Bike pedals without reflectors???
07-27-20, 02:38 PM
#26
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Since I do commute at night, I often end up riding behind some other rider. The pedal reflectors are astoundingly effective in making a rider stand out in traffic, due to the characteristic motion of the reflectors. Sure, you might not see them when you lack lights of your own, as not uncommon for cyclists. With my night observations I am quite reluctant to ride at night with pedals that lack reflectors. With all the conditions in the market, it is still possible to find good pedals with reflectors although sorting them out from the other can be a challenge and you may need to order them from Europe. Myself, I ride right now with excellent Shimano Saint pedals that are pinned and accommodate dedicated reflectors.
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07-27-20, 03:07 PM
#27
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I don't know.
Many cycling jerseys, bibs and jackets come with reflective accents.
Many cycling shoes come with reflective accents.
Many cycling helmets come with reflective accents.
Many shoe covers come with reflective accents.
Heck, even many cycling gloves have reflective accents.
Pedals with reflectors seems like a no-brainer. We've all seen pedal reflectors bobbing up and down when overtaking a cyclist in the dark (and, we've all seen Ninja cyclists that you can't see until you're on top of them too, both with and without reflectors).
I'm not claiming that it is a cure-all, but it can't hurt. Any addition of reflectors or active lighting has to help with visibility in at least some circumstances. At the right angle, pedal reflectors are very eye-catching.
Many cycling jerseys, bibs and jackets come with reflective accents.
Many cycling shoes come with reflective accents.
Many cycling helmets come with reflective accents.
Many shoe covers come with reflective accents.
Heck, even many cycling gloves have reflective accents.
Pedals with reflectors seems like a no-brainer. We've all seen pedal reflectors bobbing up and down when overtaking a cyclist in the dark (and, we've all seen Ninja cyclists that you can't see until you're on top of them too, both with and without reflectors).
I'm not claiming that it is a cure-all, but it can't hurt. Any addition of reflectors or active lighting has to help with visibility in at least some circumstances. At the right angle, pedal reflectors are very eye-catching.
07-27-20, 03:16 PM
#28
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Oddly enough, I ride a bike without cycling jerseys, bibs, jackets, shoes, shoe covers, or gloves. I do wear a helmet, to which I've attached a red taillight, and my bikes are also equipped with lights.
07-27-20, 03:19 PM
#29
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Amusingly, I've also been hiking in the Colorado Rockies, and you can see which trails are used by cyclists, because there are scattered bits of reflectors here and there.
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07-27-20, 10:32 PM
#30
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Rather than reflect light from someone else, possibly when it is to late, I would rather just have my own bright lights (solid front, ALWAYS and usually solid rear but flashing is ok if need be). That way I can buy good quality pedals and not knock offs from Amazon or the cheapies that typically have reflectors.
If I am going with a flat pedal I will probably go with a real Crank Brothers Stamp 3 or 7 they use sealed cartridge bearings a good reliable metal platform. I also am a fan of the MKS Gamma pedals which just so happen to have reflectors but that is not on the list of why I got them, the main reason is I liked the Lambdas but no good grip and these have some lugs to give excellent grip when in more casual footwear. Though I will say they are not sealed bearings so I may not run them on any serious bikes that will see all weather and more frequent wet weather.
Again don't buy knockoffs from Billionaire Jeff Bezos or anyone else. Get good bright lights and pedals with replaceable pins (or at least pins for grip)
If I am going with a flat pedal I will probably go with a real Crank Brothers Stamp 3 or 7 they use sealed cartridge bearings a good reliable metal platform. I also am a fan of the MKS Gamma pedals which just so happen to have reflectors but that is not on the list of why I got them, the main reason is I liked the Lambdas but no good grip and these have some lugs to give excellent grip when in more casual footwear. Though I will say they are not sealed bearings so I may not run them on any serious bikes that will see all weather and more frequent wet weather.
Again don't buy knockoffs from Billionaire Jeff Bezos or anyone else. Get good bright lights and pedals with replaceable pins (or at least pins for grip)
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07-28-20, 05:29 AM
#31
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While I understand the need to be SEEN and how reflectors can play a role in this....I personally don't like the way they look on my bikes eg in the spokes, attached to the rear seat post, front, etc.
