TKJava

Hello, this must have been brought up before so my apologies. I wanted to know what the thoughts are out there for a side view mirror for a road bike with drop handlebars? The only options I see are a mirror mounted inside the bar where the tape cap goes or a helmet mounted mirror.

I have not tried either but I wanted to get some opinions.

Thanks

Scraper

I commute the roads, so have used different mirrors over time. Have basically landed on a helmet mount: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C17M26/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 With helmet mount adapter. Takes a little getting used to, and position tweaking, but I like it the best. On my handlebar mount mirrors, I spent too much time looking down at it, and over time caused my neck to start bothering me.

corrado33

Brifter mounted mirror.



Bar end mounted mirror style 1.


Bar end mounted mirror style 2.


I have personally tried the bar end mounted mirror style 1. Perhaps I just had a crappy one, but it was terrible. Too much vibration to see anything more than "oh there is an object anywhere between 10 and 100 feet behind me." I took it off 2 days after installing it. Also, my arm blocked it when I was riding in the drops and partially blocked it when riding in the hoods.

dim

get a rearviz :

jon c. 

I'd think that would be hot on your arm.

corrado33

The price to pay for safety is high!!

I'd think your arm positioning would change too much to make something like that useful. Unless you're one of those people who never move on the bike and stay on top of the hoods for dozens of miles at a time.

kermie

I use these on my sunglasses. Have been for years. Great rear-view and I don't nee multiple for several bikes.Take A Look Original Cyclist Mirror

zonatandem

Agree on the Take-A-Look cycling mirror that mounts on eyeglass temple.
Made in the USA (Colorado) by disabled folks.
Been riiding since the early 70s and this is hands down the best cycling mirror I've ever used.
Great product, great price, easy to use.

Photodoug

+1 on the Take a look. Mounted to the edge of my visor.

Northwestrider

Safe Zone helmet mirror is my choice . I've used one for quite awhile. A bit expensive but IMO worth the cost. Customer service has been very good as well .

John_V 

I tried several types of mirrors including helmet and eyeglass mounted mirrors. The Mirrcycle brifter mount was nice except that it's only made for certain, older Shimano models. It doesn't work on the newer design brifters. Helmet and eyeglass mounts were nice and gave a good view of things as long as you were sitting in the position that they were adjusted for. The second you changed position (going to the drops or an aerobar), you had to readjust them or you couldn't see anything behind you. I settled for a bar end mirror because they are much easier to adjust at any position you ride in, including riding on an aerobar. I like the ball and socket style over the others because it's much easier to adjust and you don't need any tools to install or adjust it.

Inara220

Interesting thread, I was wondering the same thing myself. I have a newer shifter so I can't use the shifter mirror that I had ordered. UGH! I am hoping to give it to someone who might want it.

My boyfriend used the helmet mounted one for a while but he said it was a pain to adjust and keep in place, and just in general he hated it.

He ordered a Selle Italia Eyelink mirror to try on my newer shifters. We'll see, reviews are mixed on amazon.

bikecrate

I have the bar end type pictured above. It is good enough to see behind (obviously I turn my head if I'm going to change directions anyways). I've tried a brifter and hood mounted mirror and they always seemed to get in the way.

kevindsingleton 

I use these:
Heads Up!?: The Eyewear Mounted Mirror CycleAware Heads Up! The Adjustable Mirror for Glasses [01-5000BLK] - $15.00 : CycleAware, smart & simple safety

Light, cheap, and excellent view. I use very small zip ties to attach them to inexpensive glasses for different purposes (low light, polycarbonate lens safety glasses for off-road, etc).

I once sent them an email because the little tab in the middle broke off, and I wanted to see if they could sell me a few replacements. Instead, they sent me a handful of the stems, for free. You want a customer for life? That's how you get a customer for life!

I don't like helmet mirrors because I don't always wear a helmet, and the mirror makes it hard to pack the helmet without either damaging the mirror, or, worse, the helmet.

I like the metal version posted by Kermie. Probably last forever, and easily adapted to any eyewear. Made in U-S-A is cool, too!

