Is there a stylish way to do high-vis?
#1
- Soli Deo Gloria -
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Is there a stylish way to do high-vis?
I'm sure I've not found it yet but I'm also pretty sure it can be done.
Right now I'm doing solid flouro jersey and socks. Gloves are black with flouro highlights. It looks a little dorky and I think the problem is the solid jersey. This is my standard for night riding, along with reflective ankle band.
I've seen some really sharp high-vis kits as I drive my car but never close enough to get a good look at brand. The one exception is a friend who has black and yellow from Ale but it is no longer made.
How are you doing high-vis so that it is reasonably stylish? Or do you think it not possible?
-Tim-
Right now I'm doing solid flouro jersey and socks. Gloves are black with flouro highlights. It looks a little dorky and I think the problem is the solid jersey. This is my standard for night riding, along with reflective ankle band.
I've seen some really sharp high-vis kits as I drive my car but never close enough to get a good look at brand. The one exception is a friend who has black and yellow from Ale but it is no longer made.
How are you doing high-vis so that it is reasonably stylish? Or do you think it not possible?
-Tim-
#2
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I won't wear yellow, orange, or fire engine green for aesthetic reasons and beyond that it's generally whatever color is on sale. Wool jackets and jerseys, which I like, particularly for commuting because they don't stink, don't come in high-vis. So in my case, probably not possible.
Yeah, I know; dead man riding (for 50 years).
Yeah, I know; dead man riding (for 50 years).
#3
Senior Member
2-3 years ago I remember a brief period -- it might've been months -- where hi-vis was stylish, at least all the big players were trying to jump in on that. My LBS went all in and had a bunch of mid-to-high-level hi viz kit from Pearl Izumi.
There was A LOT of it available at a heavy discount during the annual clearance sale that year.
I got some hi-vis winter gloves that year, simply because I needed a new pair. They are good gloves but they are not my favorite simply because they look dorky AF and they don't match anything.
So no, I don't think it's possible.
There was A LOT of it available at a heavy discount during the annual clearance sale that year.
I got some hi-vis winter gloves that year, simply because I needed a new pair. They are good gloves but they are not my favorite simply because they look dorky AF and they don't match anything.
So no, I don't think it's possible.
#5
Senior Member
"Stylish" can be at least a slightly fuzzy concept.
#6
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What about POC?
Or is their stuff not considered high-vis?
I hate to get into a semantics debate about the meaning of high-vis.
Or is their stuff not considered high-vis?
I hate to get into a semantics debate about the meaning of high-vis.
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#8
Senior Member
For night time, reflective and lights are the best, clothes don't matter as much. Reflective rim strips or tires and a bit of reflective tape added to the back of the pedals make you pretty noticeable.
for day time I like jerseys with hi vis accents and reflective bits. My go to commuting jerseys are rapha brevets and my demarchi bibs have reflective tabs
for day time I like jerseys with hi vis accents and reflective bits. My go to commuting jerseys are rapha brevets and my demarchi bibs have reflective tabs
#9
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Retroreflective is fine. Hell, I even have luminescent patches on my offshore foul weather gear.
#10
Serious Cyclist
I think everything this guy makes is pretty stylish, I have multiple pairs of socks-
https://ridgesupply.com/shop/
The story of how he started his company is interesting too-
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/left...cycling-brand/
He does his kits as a collaboration with a local company, Cutaway-
https://www.cutaway.us/collections/shopall
The guy who founded Cutaway is a friend and my team has used their stuff for years, it's excellent. Some of their jerseys/bibs are definitely hi-viz and IMO quite stylish.
https://ridgesupply.com/shop/
The story of how he started his company is interesting too-
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/left...cycling-brand/
He does his kits as a collaboration with a local company, Cutaway-
https://www.cutaway.us/collections/shopall
The guy who founded Cutaway is a friend and my team has used their stuff for years, it's excellent. Some of their jerseys/bibs are definitely hi-viz and IMO quite stylish.
