Helicopters and worms will enjoy recumbent pedal reflectors. Light from the front doesn't hit them, when you think about it.
On my hard (soleless) shoes, I did fit 3M reflective tape between heel and cleat for maximum confusion power.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Stuff
Rear Lights, thoughts
(40 posts)-
Posted 11 years ago #
-
Yeah, but why not put reflectors on the underside of the recumbenteer pedals? Assuming they're SPDs or cage pedals with toeclips...
Dave's innovation is another alternative, though presumably the reflective gets scratched and mucky off the bike?
Posted 11 years ago # -
As an aside, I note the title of the thread is "Rear lights, thoughts". That's two separate (albeit possibly related) topics. Have we crossed over into the "thoughts" topic yet?
Posted 11 years ago # -
Given that a recumbent rider's feet are at the front, nothing reflective on them will be visible from the rear, which is where you mostly see pedal reflectors from. It is also a problem if you have panniers, or a trailer I assume.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Except that on a dark night, a motorist is thinking of overtaking on the narrow country road, then sees the unmistakable whirling amber lozenges of bike pedals on the other side of the road, closing at speed. But.....they're in mid-air! Is that a low flying UFO? The recumbenteer passes by into the gloom as the befuddled driver is still wondering whether to risk that overtake...
Posted 11 years ago # -
Ok, having read Cycle (Dec/Jan 2012/13 p67), I got it the wrong way round earlier.
It's easy to buy a legal light, but to make your bike legal (in the dark) you need to fit an approved light.
"A lamp is approved if it has a mark to say it conforms with BS6102 part 3, or the marking of another EC country, providing their approval system ensures a corresponding level of safety"
That, apparently, pretty much means Germany, but... most of their approved lights are dynamo powered.
Another complication is that hardly any flashing lights are approved because they usually have a steady mode, therefore are judged on that criterion.
In summary, light manufacturers don't bother with BS approval because they can easily sell legal lights.
So... probably 99% of cyclists are technically breaking the law at night.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Reflectors can be seen from more than one angle, vis:
(The '1979' is not a reflective, but apparently the date amber reflectors were made compulsory for Dutch cyclists' pedals).*
Reflectors can be very bright too:
Sometimes more effective than LED rear lights too. Can you spot the rear light on this bike?
* - apparently reflective tyre sidewalls or wheel rims have been compulsory since 1987! Oh, and flashing bike lights are illegal in NL.
Posted 11 years ago # -
@crowriver, thanks, good thoughts all
Posted 11 years ago # -
I have a Smart Lunar R1 (1 watt led) but am tempted by the 2 watt Niterider Solas, charged via usb. The beam pattern is much better, more rectangular.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thought
we think we are the solution, others seem to think we are the problem
Posted 11 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.
posts
