View Poll Results: What’s your color preference and why?
Fluorescent yellow/green only
15
14.85%
Black and grays
17
16.83%
Orange, Red, Greens, bright colors
63
62.38%
None of your bees wax
6
5.94%
Voters: 101. You may not vote on this poll
Dark or Bright Colors?
10-19-20, 01:05 PM
#76
Junior Member
I got passed by a regiment of Strykers, an officer was sitting on the hatch, holding on to the gun rest, They gave me lots of room and the Major touched his helmet.
i bought a maple leaf jersey before I went to Montreal. Question, what should I wear in Europe, and can I wear my kit in restaurants?
i bought a maple leaf jersey before I went to Montreal. Question, what should I wear in Europe, and can I wear my kit in restaurants?
10-19-20, 01:22 PM
#77
Junior Member
10-19-20, 01:40 PM
#78
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Prefer bright colors – green, yellow – and a rear flashing light. I want to be seen and good part of the time, drivers still don’t notice me. When I got hit in April, the driver told me he never saw me.
10-19-20, 01:55 PM
#79
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A bright yellow jersey, on the other hand, works well at some times during the year. Right now, where I live, it would blend in with the turning leaves.
10-19-20, 02:11 PM
#80
Senior Member
Use running lights (front and rear) and don't worry about the colors you are wearing.
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10-19-20, 02:49 PM
#81
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When I drive, ride, walk, or whatever, I notice high vis yellowish greenish newish safety jackets and jerseys on highway workers and others, a long way away. I remember riding in a straight line about 1/2 or 1/4 mile to a group ride, I could only see the high vis yellow green riders at a distance. So that's what I wear. I also have a Cygolight hot shot pro 200 tail light that is visible at that distance in daylight. I have a Cygolight dice 150 white in front. It's a lot brighter than car lights. As is my tail light.
Now there are a few good daylight lights and millions of ones that don't work in daylight.
Now there are a few good daylight lights and millions of ones that don't work in daylight.
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10-19-20, 03:02 PM
#82
Junior Member
I got hit by a car during bright daylight while wearing a bright pink/red jersey. The driver said he never saw me. Now I use a 350 lumens flashing tail light and ride mostly on gravel roads.
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10-19-20, 04:13 PM
#83
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I misread the question and was thinking *bike* color.
When I got run over from behind (“Oh, I’m sorry - I didn’t SEE you!”) I was wearing a multi-color jersey and had a bright red flashing tail light and was stopped and an intersection, waiting for cross traffic to clear.
Do what you can to be seen, wear what you like, and enjoy the ride!
When I got run over from behind (“Oh, I’m sorry - I didn’t SEE you!”) I was wearing a multi-color jersey and had a bright red flashing tail light and was stopped and an intersection, waiting for cross traffic to clear.
Do what you can to be seen, wear what you like, and enjoy the ride!
10-19-20, 04:18 PM
#84
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General recreation - you want to be seen by those that could kill you, but you assume do not want to.
Competition, I think it is better to be unnoticed.
Then there is the heat thing. For those that ride in sunny places, reflective is better.
10-20-20, 06:50 AM
#85
Senior Member
AKA blind/annoy the hell out out of anyone behind you, especially when it's dark. I won't say I blame you though. However, 100 lm is plenty for a tail light IMO. I have a 60 lm tail light and a friend of mine who once had unbeknownst to me been catching up with me said it was visible from 1 km away (daylight, overcast).
10-20-20, 07:52 AM
#86
Junior Member
AKA blind/annoy the hell out out of anyone behind you, especially when it's dark. I won't say I blame you though. However, 100 lm is plenty for a tail light IMO. I have a 60 lm tail light and a friend of mine who once had unbeknownst to me been catching up with me said it was visible from 1 km away (daylight, overcast).
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10-22-20, 08:59 AM
#88
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When I was in my 20s I would wear running singlets and I didn't think nothing of visibility. But now in my 50s I make sure to wear mostly red, one yellow, one orange active wear shirts with black cycling shorts and a blinking light on my post. Unfortunately I haven't gotten any wiser or smarter and here's the story to prove it. (I'm glad this isn't a A&S thread).
I live in Texas and it wasn't that hot one summer day and decided I'd wear a black active wear shirt and Not be cool but look it. After I made the turn around it got really hot and started to question the black shirt decision. Anyways, there was a tree on the opposite side of the country road (against traffic) and I headed to the shade it was throwing on the road to make a bike adjustment. I should've got in the grass but I didn't want to risk a flat plus there's not a lot of traffic where I ride. But here came a pickup truck heading right towards me. I figured it was someone trying to scare me BUT it kept coming towards me like he didn't see me, but instead of getting in the grass I decided I'd stand my ground and started waving my hands to alert him. Finally right before I was gonna jump into the grass he veered away from me. (Hold on guys I get dumber) as he went by I Spit On His Pickup Truck. Now, his brake lights come on he shoves his pick-up in reverse and starts heading right towards me. (Hold on guys I get even dumber). I decide in my rage from almost purposely getting run over that I wasn't moving and he was gonna have to really run me over. But like before, he veered at the last second...then stops right beside me. Then he starts yelling at me about spitting on his pick up and I yell back because he tried to run me over and he yells " I didn't see you and why would I intentionally run you over". I YELL back cause some people don't like cyclist. He was kinda taken back and told me I shouldn't wear black cause he couldn't see me in the shade. Then he burned rubber.
