WTB: high-vis...anything

Well, as I posted over in the commuting forum, I'll have a new commute to and from campus starting this summer. I'd like to do all that I can to stay safe on my rides home (in addition to the two headlights and red blinky light I already have), while fitting in my grad-student budget.

I'd love to get some of that crazy-yellow high-vis cycling gear, but it's just so expensive. :( I know I can probably pick up a new construction vest type thing on the cheap, but I do like to buy used things when I can so I wanted to ask here first. :)

I wear ladies sizes small-medium... I'm also willing to entertain thoughts of reflective doohickeys, spokelights, whatever. If you happen to have some visibility-enhancing clothing and/or accessories that are collecting dust and you'd be willing to part with for not a lot of cash, boy howdy would you make me a happy (and safer) camper. Hearing a report on the radio today of a "car vs bike" accident shortly after dusk has reminded me that this should be a priority for me!

thanks :o

alertshirts.com is great. It's not cycling-specific, but for your relatively short commute, it would be fine. I used their performance t-shirts when I commuted to work (28miles round trip).

I just bought on ebay 5 yards of high vis orange ribbon with reflective center stripe, for $4. If you search 'reflective' all sorts of stuff will pop up and if you're handy with a glue gun...oooh, think of the possibilities!
http://i21.ebayimg.com/02/i/000/ea/29/ecff_1.JPG

Thanks for the suggestions! I haven't had a chance to go eBay surfing yet. alertshirts seems like a good resource--I was googling for reflective vests last night and it seemed like many of the sites I was finding on my own required you to buy in quantity.

But I do like to recycle, so if anyone has some used gear they want to sell, please still let me know! :D

I'll look around. i think I have some nathan reflective safety sashes that I bought last time I saw them on sale at REI. They're still in their packaging, and I think I spent like $6-8 or something. If you want them for what I paid & a couple dollars to ship 'em to you, you're welcome to them.

I bought some of these at costco:

http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-DOT-S...0016844&sr=8-1

They were like $10 of them for $5, I keep them in my pack or bag, and it's something that I can just tie on the bike or strap with velcro to have a blinky.

Also - have a blinky light on your bike. You can get fancy ones, but there are cheap ones as well.

The planet bike superflashes are really bright & get good reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Bike-Bl...8600598&sr=8-5

I have this one from TE and have received lots of positive comments about it.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodJL_99152.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by badgercat

it seemed like many of the sites I was finding on my own required you to buy in quantity.

---

Local industrial supply stores or safety stores will often open boxes and sell individual units. Or try MSC Direct.

That said, I've never found an industrial vest that wasn't ginormous. Something that's going to flap in the wind is annoying at best, a sail in high wind, and potentially will get so wound up that no one will see it anyway.

Sorry I don't have anything used for you... I'll sell you most of my NON-hi viz gear that I don't wear any more. :rolleyes:

We've had plenty of discussions on here about hi viz vs. reflective. Not the same thing. White reflective gear is basically invisible in daylight.

I have a lightweight REI brand hi-vis cycling jacket that I want to sell. It's a small but runs kind of big. Only worn once or twice. Let me scrap up a photo and I'll post it here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Sorry I don't have anything used for you... I'll sell you most of my NON-hi viz gear that I don't wear any more. :rolleyes:

We've had plenty of discussions on here about hi viz vs. reflective. Not the same thing. White reflective gear is basically invisible in daylight.

---

I'd love to have more gear (I have exactly two pairs of shorts and two jerseys, one long- and one short-sleeved), but since I can't justify that stuff as a "safety expense"... :rolleyes:

I'm definitely more interested in the "lime" or whatever you want to call that high-vis color, so that it'd be an advantage during daytime riding as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Drtgirl

I have a lightweight REI brand hi-vis cycling jacket that I want to sell. It's a small but runs kind of big. Only worn once or twice. Let me scrap up a photo and I'll post it here.

---

This sounds right up my alley! I have a size small REI cycling jacket that I love and fits me quite nicely (I actually bought it from Catriona for a friend, but it was too big on her so I got to keep it :D), but it being blue makes me feel a little twitchy biking in just that at night anywhere other than right on campus. I'd love it if you could post a picture and let me know what you had in mind for $$.

Thank you again for all the suggestions, ladies, I really appreciate it! I know my commute isn't super long, but I am hoping to bike more for grocery shopping, etc, and I just want to be a beacon on the road. :cool: :p