Talk to me about Cycling Mirrors

[Kingfisher]

This might have been discussed/debated to death on this forum, but I can't find anything on mirror's/3rd eyes, etc.

I've used the 3rd eyes that clip on to the shades but am interested if anyone has used the "spyglass" that mounts on the inside of your glasses or the small mirror that seems to fit in the left bar end.

Used to race heavily back in the 70's and 80's, and you would never have caught me using a mirror, but am now older/wiser, whatever and I could care less what others think, riding for fitness, enjoyment and peace of mind...so gimme my mirrors!

Thanks guys!

[Ray]

This might have been discussed/debated to death on this forum, but I can't find anything on mirror's/3rd eyes, etc.

I've used the 3rd eyes that clip on to the shades but am interested if anyone has used the "spyglass" that mounts on the inside of your glasses or the small mirror that seems to fit in the left bar end.

Used to race heavily back in the 70's and 80's, and you would never have caught me using a mirror, but am now older/wiser, whatever and I could care less what others think, riding for fitness, enjoyment and peace of mind...so gimme my mirrors!

Thanks guys!
I used to use the little guy that glued to the inside of your glasses. Worked really well on a particular set of glasses. But they don't work well with the glasses I have now, which have a bit of a curve to them and they really don't work at all with the kind of wrap-around shades that a lot of cyclists wear. Also, since you're not looking through the lens, you're not getting the benefit of any prescription you may have, so if you have bad vision, they might not be a great choice. But if you wear old-style aviator shades or something else with a relatively wide and flat lens and you have decent eyesight, they're pretty stealthy.

On my town bikes, I have all manner of handlebar mounted mirrors and they all work fine, although some work better on some bars than others. I've never tried the bar-end mirrors.

My favorite of the many clip on mirrors that you can mount either to your helmet or your eyeglasses is the Take-A-Look mirrors. They're just sturdier than any of the others. Probably a bit heavier, but not enough to worry about. Seems to shake and vibrate less than most, probably because of its weight and very sturdy mounting. I keep one on my main helmet all the time. But most of the clip on mirrors work fine, so I wouldn't worry too much about getting just the right one.

-Ray

[93legendti]

There's a mirror that mounts in your bar end. I have one but haven't tried it on a bike yet. I found it on eBay.

I haven't needed one yet, 'cuz I seem to hear approaching vehicles very well. It's the riders who scream "HELLO", before I see them actually pass that give me a start.

[MilanoTom]

I have a Blackburn Multi Mirror (it plugs into the end of the handlebar) on each of my bikes. They've worked well for me.

Regards,
Tom

[rePhil]

http://www.cerevellum.com/

[paulrad9]

My favorite of the many clip on mirrors that you can mount either to your helmet or your eyeglasses is the Take-A-Look mirrors. They're just sturdier than any of the others. Probably a bit heavier, but not enough to worry about. Seems to shake and vibrate less than most, probably because of its weight and very sturdy mounting.

Agree to that as well. It's the best $15 you can spend

[sg8357]

I haven't needed one yet, 'cuz I seem to hear approaching vehicles very well. .

Priuses in electric mode are silent, I've had a couple sneak up on me.

Anyway, I use Chuck Harris mirrors, helmet mounted, he uses a bent spoke
to hold the mirror, so they stay in adjustment.

[tv_vt]

i'ts the little one that fits on the end of the left side of the handlebar. On ebay or direct through Aspire Velotech. 30 bucks. I have them on all my bikes now. Very very handy and subtle.

Thom

[rwsaunders]

i'ts the little one that fits on the end of the left side of the handlebar. On ebay or direct through Aspire Velotech. 30 bucks. I have them on all my bikes now. Very very handy and subtle.

Thom

I just bought two last week to replace a Blackburn device. Very slick and as inconspicuous as a mirror could be.

http://www.treefortbikes.com/imgDsp.aspx?fName=MI2002.jpg

[MarcusPless]

i'ts the little one that fits on the end of the left side of the handlebar. On ebay or direct through Aspire Velotech. 30 bucks. I have them on all my bikes now. Very very handy and subtle.

Thom


Another vote for the Aspire VeloTech mirror (http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=MIRROR) . I've been using them for several years now and really like it better than any other mirror I've tried.

--Marcus

[konstantkarma]

Agree to that as well. It's the best $15 you can spend

+1 on the "Take a Look". I find it really odd to ride without a mirror now. It is also useful if you have kids in a trailer or on a "Trail a bike" behind you. I can literally "keep an eye" on my 2 year or 5 year old while riding.

