Advocacy & Safety - Good, cheap, convenient mirrors at Target

Target just started carrying the new Schwinn line of bikes and accessories.

Not bad for department store grade. If Schwinn keeps it up, they may have found a good niche. I wouldn't buy a bike there, but the accessories are interesting.

ANYWAY, one of the best things I found was a handlebar mounted mirror. It has a sturdy, convenient velcro attachment system - no screws, no messing around.

The thing I like best is that the mirror is flat and wide. You can see most of the road behind you. It is NOT convex, so the view is not distorted.

Price is $6.00 compaired with $16.00 to $20.00 for comparable stuff from Road Gear, etc.

Check it out at Target.

Thanks for the tip, Mike. I think I have noticed an increase in mirror use by cyclists, and for $6 I am tempted to give one a try.

REVIEW UPDATE!

I found that the mirror, sadly, does not work on road bikes with drop style handlebars. The mirror swivel has a limited range and is not appropriate for drop bars.

It will work on mountaing bikes and comfort bikes if your grips are mostly of an even tubular shape.

Funny, I just got a new mirror after many moons of swearing off.
My old helmet-mount eventually lost it's "stiffness" so that a headwind or steep hill would blow it out of position! But I got a new one from the same company ("Third Eye") that is slightly different: instead of having three swivel joints, it has only one.

Anyway, even if it gives out eventually, I can't complain since I spent more on pizza tonight than on the mirror.

I forgot how much I like being able to give a quick, sweeping view of the road behind me. (I just have to re-train myself not to use it too much--the road in front is more important!)

Target doesn't sell these, but I have found the best line of sight, most versatile (for eyeglasses) mounting and easiest adjustment from a mirror called "Take a Look." None of the Frankenstores sell it, you will have to bite the bullet and go to a real bike store.
Bonus; if you live in or are fortunate enough to travel to a country where you must ride on the left side of the road, this mirror can be completely inverted to work on the right temple of your glasses.

I saw some cheap "Bell" brand bike mirrors at the local K-Mart the other day. The flexible support was so thin and noodly that i doubt it would keep the mirror in one place over a bump. Can't figure what they were thinking when they designed this piece of #@!%. Absolutely useless.

Originally posted by D*Alex
I saw some cheap "Bell" brand bike mirrors at the local K-Mart the other day. The flexible support was so thin and noodly that i doubt it would keep the mirror in one place over a bump. Can't figure what they were thinking when they designed this piece of #@!%. Absolutely useless.

Yup, I bought one of those at Wal-Mart and tried it just to see if it would work. Your guess was right, D*Alex. It is junk.

First of all, it was impossible to adjust. Second, it would not stay in place once you half-ass adjusted it. It broke in half the first day I used it. The "noodly support arm" tore off of the handlebar mount when I was trying to adjust it.

The bell mirror at K-Mart and Walmart is a Barbie Doll toy. Leave it for the kiddies.

The Target mirror from Schwinn is reasonably legit.

Whew...Thanks guys. I thought I was the only who felt the need to check out the bike stuff at those stores. It's always fun to see how the bikes are set up and wonder how many people get hurt because the brakes aren't functional.

It's also a fun to check out the full suspension bikes for 8-year-olds. Now I know why kids don't ride anymore, those 45 pound bikes have to be hell for a kid to push uphill. ;)