Question About Mirrors
 

Just wondering whether you guys have a preference between a helmet mounted rearview mirror, or one mounted onto the handlebars (assuming straight handlebars, of course). Advantages/disadvantages to each?

Thanks!

Helmet and glasses mounted mirrors drive me nuts, and I can't see well with them. The Mountain Myrricle on the bars is magic.

Have used helmet and glasses mounted mirrors for 30+ years. Have used the Take a Look mirror for several years.
My advice is to just pick one recommended mirror of either style and try it.

I have a third eye mirror permanently mounted to my cycling glasses.

Definitely helmet. No distortion, and you can see a lot ... even wiggle your head around to really scan behind you. I use the helmet mounted "Third Eye" mirror.

And definitely more useful fo surreptitiously checking out women. :thumb:

I tried both and don't use either. The helmet requires constant adjustment, especially when you aren't wearing it and it gets bumped. The bar mount is okay but it's just something extra to sorry about when you transport your bike or leave it at a stop. It always seems to need tweaking before I get on to ride.

I tried a small one mounted to glasses, but just couldnt get to work for me. Thats just me though, lots of people prefer them.
I love a big, real glass mirror. I'd ride without a helmet, never a mirror :eek:
I got what for me is a real hotrod, NASCAR bike, my first post 1986 road bike ever, and it gets funny looks from the park riders over the huge mirror on a roadie rocket :lol:

3ed eye?

It's a brand name. I like em too ... but I have the foam helmet mount.

http://www.3rd-eye.com

I use a Selle Italia Cycle Eyelink on my road bicycle.

http://www.amazon.com/Selle-Italia-E.../dp/B00CDPDIOA

I use 2 Zefal Dooback mirrors on my Trek Soho Fred bicycle

Amazon.com : Zefal Dooback Bicycle Mirror (Left) : Bike Mirrors : Sports & Outdoors

I feel much safer in traffic being able to see easily behind me. Helmet mirrors or road bike bar end mirrors are not that useful.

OP here. I forgot to mention that I've been using a helmet-mounted mirror, but can't seem to get used to it. I can quickly focus my eye onto the mirror, but not what's being reflected in the mirror, if that makes any sense. It usually takes me 2-3 seconds to focus onto what's reflected in the mirror which, to me, is too long a time to have my eyes attention away from what's in front of me.

Does anyone else have this experience with helmet or glasses-mounted mirrors? And are bar-mounted mirrors better in this regard? (I know that they're at least larger....)

Thanks.

Used to use a 3rd Eye, switched to TakeALook. Like it a lot better (glasses mount). Won't ride without it now...

I've used both.

I like helmet or glass-mounted mirrors because I can direct the view area by moving my head. Take-a-Looks are my eyeglass mirror of choice. I don't like the too-small size and I sometimes have to think about focusing my vision on the mirror.

I've recently begun the switch to handlebar mounted mirrors. I like the size and clear view offered by Mirricle mirrors. I don't like how they stick out and are so easy to bump whenever I transport my bike. I'm having difficulty finding the right hardware to mount a mirror on my Kettweisel delta trike.

Bottom line, I find eyeglass mirrors are easier to direct what I see but handlebar mirrors let me see it much more clearly. Either will likely need adjusting at the start of every ride.

I've been using the Sprintech bar end mirror the last year and love it. When I ride a bike without it I find myself glancing down at where the mirror should be. It's no replacement for a shoulder check, but it sure is handy. Beware of cheaper knock off versions - our LBS sell them and they're junk compared to the real thing.

+1 on the TakeALook (glasses mount). Cheap enough to try and no great loss if you don't like it.
I saw friends with one all the time and so decided to try it.
Hated it for a about 1.5 rides.... then my brain/eyes got used to it and now I never ride without it.

In my experience, mirrors are dangerous. If you're going to make a left turn, and you're concerned that there is someone behind you that's going to mow you down, pull off to the right, and walk your bike across. If you're concerned that someone is going to come up behind you and mow you down - you're screwed anyway. I've ridden tens of thousands of miles, and totally don't understand what mirrors do for people other than distract them and give them a false sense of security.

This is from the first 50 miles of the Hoo Doo 500. That's me on the shoulder on the other side of the rumble strip.


http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...5/f44baf0b.jpg


First Frame: The driver of the westbound auto decided to pass, even though another auto was approaching and visibility was limited. Nice. :mad:


Second Frame: Driver begins to "complete" his pass, with both affected autos moving towards the shoulder, one of them onto the shoulder occupied by ME! :eek:


Before this began, I was on the drops and going 30+ MPH. But I saw it develop in front of me and thanks to the rear view mirror, was able to tell there was an auto approaching behind me and how far back he was. Should I have had to bail out into the dirt, I was prepared. As it was, I knew there was the danger, but knew there was no need to bail out.