I have mine mounted on a visor on my helmet. The only drawback I have encountered is I tend to forget about it and bump it into things :crap: .

[dekindy]

I used a mirror mounted to my riding goggles for 20 years. I now prefer not to use that style. The Take-A-Look mirror and other helmet and glasses/goggles mounted are fine choices. With the development of better bar and down tube mounted mirror designs, I now prefer to use those.

I have dual Sprintech mirrors. They are generally good. They give a fine view, are aerodynamic, and do not intrude on bar space in any way so you can still place your hand in any position on the bars. They get knocked out of adjustment when you stop at stop signs unless you are extremely attentive at keeping your bars straight and not hitting them against your leg. They also get out of adjustment if you lay your bike down, lean it against something, transport in a vehicle, etc. You get the idea. The plastic mirror tends to get scratched and blurry over time and the mirror comes loose and rattles so you have to super glue it.

The Italian Bike Mirror is high quality glass that does not scratch and because it is installed by wrapping thick electrical tape to hold it in place once you get it adjusted and then wrapped with bar tape, it does not get out of adjustment. The viewing area is significantly smaller than the Sprintech and you have to wrap your bar tape from the top of the bar instead of the preferred way of wrapping from the bar end. If your bars are wrapped from the end then the bars have to be wrapped again for the initial installation.

The Zefal Cyclop looks like an interesting bar end mirror but I have not tried it. I think it might be new.
http://zefal.com/zefal/produit.php?key=471

The mirror that I like the best is the one that attaches to your down tube and you view through your legs. The first one that I tried was the Zefal Spy Mirror.

You will probably be skeptical, but the down tube mirror works great. You can see straight behind and monitor cyclists drafting behind you. If you are alone you can look straight behind and see cars coming from long distances. If you look at a slight angle you can see to your left or right. This is my preferred mirror and I have gone back to looking over my left shoulder to confirm what is behind instead of relying exclusively on my mirrors. When you look over your shoulder your ear is also turned toward the rear and you can hear what is behind you much more clearly because your ear is turned in the right direction and also you get the added benefit of having your ear shielded from the roar of the wind so you can hear better. I still think hearing is the best method of detecting cars. Most of the time I hear cars before I notice them in a mirror even when facing forward with the wind roaring in my ears. I am rarely able to use any mirror to see behind me if someone is drafting.

Now I come to what I think is the best mirror. The Bike-Eye. It mounts on the down tube, is made of clear, high quality glass, and stays adjusted. It's oblong shape allows you to look through it whether riding upright or in the drops. It is easy to look to your left or right side by looking at it at an angle.
http://www.bike-eye.com/new/product.shtml

This is the mirror that I think I will use exclusively and take the Sprintech's off.

I had to ride my backup bike while my main bike was being repaired. I forget to take the mirrors off so I rode without any mirrors for the first time in decades. I found that looking over your shoulder is the safest method of verifying what is behind you, except for viewing someone drafting you. It also made me realize how much better I could hear if I turned my head. So the bike-eye and looking over my shoulder is the best way for me to see and hear what is behind me.

[bobscott]

I have one of those stick on the glasses mirrors. It works well with my glasses and I liked it alot at first. Then one day I used a different set of glasses and found thet the mirror was taking out a good piece of my left side field of view. Part of the joy of a ride is seeing what's around me...the view backward is not worth the loss of that forward to the left field of vision.
Is this a general problem with the eyeglass or helmet mounted mirrors too?
bobscott

[chuckred]

http://www.cycleaware.com/photos/vp-detail.jpg Viewpoint (http://www.cycleaware.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3&zenid=bb68edf63ecfa8f6409b73db28aaab75) .

I've used the 3rd eyes that clip on to the shades but am interested if anyone has used the "spyglass" that mounts on the inside of your glasses or the small mirror that seems to fit in the left bar end.


Thanks guys!

I like mine - stealthy. Not perfect because you do need to turn your head a bit, but it is useful and gives a little peace of mind.

[jasond]

I just bought two last week to replace a Blackburn device. Very slick and as inconspicuous as a mirror could be.

http://www.treefortbikes.com/imgDsp.aspx?fName=MI2002.jpg

+1....I'm not sure how I lived without mine. Takes a little getting use to but once you do it's great. Other riders can't creep up on you either without being noticed. Some guy caught up to me once and sat in my draft for a little bit before I realized it. Kind of freaked me out when I finally realized he was there.

