Dwagenheim

Hey, I've seen some commentary from those who use the helmet mounted mirrors and those who use the handlebar mounted ones. I'm curious of the numbers.

Dave

ps. I've never posted a poll. I hope this works.

RonH

Dave, you need another option: Both.

I have both on my commuter and use only a helmet mirror when on my road bike.

ljbike

There is also a third type. DELTA makes one that mounts on the top tube. You look back through your legs and around the seat post. Sounds good in theory, but doesn't work as well in practice. Tried it, didn't like it. Kept my H'Bar mounted mirrycycle.

Feldman

I use a mirror on my eyeglasses, it's the one called "Take A Look."
It's very easy to adjust and, if one is fortunate enough to go touring in a drive/ride-on-the-left country, can be completely inverted and reversed to work on the right side of glasses. My own experience with handlebar mounted mirrors hasn't been good; they vibrate too much for my taste.

Chris L

It's much worse if you ride west early in the morning!

ahuman

I dont use mirrors never have. use my ears and turn my head
no problem. few people in the group I ride with use them and they are always adjusting them ..
if you have a mirror on your head (helmet/glasses mount)
do you have to turn your head so you can see with them..
does having mirrors improve your ride??

Richard D

Newly converted to a helmet mirror - just an occasional glance to the side every so often is great.

Richard

AlphaGeek

I voted helmet mounted, but I actually use eyeglass mounted Third Eye brand. I have used the handlebar mount, but it vibrated, and I found myself having to adjust it alot or contort to use it! I think the eyeglass/helmet mount takes a couple days to get used to, but I like the field of vision...and besides you get to look like a Borg!

RonH

I tried one of the Delta mirrors about 2 years ago and spent more time readjusting it than I do readjusting my Rhode Gear handlebar mirror. The Delta went in the trash after a 2 month trial period.

Roughstuff

Does using a miror improve your ride? You bet your sweet bippy it does. As for turning your head, thats fine to see whats coming briefly but what ya need is a good, steady ability to see and WATCH whats coming behind you with nothing more than a real quick head glance, if that. The answer is a helmet or glasses frame mounted mirror. With these you can see what is coming and RESPOND defensively if you need to. If there is NOBODY back there, you can zip out into the main road where there is less debris and cut your flats/wear and tear by a huge chunk.

Don't tell me you can hear whats coming. Try riding next to a raging river; or on a windy day; or both. Nor can sound tell you (within reason) just WHAT it is thats coming; are they giving your share of roadspace; do they have any gear hanging off the side of the vehicle, etc. Sound cannot tell you how many cars might be in a line of traffic. With a mirror you don't own the road (trucks do that). Instead you CONTROL it, since you can see in all directions.

I am sure you can mount a mirror on your handlebars, but this takes up precious handlebar space. In addition, when you turn the front wheel or lean to move from one land to another, you lose the mirror at the VERY time you need it the MOST. Still...in the end where ya put your mirror is a style question.

Mine does not vibrate much. It is well attached to my helmet and my helmet is firmly strapped around my chin. I wiggle my head back and forth if I need to look at several lanes of traffic; by looking straight up I can even see my panniers to make sure something hasn't slipped or shifted. The mirror is on an arm long enough to put the small, flat glass lens in my field of vision. Don't get a plastic one as they scratch; and don't get get the convex ones, the last thing you need is a mirror that makes things look far away. Having a rear view mirror is esential to defensive cycling.

roughstuff

velocipedio

Coming around a bend on a bike path -- I don't normally ride bike paths except to get to places most easily reached by the bike path -- I had to turn wide to avoid an oncoming cyclist on a hybrid who came wide into the turn. I'm generally pretty good at judging that kind of thing at speed, but I hadn't accounted for his rearview mirror sticking out about 10 cm from the left side of his handlebar. That brushed my sleeve. If I'd been off by one more centimetre, it would have caught my arm and I would have been pitched over a bridge into the Lachine Canal.

Mirror are a menace. Use your neck.

