How was your cycle commute?

[steeeve]

Black kit = way cool. As used by pre 1970 British TT riders as time trialing was banned on public roads - officially.

And the Belgian champion used to ride in an all black jersey - which meant you were double hard.

Fuck hi-viz - its for herberts.

but from a commuting safely in the dark POV rather than racing / weekend riding?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

no, fuck hi-viz - its for herberts - in all conditions

 

[weepiper]

I think drivers develop hi-viz blindness anyway. I purposely bought a blue jacket rather than the fluoro yellow ones.

 

[steeeve]

I think drivers develop hi-viz blindness anyway. I purposely bought a blue jacket rather than the fluoro yellow ones.

mines green but fairly bright, suppose you can't see the colour in the dark anyway so reflective strips become more important. It does help in the day time though, especially when it's overcast

 

[Crispy]

In the dark, lights matter more. I wear hi-viz to stand out in low light (ie streetlights or overcast)

 

[Biddlybee]

I hate the way snow can waft its way behind my glasses and get in my eyes

innit... ouch

Also my toes... sealskinz might keep you dry, but they're not that warm! Hiking socks again next week.

I think drivers develop hi-viz blindness anyway. I purposely bought a blue jacket rather than the fluoro yellow ones.

I got the cheapest I could find - which was a mint one... so I look like toothpaste My too small one is black.

I will never look cool when I cycle, I don't really care.

 

[BigTom]

I'll probably regret asking this but what are peoples opinions on dark/black cycling gear? I normally go for bright colours / hi viz but saw a good deal on a windproof jersey that only comes in mostly black with a couple of reflective strips

Lights > Reflectives > Hi-Vis

If the reflective strips are fairly prominent and on arms as well as body, then it won't be bad, you could combine with a hi-vis vest/gillet also.
Altura night-vision jackets are nicely visible from their reflectives in the dark (though I still wear a hi-vis gillet over it, which also has reflectives)

Will say the same about hi-vis as I have before - does nothing unless drivers look and is far less visible in poor visibility than lights or reflectives.

 

[Ted Striker]

Looking good>safety

I'll probably regret asking this but what are peoples opinions on dark/black cycling gear? I normally go for bright colours / hi viz but saw a good deal on a windproof jersey that only comes in mostly black with a couple of reflective strips

According to most commuters, all black kit, with a contrasting stripe on the left bicep, works best for visibility. Or something.

 

[Ted Striker]

Lights > Reflectives > Hi-Vis

If the reflective strips are fairly prominent and on arms as well as body, then it won't be bad, you could combine with a hi-vis vest/gillet also.
Altura night-vision jackets are nicely visible from their reflectives in the dark (though I still wear a hi-vis gillet over it, which also has reflectives)

Will say the same about hi-vis as I have before - does nothing unless drivers look and is far less visible in poor visibility than lights or reflectives.

^But this, generally.

 

[BigTom]

I don't think anything that makes you more visible is a bad thing.

It's not a bad thing. It's not likely to cause collisions, and so it only has the possibility of reducing them. But it'll only work if drivers are looking and understand what it means. Which they don't and won't.

What I really don't like about these things is when they talk about "preventing" or "stopping" drivers from colliding with cyclists which it absolutely cannot do - only physical barriers can do that.
On a slightly different but similar tip, someone at one of our classes had a rear light which projects red lines out on either side of the bike to create a "bike lane" around you - but they only project about 6-10 inches out to the side of the bike, which means that you are directing drivers to pass you way too close and creating more danger.
Both that, and this Blaze thing, are designed around the (liberal) notion that if we all drove better / were better people, then the roads would be safe, which is total failure of thinking imo (see The Niceway Code for the endpoint of this crap)

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

It does help in the day time though, especially when it's overcast

How do you know? Because you wore it and you didn't die?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Looking good>safety


According to most commuters, all black kit, with a contrasting stripe on the left bicep, works best for visibility. Or something.

I certainly take note of people in Rapha kit, perhaps you're onto something here..?

 

[Rebelda]

Cheeeeeese!

I would choose a colour over black mostly (although my thermal tights are black with reflective strips) steeeve, partly because it's never dark dark in central London so I figure I'm more visible in something bright. YMMV obviously. If it's affordable and will do what you want it to, and you've got reflectors and decent lights on your bike go for it

eta: I mostly chose it for fashion

 

[steeeve]

How do you know? Because you wore it and you didn't die?

yep that and bright colours are much easier to see in daylight than black. I think that may be why you don't see special forces storming buildings in their hi vis on tv

 

[Orang Utan]

Who?!

These fellas:

 

[Orang Utan]

Black kit = way cool. As used by pre 1970 British TT riders as time trialing was banned on public roads - officially.

And the Belgian champion used to ride in an all black jersey - which meant you were double hard.

Fuck hi-viz - its for herberts.

What's a herbert? It seems eminently sensible to wear hi viz

 

[danny la rouge]

What's a herbert? It seems eminently sensible to wear hi viz

It's what space hippies call Federation Officers. Do you reach?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

yep that and bright colours are much easier to see in daylight than black. I think that may be why you don't see special forces storming buildings in their hi vis on tv

very scientific - thanks - I'll start wearing hi-viz.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's what space hippies call Federation Officers. Do you reach?

Wot?

 

[danny la rouge]

Wot?

 

[steeeve]

very scientific - thanks - I'll start wearing hi-viz.

It's obviously personal choice like helmets/headphones but you can't seriously be suggesting that hi vis clothing is the same or less visible than black. The clues in the name

 

[Orang Utan]

I can't watch that.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Herbert

 

[danny la rouge]

I can't watch that.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Herbert

The Urban Dictionary is full of shit.

The video I posted is a clip from the Classic Star Trek. As I said earlier, some space hippies are calling Federation officers "Herbert". It appears to be a term of abuse for squares or straights.

I have only ever heard it on that episode, or from people ironically referencing that episode.

And now on U75. Which doesn't surprise me a bit.

 

[Orang Utan]

I don't think it has anything to do with Star Trek!

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

can't seriously be suggesting that hi vis clothing is the same or less visible than black. The clues in the name

You can't prove its made any difference in how safely you cycle - the point is moot.

 

[steeeve]

You can't prove its made any difference in how safely you cycle - the point is moot.

You can't prove it doesn't. I can prove however it makes you more visible

Just in case there's somebody that hasn't seen it...it's probably been posted on here before

 

[danny la rouge]

I don't think it has anything to do with Star Trek!

It does.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Herbert_(slang)

 

[fishfinger]

The Urban Dictionary is full of shit.

The video I posted is a clip from the Classic Star Trek. As I said earlier, some space hippies are calling Federation officers "Herbert". It appears to be a term of abuse for squares or straights.

I have only ever heard it on that episode, or from people ironically referencing that episode.

And now on U75. Which doesn't surprise me a bit.

Urban dictionary definition 3.2 refers to Star Trek

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Herbert&defid=1587760

 

[Private Storm]

I cycle with a small kid on the back for part of the commute. The bike is lit up like a Christmas tree, there's lights and hi-vis everywhere. I'm guessing that make me a herbert?

 

[steeeve]

I cycle with a small kid on the back for part of the commute. The bike is lit up like a Christmas tree, there's lights and hi-vis everywhere. I'm guessing that make me a herbert?

I think everyone agrees lights are beneficial, the more the better, the discussions over hi vis versus black