Pedal reflector law fixes

SA_SA_SA
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Joined: 31 Oct 2009, 1:46pm

Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by SA_SA_SA »

The fact that alternative reflectors need scientific/TRL supporting evidence of equivalence rules out most suggestions. As explained earlier in the thread, the law makers are only interested in alternatives that can be fitted to the vehicle(cycle) itself.

Hopefully, CJs red tape challenge work will result in a fix of the RVLR requirement whilst most bikes with ordinary pedals will continue to be sold with pedal reflectors.

Anyway, I think this thread is definitely finished.
Perhaps, the admins could lock it?
------------You may not use this post in Cycle or other magazine ------ 8)
COYB
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Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 11:41pm

Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by COYB »

Don't worry about being legal, worry about the ambulance chasing legal eagle's if some cretin drives into the back of you one winters night. They'll want an engineer to go over your bike with a fine tooth comb.
ChrisP100
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by ChrisP100 »

So....

If I take 4 strips of amber reflective tape and apply the to the toe and heel of both my shoes, and then clip in, does that count as amber reflectors being 'fitted' to my SPD's?
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CJ
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by CJ »

ChrisP100 wrote: 29 Nov 2021, 8:40pm So....

If I take 4 strips of amber reflective tape and apply the to the toe and heel of both my shoes, and then clip in, does that count as amber reflectors being 'fitted' to my SPD's?
No.

If you want to use SPD in the dark, get Shimano XT Touring pedals:
Image
PD-T8000

Not only do they solve this problem, they are also very good quality pedals, with well-sealed, adjustable and replaceable cup and cone ball bearings.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
ChrisP100
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by ChrisP100 »

CJ wrote: 30 Nov 2021, 3:38pm
ChrisP100 wrote: 29 Nov 2021, 8:40pm So....

If I take 4 strips of amber reflective tape and apply the to the toe and heel of both my shoes, and then clip in, does that count as amber reflectors being 'fitted' to my SPD's?
No.

If you want to use SPD in the dark, get Shimano XT Touring pedals:
Image
PD-T8000

Not only do they solve this problem, they are also very good quality pedals, with well-sealed, adjustable and replaceable cup and cone ball bearings.
They look decent enough, but twice the price of my current M-520's :(
thirdcrank
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by thirdcrank »

ChrisP100 wrote: 29 Nov 2021, 8:40pm So....

If I take 4 strips of amber reflective tape and apply the to the toe and heel of both my shoes, and then clip in, does that count as amber reflectors being 'fitted' to my SPD's?
The short answer is "No."

(A longer answer must appear - perhaps more than once - in the pervious 16 pages of this thread)
mattsccm
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by mattsccm »

Those cheap plastic clip in relfectors work well. The pedal sits clip side up and if you miss a clip they are fine to pedal in.
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Mick F
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by Mick F »

Spirit of the law, or letter of the law eh? :wink:

I have a pair of reflective bands to fit on my ankles. Far better than pedal reflectors, but not legally correct without legal pedal reflectors too.
Mick F. Cornwall
Nigel
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by Nigel »

Mick F wrote: 30 Nov 2021, 5:53pm Spirit of the law, or letter of the law eh? :wink:

I have a pair of reflective bands to fit on my ankles. Far better than pedal reflectors, but not legally correct without legal pedal reflectors too.
Unless your bike, or sufficient of it under "trigger's broom updates", predates the pedal reflector regulations. Then your reflective ankle bands are an addition to the statutory minimum which the bike is using.


- Nigel
Blondie
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by Blondie »

Or you bike “saddle” is below a certain height such as a recumbent or child’s bike.
thirdcrank
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by thirdcrank »

IMO it would be ideal if posters giving an interpretation of the regulations provided a link. Although the regulations are complicated, at least they are now accessible online for ease of quoting by anybody who understands what they mean.
niggle
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by niggle »

mattsccm wrote: 30 Nov 2021, 5:42pm Those cheap plastic clip in relfectors work well. The pedal sits clip side up and if you miss a clip they are fine to pedal in.
You mean Shimano SM-PD22 pedal reflectors?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-SM-P ... 3KEALw_wcB

Sturdy, simple, legal, effective and, as you say, cheap if you already have M520s or similar.
hemo
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Location: West Sussex

Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by hemo »

I find the sm pd22 useful as it keeps the pedal platform narrow but still very useable, with clipless no issue as the heavier side always is at the bottom and with normal shoes one has to keep toeing the end to get the platform side up. No so good for start stopping city riding with normal soled shoes.
geocycle
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by geocycle »

I have an older version of the PD T800s pictured by CJ. Been using these for a few years and really like them. But they don’t have a flat for a spanner and they have seized completely. Being Allen key only I’ve not managed to budge them. With hindsight, I’d recommend removing and servicing regularly.
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CJ
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Re: Pedal reflector law fixes

Post by CJ »

geocycle wrote: 1 Dec 2021, 1:37pm I have an older version of the PD T800s pictured by CJ. Been using these for a few years and really like them. But they don’t have a flat for a spanner and they have seized completely. Being Allen key only I’ve not managed to budge them. With hindsight, I’d recommend removing and servicing regularly.
A lot of modern pedals lack spanner flats and it is annoying, because even a long allen key isn't as long as a pedal spanner. The Shimano pedals however, do at least take an 8mm key and have an accurately made socket, so one can slip a length of tube on the end of the key to increase the leverage and tread on it - or even hit with a hammer if necessary! And the six-way options (rather than just two for spanner flats) mean that it's always possible to find an orientation of crank and allen key so that a simple downward force may be applied, directly toward (or away from) the bottom-bracket, using one's foot - that has a lot more muscle behind it than a cyclists hand and is protected from sudden contact with unfriendly chainring teeth (or unyeilding tarmac) by the hard sole of a shoe! So that is my usual and well-honed technique for getting the pedals off before packing my bike for flying. :P

My wife's touring bike, on the other hand (she doesn't get on with SPD) has flat pedals, that are quite delightfull in every other regard apart from having only a 6mm hex socket. This isn't really a big enough size for the torque required, especially given the not-really-hard-enough steel of which the axles are made and the slight over-size-ness of their sockets! After one touch-and-go removal I declined to re-fit these pedals, lest the key rounded out the socket next time so they became un-removable. But they are nice pedals. I'd like to get the sockets re-sized to 8mm, but think it would require spark-erosion and that's expensive. Finally I got a 1/4 inch allen key and spent half a day grinding down the end of it to 6.15 mm, tapering to 6.1, then hammering it in and out of each pedal axle socket several times, so as to iron out the distortions caused by previous tough removals. So now Helen can use those nice pedals again - provided we don't forget the special key and a piece of tube to make it longer!
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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