Reflective Paint

[Greg]

Does anyone have experience with reflective paint, and whether it actually works? I have a fiberglass tailbox for my recumbent and want to repaint it. I was thinking of a reflective paint so I'd be very visible via a headlight from any angle, but I'm not sure if any brands actually work.

Advice?

Greg

[Emily O'Brien]

I covered my commuter bike's frame in this reflective tape: http://identi-tape.com/eng-sr1.html

I made each part of it a different color, and even made some fancy fake lugs.  It's ridiculously colorful, noticeably reflective, and has garnered me lots of compliments on my lugwork and paint job before I explain that it isn't actually either.  This colored stuff isn't the brightest reflective tape out there (white is obviously much brighter), but it's definitely visible when you cover large areas with it.  I put it on top of a clean powder coat before building the frame, and it hasn't peeled or shown very much wear in several years of beating up the bike around town.  In daylight it doesn't look that reflective, it just looks like a nice, albeit garish, paint job.

Jake used this stuff on one of his bikes, which he commutes on now but rode Paris-Brest-Paris on in 2007: http://identi-tape.com/hi-intensity.htm

It also comes in a bunch of colors, and it's considerably brighter.

A very funny incident was when I was checking out various other bikes in the hotel at PBP and watched a couple of other guys doing the same.  They saw Jake's bike and stood around it very impressed for a few minutes... I overheard one guy telling the other about how it was painted with this fancy hi-tech enamel paint.  The tape on Jake's bike isn't in as good shape, probably partly because it's a bit older and it was applied on top of a bike he'd been using so it wasn't as clean to start with.  But it still lights up.

Suffice it to say, reflective tape when carefully applied can look just as good as paint, and it can end up brighter than any reflective paint is ever going to.  It might take some doing and piecing if you want to cover a curved tailbox, but that can be managed... or, since the tape only comes in widths up to 2", you can take some artistic liberties instead.  Dragster flames! :D

Emily "reflecting on the issues of the day" O'Brien

-----------------------------------

Dill Pickle

... gear for the extra mile

www.dillpicklegear.com

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[Jeff Arasmith]

Hello,

My only experience with reflective paint is from the Halo coating on my Velocity rims.   It does reflect, but it's dominated by the reflective side wall on my tires and pales in comparison to reflective tape that I've seen on other rims.  They are cool and useful, but not as effective as the adhesive products that I've seen.

http://www.velocityusa.com/default.asp?contentID=747 

-Jeff

[Darell (EVnut)]

The paint is more expensive, is not as reflective AND is heavier than retroreflective tape. A neat idea, but I abandoned it long ago in favor of using quality tapes in appropriate places.

 

-= Darell =-
http://EVnut.com

[Bruce...@gdc4s.com]

+1 on Identi-Tape; I've been using it for at least a decade.  The main drawback is that it can't be clamped without damage (e.g. steel frame tubes in a workstand).  I generally use white, since that's the most visible color.  The tape is available in a variety of widths and colors and can be made to conform to compound (barrel) surfaces using a hair dryer.

 

I've tried clear spray retroreflective paint and found the bead density was too low to add much reflectivity.  Perhaps several coats are required.

 

I've also tried reclaiming piles of beads left from road striping at intersections and applying them to fresh paint, but didn't have much luck with that either.

 

- Bruce

[Greg]

Thanks to all for the input. I've been sufficiently disabused of the idea to use paint and will try my hand at tape.

Thanks again,

Greg

[andy]

Another +1 for Identi-Tape. I have their high-intensity silver tape
on cranks, rack, etc. Very visible in rain.

Emily, good news: many colors on the two pages you referenced are
available up to 6" width. Click "Other sizes".

Greg, they sell samples at nominal cost. Recommend testing several
candidates from a distance with a headlight. Also, I have used their
engineering grade tape in 'Scotchlight Black'. Stealth in daytime,
reasonably reflective at night.

Andy in NC

PS: Their cloth gaffer tapes and vinyl sparkle tapes are superb on
adult hula hoops.

[russell...@yahoo.com]

http://identi-tape.com/hi-intensity.htm

I used the Identi-tape white/silver on my Litespeed. 2 or 3 or 4 inch
wide version was used to completely cover the frame tubes. Its very
reflective. Only thing not covered is the headtube, fork crown,
bottom bracket, and seattube/seatpost joint. Couple spots on the
seattubes are not sticking great. But overall its sticking pretty
well.

[Bruce...@gdc4s.com]

One other tip on Identi-Tape...my experience has been the adhesive on
their engineering grade safety reflective tape is aggressive enough that
it often won't permit removal without tearing into tiny bits. If you
think you may want to remove it later, a base layer of vinyl electrical
tape will make the job much easier.

If you've already applied it without a base layer and need to remove it
without damaging the finish underneath, try a plastic putty knife
followed by some Goo Gone.

- Bruce

[Darell (EVnut)]

To remove ANY tape from a painted surface, first warm it. In the dead of
summer, just leave the stuff out in the sun for an hour. Otherwise, use a
hair dryer or heat gun (not enough to burn the paint!) and it'll come off so
much easier and cleaner.

You can send me flowers later.

-= Darell =-
http://EVnut.com

-----Original Message-----
From: ran...@googlegroups.com [mailto:ran...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of

- Bruce

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