Summer Hi-viz attire

blu3cat
blu3cat Posts: 1,016
edited July 2009 in Commuting chat
Dear fellow commuters,

can someone please answer me a question (please no trolling).

I often see lots of Hi-Viz on my commute, and went past at least half a dozen people on my gentle meander in this morning in full waterproof Hi-viz jackets. The sort of waterproof jacket that I would wear from October - February.

They all seemed to be sweating absolute buckets and red faced.

Why not use a gillet like builders for summer if you want extra visibility.
"Bed is for sleepy people.
Let's get a kebab and go to a disco."

FCN = 3 - 5
Colnago World Cup 2
«13

Comments

  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    I know, crazy, isn't it?

    Mind you I can't even understand the arm and leg warmers that some of you are still donning at the moment - I get so warm from inside I'd ride naked if I could without causing accidents.

    EDIT: Maybe I'd keep a pair of hi-viz knickers on...
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    I don't see why not, but if it's light I would think any brightly coloured top will do. imo it's too hot even for a gillet.

    I can gurantee that all those participating in the SCR jersey comp will certainly be seen :shock: although I'm sure a fair few of those jerseys could be classed as a road hazard :wink:
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    blu3cat wrote:
    Dear fellow commuters,

    can someone please answer me a question (please no trolling).

    I often see lots of Hi-Viz on my commute, and went past at least half a dozen people on my gentle meander in this morning in full waterproof Hi-viz jackets. The sort of waterproof jacket that I would wear from October - February.

    They all seemed to be sweating absolute buckets and red faced.

    Why not use a gillet like builders for summer if you want extra visibility.

    I passed a bloke today, he was all in black, trousers and a mahoosive jacket, all zipped up, a beanie and long gingered gloves. He was moving at a reasonable pace as well. Must've been half dead.

    One of our directors commutes in a builders hi viz gilet - worn over a cyling jersey, he still gets stupidly hot.
  • LDN-Flyer
    LDN-Flyer Posts: 97
    edited June 2009
    I use skin.

    incredible-hulk-FL-03.jpg
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Rich158 wrote:
    I can gurantee that all those participating in the SCR jersey comp will certainly be seen :shock: although I'm sure a fair few of those jerseys could be classed as a road hazard :wink:


    More like Roadkill.
  • peachos
    peachos Posts: 47
    why would you need hi-viz during daylight hours?
    Norco Six-One

    Manchester Mountain Bikers (search on www.meetup.com)
  • I actually think that in bright sunlight Hi-viz jackets seem to be less noticeable than a dark t-shirt. There, I've said it, and I'm not even trolling! They only become bright again when I have polarized sunglasses on.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    blu3cat wrote:
    Dear fellow commuters,

    can someone please answer me a question (please no trolling).

    I often see lots of Hi-Viz on my commute, and went past at least half a dozen people on my gentle meander in this morning in full waterproof Hi-viz jackets. The sort of waterproof jacket that I would wear from October - February.

    They all seemed to be sweating absolute buckets and red faced.

    Why not use a gillet like builders for summer if you want extra visibility.

    I passed a bloke today, he was all in black, trousers and a mahoosive jacket, all zipped up, a beanie and long gingered gloves. He was moving at a reasonable pace as well. Must've been half dead.

    One of our directors commutes in a builders hi viz gilet - worn over a cyling jersey, he still gets stupidly hot.
    I'm intrigued. *looks at keyboard* Ah, I see.

    I just wear white jersies. Way too hot for gilets, tabards and rain jackets.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    I've been wearing my gillet while in Town and remove it as soon as I get onto the cycleway as I am sweating buckets by that point.

    I figure a big black blob is easy to see and I can at least keep cool while encumbered by my natural cladding
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    I actually think that in bright sunlight Hi-viz jackets seem to be less noticeable than a dark t-shirt. There, I've said it, and I'm not even trolling! They only become bright again when I have polarized sunglasses on.
    I think this has been comprehensively disproved in a large number of perception tests.

    That's not to say that highvis is necessary on bright days.

    But today we had a haar so I wore some.
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    JonGinge wrote:
    blu3cat wrote:
    Dear fellow commuters,

    can someone please answer me a question (please no trolling).

    I often see lots of Hi-Viz on my commute, and went past at least half a dozen people on my gentle meander in this morning in full waterproof Hi-viz jackets. The sort of waterproof jacket that I would wear from October - February.

    They all seemed to be sweating absolute buckets and red faced.

    Why not use a gillet like builders for summer if you want extra visibility.

    I passed a bloke today, he was all in black, trousers and a mahoosive jacket, all zipped up, a beanie and long gingered gloves. He was moving at a reasonable pace as well. Must've been half dead.

    One of our directors commutes in a builders hi viz gilet - worn over a cyling jersey, he still gets stupidly hot.
    I'm intrigued. *looks at keyboard* Ah, I see.

    I just wear white jersies. Way too hot for gilets, tabards and rain jackets.

    I'd just assumed they were your cast off's :wink:
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    blu3cat wrote:
    Why not use a gillet like builders for summer if you want extra visibility.

    Do you mean a builder's hi-viz, £5.99 from any good builder's merchant, hardware store, etc.??

    Tell me about it. But then they'd need to buy a new, lightweight waterproof for summer showers.

    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • rbrwr
    rbrwr Posts: 4
    I've been riding in a high-vis gilet over a (darkish grey/blue) short-sleeved jersey and I'm finding it a pretty sweaty combination in current conditions.