#11
Senior Member
I think everything this guy makes is pretty stylish, I have multiple pairs of socks-
https://ridgesupply.com/shop/
The story of how he started his company is interesting too-
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/left...cycling-brand/
He does his kits as a collaboration with a local company, Cutaway-
https://www.cutaway.us/collections/shopall
The guy who founded Cutaway is a friend and my team has used their stuff for years, it's excellent. Some of their jerseys/bibs are definitely hi-viz and IMO quite stylish.
https://ridgesupply.com/shop/
The story of how he started his company is interesting too-
https://cyclingtips.com/2016/07/left...cycling-brand/
He does his kits as a collaboration with a local company, Cutaway-
https://www.cutaway.us/collections/shopall
The guy who founded Cutaway is a friend and my team has used their stuff for years, it's excellent. Some of their jerseys/bibs are definitely hi-viz and IMO quite stylish.
Last edited by redlude97; 07-26-18 at 09:25 AM. Reason: Pic
#12
Occam's Rotor
As a scientist and cyclist, I've learned to embrace dorky.
The purpose, at least for me, is to avoid getting myself killed, not to look trendy for a totally hypothetical adoring neuro-typical twenty-something hipster.
Having said that, I scored this on sale at REI:
The purpose, at least for me, is to avoid getting myself killed, not to look trendy for a totally hypothetical adoring neuro-typical twenty-something hipster.
Having said that, I scored this on sale at REI:
Last edited by Cyclist0108; 07-26-18 at 09:33 AM.
#13
Senior Member
I mean, me too -- but when I hear' "Hi-viz" I think of fluorescent yellow, which I think is different than the reflective things that other people have posted, which can be quite stylish.
#14
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Most of what's being pictured here isn't high-vis.
Purple PI jersey, rainbow socks and a 95% grey Rapha jersey with a token yellow stripe really isn't high vis.
[MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] is high-vis, and quite stylish for touring but I was thinking more along the lines of fast Saturday morning group ride roadie high-vis. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
-Tim-
Purple PI jersey, rainbow socks and a 95% grey Rapha jersey with a token yellow stripe really isn't high vis.
[MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] is high-vis, and quite stylish for touring but I was thinking more along the lines of fast Saturday morning group ride roadie high-vis. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
-Tim-
#16
Senior Member
Most of what's being pictured here isn't high-vis.
Purple PI jersey, rainbow socks and a 95% grey Rapha jersey with a token yellow stripe really isn't high vis.
[MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] is high-vis, and quite stylish for touring but I was thinking more along the lines of fast Saturday morning group ride roadie high-vis. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
-Tim-
Purple PI jersey, rainbow socks and a 95% grey Rapha jersey with a token yellow stripe really isn't high vis.
[MENTION=4588]Machka[/MENTION] is high-vis, and quite stylish for touring but I was thinking more along the lines of fast Saturday morning group ride roadie high-vis. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
-Tim-
#17
#18
#19
Serious Cyclist
Same for the shoes/socks-
You can always throw some reflective tape on them too, but I don't see how a pure fluro-yellow jersey will be all that much more safe/visible than the things above, which won't make you look like a 60+ bikepacker.
#20
Banned
Thread seems a vanity Vs visibility trade off.. throw the dice..
Carhartt zip hoodie works for me , it's got reflective stripes bonded onto it, not sewn.
LBS has thin lightweight jackets for sale , Half off priced, brand; Enduro..
...
Carhartt zip hoodie works for me , it's got reflective stripes bonded onto it, not sewn.
LBS has thin lightweight jackets for sale , Half off priced, brand; Enduro..
...
Last edited by fietsbob; 07-27-18 at 10:21 AM.
#21
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Who gets to say what's stylish? Are there judges for this somewhere?
For me part of the draw of true Hi-Vis (besides increased visibility) is to NOT look like the Saturday morning racers. Win/win.
For me part of the draw of true Hi-Vis (besides increased visibility) is to NOT look like the Saturday morning racers. Win/win.
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There are no "stylish" cycling clothing. They all look stupid. Wear what you want. I went to almost all bright/fluorescent colors - almost entirely the Ale' brand because they do it well. If you're wearing stuff that bright when the idiots driving and looking at their phones look up quickly to glance at the road it catches their eye and keeps them from running you over (or at least reduces the chances). Have fluo orange and yellow helmets and shoes as well. Function over style - but again - there's no style in cycling clothing, it's all freaking ridiculous.
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First of all, style is completely subjective. Second, color has far less to do with looking "stylish" than cut and fit of the jersey. I don't care if you're wearing the very latest $200 Rapha jersey (which is *clearly* the authority on style...), if it's 3 sizes too big, sags down below your ass, and you fill the pockets with 20 lbs of crap, you aren't gonna look "cool" no matter what.