Commuting - Helmet Mirror

I just put a rearview mirror on my helmet. Until now I as doing the "turn your head all the way around" method of checking behind me.

I took the bike out for a brief ride and have some observations and questions. Is it fairly normal to have to turn your head a little to see behind you? I was hoping to be able to just move my eyes to see behind me but it seems like if I move it to a position where I can see around my head to see behind me, I have to practically go cross-eyed to see the mirror, and then it's hard to see clearly. I found that if I adjusted it further forward, I can't see around my head so in order to see behind me I have to cock my head maybe 10 degrees in order to see directly behind. Is this normal?

Also, I found myself looking in my mirror almost as much as I was looking forward. Is this just a novelty thing, and once the novelty wears off, I will not look into the mirror all the time? It seems more distracting that helpful right now.

Once I get used to it, how much will I notice cars approaching from behind without consciously looking at the mirror? Does it get to the point where the mirror is automatically part of my situational awareness?

Thanks in advance for your comments and/or tips.

My preference went to handle bar mirrors.
With a helmet mirror, before I got on the bike I would reset the mirror.
I did the adjustment by focusing on an object behind my left shoulder.

Once I get used to it, how much will I notice cars approaching from behind without consciously looking at the mirror? Does it get to the point where the mirror is automatically part of my situational awareness?
Let's just say you will eventually find yourself walking down the street, hearing something coming up behind you and you will instinctively glance at your non-existent mirror.

I ride road bikes primarily so I have to move my head a bit to see behind me. I adjust the mirror so I see it through the top left corner of my sunglasses. Then adjust it so I see the top of my shoulder and almost see my ear. That seems to be the best starting point but I often make a minor adjustment once underway. It takes a bit of getting used to but, after riding with it, I wouldn't ride without in any kind of traffic. I have 2 helmets, commuting and road, and have a mirror glued to each.

I decided to go with a helmet mounted mirror because I have 4 different bikes I ride. I only have one helmet, so I figured helmet-mounted would be more economical.

I just put a rearview mirror on my helmet. Until now I as doing the "turn your head all the way around" method of checking behind me.

I took the bike out for a brief ride and have some observations and questions. Is it fairly normal to have to turn your head a little to see behind you? I was hoping to be able to just move my eyes to see behind me but it seems like if I move it to a position where I can see around my head to see behind me, I have to practically go cross-eyed to see the mirror, and then it's hard to see clearly. I found that if I adjusted it further forward, I can't see around my head so in order to see behind me I have to cock my head maybe 10 degrees in order to see directly behind. Is this normal?

Also, I found myself looking in my mirror almost as much as I was looking forward. Is this just a novelty thing, and once the novelty wears off, I will not look into the mirror all the time? It seems more distracting that helpful right now.

Once I get used to it, how much will I notice cars approaching from behind without consciously looking at the mirror? Does it get to the point where the mirror is automatically part of my situational awareness?

Thanks in advance for your comments and/or tips.

The bike I'm mostly riding now is the first one that hasn't had a 'mirrocycle' mounted on the brake hood. The one I have now is at the end of the handlebar and with bar ends, it's not at its most ideal angle. Thusly, the helmet mirror to complete the rear view.

You have to adjust the helmet mirror so that you can just see the upper outside edge of your ear. It didn't take more than a few minutes to get used to it, but for me, it's complimentary to my other mirror, not my main rear view.

I use a take-a-look mirror on my helmet. It's very easy to adjust (you get used to it) and yes, i do move my head slightly to scan behind me. . .but you can adjust it to have a clear view of oncoming traffic without having to move your head much. Things that affect this are distance from your eye to the front and distance from your eye to the side. It may take of bit of experimenting to get this dialed in for you preference. . .but once you do you'll likely not want to ride without it. Handlebar mounts don't give you that scan ability that helmet mirrors do.

The problem I had with a helmet mirror was that whenever I took the helmet off, the mirror got knocked out of place, and I was always having to readjust it. Finally took the darned thing off.

