Reflectors on Road Bike

DirkVoodoo

Ok, so safety versus euro here.

A "friend" of mine refuses to remove their spoke reflectors, even though I have tried to say that it is totally not cool and against euro rules. Still they persist.

What do people think, just so I can shove this poll in their face (ooh-err) and hopefully change their minds.

DirkVoodoo

Oh, silly poll options, it restricted my characters to 100, but number 1 should read that "I keep my reflectors on even though I don't ride my road bike at night and a set of lights is more effective anyway"

It doesn't matter, I expect most people on here will go for option 2. In fact, why even have a poll?

lyders

mmmm turquoise and orange...my two favourite colours! They look so good together.

DirkVoodoo

lyders wrote: »

mmmm turquoise and orange...my two favourite colours! They look so good together.

No no no...it's just wrong. Reflectors (and safety/warning stickers) should be removed from YOUR bike.

lyders

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

No no no...it's just wrong. Reflectors (and safety/warning stickers) should be removed from YOUR bike.

I especially like the reflectors on my pedals

Nietzschean

lyders wrote: »

I especially like the reflectors on my pedals

Noooo, its so anti-euro....the orange on your spokes...just burns the eyes!

lyders

What if I get an orange kit to match my reflectors??!!

Nietzschean

lyders wrote: »

What if I get an orange kit to match my reflectors??!!

it still will contravene the euro rules i'm afraid, though at least it won't clash so much

lyders

27. In a circumstance where any cyclist (or TRIATHLETE) ever displays aggression or disrespect towards a Euro Cyclist, he is required to ride up uncomfortably close to his foe and slap them in the face with his team issue gloves.

How seriously do people take these rules?? :S


Also, I get the idea that these rules are aimed towards men...especially with this one:

29. One shall NEVER rearrange one’s package while riding. Adjustments regarding seating/hanging comfort are to be done in private in order to preserve image.


Does this mean women are exempt from these rules?

blorg

Your two poll options basically say the same thing, which is right, wheel reflectors are an abomination, almost as bad as a pie plate

Nietzschean

lyders wrote: »

How seriously do people take these rules?? :S

Not seriously at all, though i guess something to aim at ? lots of them aren't really sensible unless you have a team support car handy....

Caroline_ie

Reflector on pedals too? WTF! Might as well ride a tricycle around the back garden. Uneuro, uncool, n00b ...
But Dirk, I think you should not give advice on Euroness anyway, not until you decide to get rid of that Garmin Kit OR just wear it in about 10 years. Fredvoodoo.

doctor evil

What are Euro rules?

Safety is paramount.

Nietzschean

doctor evil wrote: »

Safety is paramount.

No point going anywhere if your not looking euro going there, style is king

xz

Wheel reflectors affect the aerodynamics of your wheels

petethedrummer

I think these conform to the Euro rules:

KStaford

Why are reflectors against Euro rules?
What are Euro rules anyway (are you talking about European leglislation) ?
Is this entire thing a piss take and over my head?

RobFowl

KStaford wrote: »

Why are reflectors against Euro rules?
What are Euro rules anyway (are you talking about European leglislation) ?
Is this entire thing a piss take and over my head?

Yes they are EU directives that describe how a cyclist and a bike should appear. Technically they are legally enforcable but as of yet have not been.
Similar to the ones that descibe how a banana should look and a direct consequence of having Pee Flynn having to look after 2 households while an EU commissioner.

blorg

KStaford wrote: »

What are Euro rules anyway (are you talking about European leglislation) ?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=euro+rules+cycling

RobFowl

Also wheel reflectors just look sh*t

Lumen

That Bianchi picture - gaaah! My eyes!

scottreynolds

Lumen wrote: »

That Bianchi picture - gaaah! My eyes!

That pic screams, I can afford a nice-ish bike, but I have no taste.

kincsem

Euro fail
Wheel reflectors
Saddle reflector
Bell
Parking against a footpad

Euro get out of jail card
It's a compact, not a triple

I still have the reflectors on my FCR. Have tried to take them off actually but I was afraid I'd snap the spokes. Took the front and back ones off though. Of course, since it's a flat bar triple hybrid I suppose I'm allowed. Meh.

But yes, that Bianchi does look bad.

KStaford

Still confused.....

1. Why (in gods name) are reflectors against euro law ?

2. Why do most of you hate reflectors from a "cool" perspective ? The phrase "get over yourselves" springs to mind (no offense intended) :cool:

Raam

Image is everything.

If you are not looking Euro, then what are looking like? USAian? Do you really want to look USAian?

blorg

KStaford wrote: »

Still confused.....

1. Why (in gods name) are reflectors against euro law ?

2. Why do most of you hate reflectors from a "cool" perspective ? The phrase "get over yourselves" springs to mind (no offense intended) :cool:

Did you read the link I posted?

Húrin

As Sheldon Brown explains, wheel reflectors don't work until it is too late to stop a collision.

blorg wrote: »

Your two poll options basically say the same thing, which is right, wheel reflectors are an abomination, almost as bad as a pie plate

What is a pie plate?

copacetic

Húrin wrote: »

As Sheldon Brown explains, wheel reflectors don't work until it is too late to stop a collision.

Thats not true and it's not even what he says, he is talking about front and rear reflectors in moving traffic. I had a young cyclist cross right in front of a T juntion in front of me about 3 months back on a country road on a nearly pitch black night. He had no lights and was wearing darkish clothes, all I saw was the reflection of the wheel reflectors as I pulled up to the junction and he crossed across my headlights, could've easily run him down without them.

