Author Topic: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors  (Read 8447 times)

zigzag

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Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« on: 01 February, 2017, 05:11:25 pm »
i'd like some low profile mudguard reflectors, mainly as they look neater and snag less while still being effective at reflecting light. any idea where i could get ones (like the sks ones in the picture) without buying the whole set of 'guards?


LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #1 on: 01 February, 2017, 06:14:51 pm »
Reflective tape is lighter
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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #2 on: 01 February, 2017, 06:32:55 pm »
Googling "cycle mudguard reflector" brought up useful stuff, including...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-BICYCLE-REAR-MUDGUARD-ROUND-REFLECTOR-/221307986206

Biggsy

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #3 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:15:01 pm »
Reflective tape is lighter

and potentially reflects more light in total - although mudguards aren't quite flat enough for the most brilliant tape, unfortunatenly, like 3M Diamond Grade that's rather stiff.
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LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #4 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:17:16 pm »
Stiff reflective tape works very nicely on mudflaps.
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Kim

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #5 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:28:14 pm »
Reflective tape is lighter

My thoughts exactly.  Though it isn't a legal substitute for the BS marked reflector, if you care about such things.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #6 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:29:47 pm »
How many folks here use BS-marked front and rear lights?
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Kim

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #7 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:44:50 pm »
Probably just the Brompton owners.  Though I've definitely got a couple of BS reflectors on the fleet (courtesy of SKS).

K-marks, of course, are a little more prolific.

Personally, while being compliant does no harm, I reckon the spirit is more important than the letter of the law, and a nice strip of red Scotchlite would be simple and robust.

Biggsy

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #8 on: 01 February, 2017, 07:56:20 pm »
I even made mudflaps entirely out of stiff reflective tape - not one of my most durable creations!  Of course sticking the tape on sexisting flaps is the way to do it.
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zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #9 on: 02 February, 2017, 10:58:47 am »
reflective tape works well on flat surfaces, but mudguards are curved in both directions, so unless the tape is stretchy it wouldn't stick neatly. proper reflectors are more visible and durable too. another brand that makes low profile reflectors is vavert, again, not sold separately


Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #10 on: 02 February, 2017, 11:12:56 am »
I have red reflective self adhesive vinyl, if you'd like some.
It is vehicle wrap, so stretches in each direction.
There was some on the end of the mdgrd on my Pompino - until that snapped off  >:(

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #11 on: 02 February, 2017, 11:23:34 am »
I don't even have a reflector on the Surly, just a strip of reflective-fluorescent tape that's part of the Carradice. But I have thought about attaching a reflector on to the mudguards. Just haven't got around to doing it yet...

I even made mudflaps entirely out of stiff reflective tape - not one of my most durable creations!  Of course sticking the tape on sexisting flaps is the way to do it.
Is this some kind of kinky bondage you're into?  :D
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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #12 on: 02 February, 2017, 12:04:50 pm »
You could fit an old (cheap/free) lightweight filament dynamo combined mudguard lamp for its  approved reflector:
which even if (unused) lamp part  is not legal as your SOLE* UK rear lamp, according to Chris Juden, reflectors are more standardised so it  will probably have BS6102/2 (/3 is for lamps) or an EI or EIA mark or a or a K mark( note there are separate K numbers for reflector and lamp so a combined unit should have 2 K numbers) .

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?t=81117&start=135#p742896

The trouble with saying only the spirit of the law matters is   when a negligent driver hits you, and their insurance company is pleased because they can then accuse you of contributary negligence due to the lack of following the letter of the law and can reduce/avoid payout ....  Have heard of this with a rear lamp..

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #13 on: 02 February, 2017, 12:23:38 pm »
I think it's quite easy to find BS-marked reflectors. Much easier than lights (and arguably more useful, in that the reflectors work identically to those without BS markings whereas BS marked lights tend to be not so good, and in that most bikes come with the reflectors fitted when new).

I wonder how cyclists manage to be legally compliant in countries lower down the cycling marketing rankings than UK.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #14 on: 02 February, 2017, 01:19:31 pm »
The trouble with saying only the spirit of the law matters is   when a negligent driver hits you, and their insurance company is pleased because they can then accuse you of contributary negligence due to the lack of following the letter of the law and can reduce/avoid payout ....  Have heard of this with a rear lamp..

