grindr82

I have recently started commuting 18 miles round trip...I travel on country roads where the lighting isn't always ideal...I would like to know (in your opinions or based on your experiences) if the lime green hi vis is easier to see over the orange?

Thanks

10 Wheels

Yes

Yo Spiff

Interesting question that I never thought of. I did a quick web search and found this article. It does make a point that one should take the environment into account when choosing. Flourescent orange is more frequently used for traffic cones and various barriers in an urban area. So I'd say the lime yellow is a better choice for a cyclist to stand out.

NCbiker

Yes, the lime green is so bright it will make your eyes bleed!

CommuterRun

In lower light the lime green, yellow or white will stand out better than int'l orange. You may want to also consider the background colors you will be seen against. In a rural area the typical background should be vegetation or open field, in which case any of these colors, lime green, yellow, white, int'l orange, hot pink, would work. Unless there's snow. Then I'd forego the white. Also solid colors stand out better than prints. None of these colors stand out better than active lights.

Bekologist

I personally observe that high viz yellow is more visible at dawn and dusk and at night, and safety orange more visible during the day and if your rides take you on any trails during hunting season.

Chris516

I feel that lime green is the 'way to go'. Because it is brighter(if it hasn't faded) than both yellow, and orange.

mconlonx

Hi-Viz yellow/green is more visible, but in a rural situation, might not be "seen" as well as international orange, or in rural parlance, "hunter" orange. Drivers who might not give a typical hi-viz yellow traffic worker even a thought, might wonder about someone in orange -- what are they hunting, what kind of gun are they carrying...

grindr82

The lime/yellow is the way I was planning on going....actually this is the vest I have ordered

Commodus

I like this one, 'chartreuse'. It's kinda green and yellow, though it looks mostly yellow in this pic.

Apparently it's 'scientifically proven' to be the most visible. I dunno about that, but I was on a populaire last year and two people had jackets this colour, and they really popped, I was amazed.

Keith99

If you are riding when it is not fully light out then lights on the bike are far more effective than clothing. I'm hoping the clothing question is to get the maximum out of them as a secondary way of being visible.

mconlonx

That should definitely do the trick, especially with the big reflective patches.

irwin7638

I really like this signbetter than the jackets,vests or shirts.
MarcllY

Myosmith

Just FYI, a lot of emergency services are going with chartreuse for their safety gear. Even fire trucks are being painted chartreuse and it's being encorporated into a lot of the reflective paint jobs on ambulances. Any fluorescent color is better than gray, black, or some muted color scheme. I wear a lot of red in the daytime which is less than ideal, but if I'm going to be out in the early morning or late evening I'm in chartreuse. My current rain gear is blaze orange, but when it gets replaced I'll get chartreuse with reflective trim.

Irwin, I really like that. I think a symbol like that with reflective border should be incorporated into the back of riding jerseys and jackets. I'd buy one (or more). It covers both the hi viz and slow moving vehicle aspects of cycle safety. Any apparel manufacturers paying attention ?!?!

david58

Who you callin' slow?

grindr82

@Keith99: My question was just to inquire about the difference in visibility between the typical yellow/orange safety vests from those who have the experience I do have the proper lighting on my bike in addition to the vest...and I am always open to hearing more suggestions about making my daily commute a safer one

@Commodus: where can I purchase that jacket?

@mconlonx: thanks

Commodus

https://www.rapha.cc/pro-team-jacket

Maybe be sitting when you look at the price.

HBxRider

I was looking at the day-glo jackets at REI. I was very interested till I saw the clearance price of $140. Yikes. Gonna look for eBay specials. Or maybe buy a vest off a walmart shopping cart pusher

HBxRider

This looks like just what the doctor ordered. All I need is a link to where I can buy it, and at a good price

wsbob

Some of the apparel style offerings at Old Navy can be fleeting, but around November, I got an excellent hi-vis water resistant jacket there. It's styled for runners, so looser cut than the Rapha jacket Commodus posted a pic of, but it was $18, down from about $40. It's been working out great. Haven't been by lately to see what ON has for this season.

Champion currently has a really hi-vis long sleeve crew neck performance fabric jersey for about $18. Target has it.

Not necessarily for practicality, but for aesthetics, I prefer the hi-vis yellow-green, which the above mentioned garments are.

The wide, bands of reflective material that construction safety vest use, really stand out.

mechBgon

Another vote for hi-vis lime. In darkness, white is better (the fluorescent nature of hi-vis requires ultraviolet light from sunlight for its "pop"), but retroreflective items are still far more visible in front of car headlights than white or lime, and active lighting trumps them all.

So grindr82, you have both hi-vis and reflective covered there. A pair of reflective legbands is another easy win; they're down low where the low-beam headlights hit them well, they move to grab attention and send the "human being" signal, and they're visible from all angles of approach. I like the Jog-A-Lite ones, REI has them. You can also find self-illuminating legbands (Planet Bike BRT-STRAP, Nathan) at REI and elsewhere.

You can also pick up iron-on reflective tape and add some more to your new vest if you want; I like to add another 2" stripe across the back, as low as possible where it'll face traffic the best.


https://www.teamestrogen.com/prodJL_8...skuID=JL-8512A

irwin7638

I got mine from Rivendell (rivbike.com), but Jogalite has a website I think.


Marc

LanceRides

You can get hi vis shirts vests and jackets at incredibly reasonable prices if you think industrial safety instead of Bicycle Apparel. Not as finely tuned as the Pearl Isumi stuff, but geez, I got some Lime Green tee shirts for like 7 buck and they're pretty bright.
Try this https://www.fullsource.com/

Or this: https://www.esafetystore.com/

Or search google for Hi Vis Safety (apparel)

I like to wear my Orange Vest with Lime Green reflective stripes. I feel like motorists are conditioned to take notice and respect the safety vest. (IMHO)

mechBgon

I've sometimes wondered if the safety vest gets the user some "street cred" simply for not being one of those Lycra-clad weirdos with the skin-tight outfits.

Fargo Wolf

If your commute is during daylight hours, go with an orange vest. The fluorescent yellow/green vests actually aren't all that visible in daylight conditions. During hours of darkness, the exact opposite applies. A basic vest of either color can be obtained from any store that sells construction safety clothing.

Depends on where you are I guess. I've been complimented by drivers for wearing my orange vest (no reflective stripes) when I used to pedal around downtown Vancouver, BC.