(and no I don't have them on my bike but I certainly know they work and make people more visible at night, especially outside the cities)

waitforme

OK it's off now, pliers and brut force did the trick. One less breach of the rules for me :-)

zzzzzzzz

Húrin wrote: »

What is a pie plate?

It's a bit of plastic that sits between the largest sprocket on your cassette and your wheel.

bikesnobnyc wrote:

Pie plates (also known as “dork discs,” “nerd coasters,” “Minneapolis frisbees,” “45rpm singles,” “idiot pucks,” and “moron shingles”) are like heavily intoxicated people and many triathletes in that they have no business being on a bicycle.

blorg

waitforme wrote: »

OK it's off now, pliers and brut force did the trick. One less breach of the rules for me :-)

I wasn't going to say, but I did notice it on Saturday Well done, +100 Euro points.

Raam

That last picture is just shocking. So so many things wrong.
I'm just going to have list them so no one else makes the same mistakes...

Shoes are not white
No visible socks
Bidons do not match (one looks like a saddle bag for god's sake!)
Pie plate
Riding a Trek
Running a triple
Wearing a regular t-shirt
Sunglasses under the straps
Black bartape
Excessive use of spacers
Hairy legs


Not bothered by the Shimano gruppo

zzzzzzzz

Raam wrote: »

That last picture is just shocking. So so many things wrong.
I'm just going to have list them so no one else makes the same mistakes...

Shoes are not white
No visible socks
Bidons do not match (one looks like a saddle bag for god's sake!)
Pie plate
Riding a Trek
Running a triple
Wearing a regular t-shirt
Sunglasses under the straps
Black bartape
Excessive use of spacers
Hairy legs


Not bothered by the Shimano gruppo

I know - I actually vomited a little when I saw it. I had to share

blorg

Hey, he is wearing SIDI's.

But doesn't seem to be wearing any sock's, he could be a triathlete or s'omething.

You missed that he left the s'ize s'ticker on the frame, that is s'omething that bikes'nobnyc is particularly critical about.

Raam

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I know - I actually vomited a little when I saw it. I had to share

Jeebus man, don't be exposing yourself to that stuff too often.
Look at this picture for a few minutes, it will help restore some balance

DirkVoodoo

Glad this has been sorted.

I wear "tennis" style socks when cycling, though I am sure that is the lowest on the list of my fred-offences.

I will be removing the offending spokes from my "friend's" bike.

zzzzzzzz

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Glad this has been sorted.

I wear "tennis" style socks when cycling, though I am sure that is the lowest on the list of my fred-offences.

I will be removing the offending spokes from my "friend's" bike.

Nice - that'll learn him!

Lumen

waitforme wrote: »

OK it's off now, pliers and brute force did the trick. One less breach of the rules for me :-)

Awesome. I didn't want to say anything on our first date.

scottreynolds

Raam wrote: »

Jeebus man, don't be exposing yourself to that stuff too often.
Look at this picture for a few minutes, it will help restore some balance

I hate to break it to you but his shoes are matching with anything so mighty Mario is a EURO fail -- actually he a Lisborn -- thats a guaranteed EURO fail.

Raam

scottreynolds wrote: »

I hate to break it to you but his shoes are matching with anything so mighty Mario is a EURO fail -- actually he a Lisborn -- thats a guaranteed EURO fail.

Eh, hello? He makes the rules.

Jumpy

HURRAH!

24. You shall NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, associate with triathletes. It is FORBIDDEN to have any number inked onto your body before a race.

niceonetom

That bike is a dead ringer for the Claw's bike. He too persisted with his orange abominations until the local arbiter and enforcer of euro removed them. The tennis socks have to go next.

How does someone know to buy a bianchi yet not know to remove the spokey-dokes? It's bizarre.

Nietzschean

niceonetom wrote: »

How does someone know to buy a bianchi yet not know to remove the spokey-dokes? It's bizarre.

i had been wondering that too, wouldn't look so odd on a giant or something but looks bizzare on a bianchi...

Does RAAM have refelectors on his Cervélo? that would look truely odd

tomasrojo

Húrin wrote: »

As Sheldon Brown explains, wheel reflectors don't work until it is too late to stop a collision.


What is a pie plate?

Unlike the Sheldon page, Franklin's Cyclecraft does make the point that wheel reflectors are not much use, though he thinks quite a lot of pedal reflectors. The lights you use at night should be very conspicuous from the side. If they are, then wheel reflectors don't add value. Seeing cyclists at the last minute as they're passing in front of you isn't good enough; proper lights would make you visible long before that.

In the total absence of any lights, they are better than nothing.

Raam

Nietzschean wrote: »

i had been wondering that too, wouldn't look so odd on a giant or something but looks bizzare on a bianchi...

Does RAAM have refelectors on his Cervélo? that would look truely odd

You are dead to me

lyders

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Nice - that'll learn him!

I'm a girl!! And if Dirk touches my bike, he's dead!

Raam

lyders wrote: »

I'm a girl!!

Some might say that Dirk is also, the way he flicks his hair from his eyes all the time. The lipstick doesn't help him either.

zzzzzzzz

Raam wrote: »

Eh, hello? He makes the rules.

Makes the rules? He IS the rules

RobFowl

Nietzschean wrote: »

Does RAAM have refelectors on his Cervélo? that would look truely odd

I think he has a bell though

TinyExplosions

RobFowl wrote: »

I think he has a bell though

bell end maybe