In our country, you must have two orange reflective prisms on the front wheel, a white reflecting prism on the front of the bike and a red on the back of the bike. Also if you ride outside of your town/village etc, you have to wear a reflective vest. Of course at night you must have lights on the bike as well. Car drivers see you from very far distance at night.
I used to install plastic reflectors on front, back, wheels, and fenders for night riding. A few years ago, I started using reflective stickers sold for transport trailers. They're perfect because the glue is rated for permanent outdoor exposure and they're very reflective. I put pieces around the forks, rear seat stays, on the rims, seat tube, and on the handlebar. The best part is they never break unlike the plastic reflectors.
I’ve put black reflective stickers on my wheel rims. You can’t see them during the day, so the bike still looks on point. But during the night look super reflective.
I got these reflective stickers at my local dollar store. Honestly, can't believe how good they are. 1.25$ for 2 sheets! Put some on my bike, my shoes, my pedals and my helmet. It's like a flashlight! I use those and a light even during the daytime. I also use mirrors. A local pro cyclist near me was hit by a car from the rear and died a few years ago. The drivers here in Canada aren't always the best at spotting cyclists.
reflectors on moving parts is so important, pedals and wheels. And it is best to have a broken-pattern on the wheels ano not just one solid line. Because you cannot tell the speed or direction with a solid wheel reflector.
Mandé a cortar un vinil reflejante con un diseño simple para rueda 29", lo coloque a mi gusto hace unos tres días, ahora esperaré el resultado de durabilidad sobre mi rueda. Definitivamente se ve bastante bien en la noche, el precio por todo $350 y me quedé el resto para usar mandar a hacer otros diseños. Saludos desde Mexico y buen video.
avid biker and also Trucker . trust me , be as Visible as possible on the roads people . I wear me trucking Hi-Viz vest on bike too . I recommend one Blinking rear red and one constant rear red lights . the more the better . YOu Can Not overkill 💡🏮💡🚥🚦🏮🚨🌩⚡ its your literal Life
Amen my friend. It’s just that the police forbid us cyclists in the Netherlands and Germany and some other countries also, to be that good and safely visible. All studies point out a blinking or flashing light or something similar draws attention much better than a steady light. I dom’t care what the police think about this. I’d rather live and pay the fine than die because I listened to the police……..
Again a very enjoyable video! Reflective stickers of any brand are a good addition, especially for a road bike with completely black tires. Some companies even make stickers suited for certain bikes. You can get really nice ones for the Bullitt cargo bike for example.
You can buy sheets of those for low cost off eBay .....made a bunch of videos about lights and safety years ago....still see riders with no rear lights in day light though....🤨
Well done. I bought some reflective vinyl that looks black in daylight and reflects a yellow in darkness. I plan to cut some chevrons on my vinyl cutter and apply them to all my bikes.
I have a similar approach in applying stickers on the rims and frame. But I chose matching colors: white stickers on my white rims and black ones on the black parts of the frame. This way you don‘t see those stickers in the daytime and light up like Christmas tree at night.
Riding bike after dark outside aglomerations in Poland is quite risky.Stickers and lights dropped danger but often gives biker false state of lack of risk.
Great initiative video, very informative for me with concretre example, thx a lot. I like this stickers, really neat alternatives against common reflectors. Thx again :)
I've used daylight flashers for a few years but a few carefully placed reflectors might be worthwhile. Very seldom do I ride at night, but have been caught out due to a mechanical.
anything 3m reflective from ebay. can buy sheets of the stuff for probably a quarter of the price of the stickers. tape too. and my personal favourite..nylon cord impregnated. my vinyl wrap is glow in the dark so good for being spotted before the headlights hit.
Yep I agree, the 3M stuff is great. Have the red stuff on the back of the seatpost and on the seat stays. The crank arms are wrapped with the yellow tape.
In this cycling era of black being the new black, nice to see someone doing a piece about visibility. Have never understood why cyclists insist on blending in with the road.