J

[jimp1234]

Honestly, I don't want to start a fight (if I did I'd post something over in the govermentium thread.. :) ) but why a mirror at all? I've been riding for 30+ years, and never ridden with one, and more importantly never understood the need for one...I know cars are behind me by listening (no ipod for me) and I mean I'm never going to back up my bike!!.. if a drunk driver in a swerving pickup truck or semi is coming up fast behind me, and is going to make me a hood ornament, I really don't want to know given that I don't think seeing him coming in a tiny mirror is going to give me enough information in that split second to take evasive action. In fact, I could see a scenario where seeing a car in a mirror coming up real fast behind me and looking like he might hit me could have me heading for the ravine when it wasn't really necessary. As far as riding in groups, well its the job of the rider behind to not half wheel his front with my rear wheel, and he has a strong incentive to not do it given that 9 out of 10 times he's going down not me if we tangle. Anyone care to state the case for the other side? Anyone feel the same as me?

[paulrad9]

but why a mirror at all?

What prompted me to use it was when I started commuting - plenty of need to check your surroundings, probably several times a minute. Since my commute was over an hour, my neck was getting sore so the mirror pretty much eliminated the need to physically look behind me. When leading a group ride, the mirror helps to see if anyone is off the back

But it's definitely a matter of preference as there are plenty of people in cars who never use their mirrors and instead prefer to turn and look directly behind/along side them

[konstantkarma]

Honestly, I don't want to start a fight (if I did I'd post something over in the govermentium thread.. :) ) but why a mirror at all? I've been riding for 30+ years, and never ridden with one, and more importantly never understood the need for one...I know cars are behind me by listening (no ipod for me) and I mean I'm never going to back up my bike!!.. if a drunk driver in a swerving pickup truck or semi is coming up fast behind me, and is going to make me a hood ornament, I really don't want to know given that I don't think seeing him coming in a tiny mirror is going to give me enough information in that split second to take evasive action. In fact, I could see a scenario where seeing a car in a mirror coming up real fast behind me and looking like he might hit me could have me heading for the ravine when it wasn't really necessary. As far as riding in groups, well its the job of the rider behind to not half wheel his front with my rear wheel, and he has a strong incentive to not do it given that 9 out of 10 times he's going down not me if we tangle. Anyone care to state the case for the other side? Anyone feel the same as me?

I see your point, but I find that if I can see a car behind wandering a bit on to the shoulder, I can take a bit more lane. Usually, if they are paying attention, they will then give a bit more room. If, not, then I can get the HE11 out of the way. Also, on windy days you can often not hear an oncoming car, but you sure can see it.

[coelacant]

I found one of those in my stash, bought sometime back but forgotten and never used.
$20 if anyone wants it.

[tv_vt]

I've found the mirror to be handy when riding with slower riders that I want to ride with. My wife, for example, not that she's that slow. But without turning around, I can tell if she's sitting on my wheel or drifting off. There are some stretches of road where it's become a habit of ours to push it - she slips in behind me and sits in as I creep up the pace. We do this for a few miles, and I can keep an eye on her with a quick look down in the mirror.

I hate the look of most mirrors = nerdy!, but this little one is ok.

t

[WadePatton]

Honestly, I don't want to start a fight (if I did I'd post something over in the govermentium thread.. :) ) but why a mirror at all? I've been riding for 30+ years, and never ridden with one, ....Anyone care to state the case for the other side? Anyone feel the same as me?

I watch the cars until they start moving over to give me room-then relax. If they don't move over, I hope that a last second dive into the gutter will reduce the likely injuries. It's rural where I ride, so I don't encounter that many vehicles. But I keep an eye on each one.

When it's windy or fast and hearing is impaired-I don't get surprised by vehicles--NOR do I get surprised by vehicles pulling long, wide trailers--or that second vehicle (the one that probably doesn't know I'm there) I might not have seen with a glimpse over the shoulder.

Handmade Harris, helmet mount.

[Polyglot]

Back in the 70's and 80's I subscribed to the French magazine "Le miroir du Cyclisme" (translated to English: The Mirror of Cycling), the one and only mirror that I have ever found to be of use in the bicycle world.

[rwsaunders]

I know cars are behind me by listening (no ipod for me)

In the winter I wear a windproof helmet liner which makes it very difficult to hear another cyclist, let alone a car. I found that a mirror gives me an additional margin of safety, especially with the cars that have daylight running lights.

