Reflectors
BlakeysFC
Posts: 233
Are they needed?
Are they seriously uncool?
Wanted to take all mine off today but ultimately decided against it, just think they look shite.
I understand you need them when you ride at night but in the day they aren't needed are they?
Are they seriously uncool?
Wanted to take all mine off today but ultimately decided against it, just think they look shite.
I understand you need them when you ride at night but in the day they aren't needed are they?
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Comments
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Take them off. You should be visible with lights and high vis clothing...reflectors are for dorks.0
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I think the law says you need a rear reflector and pedal reflectors night and day. I don't know of anyone who had been stopped for riding without reflectors and you should be visible enough in the daytime without them.
At night nothing says 'warning bike' more than a pair of pedal reflectors going up and down. Most cycling shoes have reflective panels on the heels which work the same, ideal if you have clipless pedals which often don't come with reflectors.0 -
BlakeysFC wrote:Are they needed?
Are they seriously uncool?
Wanted to take all mine off today but ultimately decided against it, just think they look shite.
I understand you need them when you ride at night but in the day they aren't needed are they?
Don't know of anyone who's been pulled by the Police for not having the requisite reflectors, sometimes I think they're just happy if you've got good lights which round here seems to be the norm. If you're clipless it's impossible (I believe) to comply with the law unless you ride double sided spd (eg m520) and use those shimano snap in pedal reflectors which then effectively makes them single sided.
My road bike has nothing reflective on it, my winter/training/commuter has mudguards with a reflector, I then rely on lights and the odd bit of hi viz on my clothing/bag.0 -
I thought the law stated bikes had to be sold with them (the last couple I have bought they were separate in a little bag). I don't think it is a legal requirement that they are fitted.
If you commute or ride at dusk/night, they might be a good idea, just as reflective clothing is.
Your call though.Ecrasez l’infame0 -
No, a bike must be sold with a bell, but the bell doesn't have to stay on the bike.
You MUST have a red rear reflector if you're riding at night.The main law for bikes is currently BS6102, soon to be superseded by new CEN standards, but this is for retail use only ie bikes must meet those minimum standards at the point of sale. Bikes ridden at night need front and rear lights, flashing or steady.
At night a bicycle must also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85, see below).
According to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 (amended in 1994, 1996, 2001, 2005, again in 2005 and 2009), all bicycle pedals must be fitted with reflectors (two on each pedal), but only when being ridden on a public road between sunset and sunrise.
In reality, I can't see anyone getting in trouble for having decent rear lights in place of a reflector. Just make sure you've got a backup as a reflector works without batteries, a light doesn't
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my rear light has a reflector built into it
i would imagine most would0 -
I agree, I put some red relfective tape on my old road bike. Conveniently it was black and red so it was pretty much invisible in daylight.nwmlarge wrote:0 -
I bought one of these a while back, has a reflector built in and is awesome! Nice quality and lots of mounting options/hardware.
http://road.cc/content/review/55378-pdw ... 0-rear-led0 -
Looking at that one 'Mr. Scrimshaw' it looks as if it has a white light and a red reflector - that can't be right can it?.0
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plowmar wrote:Looking at that one 'Mr. Scrimshaw' it looks as if it has a white light and a red reflector - that can't be right can it?.
No, the picture shows it switched off, which is why it looks white [clear]. The LED creates red light (where charge carriers recombine across the direct energy gap at the PN junction for any techie people out there) so you don't need red filtration in the plastic cover, or in the encapsulation itself.
I think the reason most LED tail lights have red filtration is so that in case they fail, they will sort-of-work as a red reflector as light from a following vehicle's headlights bounces off the LED substrate(s), mounting hardware etc and comes back out as red light.0 -
have front and rear reflectors and a bell on my roadbike. seriously uncool but i dont really care ...0
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Required by law so unles you have them, you may find an insurance claim being 'reduced' due to contributory factors such as this.
Its not a given, but something that an insurer could use against you if they so desired.0 -
plowmar wrote:Looking at that one 'Mr. Scrimshaw' it looks as if it has a white light and a red reflector - that can't be right can it?.
As Kerguelen says it's very, very red when switched on.0
