Vintagerose

I need to be able to see the crap drivers in my town. What’s the best mirror you guys have found? Handlebar? Bar end? Or helmet? Guidance appreciated!

79pmooney

I use a helmet mirror. (Third Eye Hardshell Helmet Mirror, 03 on their website) I use helmets with visors and use my old boatbuilding skills to make fiberglass mounts that I screw to the visor.

The mirror that turns with my head works really well; better than my car mirrors except followers on my right side are in my blind spot. I have no desire to use a mirror that makes me and the bike wider, could get hit by a car or will get damaged when the bike falls over. I wear very expensive prescription glasses so putting an object on them that might damage them is a no-no for me.

If I didn't maker those brackets, I'd probably use one of Third Eyes stick-on mirrors. One real advantage of mounting the mirror on a helmet visor is that you can just pop the visor off when you clean your helmet.

AlmostTrick

I use a helmet mount Third eye, or an eye glass mount for when I don't wear a helmet. It takes a bit to position it correctly, and also to get used to it, but once you do it's very helpful and comforting.

shelbyfv

This I put motorbike mirrors on my bicycle There is a Part 2 thread as well if you search.

BobbyG

I started using a take-a-look glasses mounted mirror 20+ years ago. I still keep a mirror on 3 of my 4 bikes, but the glasses mounted mirror works best. For one thing, you can see a much wider swath of traffic behind you just by turning your head slightly. For another the view is bigger than any bar mounted mirror.

A lot of folks here say it is hard or impossible to get used to.

I am just telling you what works for me.

Milton Keynes

I use a helmet mounted mirror also. I read that it would be hard to get used to, but it really wasn't for me. All I have to do to see behind me is to look up and to the left, and if I need to see more, I just swivel my head a bit. I can see everything. I think it works better for me than a handlebar mounted mirror because I'm nearsighted. Even with glasses, it's easier for me to see the mirror up close to my eye rather than one down on the handlebar.

xraydog

I couldn't get used to a helmet mounted mirror. I have been using the Hafny Bar End mirror (62mm) on all my bikes for the last few years.

Large enough to easily see, easy to mount and adjustable.

Amazon.com : Hafny Bar End Bike Mirror, Stainless Steel Lens Bicycle Mirror, Safe Adjustable Rearview Mirror, Cycle Mirror, E-bike Mirror, HF-MR083 (Black 62mm) : Sports & Outdoors

Rick

I used the Take A Look for years because I could turn my head and see allot more of what goes on behind me. I now use the Safe Zone Mirror It has a 2 1/4" size mirror. This is much easier to see with.

MNebiker

I used a helmet mounted mirror for many years until a low branch wiped it off. It worked, but wasn't great. I kept using it because I figured that all helmet/glasses mirrors were about the same. However, when I replaced it with the "Take A Look" glasses mounted mirror I found it much more stable than the helmet mount - even with the helmet snug there was some vibration. My glasses are snug and the mirror does not move. As Rick said, all you have to do is turn your head a bit to see what you need.

Rick

The Safe Zone Mirror is much sturdier than the Take A Look Mirror. Although I don't have much experience with running into trees or there low hanging branches.

Milton Keynes

My helmet mounted mirror came with a long arm, and it vibrated quite a bit. However I modified it by cutting it a few inches shorter, and not only did that minimize vibration, moving the mirror closer to my eye gave me a better field of view.

flangehead

In my riding context a mirror is essential. I use both helmet mount and bar mount. Mostly discussed above, but I'll mention a few items for emphasis:

1. Branches: I've learned the hard way that when I'm off-road I run a high risk of losing my Take-a-Look to a mirror-eating tree. I really don't need my mirror when I'm bushwhacking so I try to remember to remove it and then kick myself when I don't. (No problem remembering to put it back on when I'm back on the road; I notice that immediately.)

2. My progression began with bar-mount (various brands/sizes) on the left. I'd dabbled with helmet mount but I couldn't get the hang of it. A friend convinced me to put practice into it and so I mounted it on the right side of my helmet (left-right, see?) and sure enough after a few days I really took to it. The addition came in handy when I had to replace my commuter and went with a touring setup with bar end shifters, which are very difficult to fit a mirror to. Interestingly, I've tried (briefly) to put the helmet mirror on the left and boom, hard to use... for me, it takes time to adjust but once I got it, it's great for all the reasons mentioned above.