The rattling/creaking from the ones in the spokes would drive me nuts on a long ride. First thing I do when I get a "new" bike home is strip the reflectors off.
I ride only in daylight but at the slight chance that I may be out when the sun starts to drop my bike(s) are equipped with micro led flashers discretely, but usefully mounted..
The rattling/creaking from the ones in the spokes would drive me nuts on a long ride. First thing I do when I get a "new" bike home is strip the reflectors off.
I ride only in daylight but at the slight chance that I may be out when the sun starts to drop my bike(s) are equipped with micro led flashers discretely, but usefully mounted..
07-28-20, 06:29 AM
#32
Bikes are okay, I guess.
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Biker586 , are you in Illinois where this conversation about state law and pedal reflectors would apply to you? If not, check your state to see if that applies where you live. Pedal reflectors came into existence with the CPSC regs for new bicycles in the '70s and some states must have adopted them as written to be applied at the state level.
Virginia has no such pedal requirement:
Bicycles ridden on highways must have brakes which will skid the wheels on dry, level, clean pavement.
Reference: §§ 46.2-1015, 46.2-1066
And welcome, by the way.
Virginia has no such pedal requirement:
Equipment
Every bicycle ridden between sunset and sunrise must have at least one white headlamp with the light being visible at least 500 feet to the front. The bicycle must have a red reflector on the rear visible at least 600 feet to the rear. On roads posted with speed limit of 35 mph or greater, the bicyclist must additionally be equipped with at least one red taillight visible from 500 feet to the rear. Taillights may be steady or blinking, are allowed under all conditions, and may be attached to the cycle or rider.Bicycles ridden on highways must have brakes which will skid the wheels on dry, level, clean pavement.
Reference: §§ 46.2-1015, 46.2-1066
And welcome, by the way.
07-28-20, 07:03 AM
#33
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I'll tell ya what I like about reflectors besides the fact they light up your bike more when struck by other vehicle lights. They are reassuring when your USB charged lighting system gives you the red warning light and they are going dimmer, and dimmer, and dimmer on your way back home.
I try and keep my lights charged up, but I've been caught at least one time rolling in my driveway with a fully discharged headlight battery.
Regarding inexpensive pedals, some of us ride inexpensive bikes because we have to live inexpensively.
I try and keep my lights charged up, but I've been caught at least one time rolling in my driveway with a fully discharged headlight battery.
Regarding inexpensive pedals, some of us ride inexpensive bikes because we have to live inexpensively.
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07-28-20, 07:16 AM
#34
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While I understand the need to be SEEN and how reflectors can play a role in this....I personally don't like the way they look on my bikes eg in the spokes, attached to the rear seat post, front, etc.
The rattling/creaking from the ones in the spokes would drive me nuts on a long ride. First thing I do when I get a "new" bike home is strip the reflectors off.
I ride only in daylight but at the slight chance that I may be out when the sun starts to drop my bike(s) are equipped with micro led flashers discretely, but usefully mounted..
The rattling/creaking from the ones in the spokes would drive me nuts on a long ride. First thing I do when I get a "new" bike home is strip the reflectors off.
I ride only in daylight but at the slight chance that I may be out when the sun starts to drop my bike(s) are equipped with micro led flashers discretely, but usefully mounted..
07-28-20, 08:29 AM
#35
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07-29-20, 07:34 AM
#36
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Not the bike commuters I know. We leave the house in darkness 8 months of the year at my latitude. Fair weather? Ha! Weather is what it is. Commuting is a year-round, daily routine (or at least it used to be). You have to ride through the weather. For me it's only 30-40 minutes, so anything can be tolerated. Ice on the road is another matter, of course.
07-29-20, 08:12 AM
#37
Senior Member
More reflectors means more visibility reducing the likelihood of an accident and perhaps life altering injuries.
My 2018 Giant Sedona came with pedal and Spoke reflectors which I keep, And no, the spoke reflectors don't rattle. Also reflective paint/decals on the head tube and frame.
On a dark night it is really quiet surprising how effective each of these are at making us visible to car and truck drivers. The reflective paint on the head tube amazingly lights up like a bacon from a long way away. And I see pedal and spoke reflectors clearly from a long way back too.