Yes, it is normal to have to move your head slightly. As to whether or not you will look in the mirror less that is entirely a decision that is up to you. You do get used to the mirror though. When you hear something, know you're in a tight spot, or need to turn left up ahead you will instinctively look in the mirror. I love having my mirror. Helmet mounted mirrors are nice because you can change where you're looking by moving your head slightly.

I have to move my head a little. If I move the mirror far enough over that I can see behind me without moving my head, it's outside my eyeglasses range so I can't see well.
Bike mounted mirrors have never worked for me. With helmet mounted mirrors, eventually you get to where you just know what's behind you without being conscious of having looked, the same as with car mirrors; it just becomes part of your perception.

Ditto the comment above; I got so used to it that even when there are loud noises like something falling on the floor, or fireworks, when I'm just walking around, I don't spin around to look, I look to my (nonexistant) helmet mirror.

BTW, I used to use take-a-look but switched to a Cycleaware Reflex after a crash pushed the take-a-look's somewhat sharp edge into my face and caused me to get 12 stitches to close the gash. The Reflex has much smoother edges.

take a look makes the best. rei.com is where you can get them.

I prefer a glasses mounted take-a-look. I don't have to turn my head to monitor anything coming up on my left, it just takes a quick glance, followed by a head check if I am going to actually change my position on the road. If I want to scan the entire area behind me, I have to turn my head some. I usually have it adjusted so that I can just (barely) see the side of my face and my shoulder, for reference.

Yes, after some time you will get over the habit of constantly looking in the mirror, and treat it just like you do the mirrors in your car...you don't always look in those, do you? ;)

Take-a-look is indeed very functional, but really about the same as the Cycleaware Reflex, but the Reflex is a lot safer. Take-a-look gouged my face in an accident and I'm really pretty sure the Reflex would not have at all. If you're in the market, just look at both and imagine if either of them got crammed forcefully into your face. I don't like the take-a-look's very stiff, straight bare wire and brass tube that close to my face, either.

Take-a-look is indeed very functional, but really about the same as the Cycleaware Reflex, but the Reflex is a lot safer. Take-a-look gouged my face in an accident and I'm really pretty sure the Reflex would not have at all. If you're in the market, just look at both and imagine if either of them got crammed forcefully into your face. I don't like the take-a-look's very stiff, straight bare wire and brass tube that close to my face, either.

I tried the Reflex...crappy, easily-scratched plastic mirror with a convex lens that makes objects 'closer than they appear'. I tossed it after a week. YMMV

I got some kind of LBS plastic brand. I never considered what happens in a crash; that's good to think about.

I did the commute with the mirror today and I felt confident enough with it to make lane changes without actually turning around. I can scan well enough to see everything back there. One issue I noticed is when the sun is low and either right behind me or right in front of me, the mirror isn't as effective because the image in it is either too light or too dark.

Let's just say you will eventually find yourself walking down the street, hearing something coming up behind you and you will instinctively glance at your non-existent mirror.


This happens to me all the time when I'm walking.:roflmao2:

With my helmet mounted mirror, there is a blind spot, just like in the rear view mirror of a car. Beware of the blind spot.

With my helmet mounted mirror, there is a blind spot, just like in the rear view mirror of a car. Beware of the blind spot.

Orly? I thought I could pretty much scan from curb to curb. The only blindspot I can think of is over my right shoulder.

I got some kind of LBS plastic brand. I never considered what happens in a crash; that's good to think about.

I did the commute with the mirror today and I felt confident enough with it to make lane changes without actually turning around. I can scan well enough to see everything back there. One issue I noticed is when the sun is low and either right behind me or right in front of me, the mirror isn't as effective because the image in it is either too light or too dark.

One other issue is that some sunglass frames get in the way.

I did the commute with the mirror today and I felt confident enough with it to make lane changes without actually turning around. I can scan well enough to see everything back there.

