FanaticMN

If you break a Mirrycle, you can order spare parts, which aren't too expensive and are delivered quickly. Or if it's just the mirror that broke you can carefully remove the remaining bits with a putty knife and replace it with a $2 convex stick on mirror from the autoparts store--they are way more convex than the Mirrycle, but you might prefer that especially at night.

chefisaac

FWIW and in my opinion, the WORST type of mirrors are the ones that attach to your bicycle. I have seen many people in the club and on the streets almost get hit by cars and other riders because they are trying to get further to the left to get a good line of sight in their mirror. With the mirrors on the helmets or glasses, its a quick glance and you can actually sweep all behind you in a heart beat. I can tell you with both mirrors I've linked to in the above that I can tell you the whole story of whats going on behind me.

thiocyclist

I get so annoyed when parking and the mirror gets whacked by something (another bike maybe) and knocked aside. I wish they would stay locked in place a bit tighter, but it happens no matter what I do. Then they free spin and I need to re-adjust everything.

the sci guy 

i've never had this experience. i'd assume they must not be putting the mirror on in the right place (like on the right hand side?) or angling it incorrectly then. the Mirrycle i have sticks out of my left bar end, and down (to not interfere with the MTB bar ends going up). a simple glance to it from any position of my arms gives me a clear look wide behind me and to the left.

chefisaac

Perhaps you might be right however when you are riding with a group and need to see who/how many are in the back or if people do not make the light, all I have to do is stand on the pedals and look in the mirror. Others have to push out to the far left to get the view. Plus with a helmet attached/glasses attached, I can see to my left and my right. Easy sweep with the head solves the issues.

daredevil

Cycle Aware Reflex attached to the helmet or Take-A-Look attached to sun/clear/prescription glasses. Most efficient method available period. Stationary mounted mirrors are much to restrictive for my tastes.

Papa Tom

Man, this thread has opened a can of worms for me again, as I'm just a window-of-opportunity away from grabbing a Mirrycle MTB Mirror at REI or one of the other local stores. This discussion has brought to the forefront the fact that the mirror sells for about twelve bucks online and EIGHTEEN dollars at all the retail stores.

I really want to support brick and mortar shops, but SIX DOLLARS DIFFERENCE???

chefisaac

+100

asmac

True enough but my experience was that they broke too easily -- I went thru 3 of them -- and don't keep their adjustment very well.

asmac

If you're riding in a group you're probably not commuting and this is a question about mirrors for commuting in the commuting forum. I'm sure helmet mounted mirrors are very useful but they seem delicate and I prefer a handlebar mirror for general cycling. It's just there.

10 Wheels

The best for me....

https://www.messengermirror.com/

the sci guy 

for people on a tight budget like us, that little difference plus tax can make all the different. it's why the majority of our biking stuff came from amazon, because we have amazon prime so free 2 day shipping, and also no sales tax.
the LBS did get our money for tune ups, new tires, tubes, water bottles, a helmet, a light and a few tools as well.
but the other lights, racks, panniers, bar tape, saddle bags, etc, all came from amazon.
the racks + panniers were the big ones - at all the LBS, racks were $40+, and the trunk/panniers (the topeak MTX ones) were $99. on amazon, the rack was $27, and the larger trunk/pannier combo bag was $65. that's a total of $50 difference. that paid for my radbot 1000 and headlights from amazon right there.

however, now that my wife has just gotten her mega job offer, we can afford to buy more things from a LBS at a slightly higher premium.

oh, and, yes, get the Mirrycle mirror, you will love it.

bam.

Wanderer

WOW, that's pretty surprising. I've had mine for quite a few years and have not been gentle with it. Bumped lots of stuff, and it's still in one piece. And,if the joints are all tight, it never gets out of adjustment by itself....... My experience.

the sci guy 

yeah mine doesn't move around hardly at all, unless i bang it on the bike rack when i'm taking it down
but then its just a slight adjustment using my hand, literally just a millimeter tweak, and it's back.
just tighten the screws enough.

daredevil

correct, they are useful because they are moveable and can be aimed at a specific area, but they are not delicate at all.

Medic Zero

I suppose you could describe the Safe Zone that way. On my helmet I don't think anyone notices the zip ties. I switched out the white ones that came with it for black ones. Actually, I ran out of black ones long enough, and used a sharpie to blacken the last one.

What that $40 got me was a large lens that is still crystal clear after over a year of daily riding in weather, on an extremely articulable arm, that makes positioning it EXACTLY where you want it easy. I can angle it around and over a wide strap on a courier bag, or my giant chain, or anything else sticking up from my shoulder and then next ride when it is clear crank right back into place for clean riding and maximum view over my shoulder behind me. I have to admit I was leery of the plastic constuction, but that arm is still as tight and firm as the day I stuggled to snap the pieces together.

It is an excellent design and worth every penny. I can't imagine riding without it.






ETA: I believe they are also made in the US (for those that matters to), as their website mentions having their injection mold made not far away from the bike shop they work at in the PNW. Their website also says: " You are buying the highest quality helmet mirror made, with the best after the sale support available. Buy with confidence..."

Medic Zero

Regarding delicacy, I found that the Safe Zone to be incredibly durable, showing essentially zero wear after a year of rough use, while my attempt to use a handlebar mirror was cut short by it not being able to maintain position after just a few months of riding.

There are probably durable and flimsy examples of both types, but a good helmet mirror doesn't have to be inherently delicate. I try and baby mine because I don't want to damage the lens or even tweak it back into adjustment (even though that is so easy as to not be a bother at all), my helmet still gets dropped occasionally or knocked about. My Safe Zone appears and functions as new.

To me, going back to a bike mounted mirror would be retrograde in many ways, but their vulnerability at bike racks to accidental damage or constantly being knocked out of adjustment are pretty high on that list. The aforementioned limitations of view of the bike mounted, and ease of seeing a lot of your surroundings with the helmet mounting, being perhaps tops.

I wear my helmet for something like 99 out of a hundred rides anyway, so my mirror is always there anyway, so the "it's just there argument" doesn't make sense to me or most folks these days I'd say given the prevalence of helmets. At least in the US.

chefisaac

I do long distance riding, riding solo, with groups, commute solo, sometimes commute with groups and tour. All of those beg for one mirror with as many advantages as possible versus disadvantages.

But really, it did take a few mirrors and a lot of research to find out whats right for me. I went through the whole what works/what doesnt and those are the two I landed on.

Shahmatt

I used a handlebar mounted mirror to begin with but faced problems with too much vibration, loss of positioning due to the vibration, and the safety compromise at having to glance down at my handlebars and away from the road.

I use the Take-A-Look mirror now and I think the advantages are many. All of the above problems are much reduced. Vibration is much less after it travels through the body, it never loses position relative to how you mount it on your head (helmet or glasses), and you don't have to look down anywhere at any handlebars to use it. Furthermore the head mounting allows you to intuitively move the mirror at will to where you want to see. You can sweep all the way behind you and cover your blind spots in a second. This is one feature a handlebar mirror can never have - you would veer off course if you tried.

I'm not sure about other stuff in the market but the principle of head-mounted is good. You may look like a dentist but you've got eyes everywhere and that makes you safer. I don't know anyone who has changed from handlebar to head-mounted and gone back. I personally think that there's no competition really.

chefisaac

+100

arsprod 

yeah, me too and use this Third-Eye-Eyeglass-Bicycle-Mirror

daredevil

I've got one of those as well. In fact, I've yet to find a head mounted mirror that didn't work just fine.