Spoke reflectors?

[downfader]

Ok. Just got new wheels and have wondered.. is it worth fitting spoke reflectors on there, or should I just leave them off?

I have a reflective sidewall on the panracer crosstown tyres as it is, reflective tape on the forks, pannier rack, plus me usual 2front-2 back lights, and reflectors on pedals front and back for when its dark...

The downside I find with spoke reflectors is the slight drag they give.

Opinions?

 

[ianrauk]

you can feel the drag of reflectors...? I wouldn't think so, not that you would notice anyway.
Surely your Pannier cause more drag?

 

[downfader]

you can feel the drag of reflectors...? I wouldn't think so, not that you would notice anyway.
Surely your Pannier cause more drag?

Pannier? Nah I use a rack bag, it sits directly behind me so I dont get the same drag problems there.

 

[Twanger]

I left them on. The principle being that the more like a Christmas tree the better, when there's nothing to lose.

Now, what about reflectors on the handlebars. When I bought my bike, it had a bloody great reflector stuck on the bars in a most inconvenient position. I took it off. I understand the it is illegal to sell a bike without a front reflector, but that most people take them off when they have bought it.

Is this so?

 

[killiekosmos]

I've kept the reflectors on my bike. My winter commuter has a rear reflector with a light built in so it appears like a red disc in the dark (if the wheel is turning), so I'm very visible in winter.

Twanger
As for front reflector I fitted one lower down where brakes fit to fork crown. As for pedal reflectors .............

 

[downfader]

I did buy some of those cheap raleigh spoke ones last year for winter but they flex the spokes too much and were massive.

 

[hackbike 666]

The reflectors you get now seem to be crap compared to a few years back.

 

[Twanger]

They seem exactly the same to me.

 

[hackbike 666]

Not quite,they seem crap and cheap now.They were better then,you used to screw them on instead of just hoping for the best,unless you know where I can get a decent set.

 

[downfader]

Not quite,they seem crap and cheap now.They were better then,you used to screw them on instead of just hoping for the best,unless you know where I can get a decent set.

+1 on that. The ones I have seen are held in place via little teeth that press against the spokes. Invariably they dont fit right.

 

[Sittingduck]

I have taken all reflectors off my commuter bike. If it's dark enough to warrant them, I will have lights switched on. Plus I like the benefits of less drag

 

[dellzeqq]

reflective ankle bands give you visibility from front, side and rear. And you can tuck your trousers in to them (if you wear trousers).

 

[beanzontoast]

Thinking about it, my bike has front and rear reflectors, pedal reflectors (of course), double front and rear lights, wheel reflectors and tyres with reflective sidewalls. The wheel reflectors came free of charge from my LBS as apparently some people ask for them to be removed when they are collecting their new bike.

I would use anything within reason to improve my visibility. The extra weight/drag of a couple of wheel reflectors isn't anything I'm worried about.

 

[semislickstick]

I tried adding 2-3 inch strips of the silver reflective sticky tape wrapped along the spoke length, I didn't really want to add big reflectors to the road bike, seems visible enough in headlights. ( I imagine that black-reflects-white tape would look better on black spokes)

 

[Plax]

Is it illegal to not have some sort of reflectors on the bike? I'm sure I read somewhere that you could get picked up for not having pedal reflectors and that is why most bike shops tend to sell bikes without pedals? Same thing with shops having to sell the bike with a bell?
Maybe I'm getting my wires crossed.

I personally have reflectors on my hybrid (front and rear, plus spokes), but no pedal reflectors as I'm clipless. I also took the bell off.

On the tourer it don't come with spoke reflectors, but there is a reflective strip around the tyre sidewall. I moved the front reflector from the bars to the stem and the rear reflector I put on the pannier rack but I've taken that off at the moment so currently have no rear reflector. No pedal reflectors either as I'm clipless. Took the silly bell off too.

I've got a reflective bit on my saddle bag and on the back of my shoes. Plus other bits of reflective stuff on various items of clothing and panniers etc so I'm not fussed about pedal reflectors etc.