MrCjolsen

1. I need a mirror. I ride in traffic and make lots of left turns.
2. Helmet mirrors do not work for me.
3. I do not want to lose any hand positions.
4. I do not want to feel anything mirror-related under my hands when I ride. In other words, I don't want to know I have a mirror unless I'm looking at it.
5. I ride without gloves.
6. I have bar-end shifters and drop bars.

So far I have not found a product that works for me. May need to DIY. Any ideas?

CommuterRun

I like this mirror. The nylon strap will be under your left hand when riding on the hoods, but it's inconsequential. Nice wide field of view, and you won't lose any hand positions.

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

mstrpete

Odd to see "Blackburn" and "fragile" together. I found a similar one, made by Rhode Gear, at Goodwill once, and it's a great drop-bar setup. You can see it in this picture:

Don't know where you'd find one, though.

zonatandem

Take-A-Look mirror made in the USA. Fits on the temple of your sun/glasses.
Fully adjustable. Been using one for a dozen years.

zeytoun

I tried the blackburn road mirror that commuterrun recommends, and personally really disliked it. It seemed not to mount securely, and limited my comfortable hand positions.

I really like the Mirrycle but I notice you have bar ends...

The only thing I can think of that fits your requirements is a frame-mounted mirror.

Allen

Ortlieb Ultra Lite Bike Mirror

I would say the Delta Insight mirror. It mounted to the top tube or the down tube, but I don't think they are still made.

toThinkistoBe

I almost always ride in the drops but when I do ride on the hoods, I don't even notice its there (I do not ride with gloves either). If you had the little piece that the velcro loops through on the top of the hood, I could see how it would be uncomfortable. If you position the loop on the inside of the hood, you wont notice unless you're looking for it. It wobbles a bit if your ride is bumpy, but doesn't lose its position unless something actually hits the mirror. I broke one in a mild wreck and bought another. I like it.

It also comes off (and goes on) in about two seconds. Good for sharing between bikes or if the bike needs to be in a narrow spot.

SSP

There's only one...the Take-a-Look.

BarracksSi

That Ortlieb Ultra Lite looks nice.

Reading through the list of requirements, my options got eliminated one-by-one. Hmm...

I seem to remember reading on BF about a mirror that somehow installs into the brifter.

Ah!
https://www.mirrycle.com/originalmirrycle.htm

If you use plain brake levers (and NOT a brifter, as I mistakenly remembered in that last sentence), this could be an option.

*edit* Hmm, maybe it would work on the inboard side of a Shimano brifter, too...

*edit edit* I'm not sure how to fit it to your Surly, though.

DataJunkie

I bought a take-a-look yesterday. Since I can't ride all I have used it for is a test walk around my house. No four year olds jumping me from behind!
Seems pretty solid, very light, and flexible.

I-Like-To-Bike

This set up works for me and meets #1 -#5 of your requirements; couldn't say about #6 since I don't use those kind of handlebars. Mirror was bought in Germany over 6 years ago for about the equivalent of $10. They might be available in this length at motorcycle shops in the U.S.

hankbrandenburg

I use one of these

tarwheel 

I've got one of the Rhode Gear mirrors that fit over your brake hoods. I've had it for years and don't use it any more, but it works fine. If you ride on your hoods, you will notice it's there but no big deal. Unlike some mirrors, it stays in adjustment well and doesn't get out of whack every time you hit a bump.

jacob.

Does that have a blinker? That mirror is pretty frickin' sweet.

chipcom 

Actually there are two...it comes in a compact version too.

toThinkistoBe

Out of curiosity I decided to ride on the hoods all the way home today. I know the mirror strap doesn't bother me in short intervals, but I rarely ride in the hoods. I found that the velcro strap, if positioned right, was actually more comfortable. It added a little bit of padding, and the fuzzy/soft side of the velcro was exposed.

cdotbois

It has wheels.

AEO

^it doesn't have cranks.

This is what I did. Minoura space bar has the same inner diameter as most bars so just unplug one of the bar plugs and insert a bar end mirror. I used a cateye mirror and you can probably see it says "Swing grip" but that's because I took the swing grip bar and did a Frankenstein with a space grip.
I think it works okay, but I wouldn't say it's the best setup. I'll try and figure out something better soon. The mirror keeps moving when I hit rough pavement.

There's an added advantage that you can do this on both sides without loosing any hand position.


the mosaic is there because it's an unflattering picture of my reflection

drop bars + brifters + cross levers + too much stuff on bars = above solution.

diff_lock2

I use my neck, but after seveal hours on the motorway it got neck pains, in the city its fine.

MrCjolsen

I had this mirror on my bike but not mounted as advertised. It was on the bar drop, wrapped under the handlbar tape. Worked well until a third grader at the school where I teach accidentally broke it. (It was my fault, I had asked her to move my bike for me).

robtown

Yep, I'm starting to convert to this one. Much more secure than the Blackburn (I've had that one fall off).

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...slisearch=true

MrCjolsen

Does a mirror work mounted inboard like that? I'd consider rigging something to that effect.

Thommy

Please don't take this wrong but, lose the mirror and turn your head, be alert. You really need to know what's around you and not get dependent on a mirror. People here in So Cal drive like idiots while talking on phones, a very small percentage of them take a quick glance in their side view mirrors and come crashing over into the other driver's lanes. They never look around and over their shoulder. Please don't ride your bike like you drive your car.

BarracksSi

Don't take this wrong, but that's a surprisingly ironic statement (heard it before, too, so don't take personally).

chipcom 

What makes you think one can't use a mirror and a look? Are you addicted to bad habits that easily?