Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Mirrors review

For nearly 20 years I used a Rhode Gear mirror on my road bike and a Mirrcycle mirror on my touring/city bike. The Rhode Gear mirror broke unexpectedly this spring forcing me into a search for a new mirror. Mirrors are just behind helmets and hi-viz clothing in the safety pantheon. Here are my results:

I looked a number of factors, including:

1. Ease of installation.
2. Stability
3. Intrusiveness
4. Range of view

The search is limited to mirrors that affix to the bike. I tried mirrors that attach to the helmet and glasses without luck. The reason is probably personal. I have bad sight in my left eye and also have to wear a prescription insert in my sunglasses. This combination made it difficult to use these types of mirrors.

Blackburn: Easy to install (just a velcro strap). Stability is a problem. I found the image very shaky. I don't know why because the design of the arm seems good. As with any brake hood mirror, there was some intrusiveness in that I couldn't easily wrap my hand around the top of the hood, losing one hand position. Range of view was OK, but the horizontal view was odd because it didn't allow a good view on hills or while posting.

Sprintech: These are bar end mirrors. There are mirrors available for both the left and right side. I didn't like the left (traffic) side mirror at all, but ended up keeping the right mirror. Installation is OK, but you need a rubber mallet to pound in the rubber stoppers that hold the mirror. Stability was OK, with some vibration. Range of view is the real problem here. You can only see a limited distance behind you; you're likely to have heard the car by the time you see it in the mirror. This is because of the mirrors materials (plastic), extreme convex shape and size (small). But, the intrusiveness factor here is good. Being on the bar ends and being small, they aren't intrusive at all. Too bad you can't see far with them.

UltraLight: The runner up. I like this mirror but ultimately rejected it. Installation is flexible given the wrap around mounting, similar to many lights. I tried it first on the down curve of the handlebars but eventually moved it up to the brake hood. The brake hood positioning was intrusive in that it limited some hand positions and caused some irritation because of wrapping my hand around the mounting. Stability is OK with some vibration. Range of view is where this mirror both excelled and ultimately failed. The mirror is shaped like the Sprintech (think pinto bean) but much larger. It is also made of plastic and extremely convex. The convex shape gave it a great range of view. Unlike the Blackburn, it is positioned (or can be positioned) vertically. This gives it a great view up and down the road, including hills and while posting. The extreme convex shape of the mirror does make it hard to see very far back. You have to get used to interpreting small shapes as oncoming cars. While this may true of any mirror, it is especially true of the UltraLight. With concentration and practice this can be a good mirror.

Mirrcycle: The winner. Mirrcycle has a road bike version of their mirror but I adapted their mountain bike mirror to my road bike. Their road bike mirror is only for older bikes where the brake cable comes up and out of the top of the brake hood. The mountain bike mirror has three parts: the mirror, arm and bar end stop. I put the bar end stop and mirror on my handlebar end and did not use the arm. Installation is OK but requires use of small screws and allen wrenches. Stability is where this mirror shines and ultimately made it my first choice. I believe the mirror is glass rather than plastic. This gives it a sharper image. The mirror is a little convex but not so much as to greatly distort. Vibration is almost non-existent. Putting the mirror on the bar end made it non-intrusive and freed up my brake hood. The bar end position does have draw backs. There are certain positions where you need to move your arm to see the mirror. Also, the mirror is physically a bit more distant than on the brake hood. But the stability of the image and the relatively non-convex shape makes it easier to glance at the mirror and see what you need to see. You don't have to concentrate like with the UltraLight. The range of view is somewhat more limited than the UltraLight too but the quality of images makes up for the difference.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=448232&highlight=mirror

My long mirror review and a fine one if I do say so myself. You overlooked the Zefal Spy (road version) and Bike-Eye. You should give them a look! Ah, I crack myself up.

http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RBM_1001&Category_Code=MIRROR

http://www.aspirevelotech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RBM_1001&Category_Code=MIRROR

I tried the Italian bike mirror and so did my neighbor. Neither of us liked it. The quality of the glass was outstanding. Installation makes you wrap the bars from the wrong end, the field of view was too small, and it was very difficult to adjust. There are a lot of fans. My neighbor's came unglued after one ride. My Zefal came unglued also in less than a year so from that experience I would include that may be a problem for many of these mirrors.

I have the Ultralight Mirror on my SS and Italian Bike Mirror on my roadie and like them both.

Any chance you could you post a picture of the mountain mirrycle installed on your road bar?

I liked the old Rhode mirrors, and when they were discontinued when Bell acquired Rhode, I make my own. The material is stiffer than the originals and vibrate less. The new plastic ones are a joke as are the ones that clip on the end of drop handle bars. Can't see thru your elbow and cant keep your eyes on the road. I also could not use a helmet mirror because of a slightly unfocused left eye. I also use dual mirrors. I now feel blind if I dont have dual mirrors on a bike.
http://www.krabach.info/bike_light/dual_mirrors.html

Wait for the Mirrycle road mirror to be re-released. It just pops on shimano brifters, and works rather well, looks good, and is a clean and simple install. I have one of the new this year units that was recalled. I have kept it on my bike despite the recall, I don't want to be without it. When they are re-issued, I will buy two more, one for each bike that has shimano brifters, so that I don't have to keep switching. If you can't wait, then you won't be upset later when you switch.

http://home.wowway.com/~tomstank/postpics/cockpit.jpg

I just went to the Mirrcycle site; it appears that the Mirrcycle has been recalled. I didn't see information about why it was recalled. Perhaps it was recalled because the mirror was made of glass and is therefore somewhat dangerous.

Looks like just the Mirrycle Road Mirror (http://www.mirrycle.com/) has been recalled, not the Mountain Mirrycle or the Original Mirrycle.

I've got a Mountain Mirrycle and it works well.

Yeah. The road mirror pictured above has been recalled. For a while, I heard or read something about the product being back on the market in 6 mos or so? Another BF poster said that the plastic molds had to be changed to prevent over tightening or something if you folded the mirror in and out. I have kept mine instead of returning it, because it is the only mirror I like. So far, no problems with it. I move it between all my bikes as needed, when I remember to. Occasionaly I forget, and find that aggravating enough to want two more Mirracyl Road Mirrors so I can't forget.