[GregLR]

...I know cars are behind me by listening
I'm intrigued about how you hear traffic behind when there's a strong headwind blowing in your ears. For me, it's impossible to hear what's coming behind in those circumstances. I suppose you can tilt one side of your head to get one ear out of the wind so you can hear, but how do you know when to do that if you can't hear because of the wind. Also, in my view, if you can't see the traffic behind, then it makes it more difficult to 'manage' it to ensure that drivers don't overtake in tight situations when there's not enough room.
Of course, this is one of those subjects that has previously shown there are strongly held views about whether to mirror or not. Like others, I've posted on this before, with some quotes from books on cycletouring & long distance riding. http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=525176#post525176 The helmet mirror gives me so much useful information I now can't do without it, even if it does look odd and is not fashionable.

Greg

[Ray]

Honestly, I don't want to start a fight (if I did I'd post something over in the govermentium thread.. :) ) but why a mirror at all? I've been riding for 30+ years, and never ridden with one, and more importantly never understood the need for one...I know cars are behind me by listening (no ipod for me) and I mean I'm never going to back up my bike!!.. if a drunk driver in a swerving pickup truck or semi is coming up fast behind me, and is going to make me a hood ornament, I really don't want to know given that I don't think seeing him coming in a tiny mirror is going to give me enough information in that split second to take evasive action. In fact, I could see a scenario where seeing a car in a mirror coming up real fast behind me and looking like he might hit me could have me heading for the ravine when it wasn't really necessary. As far as riding in groups, well its the job of the rider behind to not half wheel his front with my rear wheel, and he has a strong incentive to not do it given that 9 out of 10 times he's going down not me if we tangle. Anyone care to state the case for the other side? Anyone feel the same as me?
Lots of people feel like you, and lots don't. There's no right or wrong here - its whatever allows you to ride more safely. I ride on a lot of pretty isolated roads with very little traffic. Lots of times, when there are no cars, I'm well out in the middle of the road. With a mirror, I'll OFTEN see a car way before I'll hear it. Knowing its coming up behind me, I can start to act very predictably to make the whole passing interaction easier on the driver and on me. Sometimes on busier roads I'll hear the cars, but the mirror is still helpful in knowing whether there is one car or three or seven passing and I'll know when they've all passed - I can't hear the number of cars under the best of circumstances, so its helpful in that regard to. When riding in groups, I find it handy for a quick check of whether the person behind me is still there or if a gap is forming, in which case, I'll back off a bit. And when I'm at or near the back, its also handy for seeing approaching cars and letting the rest of the group know.

If you feel safer or safe enough riding without a mirror, nobody's telling or even asking you to use one. For those of us who find it useful, though, I don't see a problem. I've seen some hard core racer types complain that they'd NEVER ride with somebody using a mirror because they're actually less safe. I think that's a load of crap, personally. But I'm not riding in those hard core groups anyway, so no worries.

-Ray

[Kingfisher]

Thanks for all the input guys! Lots of choices here and I understand it's a personal thing, now that I'm using one...kind of hard to give up.

One side note - when I was racing I remember a crit down in Baltimore and seeing a guy in a National Championship stars & stripes jersey wearing a 3rd eye. Can't remember who he was or whether he won the jersey on the track or road, but that's a pretty big endorsement.

[William]

I just take broken shards of mirrors and glue them to the heels of my shoes. I can get a look when I need to....plus I can slash the tires of any motorist who gets too close to me.




William :)

[rwsaunders]

I just take broken shards of mirrors and glue them to the heels of my shoes. I can get a look when I need to....plus I can slash the tires of any motorist who gets too close to me.
William :)

Chuck Norris would approve of this method.

[William]

Chuck Norris would approve of this method.

He wrote and sang a song about it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV88aON8-zY



William

[Peter P.]

i'ts the little one that fits on the end of the left side of the handlebar. On ebay or direct through Aspire Velotech. 30 bucks. I have them on all my bikes now. Very very handy and subtle.
Thom

I've wondered about this mirror-doesn't your forearm obscure your line of sight to the mirror from any handlebar position?

[gutefahrt]

Nope. Works great, although I recommend the Sprintech Dropbar from TreeFortBikes.com

[Dekonick]

Chuck Norris would approve of this method.

Tires go flat on their own when Chuck Norris even looks at them.

[palincss]

I find the best helmet-mounted mirror to be the Cycleaware Reflex.
http://www.cycleaware.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1&zenid=b1fb0e5b456308364203e61d7afc071d

[rwsaunders]

I've wondered about this mirror-doesn't your forearm obscure your line of sight to the mirror from any handlebar position?

P...depending on your location on the drops, I have noticed this with the Sportech mirrors. I will say however, they do not have even a bit of vibration like other mirrors, which I find to be a great asset.