Improving the Oxford Safety Wing thing

I've had a few close passes on the road lately, so using inspiration from posts by [mention=33660]guerney[/mention] I've bought one of these. As it comes, IMO it has several shortcomings:-

• The flimsy plastic bracket doesn't seem robust enough to last long and is intended to be fitted to the chain-stay or seat-stay. This places the reflector below a car driver's line of sight and is too far to the rear to discourage cutting in.
  
• Placed at the rear it's not possible to swing the arm in while on the move to negotiate obstacles or when on a cycle path, other than bashing it against something.
  
• My requirements are purely for day time and the reflectors alone aren't really sufficiently visible.
  

Rummaging through my bits box I found a couple of plastic brackets intended to mount reflectors on handlebars. These are for 22.6mm dia, but they are available on ebay in various sizes-

I bought a GoPro quick-release bracket long with two extensions arms and an extra base plate with the idea than I can quickly remove the complete arm when not required, or swap it between two bikes-

The base plates are fitted to the reflector brackets with the supplied 3M double-sided sticky pads, backed up with small self tapping screws

This is the assembled arm -

I drilled a couple of holes in the "lollipop" and used 2 - M6 x 16mm stainless flanged dome-head socket screws in the threaded holes in the arm.

My handlebars are too heavily populated to fit anything else, so I've attached the arm brackets to an accessory bar angled below the stem -

I've improved the daytime visibility using some red, white and orange reflective adhesive sheet, cut to shape.

The inner pivot is permanently tightened with a socket cap screw once positioned and adjustment is carried out with the thumb screw on the outer pivot. There is a spring washer immediately under the thumb screw to adjust tension so that the arm stays in place in a headwind but deflects without affecting the steering if hitting an obstacle.

A quick slackening of the thumb screw allows the arm to be swung forward over the front wheel while on the move -

It clears the brake lever and cables.

This is the rear view fitted to my "summer" hybrid -

..........and the front view on my "winter" hack -

I've given this a good testing on some of the worst pot-holed and rutted local roads (easy to find!) on both bikes and it works well. Drivers give me a very wide berth and it probably helps that the arm oscillates vertically slightly, improving the reflections. Time will tell if the plastic brackets will last, but I can always shorten the arm by leaving out the shorter extension to lessen the extended weight.

Firstly, I must must say that I'm immensely pleased that another cyclist has taken the wise decision to become sensibly sidearmed, and can look forward to relaxing unperturbed road cycling experiences, kept at a safe distance from dangerously close passing big heavy metal boxes on wheels by waggly plastic orange Oxford forcefield power.

Drivers give me a very wide berth and it probably helps that the arm oscillates vertically slightly, improving the reflections.

Yes they do don't they? Marvellous, isn't it? Removes so much stress! The oscillations must make it look quite striking.

There is such a huge variety of GoPro mounts, I bet these Oxford Wing Things can be attached to any handlebar. A ball jointed mount enables elevation, which can be handy when surrounded by trucks, SUVs, Buses etc. to raise the Oxford closer to driver eye level. After bodging together my strange but also happily effective version with a ball joint, I noticed this alloy end bar GoPro mount...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SUREWO-Aluminum-Motorcycle-Rearview-Compatible/dp/B08FX5SLSR/

...which you could bolt through into the end of your handlebar extension or handlebar-end, using an alloy end cap...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?kw=handlebar+end+cap+alloy&toolid=20004&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15

...if plastic mounts fail.

Here's a cheaper version:

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005473121526.html

With sufficient numbers of sidearmed cyclists, they can never get us all.

Edited July 12, 20241 yr by guerney

Firstly, I must must say that I'm immensely pleased that another cyclist has taken the wise decision to become sensibly sidearmed, and can look forward to relaxing unperturbed road cycling experiences, kept at a safe distance from dangerously close passing big heavy metal boxes on wheels by plastic orange Oxford forcefield power.

 

 

 

 

Yes they do don't they? Marvellous, isn't it? Removes so much stress! The oscillations must make it look quite striking.

 

There is such a huge variety of GoPro mounts, I bet these Oxford Wing Things can be attached to any handlebar. A ball jointed mount enables elevation, which can be handy when surrounded by trucks, SUVs, Buses etc. to raise the Oxford closer to driver eye level. After bodging together my strange but also happily effective version with a ball joint, I noticed this alloy end bar GoPro mount...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SUREWO-Aluminum-Motorcycle-Rearview-Compatible/dp/B08FX5SLSR/

 

 

 

...which you could bolt through into the end of your handlebar extension or handlebar-end, using an alloy end cap...

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?kw=handlebar+end+cap+alloy&toolid=20004&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15

 

...if plastic mounts fail.

 

Here's a cheaper version:

 

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/1005005473121526.html

 

 

 

With sufficient numbers of sidearmed cyclists, they can never get us all.

 

 

 

[ATTACH type=full" alt="58691]58691[/ATTACH]

Thanks for the links - food for thought. I must say I'm surprised that there isn't a better safety arm on the market. BTW, have you noticed that the Oxford Thing is actually designed for use by our continental cousins and not in the UK? Like all reflectors, they are marked "TOP". When fitted on the chainwheel side they are upside down!

I've tried shining a torch at it in the dark and the reflected light is much more intense if the Thing is the right way up. Not much of a problem for me in daylight with my added reflective film, but I think they might be a bit lacking in the dark. Still, you are lit up like a Christmas tree so not a problem for you either!

It's just mildly annoying when the design could be so much better.

Thanks for the links - food for thought. I must say I'm surprised that there isn't a better safety arm on the market. BTW, have you noticed that the Oxford Thing is actually designed for use by our continental cousins and not in the UK? Like all reflectors, they are marked "TOP". When fitted on the chainwheel side they are upside down!

I've tried shining a torch at it in the dark and the reflected light is much more intense if the Thing is the right way up. Not much of a problem for me in daylight with my added reflective film, but I think they might be a bit lacking in the dark. Still, you are lit up like a Christmas tree so not a problem for you either!

It's just mildly annoying when the design could be so much better.

I hadn't read or noticed that - I guess perhaps a little application of hot air might loosen the reflectors, to be expoxied back on the right way up? Might have a go at some point, but all drivers thus far have avoided the Oxford Wing Thing the wrong way up. I fold in in a bit on very narrow roads, pretending to be considerate.

I'm rather hoping that a very large number of cyclists choose to become similarly sidearmed, to make cycling safer and more enjoyable... it also could prompt some enterprise to mass produce a similar contraption, I can then sue that enterprise for billions, BILLIONS in a few years citing prior art. A knighthood doesn't seem too much to expect, and perhaps a Nobel Prize. Win win win win. "Sir Guerney with the big wobbly orange reflective lollipop with flashing lights & frickin' laser beams on especially repulsive to drivers in particular", has a nice ring to it.

Avert your eyes if you don't wish to see the awesome majesty of my GuerneySiderating Illumimaker™℠ ®© lollipop. I whip my lollipop out at everyone, even complete strangers on trains (not joking, it's amazing how many cyclists I bump into disguised as normal people).

https://vimeo.com/873584634

Edited July 13, 20241 yr by guerney

I hadn't realised how large the lollipop end was until those pictures!

That's what she said. My lollipop is 33cm long and 10.5cm wide at the business end. I'm not exaggerating, she did the measuring and confirmed it's repulsive.

Edited July 12, 20241 yr by guerney