Flectr Zero aero wheel reflectors

The Flectr Zero is, crudely, a pack of four reflective peel and seal stickers designed to replace those clunky, unsightly plastic types often supplied with new bikes. Obvious pluses include decent retro-reflective prowess, minimal weight and – theoretically – zero drag.

Reckoned indestructible, these are impregnated with thousands of microprisms; these are what reflect light back when graced by car headlamps. Superficially, they're no different from others we're used to seeing on clothing, luggage and accessories.

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According to the blurb, these supposedly meet the standards set by police and other emergency services. The blurb also says the Flectr's shape and profile are optimised to avoid drag and tested extensively – 100mph in controlled experiments failed to induce oscillation or noise. They're also universally compatible with aero and round bladed spoke patterns, regardless of diameter.

Fitting

There's no prescribed pattern, which allows a fair bit of creative licence, although I'd urge you to plan first, then stick. The adhesive backing is super-strong and doesn't permit dry runs, or realignment. It's well worth giving the spokes a quick clean first too.

This kit's arrival coincided with a sudsy bucket wash but a rag dipped in solvent will suffice on stainless steels. Once the spokes are dry, simply remove the foil backing and smooth the Fleckr piece around the elected spokes.

Chrome spokes, though rare these days, do crop up on some high-end 80s race wheels. I've had no problems persuading the Fleckr to adhere convincingly to these either.

Performance

First off, bereft of wind tunnel facilities I couldn't test the claims of aerodynamic efficiency, but otherwise I've been impressed with their effectiveness. Even allowing for a slightly haphazard pattern, they've been surprisingly effective.

Approaching roundabouts and generally entering the flow of traffic around dusk, even with bijoux blinkies doing their thing, I was surprised by how quickly I seemed to register on car drivers' radar, even at 5-6mph, and to a distance of 50-80 metres. A more consistent 17mph produces a striking arc of pure white light, enhancing your presence, particularly when passing concealed entrances and rural crossroads.

At the other extreme, drivers seemed less inclined to 'chance it' when I was belting past unlit junctions at 23-25mph. Open road visibility is nearer 100-150 metres in relatively clear conditions.

Pushing things to 30-35mph along descents, there's been no hint of flutter, and for the most part I've not noticed them negatively. Okay, some of us will not want these or anything similar adorning their pared-to-the-essentials race bikes, but to my mind they'd come into their own on tagalongs and trailers.

With increasingly bright main and secondary lighting, solo bikes tend – thankfully – to be pretty visible. However, many drivers are not looking for or don't consider a trailer/similar addition and will pull away, once the rider's rear wheel comes into view, seemingly on auto-pilot. I've experienced this first hand when my son was small and it's terrifying. I've had similar close shaves with a low-slung trailer trundling behind my tubby tourer. Put into this context, £16.50 pales into insignificance.

> Buyer's Guide: Clothes and accessories to help keep you visible

Durability seems favourable: despite regular exposure to wet roads and the cocktail of spilt fuels and subsequent exposure to bike washing solutions, the reflectives seem untainted. Adhesives seem unaffected too, so they should last – unless you're prone to spoke breakages.

Conclusion

There's no denying the Flectrs do exactly what they promise to, but they are a bit pricey. For my money, I'd be expecting a set catering for two bikes with sufficient surplus for a trailer/tagalong wheel. That said, £16.50 isn't that outlandish compared with similar quality retro-reflective sticker sets, including Respro's Camo.

Bottom line, they do work very well and would be something I'd consider on a winter bike/workhorse, especially if it regularly towed trailers/similar cargo.

Verdict

Effective alternative to spoke reflectors and particularly useful for tagalongs/trailers