BobbyG

I've been using a take-a-look glasses mounted mirror for years, but also keep a mirror on the handlebar. I agree the take-a-look is superior regarding vibration (none) and field of view (you can sweep your head from side to side). I like the handlebar mirror as a back-up and sometimes, but not often, I will notice a vehicle first in the handlebar mirror.

GerryinHouston

I went through every gyration possible with mirrors...

A B&M handlebar mounted with a long shaft works well with my flatbar hybrid. The Randonee has barcons so all the bar-end solution go out of the window. Pretty much any steering bar solution is out of the window...

I tried a B&M with a short shaft mounted right next to the barcon. I can see the mirror when I have my hand on the hood but not when I have my hand on the bar, as my forearm is in the way...

I tried the take-a-look, but it is the wrong alignment. I need to move the mirror outwards and it will not do this. A pair of pliers may introduce a permanent bend, or an early demise...

I tried a glue on the helmet mirror which worked very well, but in hot and humid Texas, the glue gave up the spirit early.

I tied the glue-on base of the mirror on the helmet with thin electrical ties.

It wurked!

Wheever

I've got a Selle Italia Eyelink They're pretty pricey, but I happened to have found mine on ebay for $30. It works really well, folds out of the way from transport and has the extra added benefit of your being able to adjust it slightly while your hand is on the hood to see a different angle behind you. (Useful if the road behind looks empty, and you're about to cross lanes for a left-hand turn...but you somehow know it's not. Old necks don't turn so well, you know.)

I recommend it highly, except for the price!

Mountain Mitch

Best I ever had was a mirrorcycle mounted on the grifters. But as noted, they don't fit many of the new bikes. I currently use bar end mirrors. They give a truely crappy view of what's behind you but it is something. Tried helmet mirrors. Found them distracting to the extent they nearly made me crash. Suddenly seeing a vehicle, apparently right beside your head, just threw me off. Recently I saw a variety of mirrors in Japan. Several were almost like motor cycle mirrors! I didn't try any of them..... and they would look totally Fred! But might do the job best.

rjmeyer67

I use a helmet mounted mirror, similar. The frame mounted mirrors seemed to vibrate too much for my liking.

RonH

I've been using helmet mounted mirrors since early 2000s and never had any problems.

bgraham111

I'm a helmet mounted kind of guy. Bar mounted never let me look around and shook too much. Now, I know some people who prefer bar mounted, but sadly they are wrong.

Miele Man

Having tried bar end mirrors and eyeglass or helmet mounted mirrors I far prefer the eyeglass or helmet mounted ones. One reason is that you don't have to glance down to see the mirror. Anothe reson is that most of them give you a real world view and where objects in the mirror are where they are on the road and not distorted by wide-angle lenses. For fun once I took a ride with both my helmet mounted mirror and my handlebar mounted mirror (road bike) and I had trouble seeing a lot of vehicles in the wide angle handlebar mounted mirror but those same objects were plainly visible in the helmet mounted mirror. Yet another thing I like about eyeglass or helmet mounted mirrors is, as another poster mentioned, is the ability to scan by turning the head. This is very beneficial when riding around corners or curves in the road as you can still see what's BEHIND you instead of a nice view of a field or sidewalk.

Cheers

jonc123

Ortlieb Bike Mirror (I don't use that position so the mirror is not in the way):

https://ortliebusa.com/product/bike-mirror-10/

ThermionicScott 

My fixed-gear has one of those bar-end ones mounted on it, so when I ride that bike I have two options -- the other being the Flatlander's mirror on my helmet.

Hardrock23

I use the cat eye mirror that goes into the bar end. I love it. It doesnt shake and you can see really far behind you quite well. Its fully adjustable - can be set at any angle, up or down, and back or forth. Easy to nudge it up or down if changing positions, but usually i can see well in either position. I could also use it on my mtb's flat bars. I looked at others but nothing else interested me really.

https://www.amazon.com/CatEye-Road-B...ad+bike+mirrow

If you set it out to the side, instead of straight under the bar, you can see more plus it wont get blocked by an arm.