Stylish relfective clothing?

AnnaV · Post by **AnnaV** » 22 Feb 2009, 4:21pm

Is there any out there?

Obviously I don't want to be run over but I like to look good too!

It's for commuting, so ideally something that will go over my coat.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 22 Feb 2009, 4:33pm

Illuminite is the proprietory name of a reflective jersey material. It looks like a very fine grey jersey material in daylight but in the dark it is reflective. It is used on all sorts of stuff but obviously, it is not hi-viz in daylight.

From your username I've assumed you are a woman and on google there is this jacket, but that is only one example of many.

http://www.nextag.co.uk/Illuminite-Wome ... rices-html

AnnaV · Post by **AnnaV** » 22 Feb 2009, 4:44pm

Yes, I am a woman

Thanks, will check ti out.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 22 Feb 2009, 4:51pm

Of course, if you want to stand out in daylight, and retain that certain femine chic there is always this, which appeared earlier today, elswhere on the forum :wink:

Wear back to front if you are a speedy rider!

paulah · Post by **paulah** » 22 Feb 2009, 5:06pm

Maybe one of these?

http://www.arco.co.uk/products/18L0200/ ... oat_Orange

http://www.arco.co.uk/products/18L0100/ ... oat_Yellow

or if you wear a helmet, there's hi-viz covers for them

eileithyia · Post by **eileithyia** » 22 Feb 2009, 8:00pm

thirdcrank wrote:

Of course, if you want to stand out in daylight, and retain that certain femine chic there is always this, which appeared earlier today, elswhere on the forum Wear back to front if you are a speedy rider!

EEEEEEKKKKK!!! Stylish???????????????????????

Colin63 · Post by **Colin63** » 22 Feb 2009, 11:58pm

Is it just me or are high visibility jackets now so ubiquitous that they are losing their noticability. When I'm driving I see many people wearing the yellow tops and it seems as though every employer in Britain insists that staff wear these things if out and about in the world. So I no longer expect them to be cyclists and they appear to be registering less. I do notice Bright red tops though and I find that they stand out far better than the yellow now. So my advice is wear red, and of any material, it doesn't need to be reflective to be visible.

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 23 Feb 2009, 7:19am

Irrespective of anybody's personal view, it's a Highway Code recommendation - ignore it and there is always the possibility of allegations of contributory negligence.

Highway Code - rules for cyclists:

59
Clothing. You should wear

a cycle helmet which conforms to current regulations, is the correct size and securely fastened
appropriate clothes for cycling. Avoid clothes which may get tangled in the chain, or in a wheel or may obscure your lights
light-coloured or fluorescent clothing which helps other road users to see you in daylight and poor light
reflective clothing and/or accessories (belt, arm or ankle bands) in the dark

I think it's worth noting the difference between reflective, which iis intended to be picked up in vehicle headlights in the dark and the various forms of hi-viz which are most effective in the gloom.

essexman · Post by **essexman** » 23 Feb 2009, 10:12am

Stylish and reflective?

Put the high viz reflectives on your bike and panniers (and helmet if you wear one) and wear what the hell you want.

NB: the highway code says wear 'light-coloured or fluorescent clothing'.
Wearing white or yellow will make you more visible than wearing black or blue in low light.

My commuter bikes have from the side:
-3M tape on the forks, top tube and seat stays.
-reflective strips on the tyres
-wheel reflectors
-side projecting red LEDs from my trusty cat eye
-Various reflectives on the pannier

From the rear:
-panniers have big reflective bits
-rear reflector
-pedal reflectors or 3M tape in place of them
-rear light (main)
-rear lights secondary

From the front:
-foolishly powerful light that is so bright no-one can see its on a bicycle

Post by Si » 23 Feb 2009, 11:54am

You could go for a Sam Browne belt over whatever stylish clothes that you normally wear (bit hard to recommend stylish clothes as everyone's taste is different :wink:

)

AnnaV · Post by **AnnaV** » 23 Feb 2009, 9:43pm

thirdcrank wrote:

Of course, if you want to stand out in daylight, and retain that certain femine chic there is always this, which appeared earlier today, elswhere on the forum Wear back to front if you are a speedy rider!

Thanks everyone! Great to have a list of what people use to cycle on the roads - I'm in London and cycled 7 miles (a lot for me) home with only my lights which was obviously no way near enough! Felt very vunerable and walked bits where it was tight/very busy, so took much longer than I wanted.

Does anyone use any good sites to get this from or just bike shops?

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 23 Feb 2009, 10:54pm

AnnaV

I have to warn you that the hi-viz bug is contagious:

With apologies to Halit Osis * for reposting his pics.

* As somebody else remarked red sometimes stands out better than day-glo yellow - the pics are by Halit Osis qv

AnnaV · Post by **AnnaV** » 23 Feb 2009, 10:58pm

Wow! Do you take all that gear off your bike when you park it?

Also, by complete coincidence just asked a question about those indicators and see you have them! How are they?

thirdcrank · Post by **thirdcrank** » 23 Feb 2009, 11:04pm

Sorry AnnaV

I saw your post about the indicators, which is what prompted me to post the pics. My sense of humour has not travelled well recently. :oops:

I did say at the bottom that it is not me but Halit Osis. (Incidentally, we've not heard from him recently.
At least we can hope he's not been knocked off his bike by a SMIDSY merchant.)

I'll go back to his post and do a link so you can read the details of all his kit.

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t ... highlight=

Scroll down to the post by Halit Osis and apologies to all for his pics spoiling the formatting :oops:

AnnaV · Post by **AnnaV** » 23 Feb 2009, 11:28pm

Oops, thanks anyway!