Is black cycling gear dangerous?

[Ian Cooper]

Black clothing is not dangerous to wear on a bike unless you're actively trying to camouflage yourself. Just last night I saw a cyclist dressed all in black with no lights in the dark, yet he was fairly easy to spot because the streetlights lit him up fairly nicely against the grey road. Of course, in a dark alley, he would have blended in quite suicidally.

If you want to be seen, wear a reflective vest and make sure your front and rear lights are working. As long as you have those, you can't be faulted (even in the court of anti-cyclist public opinion) for anything else you wear.

As for cycling in the dark, I avoid it. Birds don't fly in the dark, and I think they might be onto something..

 

[Recycler]

. Birds don't fly in the dark, and I think they might be onto something..

To be pedantic....some birds, particularly Owls, do fly at night. I frequently see them when I'm on a night run.

 

[HovR]

Black clothes won't suddenly camouflage you during the day, and at night if they can't see any of the 4 to 6 lights I have on my bike, they weren't going to see me no matter what I was wearing.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

As for cycling in the dark, I avoid it. Birds don't fly in the dark, and I think they might be onto something..

It's dark 90% of the time here!

 

[ufkacbln]

Black cycling gear is incredibly dangerous........

My cycling gears is black!

 

[Crankarm]

Hi-Viz is so yesterday. Anyway why would you want to make yourself into a highly visible target for motons to aim at? Black is far safer.

 

[Crankarm]

My cycling gears is black!

Show off ..................... .

 

[Doseone]

I didn't know yellow wasn't cool

I just ordered a Gore gilet, it came in white and looked really nice but was too big. I sent it back and got another one but they didn't have the size I wanted in white, so I got yellow 'coz I thought it looks good and I will be more visible. Kind of a win win. But from reading the above I gather it doesn't look cool so it's more of a lose win.

 

[Hacienda71]

Your clothes should match the colour of your bike. It's the law.

 

[Recycler]

I didn't know yellow wasn't cool.

It's pretty cool to wear a yellow jersey in a certain French cycle race.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

My cycling gears is black!

Too funny!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I like bright red. In winter time, my colleagues call me Santa. My staffing manager cannot look at my tomato red waterproofs without laughing. Wonder why

 

[Boris Bajic]

Your clothes should match the colour of your bike. It's the law.

Then the Law is clearly a fool.

Even the rest of my bicycle doesn't match the colour of my bicycle. My clothing certainly doesn't.

If I thought it might, I'd keep getting changed until it didn't.

As to what is cool, I think that may depend on age and outlook.

I tell my sons it isn't cool to come home from school with drawing on their hands and arms. I am clearly wrong.

I told my daughter (when I looked closely while Skyping) that it is not cool to have a nose ring. I am clearly wrong.

I think three days of stubble on a slightly podgy chin looks cool. I am clearly wrong.

 

[musa]

The gear is only as dangerous as the wearer

 

[totallyfixed]

I remember reading that bright multicoloured clothing can act as camouflage when riding in dappled sunlight, ie under trees. I saw a video of this a few years back and it shouldn't have come as any surprise to me when the rider merged into the background when viewed from a following car.
I have a black waterproof because it was the only colour it came in but it does have reflective bits on it, however if it is a wet dull day I would have a very bright rear light on anyway and if I didn't than I deserve to be deselected under Natural Selection.