Well yes, but you're already stuffed by the pedal reflector rule if you use most clipless pedals, recumbent cycles, panniers, etc.

Biggsy

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Biggsy
« Reply #15 on: 02 February, 2017, 02:54:43 pm »
reflective tape works well on flat surfaces, but mudguards are curved in both directions, so unless the tape is stretchy it wouldn't stick neatly.

Thin tape/sheet is often just about stretchy enough to make it work, albeit with the odd small crease at the edges in some cases.  Mine doesn't look 100% neat close up, but stays stuck down perfectly well.  It helps not to cover the whole width.

As for being visible, reflective tape can be *more* visible than a "proper" reflector even when it's less reflective per square inch, simply by covering a many more square inches.  The effectiveness of commonly available products, IMO, ranges from adequate to amazing.

I even made mudflaps entirely out of stiff reflective tape - not one of my most durable creations!  Of course sticking the tape on sexisting flaps is the way to do it.
Is this some kind of kinky bondage you're into?  :D

Sorry*.  Of course I would never mean to recommend sexting one's flaps.

* Not really.  I noticed the typo before posting but posted anyway.  :demon:
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Kim

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #16 on: 02 February, 2017, 03:00:27 pm »
As for being visible, reflective tape can be *more* visible than a "proper" reflector even when it's less reflective per square inch, simply by covering a many more square inches.  The effectiveness of commonly available products, IMO, ranges from adequate to amazing.

IME Scotchlite reflects better than the corner cube plastic reflectors in pretty much all real-world circumstances, as it's much less fussy about angles.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #17 on: 02 February, 2017, 03:09:29 pm »
I was surprised to discover empirically (late night campsite loo wanderings with head torch) that the red reflector built into a B&M rear light reflects brighter than the white stuff printed onto Carradice panniers. I'm not sure where Carradice get their reflectives from, but they do look printed on. The stitched on tape they use on the Super C saddlebag looks significantly brighter than what they use on panniers and other saddlebags.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #18 on: 02 February, 2017, 03:26:21 pm »
...Well yes, but you're already stuffed by the pedal reflector rule if you use most clipless pedals, recumbent cycles, panniers, etc.
In a Cycle(CTC era) Q&A page Chris Juden's opinion was as long as your pedal reflectors were visible at some point in their arc(eg briefly visible below panniers) you should be OK cos the amber flashing would be visible:

but recumbent-ists will just have to wait for the law to be updated...(perhaps due to the red tape challenge:)
(ie hope for option D of TRL report PPR711)

some (usually shimano) clipless pedals can take pedal reflectors (covered on CTC/C-UK forum).
https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=92645&start=510#p907291

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #19 on: 02 February, 2017, 03:27:22 pm »
The red reflective tape challenge?  :D
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

zigzag

  • unfuckwithable
Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #20 on: 02 February, 2017, 03:50:50 pm »
thank you for the suggestions; unless it is done professionally reflective tape looks like a bodge. e.g. a few neatly cut and applied chevrons would look alright imo, while a piece of tape with creases not so much. as said in my original post i'd like a reflector, that is flush with the mudguard and follows it's shape.

Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #21 on: 02 February, 2017, 04:44:31 pm »
Reflective tape is lighter

and potentially reflects more light in total - although mudguards aren't quite flat enough for the most brilliant tape, unfortunatenly, like 3M Diamond Grade that's rather stiff.

You may find that heating it up with a hair dryer will make it flexible enough to stick onto a compound curve.

Kim

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #22 on: 02 February, 2017, 05:02:53 pm »
Reflective tape is lighter

and potentially reflects more light in total - although mudguards aren't quite flat enough for the most brilliant tape, unfortunatenly, like 3M Diamond Grade that's rather stiff.

You may find that heating it up with a hair dryer will make it flexible enough to stick onto a compound curve.

Also, putting a *little* bit of stretch in it, as you would with electrical tape, and starting in the centre and working outwards.

Biggsy

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #23 on: 02 February, 2017, 05:29:50 pm »
The heat tip is good for adhesive tape/sheet in general, but Diamond Grade is still too stiff for mudguards, IME, especially when it cools back down.  I don't think it stretches at all.
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Low Profile Mudguard Reflectors
« Reply #24 on: 02 February, 2017, 06:36:59 pm »
What about the stuff made for lorries? Sticks on curtain siders so must have a bit of flex in it.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.