Stop right there, amigo. Thou shalt not make a change in your position relative to other traffic without a head check...just like you should do when driving a car. You know those drivers who claim they didn't see what they just ran into (or ran into them)? Don't become one of them. ;)

If there's any traffic around, yeah, head check. If I scan and see nothing, no really, nothing in the mirror, and can't hear any approaching traffic... what's the point? I guess I need to understand more about this blindspot blindsue is talking about. In a car you get that as a result of the c-pillar. There are no pillars on a bicycle to obstruct my view, and I can do a full headscan, to see probably 300 degrees, with the other 60 degrees being the curb on my right. What am I missing here?

I'm not disagreeing here; just trying to understand based on the experience and wisdom that is BF (okay, maybe just experience....)



I'll tell you what's wonderous about a mirror though... I've been picturing what cars do behind me, and kind of take it on faith that they are going around me when I'm in the lane. It's nice being able to see that happen and actually know where the cars are. Kind of empowering.

If there's any traffic around, yeah, head check. If I scan and see nothing, no really, nothing in the mirror, and can't hear any approaching traffic... what's the point? I guess I need to understand more about this blindspot blindsue is talking about. In a car you get that as a result of the c-pillar. There are no pillars on a bicycle to obstruct my view, and I can do a full headscan, to see probably 300 degrees, with the other 60 degrees being the curb on my right. What am I missing here?

I'm not disagreeing here; just trying to understand based on the experience and wisdom that is BF (okay, maybe just experience....)

I'll tell you what's wonderous about a mirror though... I've been picturing what cars do behind me, and kind of take it on faith that they are going around me when I'm in the lane. It's nice being able to see that happen and actually know where the cars are. Kind of empowering.

There was no traffic around Saturday evening as I took a quick glance in the mirror and moved to avoid dead coon...only to find that my wife, who was on my wheel, had already moved left and begun to pass me! :eek:
Even with a headscan, there are blindspots that take a little extra effort. ;)

Mirrors are great for situational awareness and planning though.

I never trust the mirror completely. I'll use it to guage when I have an open spot then look back to ensure it is clear. I'm not about to cross 3 lanes of 55 MPH traffic without looking in my car or on my bike.

I started with a Third Eye helmet mounted mirror. The adhesive on the hook and loop fastener lost its grip so I just glued it to the helmet. I decided to go for the Third Eye glasses mounted mirror when I got my new road bike helmet. I had to remove it after every ride as it deformed the nylon arms on the glasses. Even being careful, I eventually broke off part of the mount so I just glued what was left to my helmet and it works fine.

Third Eye... I think that's the brand I got.

I will need to consciously do a headcheck as well as rely on the mirror. It's very weird right now, but eventually I think it'll get integrated into my general situational awareness. When I took my test ride yesterday I was skeptical as to how useful it would be; today's commute seemed better and I'm sure it will only be more helpful with experience.

I tried the Reflex...crappy, easily-scratched plastic mirror with a convex lens that makes objects 'closer than they appear'. I tossed it after a week. YMMV

Mine's dead flat with no magnification, and it's still totally unscratched after 3 years of use. YMMV, too.

One dark morning I let all the car head lights in my mirror pass me by before I switched
out into the lane. Instinct had me look back,yup the car ninja would have had me dead bang.

I rarely head check, but that's because almost all of my commute is on two lane road, and the traffic is not much. In almost every case, there simply aren't any cars around.

Also, I can see better with my mirror than trying to look back over my shoulder; I can't see very well at all that way.

I have a Third-eye glasses mounted mirror.

When I first started using it, my eyes had a really hard time focusing, and like you said, it felt like I was going cross-eyed. It also felt like I was look extremely far to the left, like my eyes were straining to see all the way over. At that point it didn't seem worth it. After probably a week I had found a better spot in my field of vision for the mirror and my eyes could focus on it much more quickly.

My mirror is not convex or concaved, it's flat. I find it's best when the mirror is pretty close to my eye, and not "too" far to the left. Now I can focus on the mirror pretty much instantly when i look at it, but I do move my head a tiny bit to the left to see directly behind me, which is fine with me - it happens pretty naturaly now.

