Another simple question
 

Maybe it's from riding motorcycles my whole life but I feel like I need a mirror on my bike. Do any of you use them on your bikes? I've been checking out all the bikes I see and haven't seen any. I have seen a few people using the little ones mounted to the helmet but I think I'd like something mounted to the bar end. I guess it's something else that can break but I can't think of any other cons. What do you all think?

I've seen them mounted on helmets and bars. I just turn my head and look over my shoulder but some obviously prefer a mirror, particularly older riders who might not have as much flexibility in their neck.

I didn't like the way a bar mounted mirror bounced around, so I switched to a Take-A-Look mirror mounted to my helmet rather than glasses.

I like the MSF suggestion, "A mirror has a one word vocabulary. It can only say No." I use the mirror to check for breaks in traffic, but never execute a lane change without an actual over-the-shoulder look back.

I put a bar mounted mirror on one of my road bikes and never used it- I had to keep adjusting the tightness of the fixing screw as it kept moving. about a year later I started using one of my other bikes and found I was looking for the mirror that I "NEVER" use.:rolleyes:

The bar mounted ones are easier to use than the helmet version but you can adjust to the helmet one and I never managed to stop the bar one from moving. No longer use one but I have good ears- a Flexible neck and mainly ride on Backroads with little traffic.

I prefer a helmet-mounted mirror. It's easier to scan a wide viewing area with a simple turn of the head than moving a bar-mounted mirror, or the bar itself.

I wear one mounted to my helmet and don't feel safe riding without one. The mirrors mounted to handle bars tend to flop around and while the helmet mirror is far from perfect it only has to save my life once to be a good investment.

My wife and I use the Take-a-look mirrors that mount the your glasses or helmet. I prefer the compact version. Wouldn't ride without them. Generally speaking, they serve the same function that mirrors on motorcycles or other motor vehicles provide. They're great for keeping track of traffic behind you as you need to move into the lane to avoid debris or hazards on the shoulder or avoid the door zone of cars parked along the road. One advantage of glasses or helmet mounted mirrors is that you can scan a wide area behind you by turning you head a small amount. Handlebar mounted mirrors don't generally provide the same field of view or the ability to scan.

I'm not sure it matters, but we're both also motorcyclist going way back over 40 years.

I have bar mounted mirrors on two bikes. Wouldn't ride without a mirror.

I have a mirror mounted on the handle grip of my bike. I have very limited peripheral vision on my left side due to blindness in left eye. The mirror has helped me fill in that gap and I feel much more secure on streets.

When I had risers, I had a cheap convex bar-end mirror, and I used it all the time to "maintain situational awareness", though I still look over the shoulder before doing anything involving traffic. I like being able to see what's going on behind me, while still seeing what's going on in front of me! ;)

Now that I have trekking bars, I bought one of these, and if I don't like the limited view angle, I'll stick one of those stick-on convex mirrors on it.

I'm strongly considering purchasing this type of mirror, glad to hear you are happy with it.

I have a helmet-mounted Hubbub (sp?) mirror. My neck is very flexible thank you, but the shoulders where are ride are narrow or non-existent so I don't feel like I have the luxury to turn my head around.

Eyeglass (wand) mount. Worked great - too great, and I was checking it all the time. Drove me nuts, so no mirror for me. However, if you want a mirror, I suggest eyeglass or helmet mount.

I have become so accustom to my helmet mounted mirror that if I ride without it, I feel naked. I too am flexible enough to turn around and look over my shoulder, but why distract yourself from the road for such a long time when a quick glance in the mirror will do. I want to see that a car approaching from behind has his left side wheels over the center line. This tells me I'm safe in that I know the driver actually sees me. If the car is holding his line in my lane I know I need to stay as far right as possible or even get ready to bail off the shoulder. If I had to turn around for this every time a car approached, I would never see the road ahead.

Helmet or glasses mount unless I'm riding off-road. Wouldn't ride without on on the road.

Have been using helmet- or glasses-mounted mirrors since at least 1981.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/janmm.jpg

I use a Third Eye bar end mirror on both of my road bikes. I am very satisfied with them.

I just got mirrors that fit into the end of your drop bars from Amazon. Somewhere on this forum (maybe road cycling?) there is another thread about mirrors where I saw them. They work well, best solution IMO.

I have bar-end shifters, so there's no way to put a bar-end mirror there.

I tried one on my helmet, it jiggled too much.

I've tried about three different kids of eyeglass mounted mirrors, and like the one I'm using now, it's not perfect, but adequate.

My wife has this type of mirror on her touring bike and commuter bike. I have one on my touring bike. Granted, they jump around a little and need adjustment, but I prefer them to helmet and eyeglass mounted mirrors. They are "Mirrycle" mirrors, and attach directly to Shimano STI shifters. They are also very durable.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...IMG_1012-3.jpg

Texasplumr, my retired truck driver husband immediately noticed the same thing. Seems roadies don't use bike-mounted mirrors, see the "Fred" thread. I'm afraid I'm a "Doris" :/ We tour on big heavy bikes and have mirrors similar to the one in the picture above. We remove them whenever we transport our bikes and I notice immediately when I've forgotten to put it back on. Can't believe I crossed the country back in the day without one! Between BF and CGOAB, there must be a thread a week where someone gets hit. I like my mirror and I like having a bike that can bail out into the gravel!

Get a mirror, any mirror. People get used to all different styles.

I prefer a helmet mirror. Used an eyeglasses mirror for a long time, decided I didn't want a wire so close to my eye.

No mirror for me - I use the Satchel Paige theory.

Because of a significant hearing loss I find a mirror very helpful. My experience has been that mirrors mounted on the bike do vibrate more than helmet mounted mirrors. Additionally, you can still use your helmet mounted mirror when off the bike. It's only happened to me a few times (once when the rear chain stay snapped) where I had to walk the bike along a road side.

I use these except the picture is for places where they drive on the wrong side of the road . . Just rotate and it works for either bifter
I have also used "Mirrycle" mirrors, and attach directly to Shimano STI shifters. like Doug64 has a picture of . It is a better mirror surface

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=blackburn+bicycle+mirror&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1600&bih= 799&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17855534723108696587&sa=X&ei=tqnQT_qEI-Te2QWPy9ysDA&ved=0CG8Q8wIwAA