This is a subject I've always thought about since removing those spoke reflectors that come stock with the bike. They're ugly but make you alot more visible. And this reflective tape is exactly what I was thinking about. You can get more creative on where to put them and they'll still function. Good and usefull video!
I have white & red chevrons (cut from 3m diamond grade retro reflective tape). White on the front wheels and red on the back. That way when I'm stopped, other road users will see at a glance which way I'm facing.
How did you make sure that the sensitivity of the camera a) remains always exactly the same and b) matches the human sight? What were the settings (ISO, shutter, aperture) you used?
I commute home at midnight. Bought a reflective 'anti paparazzi' cycling jacket from aliexpress. Looks black/grey when not in direct light, reflects many colors depending on angle, not just white.
In my country is mandatory to have reflective vest/jacket and bike lights when you ride where there is no public ilumination or when the weather is bad (rain/fog)
Neither helps when the driver is looking at their phone like they usually are here. Reflectives are really good these days though - especially on moving things. In the UK pedals legally have to have reflectors but this is generally ignored - I have reflective patches on the back of my shoes which whilst not legal do I think help.
I use tyres with a reflective ring on them and front light and flashing rear light that has different settings . I try not to ride at night in the first place .
I doubt a light would die on a ride. Even mine at 200 lumens output for the front and rear last more then 6 hours of continuous use and those are plenty bright enough pointed at the the correct angle to illuminate the road and me. I do have 1 reflector on the seatpost and my riding gear does have reflective accents. Anymore added is just weight wastage.
I get your point but I disagree in favor of safety. If you use stickers instead of the old plastic reflectors inside the wheels we are talking about a few grams here. You can usually easily safe more weight by using lighter tires, a few ml less tubeless liquid (or lighter tubes), even different cycling shoes or one gel less in the back pocket. So you may not want to overdo it with reflectors but having them in a few good spots visible from all angles really helps and it is your life on the line here especially if you are cycling during dusk/dawn/night. Additionally I suggest to get cycling gear in bright colors which helps during daytime rides as well. When you are overlooked by a driver you may get hurt while the car has a few scratches.
What you say about the light & accessories is true, but only if everything goes without a problem... Seals crack & and let rain in. Cyclists crash & lose accessories mounted to their bikes. People sometimes steal accessories when a cyclist hits the bathroom. Batteries get old & lose their ability to last. As a touring cyclist, I commonly ride for 10 hrs per day, & sometimes 12 hrs. I use daytime running lights, so this is pushing the limits of battery life. I do carry backup lights on tour because one night, *I forgot to charge my light* and I NEEDED it the following day in an unlit tunnel that was 1 km (3300 ft) long! I removed the clunky, junky, heavy plastic reflectors that were required by law to be on my bike when sold, and applied stickers similar to those shown here. Worth every penny, and weigh a fraction of what the plastic reflectors do. Cheers!
great video about being seen in the dark , not only very effective but they also add a "wow it looks nice " on the bike , if you have a few minutes i have a proposition that i think you'd like to know about ,please message me so i can tell you about it , cheers
Go to your local TRUCK SHOP and ask for reflective stickers made for trailers. If you ask for reefer trailers (refrigerator trailer, with box trailer so rigid sides) they will give you solid line of sticker by the meter (white, yellow or red, you can choose, its a solid one color line, you have to mount it horizontally for full effect tho, or try atleast), if you ask for curtainsider trailer sticker, you are going to get pre cut squares. Same choice of colors. If you ask for tanker/silo/cistern trailer, it will be an elongated rectangle with half circle corners. You can buy all of them by the meter, its cheap, they meet eu regulations so they stick very good, weatherproof and they reflect good as well. They are reliable and sturdy, and its overly built, even too good for a bike. Its commercial grade has E-sign so they meet standards way beyond bicycle standards. Its cheaper this way as well, you can cut any shape you want. In 3 colors. Just be aware. There are 2 kinds. One is thick and rigid, cannot be folded in half, cant really fold it, only good for smooth surfaces but reflect light very good. The other kind has an aluminium backing, thin, can fold and mold to any shape, you can fold it in half, put it on wheels, even ob spokes, you can stick it around the seat pole, or the rear and front non moving part of the shocks (so around them). Its way better than the chinese crap designed for bikes and way cheaper. Its more weatherproof its meant commercial use so if it survives beng folded in a curtainsider every day it survives being on a bike.