You might want to try setting the mirror closer/further to see what works best for you. Closer gives a bigger picture but blocks more forward field of view and may be more difficult to focus, further away gives a smaller rear picture, but blocks less forward field of view and may be easier to focus (though it seemed opposite for me since I think my right eye was trying to look at it too and made my brain go crazy).

I use my mirror when I'm approaching intersections to see if any cars may be turning right, when there are cars parked on the shoulder to see if I have room to pass, if there are any buses approaching when travelling on bus routes but I will only look for probably 2 seconds and then focus ahead. When I first got the mirror I think I did the same thing where I looked behind me through it all the time. I still look in the mirror way more often than in the car, but I'd guess I check the mirror, realistically, like 5-10% of my "viewing time"

Also, I can see better with my mirror than trying to look back over my shoulder; I can't see very well at all that way.

Same here

And here I thought I was the only doofus who "looks" in the non-existent helmet mirror when I'm out walking around! :lol:

I would really prefer, I think, a handlebar-mounted mirror, but I have two bikes; they're small so real estate on the bar is limited; and when I lay the bike on the ground on its left side, so I'm afraid I'd be constantly knocking the mirror out of alignment.

I have the plastic Third Eye mirror. Another annoyance: as my helmets have gotten newer and more vented, it becomes increasingly difficult to attach the mirror. After the latest mirror kept falling off the only (narrow, curved) strip of my helmet where it could be mounted, I finally resorted to . . . yes, duct tape! Yep, I am officially White Trash Fabulous. :roflmao2:

:PYeah, but I have orange, green, red and yellow duct tape.
I consider it an art form. Some one even made me a duct tape wallet.

I've tried any sort of mirror possible, non works the way it's supposed to.

I noticed when using mirrors, i spend way more time trying to look into the mirror, and identifying something, than simple do a quick turn around of the head, and look back front in a split second vs. like several seconds trying to figure out what is behind me through the mirrors.

so the helment mirror, i dumped it after a week.
a handle bar mirror now became my shaving mirror :lol:

the good old look back, and front is still yet the fastest and safest method to check behind you. :thumb:


I just put a rearview mirror on my helmet. Until now I as doing the "turn your head all the way around" method of checking behind me.

I took the bike out for a brief ride and have some observations and questions. Is it fairly normal to have to turn your head a little to see behind you? I was hoping to be able to just move my eyes to see behind me but it seems like if I move it to a position where I can see around my head to see behind me, I have to practically go cross-eyed to see the mirror, and then it's hard to see clearly. I found that if I adjusted it further forward, I can't see around my head so in order to see behind me I have to cock my head maybe 10 degrees in order to see directly behind. Is this normal?

Also, I found myself looking in my mirror almost as much as I was looking forward. Is this just a novelty thing, and once the novelty wears off, I will not look into the mirror all the time? It seems more distracting that helpful right now.

Once I get used to it, how much will I notice cars approaching from behind without consciously looking at the mirror? Does it get to the point where the mirror is automatically part of my situational awareness?

Thanks in advance for your comments and/or tips.

I've tried any sort of mirror possible, non works the way it's supposed to.

I noticed when using mirrors, i spend way more time trying to look into the mirror, and identifying something, than simple do a quick turn around of the head, and look back front in a split second vs. like several seconds trying to figure out what is behind me through the mirrors.

so the helment mirror, i dumped it after a week.
a handle bar mirror now became my shaving mirror :lol:

the good old look back, and front is still yet the fastest and safest method to check behind you. :thumb:

Well to be perfectly honest, if you spent all that time looking in your mirror, it was a discipline problem, not a problem with the mirror. As has already been mentioned, a mirror is a tool to enhance situational awareness and planning, not a crutch, nor a substitute for a head check.

But of course, to each his/her own. ;)

I started with a Third Eye helmet mounted mirror. The adhesive on the hook and loop fastener lost its grip so I just glued it to the helmet. I decided to go for the Third Eye glasses mounted mirror when I got my new road bike helmet. I had to remove it after every ride as it deformed the nylon arms on the glasses. Even being careful, I eventually broke off part of the mount so I just glued what was left to my helmet and it works fine.

