Helmet mirror experience
 

I've been wanting a helmet mirror for a long time, but I have a few concerns:

1) I've examined at least two brands of helmet mirrors (through their packaging) and neither seemed to provide very clear reflections. When you're using one of these products, is the mirror image adequate?

2) I ride in Los Angeles, so I share the road with plenty of cars. I also ride at night, since I don't get out of work til after dark. Do headlights reflecting off the mirror cause any kind of hazardous distraction?

Thank ya'll.

I use the same one but I put it on my glasses. I figure there's be less vibration.

Thanks, but that doesn't help me.

I've used Third Eye models since the late '80s and would lose my sanity without it. Using it has become so ingrained that I sometimes try to look into it when I'm not cycling and it isn't there :D

1) The mirror is a glass mirror, it's as good as the mirror in my bathroom (meaning, yes, the image is good). The Third Eye package is openable, so the store staff can let you check it out in person if you like.

2) It's not fun to get an eyeball full of high-beam headlights. Low beams don't bother me. Everyone's different, though. Look at it this way, it's only a $10-$15 gamble.

I recommend the Take A Look mirror- on your sunglasses. You can also mount it to your helmet.

Some mirrors appear cloudy in the store because the plastic packaging, or it is covered by a clear piece of plastic to protect it.

Seconded.

If someone is blinding you from the rear, just move your head just a bit to change your scope of vision away from the offending car. Soon enough, that car will pass you and the problem goes away. Generally, headlights are what you want - you know where they are as they approach. When you decide which mirror to get, spend time with your mirror in parking lots or empty streets when you first get it. Get used to it and understand it's adjustments and then take it out on a busy road. With a new body-mounted mirror for a first-time mirror user, it's easy to become so focused on what's happening behind you that you can crash into something, or hit a pothole.

I've also used the 3rd eye. I wear mine on my glasses & love it. The only thing I don't like about it is that I have to adjust it every time I use it. I've had to stop using it since it doesn't really work well under my goggles.

Glasses mount worked best for me. I set it so that just slightly angling my head to the left gave me a good view back. It wasn't possible to set it so that I could see behind me without twitching a bit, but you get used to it quickly.

The helmet mounted ones vibrated too much to be usefult for me.

I use the bike peddlar model, mounted on my glasses. Just a slight shift of my head and I've got a good view back behind me. Without moving, it lets me know if there is anything right off my back quarter. Images is crystal clear, IIRC it came with a piece of cling plastic over the mirror surface, I suspect that it's there for protection during manufacturing and shipping.

I will still take a physical look behind me when switching lanes, but I especially like it when ridiing the back roads, lets me know when somebody is coming up from a long way back. It's also nice on group rides, lets you see if there is anybody hanging out behind you.

Steve W.

I've been using the Take-A-Look (from The Bike Peddler for several months mounted to my glasses. It's terrific.

Last week I got a Bell Metro helmet with their visor-mounted mirror. It's awful. Useless. Very small, it sits in the wrong place (right in front of my left eye), the optical quality is terrible, and it vibrates.

I'm back to the TAL.

Long-stem Take-a-Look mirror mounted on a hard-shell helmet.

Eye glass mounted Third Eye. Since I am leaning forward while I am riding the normal view in the mirror is my shoulder - I have to tilt my head to the right to get a view over my shoulder, but if I turn my head to the left I can get a view of cars exiting an expressway, while they come up on my right. The view is plenty clear enough to see what is coming, but my eyes arent good enough to read their licence plates in the mirror. I look over my shoulder when making a lane changes but I wouldnt ride without my Third Eye.

Is there anyplace online that sells the long stem version?

I use a Third Eye mirror mounted on my hard shell helmet. It's become so natural using it I wouldn't consider riding with out it.

I went to Third Eye mounted on my helmet and prefer it over my Take-a-Look on glasses for now. My Take-a-Look mirror is warped a little, whereby the Third Eye is flat. Third Eye is easier for me to adjust on the fly as the ball and socket configuration moves smoothly when pushed. Taking off the helmet takes off the mirror, one less thing to remove and to keep track of. It works in the event I wear goggles over my glasses. When I don't feel like using it, Third Eye can swing around toward the rear of the helmet out of the way. For what it's worth, I glued the pad inside the helmet, after trimming the pad so that it is positioned right where I need it to be. I don't sense vibration during use. It works well for me and my Take-a-Look remains on standby just in case.

My experience with helment mirrors goes somewhat against the grain of the postings so far. My wife bought me a Third Eye helmet mirror that I was very eager to try out, especially for commuting journeys. Problems were apparent from the first ride. After getting the mirror set, I found that it put a very distracting blind spot in my forward vision - most problematic when approaching roundabouts (traffic circles) which demand perhaps the most attention. Secondly, as the bikes I use are all road bikes with a "well tucked" riding position, the only thing visible in the mirror during normal riding was my shoulder and backpack - to get a view from the mirror still required me to shift my head and avert my attention from the road ahead. At this point, I may as well turn and look, a habit engrained into me when first taught to ride on the road.
All in all this was dissapointing. Despite attempts to alter the positioning of the mirror, no satisfactory adjustment could be found and I gave up after a couple of days.

It is useful for finding stufff that fell behind the fridge though.

Ed

I had similar experiences with a Take-A-Look (great mirror, just didn't work for me)

Al