Ah winter time, when cyclist do not turn on their light at dusk and in foggy conditions and wear black clothes... they should realise how hard they are to spot with headlight from other cars shining towards me and when it rains it is nearly impossible. Good thing the police always check at busy routes to schools to warn and or fine them.
I maniley cycle at night: #1 Less traffic, #2 I'm more noticeable at night with my Hi-Vis Shirt and my Bright Lights. One of My Ad Free Night Videos ua-cam.com/video/WgHOZ3Hm3o0/v-deo.html
Even if it is a paid endorsement, you can just not put reflective stickers of the same brand as the one in the video if you don't want to be affected by the video's marketing
these kinds of videos should be broadcasted in national news...
well done chap!
In our country, you must have two orange reflective prisms on the front wheel, a white reflecting prism on the front of the bike and a red on the back of the bike. Also if you ride outside of your town/village etc, you have to wear a reflective vest. Of course at night you must have lights on the bike as well. Car drivers see you from very far distance at night.
law here for the pedals to have reflectors on. ...you try attavhing a reflector to a modern pedal 😅
Interesting, I didn't expect such a difference. I expected some, but not so huge.
Great comparison video this shows how important is the visibility, especially in a total dark situation.
I used to install plastic reflectors on front, back, wheels, and fenders for night riding. A few years ago, I started using reflective stickers sold for transport trailers. They're perfect because the glue is rated for permanent outdoor exposure and they're very reflective. I put pieces around the forks, rear seat stays, on the rims, seat tube, and on the handlebar. The best part is they never break unlike the plastic reflectors.
I’ve put black reflective stickers on my wheel rims. You can’t see them during the day, so the bike still looks on point.
But during the night look super reflective.
I've got that tape on my frame and fork. Like you said, it blends in with the black paint. Good stuff!
I got these reflective stickers at my local dollar store. Honestly, can't believe how good they are. 1.25$ for 2 sheets! Put some on my bike, my shoes, my pedals and my helmet. It's like a flashlight! I use those and a light even during the daytime. I also use mirrors. A local pro cyclist near me was hit by a car from the rear and died a few years ago. The drivers here in Canada aren't always the best at spotting cyclists.
reflectors on moving parts is so important, pedals and wheels. And it is best to have a broken-pattern on the wheels ano not just one solid line. Because you cannot tell the speed or direction with a solid wheel reflector.
Mandé a cortar un vinil reflejante con un diseño simple para rueda 29", lo coloque a mi gusto hace unos tres días, ahora esperaré el resultado de durabilidad sobre mi rueda. Definitivamente se ve bastante bien en la noche, el precio por todo $350 y me quedé el resto para usar mandar a hacer otros diseños. Saludos desde Mexico y buen video.
avid biker and also Trucker . trust me , be as Visible as possible on the roads people . I wear me trucking Hi-Viz vest on bike too . I recommend one Blinking rear red and one constant rear red lights . the more the better . YOu Can Not overkill 💡🏮💡🚥🚦🏮🚨🌩⚡ its your literal Life
Amen my friend. It’s just that the police forbid us cyclists in the Netherlands and Germany and some other countries also, to be that good and safely visible. All studies point out a blinking or flashing light or something similar draws attention much better than a steady light. I dom’t care what the police think about this. I’d rather live and pay the fine than die because I listened to the police……..
honestly, cool to see! my state its required to have lights at night, and stickers seeem to help a huge amount too for visibility from the sides
Again a very enjoyable video! Reflective stickers of any brand are a good addition, especially for a road bike with completely black tires. Some companies even make stickers suited for certain bikes. You can get really nice ones for the Bullitt cargo bike for example.
You can buy sheets of those for low cost off eBay .....made a bunch of videos about lights and safety years ago....still see riders with no rear lights in day light though....🤨
Stickers that reflect as well as these?
