As the light fades and we usher in the grey weather days, it is more important than ever to make yourself as visible as possible so that motor vehicle drivers are aware of your presence on the road.

Campaigns such as ‘Stay Wider Of The Rider’ have dramatically increased awareness about sharing the roads equally, but we still need to play our part by making ourselves seen. Bikes aren’t as visible as cars, but with the correct equipment we can ensure that we don’t go unseen!

While it is up to drivers to always pass with a minimum of a one meter gap between cyclists, it is also up to us to aid drivers in noticing us by being as bright and noticeable as possible so that we can avoid accidents. Helmets may prevent us from serious head injuries in the event of a crash, but lights may help prevent these accidents from happening in the first place. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can light yourself up this season.

Reflective Shoes

We carry a wide range of shoes from the leading brands in the industry and we’ve started seeing a trend towards shoes that offer in-built reflective properties. Our range topping Giro Empire ACC Reflective show just how effective shoes can be when they glow in motor vehicle headlights!

Daytime Running Lights

Research from Bontrager indicates that:

“Using a flashing tail light in the day makes you 2.4x more noticeable than with no lights at all, and 1.4x than in steady mode. Bontrager Daytime Running Lights use an interruptive flash pattern to increase noticeability, specifically in daylight conditions.”

“8 out of 10 cycling accidents occur during the day. Daytime Running Lights are the single most effective product to help increase your noticeability during the day.”

This season we recommend:

Front Light: Bontrager ION 700 R

Daylight visible from over 1.5km, the ION 700 R provides enough light to both see and be seen.

Rear Light: Bontrager Flare R Tail Light

Daylight visible from up to 2km away to warn motorists of your location to allow them ample time to react and pass you safely.

Brighter Clothing

Brighter clothing can start with something as simple as a pair of socks for only R100! However, the brighter your overall outfit, the more likely you are to be seen on the roads. From our bright new range of Versus Socks, rain jackets, cycling tops and helmets, we have the right equipment to keep you safe this season.

Reflective Spray

For the ultimate in customization, investing in our Albedo100 Reflective Spray can turn you from invisible in the dark, to glow in the dark!

Simply spray it anywhere…on your bike, shoes, clothing, helmet, spokes and anything else you might have on your bike. It’s effective in rain and will only wash off with clothing detergent.

You might be thinking ‘Won’t the rain wash it off?’

The good news is that no, it won’t wash off Albedo100. To remove it, it requires detergent and the action of the washing machine to remove the spray. Together with that, the particles won’t stick to other clothes as they are simply bound by the detergent and washed away.

Be Heard

Bike bells haven’t changed much over the years, instead maintaining that classic bell look that doesn’t always fit in with the sleek aesthetic of today’s modern day bikes.

Thankfully Knog saw this as the perfect opportunity to design a beautiful and effective new bell.

Introducing the Knog Oi bell.

It looks as if it would fit in perfectly in a jewelry box, but packs some serious power!

The fact is, bike bells are essential when riding, as Oli Munnik pointed out in his recent Bicycling column entitled “Ring Ding’a Ling” where he says:

“As our local trails become more popular and congested, bike bells are the perfect way to keep other riders (as well as runners, hikers and dog walkers) aware of your position.”

Changing seasons don’t mean that we need to cut our rides short, but some simple preparation can make you visible and safe on the roads.

Keeping your bike serviced and running smooth, ensuring your tyres are fresh and designed for wet weather and riding safely will ensure a fun and safe cycling season!

We’ll see you out on the roads and trails!