General Cycling Discussion - New mirror

I bought a new bicycle rear-view mirror today that has some promise.

At this time, I think I have tried them all including the helmet mounted mirrors.

The very best is the mirror I bought and used in Japan, but it is strickly a right side mount, so forget about it. The next best is the bar-end mounted mirror. I forget the brand (Velo?) but it has an expander bolt that goes inside the handlebar tubel

Anyway, I got a Lemond brand "Pro Cycling Mirror" from Target today. (Ya, ya.. I know...) Anyway, the cool thing about it is the velcro attachment and plastic mounting hood.

I have bar end shifters on my drop handlebars, so this is a great solution to my needs. It seems like it would fit on most bikes.

This may not be the very best mirror I have ever used, but it get's an "A" for convenience.

It has a wide view owing to the convex mirror. Of course, this shape causes the effect "Objects in mirror might be closer than they appear" phenominon. I thought a truck was about a block behind me until it blew it's horn and I almost jumped out of my skin. It was right behind me.

Another shortcoming is that it tends to vibrate a bit - a slice of old inner-tube on the mount should fix that.

Originally posted by mike
It has a wide view owing to the convex mirror. Of course, this shape causes the effect "Objects in mirror might be closer than they appear" phenominon
Sounds encouraging, Mike. But what about the convex mirror?
I always had a real problem seeing things in the distance, which is what I really need a mirror for.

Please keep me updated. I'll be looking for a new mirror soon.

Well, I have some more experience with the mirror as of today.

As Pete points out, the convex mirror sucks. It gives a good wide view of the road, but you can't see the cars until they are almost running you over.

I saw some tiny headlights in the rearview - looked like a car about a mile or so away. Then when I turned around to check, YIKES! In was a truck about only 20 feet away from me.

I don't know if I could ever get used to it because the objects in the mirror are too small to see unless they are already too close.

Other than that, the target mirror is pretty good. Maybe I can pop out the lens and put a flat one in.

I just got a Zéfal bar-end mirror a couple weeks ago. I really like it. It has the "expansion" fit that you were talking about, but others probably do as well.

There are also mirrors that fit on one of the hoods. This might work better for you with your bar-end shifters.

Jonathan

I'm new and haven't had experience with a bike mirror in probably 40 years...what can you tell me about helmet mounted mirrors?

Good? Bad?

I've tried most of them and this is by far the best. No vibration, no distortion. This is the mtn. bike model. They also have one for drop down bars. Can't remember who makes it but all the lbs's around here sell them.

Originally posted by Nobby
I'm new and haven't had experience with a bike mirror in probably 40 years...what can you tell me about helmet mounted mirrors?

Good? Bad?

Bill, some guys swear by helmet or glasses mounted mirrors.

I tried one, but just could not get used to it. It was really tough to adjust correctly. It only worked for me if I wore contacts because my glasses interfered with view of the correctly possitioned helmet mirror.

Worst of all, the mirror just didn't hold up well. It kept getting knocked off the helmet from me setting the helmet down. I ended up taping it on which was dorky and not a permanent solution.

One day, it was dangling there barely hanging on by yet another tape application and I said "screw it" and yanked it off.

I'm going back to bar mounted mirrors.

Originally posted by mwmw
I've tried most of them and this is by far the best. No vibration, no distortion. This is the mtn. bike model. They also have one for drop down bars. Can't remember who makes it but all the lbs's around here sell them.

mwmw, am I looking at that photo wrong, or is it a right side mounted mirror? If I could use a right side mirror, I would use the honker I got in Japan

Originally posted by mike


Bill, some guys swear by helmet or glasses mounted mirrors.

I tried one, but just could not get used to it. It was really tough to adjust correctly. It only worked for me if I wore contacts because my glasses interfered with view of the correctly possitioned helmet mirror.

Worst of all, the mirror just didn't hold up well. It kept getting knocked off the helmet from me setting the helmet down. I ended up taping it on which was dorky and not a permanent solution.

One day, it was dangling there barely hanging on by yet another tape application and I said "screw it" and yanked it off.

I'm going back to bar mounted mirrors.
Hehehe. Mike, we are living in parallel universes! :D
My experience, almost exactly. Except my tape never gave out. I used a "string tape" (tape for packaging that has parallel strings in it for strength) which resisted every drop of water. I used permanent marker to color it black. :eek:

I used that helmet mirror even though someone under six in my family (whose name I won't mention) cracked it into three pieces. No, in my case, the pivot joints on the mirror arm actually gave out. As soon as the wind resistance hit about 20 mph., the mirror started to slip, giving me an excellent view of...well, the sky, among other things. :cry:

I am still open to a good mirror. In the mean time (a couple of months now) I have resorted to the "look back" technique.

Maybe you will invent one, Mike, and make enough dough to do whatever you think is best with your spare time! ;)

mwmw, am I looking at that photo wrong, or is it a right side mounted mirror?

Doesn't matter. It's "bi".