Yep, I use a Third Eye glasses mounted mirror too, and tied to my helmet visor with twist-ties. I also broke off the arms here and there over time but the twist-ties keep it there. I find it indispensable now.

But yep, I still check my blind spots by looking.

I never developed the finesse needed to adjust a helmet mirror.
The first 3 miles would be spent fiddling with it.
This ape is more suited to a handle bar mirror I guess.
"A man has got to know his limitations":bike2:

A week isn't enough time to get used to a helmet mirror. Took me a month or two. Now it's just a part of my perception, I'm not even aware I'm looking in the mirror, I just know what's back of me. I can scan the entire road behind me with a quick flick of the head.

In amateur astronomy there are things you can train your eye to do that take months or years to master. People with trained eyes can see things that others simply can't. It's the same with mirrors; when you get enough practice, your brain just keeps track of what's around you, and you don't have to think about where to look or how to focus any more than you have to think about countersteering your bike.

I don't think bike-mounted mirrors ever get quite as natural. I ride an upright hybrid bike and I would have to move my head quite a bit to look at my handlebars; a mirror there would never become part of my perception so I don't think I'd ever have quite the situational awareness that I do with a helmet mirror. Also I have to take my eyes off the road for a second to look down that far; with a helmet mirror my eyes are never really off the road, and it only takes maybe a quarter second to do a quick scan.

Also with handlebar mirrors, it's simply not possible to see the entire area behind you; your body blocks a big chunk of the view; actually most of it if you only have one mirror. And it's not possible to scan the mirror without moving the handlebars and affecting your path.

Also all the handlebar mirrors I tried were convex, and things in them were so tiny that I couldn't see what they were until they were right on top of me. With my helmet mirror, I've sometimes identified friends approaching from behind in their cars way before they got to me, in plenty of time to wave. With a handlebar mirror I can barely tell a car from a pickup until they're really close.

I never developed the finesse needed to adjust a helmet mirror.
The first 3 miles would be spent fiddling with it.
This ape is more suited to a handle bar mirror I guess.
"A man has got to know his limitations":bike2:

I just adjust it so the left edge is even with the edge of my glasses, and the view on the right side just touches my ear. Done. 2 seconds.

I just put a rearview mirror on my helmet. Until now I as doing the "turn your head all the way around" method of checking behind me.

I took the bike out for a brief ride and have some observations and questions. Is it fairly normal to have to turn your head a little to see behind you? I was hoping to be able to just move my eyes to see behind me but it seems like if I move it to a position where I can see around my head to see behind me, I have to practically go cross-eyed to see the mirror, and then it's hard to see clearly. I found that if I adjusted it further forward, I can't see around my head so in order to see behind me I have to cock my head maybe 10 degrees in order to see directly behind. Is this normal?

Also, I found myself looking in my mirror almost as much as I was looking forward. Is this just a novelty thing, and once the novelty wears off, I will not look into the mirror all the time? It seems more distracting that helpful right now.

Once I get used to it, how much will I notice cars approaching from behind without consciously looking at the mirror? Does it get to the point where the mirror is automatically part of my situational awareness?

Thanks in advance for your comments and/or tips.

If the mirror get's jarred or knocked out of alignment yes. You will probably have to adjust it every time you go out, but doesn't one have to check/adjust the mirrors in their cars somewhat regularly? Or the mirrors on their handle bars?

Give it some time to get used to it.

Also don't be surprised if you try looking in it when it's not there.

ItsJustMe,you must have one of the Nagler astronomy lens. The type where you rotate
your eyeball in the lens cup to reduce chromatic and spherical abberation?. (cheep)
Due to the weather no star parties so far.
May be I can try a helmet or glass mirror on my right side and try not to go wall eye.:)

I would not ride without a mirror

I would not ride without a mirror

I'm sorry

This happens to me all the time when I'm walking.:roflmao2:

With my helmet mounted mirror, there is a blind spot, just like in the rear view mirror of a car. Beware of the blind spot.

