Bicycle Safety on the Side
You're a safe bicyclist, right? When you ride at night you've got your front and rear lights on, so motorists can see you from the front and back. But what about your sides where your lights are not directed? You ride through intersections, don't you?
Earlier this year I was at a local bike shop and noticed a few of the tires had a reflective band on the sidewalls. "That's a good idea," I thought, but wondered just how reflective it truly was. One night a few weeks later I saw a bicyclist ride through an intersection right in front of me and appreciated just how bright reflective tires really are. With the cars' powerful headlights beaming forward, I couldn't make out the cyclist too well, but what I could make out was what looked like the world's largest pair of glasses hovering across the street.
I was hooked. I needed new tires on one of my bikes, so the following day after this enlightening experience, I rolled over to the bike shop and got a set. Reflective tires are available from many companies and the ones I got from Continental generally cost the same as their non-reflective counterparts. And the best part is they don't need to be plugged in.
Next time you need new tires or are buying a new bike, it's definitely worth a look at reflective tires. You never know when you'll need 'em and it's best to have 'em if you do.