There are a few takeaway lessons here. Number One, Don't spit on pickup trucks in Texas. 2. Wait a few years before you tell this story and tell it here first. 3. What a dumb sss I was and hopefully won't put myself in that situation again...but if I know me.
Ok feel Free to add your What An Idiot comments directed towards me, I deserve it and This Is cycling discussion thread.
Finally now I can tell this story to others.
BTW, I haven't worn a black shirt on the Road since that incident s few years ago. And FWIW, i read a little article in cycling magazine years ago that the color that alert drivers the most Was Not orange, yellow or red but was....Pink. Who knew? Well I did, but I still wore black that day.
I live in Texas and it wasn't that hot one summer day and decided I'd wear a black active wear shirt and Not be cool but look it. After I made the turn around it got really hot and started to question the black shirt decision. Anyways, there was a tree on the opposite side of the country road (against traffic) and I headed to the shade it was throwing on the road to make a bike adjustment. I should've got in the grass but I didn't want to risk a flat plus there's not a lot of traffic where I ride. But here came a pickup truck heading right towards me. I figured it was someone trying to scare me BUT it kept coming towards me like he didn't see me, but instead of getting in the grass I decided I'd stand my ground and started waving my hands to alert him. Finally right before I was gonna jump into the grass he veered away from me. (Hold on guys I get dumber) as he went by I Spit On His Pickup Truck. Now, his brake lights come on he shoves his pick-up in reverse and starts heading right towards me. (Hold on guys I get even dumber). I decide in my rage from almost purposely getting run over that I wasn't moving and he was gonna have to really run me over. But like before, he veered at the last second...then stops right beside me. Then he starts yelling at me about spitting on his pick up and I yell back because he tried to run me over and he yells " I didn't see you and why would I intentionally run you over". I YELL back cause some people don't like cyclist. He was kinda taken back and told me I shouldn't wear black cause he couldn't see me in the shade. Then he burned rubber.
There are a few takeaway lessons here. Number One, Don't spit on pickup trucks in Texas. 2. Wait a few years before you tell this story and tell it here first. 3. What a dumb sss I was and hopefully won't put myself in that situation again...but if I know me.
Ok feel Free to add your What An Idiot comments directed towards me, I deserve it and This Is cycling discussion thread.
Finally now I can tell this story to others.
BTW, I haven't worn a black shirt on the Road since that incident s few years ago. And FWIW, i read a little article in cycling magazine years ago that the color that alert drivers the most Was Not orange, yellow or red but was....Pink. Who knew? Well I did, but I still wore black that day.
12-24-20, 12:56 AM
#89
velo-dilettante
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always rocking a front (and at least one) rear blinkie. i tend to lean towards white jerseys because, ime, that is what stands out most to me
when driving mountain/foothill roads or urban roads. it looks like a blank, moving sandwich board in a sea of different textures, colors and
shades-so it stands out to me here in socal. also seems to work fairly well on those may/june overcast days. no idea how it stands out or not
for those colorblind individuals that drive (maybe someone can chip in?) but thinking it's perhaps even more pronounced. obvs the white
jerseys are a tuff proposition on rain rides and you only have to change one or two flats while wearing a white jersey before it becomes
less pure than the driven snow. if i were riding more often in snow climes with snowbanks and a white background, it would be different.
when driving mountain/foothill roads or urban roads. it looks like a blank, moving sandwich board in a sea of different textures, colors and
shades-so it stands out to me here in socal. also seems to work fairly well on those may/june overcast days. no idea how it stands out or not
for those colorblind individuals that drive (maybe someone can chip in?) but thinking it's perhaps even more pronounced. obvs the white
jerseys are a tuff proposition on rain rides and you only have to change one or two flats while wearing a white jersey before it becomes
less pure than the driven snow. if i were riding more often in snow climes with snowbanks and a white background, it would be different.
12-24-20, 11:58 PM
#90
Grupetto Bob
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From Be Outdoors:
”When it comes to high-visibility safety apparel, there are specific and rigorously tested standards set in place by the government: The American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear (ANSI/ISEA 107-2010) as established by American National Standards Institute, Inc. (If you really want to get into the details, here’s an excellent and very thorough overview.)
When it comes to cycling and running, there is not nearly the level of scientific studies or standards in place for high-visibility clothing. The takeaway from the national standards, however, is that only three colors meet its rigorous criteria: fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, and fluorescent red. (And, of course, reflective stripes for nighttime visibility.)
As mentioned above, fluorescent yellow-green is the best choice during the day—and best all-around choice for a single color. But as dusk sets in and lighting gets dim, orange-red and red start to become more prominent. (It has to do with the fact that your eyeballs rely on both rods and cones to see colors, that it uses them in different combinations depending on ambient light levels, and that rods and cones are more sensitive to different wavelengths of light. Newsweek had a great article on this topic last October. )
So the takeaway from all this? The safest, most visible combination of clothing would include all three colors. A yellow-green vest over an orange-red jersey, for example. But even if you don’t tri-color your way across the landscape, do the bright thing: Pick at least one of them—and wear it!”
