rat_factory

ok see if anyone has run into this problem before.

i commute to school and work about 10 miles everyday and can not live without my bar-end mirror. i bought an 05 rockhopper in december and decided i can't stand not knowing where other riders are behind me, so i cut the left grip end and tried to fit a cat-eye round bar end mirror in there. oh what a world!! this handlebar end is the thickest-guage thing I have ever run into -- 15mm inside diameter! my bar-end mirror fit nicely into my steel commuting h-bars. The cheap steel bars I had them in were 19mm ID, and fit somewhat loosely. I thought this was a one-time deal, so I bought new bars on ebay, but apparantly 18mm ID is not enought space either. I filed down the edges of the mirror expander (didn't work), but I am afraid they will be too thin and break.

SURELY someone else has run into the trouble I have.

what kind of mirror do people use? I have looked into the helmet type, but I find them troublesome as your head has to be looking straight ahead to see what is behind you in a tiny dental sized mirror.

what type of bar-end mirrors does everyone else use? am I doomed to purchase $60 h-bars with a thin guage aluminum? pleeze help.

the wonginator

what you do is shoulder check. mirrors....ugh.

bruiser2

I'm going to agree with revmonkey here. If you look at a mirror you are basically taking your eyes off the road anyway, so just looke over your shoulder, you can see more. I know that wit the mirror you can still somewhat see the road but I have ridden my friends bike who has mirrors and found it much easier to just turn around and look.

the wonginator

and it doesnt look dumb.

d_D

You will probably get better responses in the communter section.

Mirrors are no use when riding off road.

Maelstrom 

Moved to commuting. The topic doesn't really apply to any off rode riding

Maelstrom
MOD

-=(8)=-

I wouldnt ride in traffic without one.
See my post in this thread...........

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/119582-rearview-mirror.html

CB HI

Your mirrior should have come with 2 or 3 sizes of insert parts. The smallest size should fit.

If you tossed them, probably best to buy a new mirror.

ollo_ollo

At the Seattle swap meet, I picked up one that fits around the outside diameter near the bar end & it has a rubber quick release that allows switching from bike to bike. All plastic including the mirror surface so you don't have a high quality image but it does the job & only cost $3.00! If you check a few shops you can probably find one.

foggydew

I always had mirror on my touring/commuting bike and quite frankly, I believe that it saved me from serious injury many times. I really don't understand the stance that mirrors are unsafe because your eyes are no longer watching where you're going. From my perspective, having a mirror helps with making me aware of what's going on around me and the more information that I have helps me avoid undesirable conflicts (read hood ornament status). I certainly don't sit in the driver's seat and stare into the rear view mirror, it's an occasional glance to see what is happening. And like driving, prior to making that lane change, I still do the shoulder check to make sure.

I got away from cycling for a few years for a number of reasons but returned this year. I purchased a Cinder Cone to use as an all round bike - mild trails, some short (5-7 day) tours, and for a 40km round trip commute. The first few days, I felt naked and extremely vulnerable without a mirror. When I finally found one that would fit my bar end (same problem as yours but after some readjusting with the utility knife, it works), my anxiety level in traffic is ALMOST negligable.

HiYoSilver

Check out this one.
https://www.performancebike.com/shop/....cfm?SKU=15318

Don't use the extender if vibration bothers you. It is a wide angle mirror and no one can sneak up on you anymore.

jeff-o

I think I need a mirror, whenever I look over my shoulder I tend to swerve into traffic...

rat_factory

CB HI what mirror do you have? My cat-Eye didn't come with any inserts or such. I have tried also the clamp type, but vibration makes it useless.

AndrewP

I have a Third Eye glasses mount mirror. A mirror like this, or a helmet mounted one, allows you to scan a wide area, or a curving road behind you, by small movements of the head. Bar mounted mirrors have too narrow a field of view to be aware of the total traffic situation behind you.

rat_factory

I found one, its a miracle! Actually its a Mountain Mirrycle Bar End Mirror (https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...e.cfm?SKU=296#). Holy crap this thing has a quill-stem style expander system, plastic though, and two sizes of expander bolts. It FITS!! ok now you guys that read this post and thought I would never find anything, go buy this mirror and have a superior view on who is eating your dust behind you.

primaryreality

I was just about to post and recommend the Mountain Mirrycle, because I got one a few weeks ago and remembered that it came with more than one size of expander. It really is an awesome mirror, very well designed. It is easy to adjust, stays in place, and gives great visibility. Very highly recommended. I'm glad you found it!