Originally posted by Nobby
I'm new and haven't had experience with a bike mirror in probably 40 years...what can you tell me about helmet mounted mirrors?
I used to use helmet-mounted mirrors, but discontinued that when it became difficult to find enough flat space on newer helmets to get good purchase for the adhesive. So now I use a glasses-mounted mirror and am satisfied most of the time. One disadvantage is that the temple bars on my wire-frame glasses are too thin to hold the mirror, so until I decide to get thick black frames like 1960s French film directors, I have to wear my contacts and clip the mirror on my Smith Sliders. One big advantage is that a quick twist of the neck allows me to sweep a much larger area behind me than a stationary bar-mounted mirror would. This is especially helpful going over freeway overpasses where I can spot vehicles coming up the off ramp sooner while still being alert for the ballet of cris-crossing cars in front.

I've got a helmet mounted mirror. It always makes me feel like I'm a Borg (from star trek) or something. The worst thing about it is that every time I turn around it seems, the darn mirror has shifted out of position and all I can see out of it is the sky above or my own shoulder or something useless like that. If you have problems keeping them on, a dab of hot glue seems to work pretty well.

I have been very happy with my Blackburn bar end mounted mirror. The mirror itself is oval shaped and only slightly convex. It gives a decently wide angle without stretching the distance too badly. After a few days I got used to how far things were. I seem to pick up vehicles far enough back to keep an eye on them. I point mine down and slightly to the side. It is very easy to glance at either from upright or in the drops and has just enough wide angle to be adjusted so that you can see well from any position on the bar. Cost about $17-18.

I had mine pop out in a fall. I grabbed it but did not realize until later that a piece was missing. I called Blackburn, and they sent me a whole new mount for free

I tried a helmet mirror, but found it pretty much useless, despite encouraging sounds from friends who have used them for years.

I found I spent half my time trying to adjust the damn thing into a useful position, thus distracting me from the road, and even then I couldn't see behind very well - either my back pack was in the way, or the edge of my glasses, or I had to adjust it so far to the side just to get a clear view that I was turning my head within a degree or two of where I can do a quick shoulder check anyway.

I ditched it after just a few days and went back to shoulder checking which has served me well for years.

I am still interested in trying out a bar mounted mirror, but all the ones I've seen increase the width of the bars significantly, which is not something I find particularly desireable. Are there any that mount like they do on motorcycles?

Originally posted by Allister
Are there any that mount like they do on motorcycles?
Sorry, I don't know. But your comment reminds me that we utilitarian cyclists are presently relegated to a "search and grab"
strategy to outfit our bikes.

Buy a car or motorcycle and everything is automatically included.

"Excuse me [Mr. Carsalesman], but which lights, horn, speedometer [etc.] do you recommend to be installed on this car?" Sigh.

Have a look at http://www.sram.com/product/featured/html/smartbar.html Heading in the right direction, or a gimmick?

Originally posted by Pete Clark

Sorry, I don't know. But your comment reminds me that we utilitarian cyclists are presently relegated to a "search and grab"
strategy to outfit our bikes.

Buy a car or motorcycle and everything is automatically included.

"Excuse me [Mr. Carsalesman], but which lights, horn, speedometer [etc.] do you recommend to be installed on this car?" Sigh.

Pete, check out this shimano bike... http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,45788,00.html and http://www.wired.com/news/gallery/0,2072,45788-1091,00.html

I think i'll stick to the "search and grab" strategy :)

Originally posted by Allister

I am still interested in trying out a bar mounted mirror, but all the ones I've seen increase the width of the bars significantly, which is not something I find particularly desireable. Are there any that mount like they do on motorcycles?

I had a bar mounted mirror, but it broke last year and I haven't bothered to replace it. It actually attached near the centre of the bars, but I can't remember where I got it. If you look around, you might find one.

Chris

Joe,

That's a cool bike, but...

"The Nexave C910 bicycle has a 16-speed automatic transmission designed to help make cycling and gear shifting less thought-provoking."

Automatic transmission..."less thought-provoking"???

Come on, we're thinking cyclists here! :D

AlphaGeek,
Is that the Shimano bike that will sell for somewhere around $1200? My dad showed me the blurb in the recent "Popular Mechanics". I figured that the people who would "benefit" from such a bike would never spend that much for a bike, and the people who would spend that much for a bike would never buy that bike. Know what I mean? The former would rather by a $100 Wally World MTB and the latter would more likely be looking for a Trek, Bianchi, etc., road bike and wouldn't be caught dead on a bike with automatic transmission. I'm wondering where they think the market is!
My $0.02,
Raymond

By "search and grab," I didn't mean an automatic transmission!

:eek:

What I mean is, bikes come with silly stuff like reflectors that are useless. Lights vary so much in cost and function that you may have to try some inferior models before you find the best ones for you.

I would sure hate to buy a $175 bike light and find out I wasted my cash. And what about sound devices? The law itself says we must be equipped with one. Have you ever asked a bike shop about sound devices? They'll probably think you mean something for your child, or a little bell for riding on the sidewalk. Forget it, you need a real horn.

It's not the options that bother me, it's the mentality of "bikes are toys."

Originally posted by Allister
Have a look at http://www.sram.com/product/featured/html/smartbar.html Heading in the right direction, or a gimmick?
Allister,

I don't know (again ;)) but even if it's a gimmick, I like the two widely-spaced headlights. I use them already!