Many fire departments have transitioned from red trucks to high-vis yellow/green and have seen substantial reductions in collisions.
”When it comes to high-visibility safety apparel, there are specific and rigorously tested standards set in place by the government: The American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel and Headwear (ANSI/ISEA 107-2010) as established by American National Standards Institute, Inc. (If you really want to get into the details, here’s an excellent and very thorough overview.)
When it comes to cycling and running, there is not nearly the level of scientific studies or standards in place for high-visibility clothing. The takeaway from the national standards, however, is that only three colors meet its rigorous criteria: fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, and fluorescent red. (And, of course, reflective stripes for nighttime visibility.)
As mentioned above, fluorescent yellow-green is the best choice during the day—and best all-around choice for a single color. But as dusk sets in and lighting gets dim, orange-red and red start to become more prominent. (It has to do with the fact that your eyeballs rely on both rods and cones to see colors, that it uses them in different combinations depending on ambient light levels, and that rods and cones are more sensitive to different wavelengths of light. Newsweek had a great article on this topic last October. )
So the takeaway from all this? The safest, most visible combination of clothing would include all three colors. A yellow-green vest over an orange-red jersey, for example. But even if you don’t tri-color your way across the landscape, do the bright thing: Pick at least one of them—and wear it!”
Many fire departments have transitioned from red trucks to high-vis yellow/green and have seen substantial reductions in collisions.
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12-25-20, 12:04 AM
#91
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Last edited by 10 Wheels; 12-26-20 at 12:24 AM.
12-25-20, 08:35 AM
#92
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I wear bright whenever possible.
Based on my encounters with cyclists while I am driving, it usually does not matter, but on occasion it does make a difference.
Also, blaze orange and neon green/yellow are useful when i want to mountIan bike or hike during hunting season.
Based on my encounters with cyclists while I am driving, it usually does not matter, but on occasion it does make a difference.
Also, blaze orange and neon green/yellow are useful when i want to mountIan bike or hike during hunting season.
12-25-20, 06:20 PM
#93
Grupetto Bob
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In my country, most cyclists wear dark colors (often black with little to no bright color accentuation) to their detriment (less visibility and absorbs more heat in our scorching tropical sun).
Main reason: looks cool
Next important reason: helps obscure "skunk stripes" - we do have plenty of wet / muddy roads even in the dry season without rains due to poor drainage / sewage infrastructure of our roads. You can guess where that water is coming from.....
But for me, I wear bright clothing except for my shorts (dark color shorts to help obscure "saddle stain"). I do hate the heat, especially 100F heat, nobody gets used to it even if you're born into it and bright shirts absorb solar heat less. All humans have about 100'F heat tolerance (when really bad things start happening to the body) without any form of cooling (including sweating) and that's that.
To deal with the skunk stripe problem, and still be able to wear bright clothing - full fenders all year round. Though it adds a bit to weight and aero drag, it's a huge convenience in not having to be limited to just dark clothing only and SAFE. I see a lot of cyclists swerve around or brake for wet sections of the road. I don't have to do that with full fenders! For me, I'd like to be safe than looking cool on the road or adding a few mph to the speed. Heck, I even ride with a gravel bike on roads with wider tires all the time so I can simply roll over potholes without having to swerve nor brake!
Main reason: looks cool
Next important reason: helps obscure "skunk stripes" - we do have plenty of wet / muddy roads even in the dry season without rains due to poor drainage / sewage infrastructure of our roads. You can guess where that water is coming from.....
But for me, I wear bright clothing except for my shorts (dark color shorts to help obscure "saddle stain"). I do hate the heat, especially 100F heat, nobody gets used to it even if you're born into it and bright shirts absorb solar heat less. All humans have about 100'F heat tolerance (when really bad things start happening to the body) without any form of cooling (including sweating) and that's that.
To deal with the skunk stripe problem, and still be able to wear bright clothing - full fenders all year round. Though it adds a bit to weight and aero drag, it's a huge convenience in not having to be limited to just dark clothing only and SAFE. I see a lot of cyclists swerve around or brake for wet sections of the road. I don't have to do that with full fenders! For me, I'd like to be safe than looking cool on the road or adding a few mph to the speed. Heck, I even ride with a gravel bike on roads with wider tires all the time so I can simply roll over potholes without having to swerve nor brake!
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12-25-20, 08:42 PM
#94
Senior Member
12-25-20, 08:49 PM
#95
Senior Member
At my workplace, I have access to all manner of high-vis T-shirts, jackets, vests, etc.... All ANSI/ISEA neon yellow with reflectorized stripes. I don't ride at night but on the rare occasion I'm still out as it begins to get darker they're probably better than the typical black T shirt and green camouflage shorts I usually wear otherwise.
12-26-20, 12:45 AM
#96
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White helmet, loud safety vest and lights.