That said I still use small lights on the few occasions I need them. You would be surprised at how far away we can see these tiny lights too. If you need to light you path, then of course you'll need more.
My 2018 Giant Sedona came with pedal and Spoke reflectors which I keep, And no, the spoke reflectors don't rattle. Also reflective paint/decals on the head tube and frame.
On a dark night it is really quiet surprising how effective each of these are at making us visible to car and truck drivers. The reflective paint on the head tube amazingly lights up like a bacon from a long way away. And I see pedal and spoke reflectors clearly from a long way back too.
That said I still use small lights on the few occasions I need them. You would be surprised at how far away we can see these tiny lights too. If you need to light you path, then of course you'll need more.
07-29-20, 08:36 AM
#38
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07-29-20, 08:38 AM
#39
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07-29-20, 04:23 PM
#40
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Not the bike commuters I know. We leave the house in darkness 8 months of the year at my latitude. Fair weather? Ha! Weather is what it is. Commuting is a year-round, daily routine (or at least it used to be). You have to ride through the weather. For me it's only 30-40 minutes, so anything can be tolerated. Ice on the road is another matter, of course.
For a short while I operated in a surrounding where it was dark when going to work and dark again when going back. That was in northern Finland. I had no bike there, but most people around had and biked no matter what. However, in my Michigan surrounding, the ridership changes by a factor of of the order of 50 between summer and winter. When I commuted in Southern California, the winter stood for the rainy season and when the rains came it was a complete wipeout: I was suddenly the single person commuting along my bike trail. When I commuted in Seattle, the change in ridership between summer and winter was modest, maybe a factor of 3.
Of course different places may have their local characteristics, but when you go to the market you get an idea what the situation is. When I first looked for studded tires, my only choices were to order them from Alaska or from Europe. When I first looked for a rain cape, there was a single Campmor option in the US. I had similar experiences with dynamo lights, touring racks, baskets etc. Sure over time someone begins to import this or that but the truth remains that the products usually get manufactured because of market pressures somewhere else, not in the US.
07-29-20, 09:08 PM
#41
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Having driven behind cyclists with pedal reflectors, I would emphatically disagree that they are ineffective.
They do not replace a light, but the fact that they are moving up and down make them very noticeable, and in a different way from a tail light.
They do not replace a light, but the fact that they are moving up and down make them very noticeable, and in a different way from a tail light.
07-30-20, 04:03 AM
#42
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Sure, there are more effective ways to be seen, but it's not true at all that pedal reflectors are ineffective. It was already almost completely dark as I finished my evening ride yesterday, and I encountered a few bike ninjas without any lights or front/rear reflectors; the pedal reflectors were the only thing that made them visible, and they lighted up well even in the light of my 120lm headlight. So while avid cyclists most probably will have other and more effective visibility accessories, the pedal reflectors can play an important role for more casual bike riders (and it doesn't hurt to have them if the pedals of choice allow it).
I currently have a set of cheap Wellgo B087U platform pedals that came without reflectors but have a slot to fit them, so I just moved the reflectors from my old pedals to these and they fit perfectly.
I currently have a set of cheap Wellgo B087U platform pedals that came without reflectors but have a slot to fit them, so I just moved the reflectors from my old pedals to these and they fit perfectly.
07-30-20, 05:18 AM
#43
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If you regularly ride in the dark and your only means of being "seen" are reflectors......you should take a serious look at your Safety requirements and add lumination.
Those tires ^^^^ would work great from the side.....but from behind/front.....not so much.
Those tires ^^^^ would work great from the side.....but from behind/front.....not so much.
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07-30-20, 06:49 AM
#45
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I believe the reason many pedals come without reflectors (and don’t have mounts either) has to do with the shape. Most clip-less are too small and even a lot of nicer flats are shaped in ways that make it hard.
All my favorite flat pedals are now MTB pedals, and for obvious reasons, they don’t have reflectors.
If they started making commuter pedals more like good mtb pedals, but with reflectors, I might be interested.
My main issue with pedal reflectors is how often I break them. Out of the 4 on my commuter bike, 1 is still intact.
All my favorite flat pedals are now MTB pedals, and for obvious reasons, they don’t have reflectors.
