Hi viz reflective shirts?
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Hi viz reflective shirts?
I would have assumed this topic would have been beaten to death but surprisingly I havnet been able to find many options with my google searches. I'm looking for a hi viz long sleeve shirt with reflective strips (or atleast something reflective) I don't want a vest and I don't want to look like a construction worker...The only thing I've really found was from a search of running wear which produced this Nike Element half zip with reflective (pictured). Are there any other company's out there making anything similar to the Nike? I would like to explore all options before I order one since no one local stocks them (which is an entire other rant lol)
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Yep, already been down that road with the search. Everything looks like form fitting jersey type. I'm looking for something more "loose" that looks more like a conventional long sleeve shirt
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https://www.alertshirt.com/
I'll take "looking like a construction worker" over something with a pin-stripe reflective accent any day.
I'll take "looking like a construction worker" over something with a pin-stripe reflective accent any day.
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I've always looked at it this way:
a) I'm riding at night. Wear my hi viz cycling jacket, lights flashing, etc.
b) I'm riding with my son and taking it easy. Wear hi viz, jacket or vest.
c) Powering along on a bike path or road in daylight. Wear a jersey.
d) Off to the market. Street clothes.
YMMV.
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I didn't mean the construction worker comment in a bad way, just tring to paint a picture of what I don't want.
Yes i I guess I did leave out info, I have a vest that I wear. What I want is something hi viz, reflective that I can wear as a "normal" long sleeve. I go out to meet friends once a week or so for some appetizers and such. I ride at night for this and don't want to walk into a restaurant in full cycle gear or have to leave anything with the bike.....
Yes i I guess I did leave out info, I have a vest that I wear. What I want is something hi viz, reflective that I can wear as a "normal" long sleeve. I go out to meet friends once a week or so for some appetizers and such. I ride at night for this and don't want to walk into a restaurant in full cycle gear or have to leave anything with the bike.....
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Loose jerseys are hard to find in any particular combination. Columbia Sportswear Freeze Degree Shirt - UPF 50, Zip Neck, Long Sleeve (For Men) https://www.sierratradingpost.com/bro...colorFamily=01 https://www.sierratradingpost.com/exo...colorFamily=04
Last edited by cale; 01-31-15 at 01:18 PM.
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I didn't mean the construction worker comment in a bad way, just tring to paint a picture of what I don't want.
Yes i I guess I did leave out info, I have a vest that I wear. What I want is something hi viz, reflective that I can wear as a "normal" long sleeve. I go out to meet friends once a week or so for some appetizers and such. I ride at night for this and don't want to walk into a restaurant in full cycle gear or have to leave anything with the bike.....
Yes i I guess I did leave out info, I have a vest that I wear. What I want is something hi viz, reflective that I can wear as a "normal" long sleeve. I go out to meet friends once a week or so for some appetizers and such. I ride at night for this and don't want to walk into a restaurant in full cycle gear or have to leave anything with the bike.....
This is what I have done for years. Trying to be highly visible in glowing green and reflective material, and stylish, are mutually exclusive.
Wear gear that is comfortable for cycling and presentable to your friends, then throw on "the safety glowing stuff" on top. Remove it and put in bag, carry bag into "the meet." You can even carry some clean up gear in the bag... comb, etc to make yourself more presentable.
Back in my no car days, that is how I dealt with meeting friends at various venues while managing to avoid the stigma of "looking like a bumblebee." (as one local reporter stated about cyclists in hivis gear)
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Find a shirt you like and add the reflective trim yourself. It's simple and easy to do.
One off-the-shelf solution is Lightweights Power Reflectors, which are die-cut pieces of industrial-safety-grade reflective heat-transfer trim, basically lots of little round and oval iron-on reflector bits that hold up very well and are extremely bright. Also available as rolls of trim tape for long lines on arms or legs.
