattbot2

batch78 wrote:

I agree completly, don't have any on my bike, but are you really seriously contemplating putting them on and taking them off again each time?

What about if you go out and it gets dark before you return?

Reflective tyres are available! Or tape, but wont last long if you use your bike heavily off road, I think your spending far too much time pondering this situation now.

Damn that means I am too! :oops:

I think we all just need to go for a ride and forget about it now.

Probably just going to get some tape, stick some on either side of my forks. Also going to be getting a light set.

Rich9

mine didnt come with any at all. not even on the crappy pedals. Hate the damn things

Stephen-Hawking

I checked, mine were in the bag-o-bits that came with the bike, LBS is probably obliged to make sure you get them to cover their own arses.

jadamson

took mine off today =] i needed a pair of pliers and a big ass flat blade screw driver! but got them of quickly. they looks stupid. and do you realy think you have the time before every night ride to put them back on?!? with all the other checking you have to do.