I know there is a difference of opinion on the matter, but I think rear view mirrors rock. :thumb:

Great response to top post.

I've used bar mount, bar end mount, brake hood strap mount, drop bar brake top mount, helmet mount and eye glass mount. Preference is Third eye and Heads Up with the latter being mounted upside down.

I use the biking mirror just like a vehicle mirror in that I am constantly glancing back. I still turn my head at times for additional checking. Eye glass mount has been the most stable that is usable in all positions on bars and aero bars. I have left the mirror on when transitioning to the half and full marathon run during a triathlon. Helps me see all the people I've passed in the bike coming back to pass me in the run. :D

Forgot, I can see the drafters also. :lol:

I bought a helmet mounted mirror to try but it's never left the house. :P I wear progressive lenses so when I look to the side there is no prescription, no way to focus. Wish I would have known that before ordering the mirror.

For me, the helmet/glasses mirror are too hard to focus, while I'm trying to do that I am not looking in front of me, and I really dislike that constant blind spot they cause. The bar mounted Mirracle lets me see what is going on around me, all the time, is rock solid, and very clear. Very, very, rarely do I ever have to move it, and it's very durable.

Always have a Take a Look mirror mounted to my eye glasses, for rides. I wear the old fashioned lined bifocals and have no problems with focusing. Began using a home made version back in 1979, a gift from a local dentist in our club, he made them from the free mirrors that sales reps left his office.

Bill

I have Progressive and do not have an issue. Did find the eyeglass mount was a bit more friendlier on the eyes than a helmet mount.

I've had good luck with a Third Eye bar end mirror.

I'll second that. I have used glasses-mounted mirrors in the past and they're fine, but the Mirracle is great. It's reliable enough to change lanes with confidence.

I know you guys like your mirrors, but… It's highly unlikely you'l get hit by a car coming up from behind, or realistically be able to get out of the way if one veers into you. It's highly likely that you will experience dozens of potentially life threatening objects in front of you every time your ride. Again, in my experience, it's far better ride in a predictable manner for traffic behind you, and focus your attention on objects in front of you. There may be areas where people ride that overtaking traffic is a much greater risk than I've experienced, and if I had your experience in those situations, I may have a different opinion. Having ridden most of my miles in rural NJ, the roads are usually so narrow and twisty that looking behind you is pretty pointless.

ditto

Me, glasses mounted for the reasons already mentioned: Wide field of view, less/no vibration, can scan behind by turning the head a bit. Current preference is the Take-a-look Compact mirror.

BTW, the focus in a mirror is basically the same as looking without the mirror. You focus on the scene, not the mirror. Bend the mirror mount or otherwise arrange it so that the mirror is up and to the left, out of your direct view.

Interesting!

There seem to be a minority of people who have a hard time focusing on the image in the mirror rather than the mirror itself. I wonder why? Are you perhaps very near sighted?

As for me ... my close-up vision took a dive when I reached 45 and is now in the Mariana Trench. NO WAY I could focus on the mirror frame or surface anyway, so my eyes naturally focus on the image.

Why I prefer helmet mounts to handlebar mounts:

1. Can scan behind me by wagging my head ... no blind spots.
2. Pretty wide field of view.

What I don't like about them:

1. Vision is limited with a backpack (but solvable by adjusting the mirror and wagging your head to see behind you)
2. They can get knocked around and off and need to be readjusted regularly.

Why I prefer them to sunglass/glass mounts:

1. I don't wear glasses.
2. I ride in hot weather and at night. Sometimes, I want to take my sunglasses off entirely, and of course, I don't wear sunglasses at night.

YMMV, of course. Get what works for you!

BTW .... Not all helmet mounts are the same, so you might want to try others to find one you like. I've actually sent 3rd-eye foam helmet mount mirrors to friends who said they couldn't get used to helmet mounts ... and they're now converts of that model.

Take a look + 111, just got another one, left mine in the rental bike on Sanibel last week!

Better lenses. Works fine with mine. New user. I took the first set I had made back and went somewhere else. Zeiss.

I always have a helmet mirror. Can't imagine trying to ride without it. When I'm hiking, I'm always looking for it, wanting to know if someone is behind me. Glasses mounted mirror would be too weird for hiking, even for me.