That's what I used on my winter gloves, for example:
Winter Bicycle Commuting Gloves by joshua_putnam, on Flickr
One off-the-shelf solution is Lightweights Power Reflectors, which are die-cut pieces of industrial-safety-grade reflective heat-transfer trim, basically lots of little round and oval iron-on reflector bits that hold up very well and are extremely bright. Also available as rolls of trim tape for long lines on arms or legs.
That's what I used on my winter gloves, for example:
Winter Bicycle Commuting Gloves by joshua_putnam, on Flickr
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One other thought, your bike and your legs are probably a better place to focus for reflective conspicuity at close range, in city conditions. Your upper body is often above the cutoff of the headlights by the time a car is less than a block away, so shoe and leg reflectors will be much brighter than arm reflectors for the same amount of reflective material.
On the other hand, your whole body may be blocked from view by other vehicles, so it's always a good idea to have your helmet as conspicuous as possible... never understood why so many urban helmets are black.
On the other hand, your whole body may be blocked from view by other vehicles, so it's always a good idea to have your helmet as conspicuous as possible... never understood why so many urban helmets are black.
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One other thought, your bike and your legs are probably a better place to focus for reflective conspicuity at close range, in city conditions. Your upper body is often above the cutoff of the headlights by the time a car is less than a block away, so shoe and leg reflectors will be much brighter than arm reflectors for the same amount of reflective material.
On the other hand, your whole body may be blocked from view by other vehicles, so it's always a good idea to have your helmet as conspicuous as possible... never understood why so many urban helmets are black.
On the other hand, your whole body may be blocked from view by other vehicles, so it's always a good idea to have your helmet as conspicuous as possible... never understood why so many urban helmets are black.
If you are going to share the road with 2 ton beasties, you best stand out!
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That's my only regret on my helmet. I bought a black one thinking it looked good - out of sheer ignorance. Now I cover it with a Sugoi hi-vis helmet cover pretty much all the time...
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I have two reflective vests. I have an orange one that I think is useless. I have a yellow one, that is better. Then I have two short-sleeve reflective yellow jerseys. Last, I have a yellow long-sleeve reflective windbreaker.l
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Find a shirt you like and add the reflective trim yourself. It's simple and easy to do.
One off-the-shelf solution is Lightweights Power Reflectors, which are die-cut pieces of industrial-safety-grade reflective heat-transfer trim, basically lots of little round and oval iron-on reflector bits that hold up very well and are extremely bright. Also available as rolls of trim tape for long lines on arms or legs.
That's what I used on my winter gloves, for example:
Winter Bicycle Commuting Gloves by joshua_putnam, on Flickr
One off-the-shelf solution is Lightweights Power Reflectors, which are die-cut pieces of industrial-safety-grade reflective heat-transfer trim, basically lots of little round and oval iron-on reflector bits that hold up very well and are extremely bright. Also available as rolls of trim tape for long lines on arms or legs.
That's what I used on my winter gloves, for example:
Winter Bicycle Commuting Gloves by joshua_putnam, on Flickr
I was given a pair like these, for Christmas 2014. But I started wondering about wearing them over winter gloves.
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You can also always add reflective material to a shirt:
IDENTI-TAPE - Sew-on and Heat-Transfer Reflective Fabric and Reflective Tapes
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These are fine by themselves for the winter, at least in the Seattle area where "winter" is rarely below the upper 20s.
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I saw some loose-fitting neon-green exercise-type shirts at Wal-Mart the other day, for something like $14. They also had some neon-green windbreakers for $17 - I might pick one up for cool-weather riding. Beats paying $150+ for a Pearl Izumi cycling windbreaker - and they'll all made in China anyway!
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I took a yellow one and added orange to it. In reality one should have something that has contrasting colors... so when the light is just right to mute one color, the other one shows better. And then big reflecting panels for the dark times.
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Check this: Elevengear Cycling
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I saw some loose-fitting neon-green exercise-type shirts at Wal-Mart the other day, for something like $14. They also had some neon-green windbreakers for $17 - I might pick one up for cool-weather riding. Beats paying $150+ for a Pearl Izumi cycling windbreaker - and they'll all made in China anyway!
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