Hi-Vis Leggings ‘Better Than Jackets’ For Cyclists

If you’re thinking of buying some new high visibility clothing to wear when cycling, you may want to focus on what you wear on your legs, rather than on your upper body.

The Guardian recently revealed that wearing high-vis leggings is a much more effective way to get noticed by other road users than wearing jackets made of fluorescent or reflective material.

The newspaper cited the results of a paper titled: The Open Road Study of the Daytime Conspicuity Benefits of Fluorescent Bicyclist Apparel; which found that cyclists wearing fluorescent yellow leggings could be seen by car drivers at three times the distance than those wearing a jacket in a similar colour.

Interestingly, the researchers found that a bright yellow top didn’t offer a significant improvement on a cyclist’s visibility to other road users in comparison to a black top. But where the leggings were concerned, a marked improvement in conspicuity was recorded.

“The rhythmic up-down movements of a cyclist’s lower legs uniquely specify a pedalling motion that is visually distinct from, for example, a pedestrian walking or jogging,” the researchers asserted.

Although this study was conducted during daylight hours, the news provider stated that it would be “reasonable to assume” similar results in darkness.

Even though we’ve passed the shortest day in the UK, the mornings and evenings are set to remain dark for some time to come, so it’s important to think about your safety if you’re out and about on two wheels.

When the clocks went back, the Safer Roads Partnership in Warwickshire and West Mercia advised cyclists to invest in high-visibility and fluorescent clothing, as well as front and rear bike lights, to ensure they can be easily seen by drivers in low light.