Great video. I wear the LED lit vest that is made for runners and it helps out a ton.
Well done. I bought some reflective vinyl that looks black in daylight and reflects a yellow in darkness. I plan to cut some chevrons on my vinyl cutter and apply them to all my bikes.
I have a similar approach in applying stickers on the rims and frame. But I chose matching colors: white stickers on my white rims and black ones on the black parts of the frame. This way you don‘t see those stickers in the daytime and light up like Christmas tree at night.
You're supposed to be seen in daytime also.
Riding bike after dark outside aglomerations in Poland is quite risky.Stickers and lights dropped danger but often gives biker false state of lack of risk.
Great initiative video, very informative for me with concretre example, thx a lot. I like this stickers, really neat alternatives against common reflectors. Thx again :)
Awesome. I'm gonna look for this..
Cheers from Brazil.
continental and schwalbe makes tires with reflective strips!
I use them on my commuter and on my gravel bike.
I've used daylight flashers for a few years but a few carefully placed reflectors might be worthwhile. Very seldom do I ride at night, but have been caught out due to a mechanical.
Wow! I wanted to install some similar products on my commuter bike!
Thank you for this comparison!
anything 3m reflective from ebay. can buy sheets of the stuff for probably a quarter of the price of the stickers. tape too. and my personal favourite..nylon cord impregnated. my vinyl wrap is glow in the dark so good for being spotted before the headlights hit.
Yep I agree, the 3M stuff is great. Have the red stuff on the back of the seatpost and on the seat stays. The crank arms are wrapped with the yellow tape.
I don't have a bike but I want those stickers.
Excellent video and testing. Thank you for your time and effort.
Very nice and practical video. Thank you for the effort 👍👍👍
In this cycling era of black being the new black, nice to see someone doing a piece about visibility. Have never understood why cyclists insist on blending in with the road.
because the darker you are, the cooler you look
This is a subject I've always thought about since removing those spoke reflectors that come stock with the bike. They're ugly but make you alot more visible. And this reflective tape is exactly what I was thinking about. You can get more creative on where to put them and they'll still function. Good and usefull video!
I have white & red chevrons (cut from 3m diamond grade retro reflective tape).
White on the front wheels and red on the back. That way when I'm stopped, other road users will see at a glance which way I'm facing.
How did you make sure that the sensitivity of the camera a) remains always exactly the same and b) matches the human sight? What were the settings (ISO, shutter, aperture) you used?
I commute home at midnight. Bought a reflective 'anti paparazzi' cycling jacket from aliexpress. Looks black/grey when not in direct light, reflects many colors depending on angle, not just white.
Thank you so much. Greeting from Berlin
I don't ride at night, but just for emergencies, I have a reflective armband strapped to my saddle bag.
Thanks for your comparison video !
but is it aero?
SOLAS marine tape, brighter than 3m tape and these ones here, worth the investment in your safety. ..
Broh... those stickers are SICK!!
NEED those RULING Mexico City!
Wow, these are a must.
Just ordered some of these Danny, cool idea!
In my country is mandatory to have reflective vest/jacket and bike lights when you ride where there is no public ilumination or when the weather is bad (rain/fog)
Neither helps when the driver is looking at their phone like they usually are here. Reflectives are really good these days though - especially on moving things. In the UK pedals legally have to have reflectors but this is generally ignored - I have reflective patches on the back of my shoes which whilst not legal do I think help.
Nice video, well done, very informative, thanks !
I use tyres with a reflective ring on them and front light and flashing rear light that has different settings . I try not to ride at night in the first place .
I doubt a light would die on a ride. Even mine at 200 lumens output for the front and rear last more then 6 hours of continuous use and those are plenty bright enough pointed at the the correct angle to illuminate the road and me. I do have 1 reflector on the seatpost and my riding gear does have reflective accents. Anymore added is just weight wastage.
I get your point but I disagree in favor of safety. If you use stickers instead of the old plastic reflectors inside the wheels we are talking about a few grams here. You can usually easily safe more weight by using lighter tires, a few ml less tubeless liquid (or lighter tubes), even different cycling shoes or one gel less in the back pocket.