Yep, one wouldn't think that with something as "small" as a bike that there would be a blind spot, but we have 'em too.

ItsJustMe,you must have one of the Nagler astronomy lens. The type where you rotate
your eyeball in the lens cup to reduce chromatic and spherical abberation?. (cheep)
Due to the weather no star parties so far.
May be I can try a helmet or glass mirror on my right side and try not to go wall eye.:)

I do have a 22 Nagler and some other eyepieces. That's not really what a Nagler is for, it's just a really wide apparent field of view eyepiece (82 degrees) with very well controlled abberations across the FOV.

However, the talent I've seen and admire most is the people who can watch something like Jupiter for a minute or more, and "integrate" a clear picture of the planet from small fragments that show sharp for a second or two at a time when the turbulence calms down.

For me it was using the Nagler that I really had to work at.
Sitting on a drummers stool is easier than on a saddle fussing a mirror in traffic.:)

I don't think there's a blind spot as mentioned, at least not unless you don't you move your head (and hence, the mirror). Like others said, a quick head motion scans more than you'll get with no mirror or a bar mounted variety.

There is, however, a blind spot in *front* off to the side, where the mirror itself blocks sight. This proves maddening to me in certain situations, usually when I need to actually shoulder-check because I'm merging across lanes of stopped traffic to lanesplit to the left turn lane (to check for other lanesplitters like motorcycles). The mirror itself doesn't seem cut it in that situation, although I can't point to exactly why. Maybe because I'm trying to use my ears too.

There is, however, a blind spot in *front* off to the side, where the mirror itself blocks sight.

I've never had a "blind spot" problem with my M2Racer mirrors. The mirror is tiny and sits in my peripheral vision, and combined with normal head movements I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

There is, however, a blind spot in *front* off to the side, where the mirror itself blocks sight.

It only blocks it in one eye, and that area should be covered by the other eye. It's also pretty far out of the main line of vision.

You have two blind spots, one in each eye, each of which is covered by the other eye, those have been there all your life and those don't bother you. The mirror blind spot is just a matter of getting used to it.

Thanks for all the discussion, folks. I think I'm doing the right things; now it's just something I need to get accustomed to.

And here I thought I was the only doofus who "looks" in the non-existent helmet mirror when I'm out walking around! :lol:

I would really prefer, I think, a handlebar-mounted mirror, but I have two bikes; they're small so real estate on the bar is limited; and when I lay the bike on the ground on its left side, so I'm afraid I'd be constantly knocking the mirror out of alignment.

I have the plastic Third Eye mirror. Another annoyance: as my helmets have gotten newer and more vented, it becomes increasingly difficult to attach the mirror. After the latest mirror kept falling off the only (narrow, curved) strip of my helmet where it could be mounted, I finally resorted to . . . yes, duct tape! Yep, I am officially White Trash Fabulous. :roflmao2:

Mine secures with zip ties. It has eyelets formed into it to run 'em through. The instructions also said that one could use velcro to secure it in place.

So a few days with the mirror and I'm getting used to it. One thing to be careful of (and I think it was mentioned upthread) is to NOT totally depend on the mirror. Especially in "low sun" conditions (dawn & dusk with bright sun near the horizon), I've seen that I can't distinguish things as well in the mirror. It's a help, but don't totally depend on it.

I recommend the Reflex as well, with this caveat:
The adhesive may not be adequate for your use. In my case, I removed the adhesive layer and applied contact cement. It's now very securely attached to the right spot on my helmet, and I have zero concern about it ever coming free on its own.

Agreed that you can't depend on the mirror completely. You will have to turn your head from time to time. For me it's been helpful as confirmation that cars are actually passing me at a safe distance, and as a quick check before doing the head-check before turning left or changing lanes. I still head-check, but sometimes that move is unnecessary (because the mirror has warned me that the situation is unsafe).

I had to use a different adhesive on my helmet mirrors too. The only reliable cement I found was Gorilla Glue. I guess contact cement may have worked as well, I didn't try it.