3. I have tried mounting my Take-a-Look on glasses and it works just as well, but the hassle of on/off put me in the "leave it on the helmet" practice. (Although if it weren't for the public shaming I'd receive, I'd wear a mirror all the time.. I find I miss the additional range of vision the mirror affords me when off the bike.) I've tried Third Eye and it's good too; for me Take-a-Look is what I've gravitated to but not a strong preference.

The few times I've had to ride without some kind of mirror have been difficult for me. Monitoring the situation developing behind me is a key part of needed situational awareness in my riding context. In fact, when I ride with others it's unsettling because riders behind me block my vision.

Milton Keynes

Ever be walking along and find yourself looking up and to the left to see what's behind you? I did this once when walking the kids to the park, we were on the side of the street and wanted to go across to our left to the park. I found myself looking for my mirror to see if any traffic was coming down the street behind us.

MNebiker

Then come ride our local trails. They wind through a forest preserve, timber, and wetlands - beautiful scenery, wildlife, etc. But by the middle of summer things can get pretty shaggy, often with brush and low branches reducing the trail to one lane before the crews cut things back.

So - brush hanging over the trail + blind corner + fast oncoming traffic = lost mirror. My options: Hit the other bike head on, run off the trail into the unknown, or duck and run under the low hanging stuff. I went flat on the bar, protecting my face. Seemed like a good choice at the time. The old mirror was a minor loss.

I've had to dodge deer that have jumped out in front of me and swerved around a groundhog or two, but as for running into trees - no experience there.

Nyah

I been relying on the ThirdEye glasses-mount mirrors for a long time. I have one on each of my eye-shields. Their small size means that I can carry a spare, just-in-case. Also makes it pretty unlikely to be damaged if it were to fall to the pavement.

Miele Man

I tied various barend mirrors and found that 1, my arms blocked the view for just a casual glance into the mirror, and 2, I had to take my eyes off the road to look into the mirror. I now use a helmet mounted mirror or my favourite which is the Take-a-look eyeglass mounted mirror. It fits onto the earpiece of my sunglasses too.

Cheers

Chuckles1

I use hood mounted mirrors on my drop bar bikes, and a bar end mirror on my flat bar hybrid. The bar end mirror is great in that it doesn't move no matter what bumps I hit. The hood mounted mirrors give a wider view, and I can see the road behind me regardless of hand position; but they can be jarred out of alignment and require readjustment if I hit a bump at high speed, or a series of bumps on downhill gravel runs.

I tried a helmet mounted mirror and didn't like it. I wouldn't ride a bike on the roads without a mirror. It's a necessity, not a luxury.

Pridedog

The one that works for you. All the different types are effective at showing you what is behind. Trial will let you know what works best for you.

Vintagerose

forgive my ignorance, what is a good mounted mirror??

I appreciate all the input so far. I had a bar mounted one from Amazon come in. It’s better than nothing but taking up a lot of the very precious room on the bars. Definitely looking into a helmet mount. Or possible glasses mount. It’s just up to this point I haven’t worn any glasses while riding. Since all my riding has been at night thus far

Rick

The Safe Zone Mirror I already posted about is bye far the better helmet mirror I have found. 2 1/4" mirror with the same articulating system used to maneuver and hold dial indicators in machine shops.

jppe

For years I didn’t use a mirror. I had tried helmet and eye glass mirrors but they never took for me. Just couldn’t get comfortable using them. I did my ride across the US without a mirror and there were several instances where I had to abruptly move from the shoulder and into traffic and realized a mirror would really be helpful. I now use the Sprintech drop bar mirror and it works for me. It’s not perfect but it helps. On one bike I have them mounted on both sides. Also having it mounted ontogeny right side helps me see vehicles coming up an acceleration ramp on a busy urban road where I’m riding the shoulder.

https://www.amazon.com/Sprintech-Dro...a-332843351235

Nyah

I never ride without an eye-shield of some sort. Polarized sunglasses during the day, amber shop-glasses at night. They are protection from flying objects, just as much as a place to clip my mirror.

Milton Keynes

I totally agree, since with the wind in my ears I have a hard time hearing cars coming up behind me.

rumrunn6

• I really like this for road riding
  • 1 on my glasses
  • 1 on my drop bar
    • neither is adequate by themselves
      • they compliment each other quite nicely for all riding positions

beware the blindspot that a mirror on glasses can create. so occasionally when looking left I have to dip my head down to peer over the mirror


also lots of threads about mirrors, already ...

Nyah

To the OP: Don't listen to that BS about needing a mirror in addition the glasses-mount. I've been relying on just a glasses-mount mirror for a long time. Never did I think that they were causing a problem. Try one and see for yourself.