DnvrFox

I use eyeglass-mounted mirrors (not one of the choices) when on the road with cars. Steady, adjustable, can be easily tightened just by pushing the ball into the socket, allows a good view.

I also always look back before making a move, but the mirror allows me to catch early deviant and aggressive drivers for whom I can make necessary adjustments prior to their getting right behind me.

b_rider

When I had my upright, (wedgie), road bike I did not use a mirror at all. Tried a helmet, and a eye glasses mounted mirror, didn't like either one. So I was content to look over my shoulder or under my arm. But now that I have my recumbent I have a handle bar mounted mirror. Being that low to the ground, it has served as a great warning tool to let me know when there is traffic behind me and about how far back it is.

salamibender

I use eyeglass mounted mirror,

Mikew305

The mirrors ive tried on older bikes <mirrors that attach to the side of the handlebars> sucked. They become unadjusted when you hit a bump, and constantly have to readjust them.

They make these mirrors a bit smaller than a dime. You stick them to the inside lens of your glasses and look at it through the corner of your eye to see behind you. Havent tried this but it seemed like a cool idea.

LittleBigMan

I used a helmet-mount until it finally couldn't stay steady in a headwind.

Since that time, I've been quite happy with looking back. But, I enjoyed my mirror whilst I had it.

RiPHRaPH

i use a helmet-mounted mirror that is totally made of recycled material. the mirror is mounted on the back of an aluminum can and is attached to a used spoke that is bent around a rubber tip (similar to the ends of glasses) -it clips on the helmet--and it kicks!!! i bought it from a guy from ohio? at a bicycle show in chicago years ago. it never needs adjusting, is visually correct and is no bother.

swekarl

I voted No mirror, since that’s the case. I have a mirror though, that I will use on my summer tour. I thought of mounting it on the frame, but considering your posts I might choose the handlebar instead. You see, it doesn’t take up handlebar space – it’s mounted at the far end of the it.

Feldman

Has anyone on this board tried the very small mirror that attaches to the inside of an eyeglass lens? This looks interesting to me.

John C. Ratliff

At this point, I haven't used a mirror in over two years. I had one on my bicycle when I was hit by a car (he "T" boned me trying to turn in front of me to the right while I was in a bike lane at 25 mph). The mirror I had was a handlebar mount, and would constantly vibrate on the rough roadways.

After that accident, I decided to learn more about riding, and my son got me a book (more on that later) which discouraged using mirrors. I raised my handlebars, and learned to look around. This is not a glance, but a very effective look to see what's happening around me. Not only do I see better, but I get to look the driver in the eye and signal my intent with both hand signals and body language that I'm turning, or doing something different.

If I ever get a recumbant, I will begin using mirrors again. I may get one for my glasses or helmet, but it won't substitute for me looking around and being aware of traffic, especially when I'm going to do something.

LittleBigMan

I feel similarly.

When I'm driving, I not only use my mirrors to my best advantage,
I look behind me.

cyclezealot

My mirror is mounted to my sunglass'. I feel much more secure with them. They are close to your body, slight turn of your head gives you a 180 view of behind you. Would not be without them. Vibration problem does not seem to bad either. The mirror is rectangular insead of circular. Think they are great. Much preferable to constantly turing your neck, and feel less in control of the bike, while doing so.

John C. Ratliff

I got to tell you guys this...last Friday I ended up my homeward commute in the hospital in "stable" condition, and I don't remember what happened. I'll tell you more about it after I talk to the police today, but I sent 24 hours under hospital observation Friday night and Saturday.

Dwagenheim

Holy Cow. I hope you are ok.

Dave

John C. Ratliff

Well, I've got several skinned areas (elbow, shoulder, knee) and a lange bruise on my thigh, all on the right side. My helmet is in ten pieces, and I have three staples in a cut on the back of my head. My face is skinned on the upper right side too. I was wearing safety lenses, and that probably helped avoid any eye injury, but my face has looked better in the past. All will heal though. I haven't seen the bike yet, and so cannot comment on exactly what happened until I see it and talk with the police officer who attended the scene. More later.

John