If they started making commuter pedals more like good mtb pedals, but with reflectors, I might be interested.
My main issue with pedal reflectors is how often I break them. Out of the 4 on my commuter bike, 1 is still intact.
07-30-20, 07:03 AM
#46
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Maybe it's just me but when I use to be driving at night in a car, I never miss pedal reflectors. Especially the way they go up and down, they are visible for at least a kilometer, especially in rural areas.
I'd say they are still incredibly useful if you're riding late at night or night in lonely back roads. Probably less useful if there are lots of motorists on the road where their bright tail lights will easily overwhelm the pedal reflectors.
I'd say they are still incredibly useful if you're riding late at night or night in lonely back roads. Probably less useful if there are lots of motorists on the road where their bright tail lights will easily overwhelm the pedal reflectors.
Reflectors do not get overwhelmed, they may get lost in the sea of other lights, reflectors, and stuff in the area. A good reflector redirects most light back at the source of the light. One person from the left will not see a reflector from a person shining a light from the right, well they will "see it" but much less than the person with the light. The reflected beam is pretty much line of sight. When testing a reflector, hold the flashlight near your head vs down at your hips, you will see a huge difference depending on how far away your are from the reflector. A reflector is for people with headlights to see you.
Last edited by u235; 07-30-20 at 09:37 AM.
07-30-20, 07:32 AM
#48
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The picture isn't saying it works from other than the side.
Who knows why there aren't any other reflectors. Maybe, the rider wears them (with lights). Who knows.
It's an illustration of the tires. It could be an advertisement.
It seems likely that the person who posted it is just showing how the tires work.
It's silly that you think it's a recommendation that nothing else is needed.
07-30-20, 07:45 AM
#49
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$15 on Amazon and you get 2 of them, problem solved. And it has a pocket for your cell phone.
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Visibility.../dp/B019XWK1DG
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Visibility.../dp/B019XWK1DG
07-30-20, 07:50 AM
#50
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That was killing my brain, Wanderer. 
Here ya go, again.
625 ILCS 5/11‑1507(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1507)Sec. 11-1507.
Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle, except that a lamp emitting a steady or flashing red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to or instead of the red reflector.
(b) A bicycle shall not be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren. This subsection (b) does not apply to a bicycle that is a police vehicle or fire department vehicle.
(c) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will adequately control movement of and stop and hold such bicycle.
(d) No person shall sell a new bicycle or pedal for use on a bicycle that is not equipped with a reflex reflector conforming to specifications prescribed by the Department, on each pedal, visible from the front and rear of the bicycle during darkness from a distance of 200 feet.
Here ya go, again.
625 ILCS 5/11‑1507(from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 11‑1507)Sec. 11-1507.
Lamps and other equipment on bicycles.
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector on the rear of a type approved by the Department which shall be visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle, except that a lamp emitting a steady or flashing red light visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear may be used in addition to or instead of the red reflector.
(b) A bicycle shall not be equipped with nor shall any person use upon a bicycle any siren. This subsection (b) does not apply to a bicycle that is a police vehicle or fire department vehicle.
(c) Every bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which will adequately control movement of and stop and hold such bicycle.
(d) No person shall sell a new bicycle or pedal for use on a bicycle that is not equipped with a reflex reflector conforming to specifications prescribed by the Department, on each pedal, visible from the front and rear of the bicycle during darkness from a distance of 200 feet.
Also, given that almost no clipless pedals have reflectors, or any way to attach them, does the sale of these items by bike shops violate Illinois law?
In reality... I purchased two new bikes (in Illinois) recently:
1. A kids bike that came with platform pedals that have built-in reflectors, and also front/rear and wheel reflectors.
2. An adult bike that didn't come with any reflectors. I separately purchased clipless pedals that the shop installed prior to me buying the bike. The pedals were sold with no reflectors (and to my knowledge it would be impossible to attach a reflector to an XTR clipless pedal). The bike also had no other reflectors on the frame or wheels (or a dork disc) which is good because I would've immediately removed these items from the bike, along with the multiple warning stickers on the frame.
For the record, my cycling shoes are high-viz yellow with reflective stripes on the rear. I also run multiple LED lights on my bike at night, and my bike helmet has reflective stripes on it.
