# Reflective spoke straws.



## BlackPanther (16 Jan 2011)

3M reflective spoke straws from Halfords £7.99, (but cheaper online.) Thought I'd give them a try. So I did. Here they are! They look really effective whilst spinning, so I have another weapon in my reflective arsenal.


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## johnr (16 Jan 2011)

Any noticeable effect on forward momentum?


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## gaz (16 Jan 2011)

I just received a pack of 72 which i ordered online, now i just need to get my commuter back from the shop.


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## Norm (17 Jan 2011)

I use one Sekuclip for every 4 spokes, it gives them more of a flash rather than a solid pattern, but that front wheel looks excellent.

Oh, the other thing with doing one per 4 spokes is that a pack of 72 has enough for four or five bikes. Two packs has done all of my bikes and the kids'.


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## Cardiac (17 Jan 2011)

Neat. I've not seen these before. I think I try getting a bunch for my daughter's commuting bike.


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## Jezston (17 Jan 2011)

£7.99 gives you a pack of 72?


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## Davidc (17 Jan 2011)

Bought mine when they were a good deal more expensive, and never regretted it. I've been told that they show up really well in car lights.

Made mine go further by cutting them in half so one stick does 2 spokes, but at the present Halfords price I wouldn't bother.

They seem to go on working despite the cr*p from the road surfaces as well.


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## scouserinlondon (17 Jan 2011)

they get really dirty and don't seem to clean up very well, so at that price get a couple of sets and just chuck em.


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## Browser (17 Jan 2011)

Chuff me sideways! I paid over twice that from Amazon!!! I'm going to grab a load while I still can.


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## turnout (17 Jan 2011)




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## Jezston (17 Jan 2011)

Aww you ran out!


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## turnout (17 Jan 2011)

I got a bit carried away!


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## turnout (17 Jan 2011)

Above about 18 mph the spoke reflectors are spinning so fast they make a perfect disc of brilliant light and people who see it are, like, whoah! and cool and rad.


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## esrite (17 Jan 2011)

Turnout, that does look cool


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## Davidc (17 Jan 2011)

scouserinlondon said:


> they get really dirty and don't seem to clean up very well, so at that price get a couple of sets and just chuck em.



Mine look a bit grubby but still reflect very brightly.

I put them on a new wheel in two groups, one near the rim one near the hub. I'm told they look as if they're flashing and are quite alarming. Sounds good to me.


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## adscrim (17 Jan 2011)

What do they look like from head on, or from the rear?

And BlackPanther - how did you find out you arsenal was reflective?


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## turnout (17 Jan 2011)

adscrim said:


> What do they look like from head on, or from the rear?



From the front and rear I have Smart Lunar 25s.

Spoke reflectors are great for sideways visibility approaching junctions and roundabouts.

No driver could plausibly claim "I didn't see turnout!"


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## Davidc (17 Jan 2011)

adscrim said:


> What do they look like from head on, or from the rear?



They don't.


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## HobbesChoice (17 Jan 2011)

I've looked at the Halfords online store and they have them at 36 for £7.99 with a buy one get one half price offer.


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## RRCC (17 Jan 2011)

HobbesChoice said:


> I've looked at the Halfords online store and they have them at 36 for £7.99 with a buy one get one half price offer.



When Lidl had them they were £4.99 for 36.


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## downfader (17 Jan 2011)

There were none in Lidl in Southampton when I checked. I bought mine from Halfords last week, installed on friday. Will try and do a vid later if I can.


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## summerdays (17 Jan 2011)

HobbesChoice said:


> I've looked at the Halfords online store and they have them at 36 for £7.99 with a buy one get one half price offer.



I definitely paid a lot more than that for 72 last year. ... mine are still bright and don't seem to have fallen off either. Might go to Halfords for more at that price.


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## MontyVeda (17 Jan 2011)

adscrim said:


> What do they look like from head on, or from the rear?



you can stick reflective stickers to the rim itself for front/back reflectibility (from a bit of a angle obviously)... i've got a couple on my rims but need about 30 more for them to be effective.


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## summerdays (17 Jan 2011)

Or have reflective strips on the tyres in the first place.


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## darth vadar (17 Jan 2011)

Would these reflective spoke straws add much weight to the bike though ?


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## turnout (18 Jan 2011)

save up:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLtbeU8FJW0&feature=player_embedded


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## darth vadar (18 Jan 2011)

[QUOTE 1288752"]
No. They're very light.
[/quote]


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## PpPete (18 Jan 2011)

darth vadar said:


> Would these reflective spoke straws add much weight to the bike though ?



They weigh just fractionally over 1 gram each.
So if you cut them in half, as has been suggested above, that's just over an ounce per wheel.


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## Davidc (18 Jan 2011)

Cutting in half was a suggestion from Arch of this forum when they cost real money! Not worth it now.

After 18 months or so I've now had one lose its grip and fall off, so suspect that they may have a typical service life of only a few years.


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## Adasta (18 Jan 2011)

I've reserved some from my local Halfords so will hopefully fit them sometime this week. I'll try to get a photo up of my newly (and freely!) acquired commuting steed as well.


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## semislickstick (18 Jan 2011)

I like Panthers pattern, I tried doing it last night.....what about doing this though!! 

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU_O-OKuaeI&feature=related[/media]




I managed to get some from Halfords the other day, by 'Wow wow wow' they were listed as in stock online but no where to be seen in the shop, the young lad had never heard of them and kept insisting I must mean the normal big spoke reflectors. He found them eventually, shoved in a draw under the reflector and lights display...anyone else had problems?


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## Jezston (23 Jan 2011)

Are these available from anywhere else? I was looking to get some today but there aren't any Halfords terribly close to me.


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## Norm (23 Jan 2011)

Yes, Jez, as it says a few pages back, check out online for 3M Sekuclips. 

They are more expensive than H**frauds offerings but you can get them from Amazon or on eBay from Germany.


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## Jezston (23 Jan 2011)

Sorry I meant in shops. Hoping Wilko's might have something similar available.


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## mark barker (23 Jan 2011)

Toys R Us had some in a while back... But IIRC they were around £13 a set.


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## theboytaylor (23 Jan 2011)

Jezston said:


> Sorry I meant in shops. Hoping Wilko's might have something similar available.



I can't remember exactly but I'm pretty sure I got mine last yr in Lidl....or maybe Decathlon


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## Jezston (23 Jan 2011)

Nearest decent Halfords is six miles from where I live - but then I needed a good ride, so I now have some


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## Norm (23 Jan 2011)

Jezston said:


> Nearest decent Halfords is six miles from where I live - but then I needed a good ride, so I now have some


Blimey, my local one is a million miles from decent.


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