So you may not want to overdo it with reflectors but having them in a few good spots visible from all angles really helps and it is your life on the line here especially if you are cycling during dusk/dawn/night. Additionally I suggest to get cycling gear in bright colors which helps during daytime rides as well. When you are overlooked by a driver you may get hurt while the car has a few scratches.
What you say about the light & accessories is true, but only if everything goes without a problem... Seals crack & and let rain in. Cyclists crash & lose accessories mounted to their bikes. People sometimes steal accessories when a cyclist hits the bathroom. Batteries get old & lose their ability to last. As a touring cyclist, I commonly ride for 10 hrs per day, & sometimes 12 hrs. I use daytime running lights, so this is pushing the limits of battery life. I do carry backup lights on tour because one night, *I forgot to charge my light* and I NEEDED it the following day in an unlit tunnel that was 1 km (3300 ft) long! I removed the clunky, junky, heavy plastic reflectors that were required by law to be on my bike when sold, and applied stickers similar to those shown here. Worth every penny, and weigh a fraction of what the plastic reflectors do. Cheers!
Sir please make a video on cheap cycle vs expensive cycle
A lot of tyres are available with reflective strip
great video about being seen in the dark , not only very effective but they also add a "wow it looks nice " on the bike , if you have a few minutes i have a proposition that i think you'd like to know about ,please message me so i can tell you about it , cheers
Not cheap, but worth it. Got one for my roadbike aswell
Many tires have reflective strip. Like Shwalbe Marathon plus
Many do, but more dosen't. Also it creates a limitation on tire choice if you to go only using ones with reflective strips.
i need daylight test!
Very cool.
some reflective stickers you recommend?
Go to your local TRUCK SHOP and ask for reflective stickers made for trailers. If you ask for reefer trailers (refrigerator trailer, with box trailer so rigid sides) they will give you solid line of sticker by the meter (white, yellow or red, you can choose, its a solid one color line, you have to mount it horizontally for full effect tho, or try atleast), if you ask for curtainsider trailer sticker, you are going to get pre cut squares. Same choice of colors. If you ask for tanker/silo/cistern trailer, it will be an elongated rectangle with half circle corners. You can buy all of them by the meter, its cheap, they meet eu regulations so they stick very good, weatherproof and they reflect good as well. They are reliable and sturdy, and its overly built, even too good for a bike. Its commercial grade has E-sign so they meet standards way beyond bicycle standards. Its cheaper this way as well, you can cut any shape you want. In 3 colors.
Just be aware. There are 2 kinds. One is thick and rigid, cannot be folded in half, cant really fold it, only good for smooth surfaces but reflect light very good.
The other kind has an aluminium backing, thin, can fold and mold to any shape, you can fold it in half, put it on wheels, even ob spokes, you can stick it around the seat pole, or the rear and front non moving part of the shocks (so around them). Its way better than the chinese crap designed for bikes and way cheaper. Its more weatherproof its meant commercial use so if it survives beng folded in a curtainsider every day it survives being on a bike.
Is there a sticker that makes the driver put down his cell phone?
Or something from the 4th dimensions. . . Lolz
Cool
Where do I get those mirrors?
Beam corky.
Long steps YARDS
Watching
Nice!
Ah winter time, when cyclist do not turn on their light at dusk and in foggy conditions and wear black clothes... they should realise how hard they are to spot with headlight from other cars shining towards me and when it rains it is nearly impossible. Good thing the police always check at busy routes to schools to warn and or fine them.
I maniley cycle at night: #1 Less traffic, #2 I'm more noticeable at night with my Hi-Vis Shirt and my Bright Lights. One of My Ad Free Night Videos ua-cam.com/video/WgHOZ3Hm3o0/v-deo.html
Give me a bik please 😥
"This is not a paid endorsement."
**Doubt**
100% 😂
Even if it is a paid endorsement, you can just not put reflective stickers of the same brand as the one in the video if you don't want to be affected by the video's marketing
Nothing in life is free. Except nuthin.
Dan, you have too much ad.