So the full susser's in for a service and the forks are being basted in caviar and sprinkled with gold dust at Mojo as we speak (if the bill turns out as expected). It's a sunny weekend, so it's ride on the ageing Spesh Hardrock (non disk brake), which has been resigned to tagalong duties for the past 4 years or ride nothing at all. After washing and lubing, I notice that there are front and wheel reflectors. Arghhh! Gotta take them off asap......hang on....why? They serve a purpose, they don't affect performance in any measurable way.....ok, they're "uncool", but why? If I get caught at dusk they could save my life? So I'm leaving them on. Why not? (Puts on flak jacket and helmet)
...and I know that a Hardrock's not the last word in trail performance hardware, but it's either that or walk. As long as it's got wheels and a chain and there are blue skies above, it's good enough for me.
mate you should see what i ride sometime, but as you say its nice out so get out there and ride!!
I've been out on mine earlier this evening, tagalong and reflectors, I'd rather have them than die.
Good men. I agree!
PS Ron - no offence, but with a name like that, there's got to be a double entendre in there somewhere
If I get caught at dusk they could save my life?
I doubt it very much. Wheel reflectors are almost useless - by the time the driver's headlights are reflected in them they've already made their decision about what they're doing, and if they have time to change their mind you'd already be past anyway.
i left them on my bike just for the hell of it, thinking they would get broken off sooner or later! still there 1 year later ! I always thought it made it look a bit different, as 99% of other peoples bike didnt have them.
Like you say what harm are they doing !
I've kept the wheel reflectors on my road/hybrid bike. Yes they're uncool but i reckon on having every bit of help i can have, especially around dusk which is when i do most of my road riding.
jahwomble, yeah just re read that and it does sound a bit doesn't it, even when i'm not trying it happens
Are you sure, Aracer? There are loads of unlit country lanes where I live and I've been really impressed over winter when I've met a few kids on bikes (without lights) who've lit up well enough for me to give them a wide berth. Better than nothing, surely? What possible disadvantage could there be other than vanity? (Not trolling, I promise. It just struck me this evening that there didn't seem to be a logical reason not to put reflectors on bikes, other than choice/vanity?)
There are loads of unlit country lanes where I live and I've been really impressed over winter when I've met a few kids on bikes (without lights) who've lit up well enough for me to give them a wide berth.
Yes, but I bet the reflectors you saw weren't wheel reflectors. Have a think - can you honestly remember ever seeing your headlights reflected in a wheel reflector?
They rattle, they might fall off and stop your wheel turning making you crash. It's pretty marginal, but the chance of that happening is far higher than the chance of a wheel reflector saving your life.What possible disadvantage could there be other than vanity?
While I agree that there is no harm in leaving the reflectors on a bike, I do think they are of limited value at night, you're better off having lights and reflective surfaces on your upper body and head especially if at close quarters with motorists, simply to ensure there's something properly in their eye line, especially high seated MPV/4X4 drivers....
Plus nothing makes you as visible as a good set of lights, better to have them turned on early than rely on reflectors as the light dwindles....
They were wheel reflectors. I saw them turning round with the wheels as the bike joined the road from a side turning. Do they get trapped and stop your wheels turning often? Bit of a legal nightmare for the manufacturers of wheel reflectors if they do, but if that's a common occurence then it's a good reason not to. (All the more likely if used on an offroad bike with all the shaking of rough terrain too, I guess).
I agree re: lights. Just thinking that they were better than nothing if caught short and nothing to lose if left on. Jamming the wheels with them is a different matter though and I can see the good reason for leaving wheel reflectors off if they do that.
I remember having a couple of these in the late 80s:
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I reckon you could sneak it past the style police now cos it's "retro" innit....
I would have thought most reflectors would just shatter if they turned across the wheel?
I took all mine off the various other bikes and attached them to the commuter, for dark rides home, it's about 50% reflector now.