    Yesterday afternoon I thought, "oh, it's really bright, I won't bother with the high-vis". Came up the driveway from my workplace and saw a cyclist zip by in long-sleeved hi-vis and you couldn't miss him. Turned onto the road and another one - in black t-shirt and jeans - came out of nowhere under the shadow of a tree and took me completely by surprise.

    I contemplated the fact that I was about to join a 40mph section of the A38, pulled up at the traffic lights, and got my hi-vis out. Maybe I need a brightly-coloured jersey.

    Oh, and hello. This is my first forum post after taking up cycling for the first time in over twenty years about two months ago.
  • bunter
    bunter Posts: 327
    I wear hi viz jerseys now - I feel a bit of a d**k in them but I DEFINITELY get noticed more and earlier than before. I feel a lot safer & it makes a difference day & night.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,440
    I have a high viz jersey, I seem to get buzzed far more often in that than when I wear my blue or red one. It might be in my head though.

    It doesn't seem to matter what I wear muppets pull out on me anyway :roll:
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    edited June 2009
    I wear a ronhill high-vis (I guess) running top. EDIT: £15 from Magic Mountain in Glossop

    The trouble is it is also my best top as far as temperature control, so I wear it on the hills.

    I do get noticed in it.

    But I also look a twassock:

    3657339970_76153aae61.jpg
  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    Maybe fluorescent yellow is the new black? :shock:

    ...now then, where'd I put my flares? 8)
    Cycling weakly
  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    edited June 2009
    rbrwr wrote:
    I contemplated the fact that I was about to join a 40mph section of the A38, pulled up at the traffic lights, and got my hi-vis out. Maybe I need a brightly-coloured jersey.

    Oh, and hello. This is my first forum post after taking up cycling for the first time in over twenty years about two months ago.

    Welcome! Myself and GTV ride the A38 too - come down the pub on Tuesday and join us: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12615920

    Also, hi-vis jerseys are a good price here: http://www.cycle-clothing.co.uk/ (the 'Neoni' ones that look very green in the pic are actually hiviz yellow)
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • Ridg
    Ridg Posts: 98
    I considered a reflective vest, as i already own one (from going to France) but the bag is use has a reflective strip down the back, and would cover the vest. when i hit traffic I use my front light (dinotte 200L) on flash as even in bright sunlight it's vivid (think Audi DRL) enough to be seen.
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    jimmypippa wrote:
    I wear a ronhill high-vis (I guess) running top. EDIT: £15 from Magic Mountain in Glossop

    The trouble is it is also my best top as far as temperature control, so I wear it on the hills.

    I do get noticed in it.

    But I also look a twassock:

    3657339970_76153aae61.jpg
    Where was that picture taken?
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    edited June 2009
    The Cuillin

    (Coir a' Ghrunnda looking towards Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn with Bealeach a Coir an Lochain to the left of the peak)

    Taken this half term, stayed in Glenbrittle SYHA
  • Hey Jax
    Hey Jax Posts: 107
    the problem with hi viz gilets is that you can't see much of them if you wear a rucksack. so i just wear just any t shirt/jersey and a Hi-viz hump to cover my rucksack. stops you getting too hot too.
  • R_T_A
    R_T_A Posts: 488
    Hey Jax wrote:
    the problem with hi viz gilets is that you can't see much of them if you wear a rucksack. so i just wear just any t shirt/jersey and a Hi-viz hump to cover my rucksack. stops you getting too hot too.

    Ditto - works for me :)
    Giant Escape R1
    FCN 8
    "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
    - Terry Pratchett.
  • jimmypippa
    jimmypippa Posts: 1,712
    edited June 2009
    Panniers

    Your back gets less sweaty too
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    I have reflective trails on the courier bag - work pretty well I reckon:

    3656753706_2db7760047_o.jpg
  • _Brun_
    _Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    No, they're practically useless. Can't see owt for the shirt.
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Pink = the new Hi Viz

    :D
  • always_tyred
    always_tyred Posts: 4,965
    jimmypippa wrote:
    The Cuillin

    (Coir a' Ghrunnda looking towards Sgurr Dubh na Da Bheinn with Bealeach a Coir an Lochain to the left of the peak)

    Taken this half term, stayed in Glenbrittle SYHA
    Thought I recognised it. I was there last Summer. As a bit of a noob hiker I found the climb up to the ridge from there somewhat entertaining. I'm told there are easier ways up, but the hard way, unguided, was fun. Once was enough though. The Inaccessible Pinnacle can sod off - happy to look up at it.

    This year - Applecross. Bike. Yes please.
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    Pink = the new Hi Viz

    :D
    +1 :lol:

    I do not understand the winter hi-viz jacket brigade at all.

    I usually wear my running tops on the commute (I prefer not to look too much like a cyclist) - one of them happens to be high-viz, but others aren't.

    I find in the mornings I'll wear an LS top over a SS top, then just the SS or just the LS on the way home depending. Works great for me.

    But, I think this weekend I'll have to go in search of some pink gear...
  • Hey Jax
    Hey Jax Posts: 107
    Roastie wrote:
    Pink = the new Hi Viz

    :D
    +1 :lol:

    I do not understand the winter hi-viz jacket brigade at all.


    But, I think this weekend I'll have to go in search of some pink gear...



    just look in the ladies section... its full of pink!! why do they think thats all we girlies like??
    pink is so last year! :?