Mirror
 

Those that may have tried to use a cycling mirror but stopped, I am curious to know why? What didn’t you like ?

Vampires never show up.

Have you used one? What was your experience?

I tried a helmet-mounted mirror, but just couldn’t “get my eye in” - I just saw the mirror and couldn’t seem to focus through it. I switched to a bar/end mirror (Sprintech) which was much easier for me. Still use it in combination with a Varia.

I use a handlebar mounted mirror all the time and would not go riding without one. If I might be riding with other people, I'll put another one on the other end of the handlebar so I can keep up with where others are at all times, should they be sneaking up on that side. For me, mirrors are superior ways to get the visual information I need. If I turn my head to look instead, then just for a fraction of a second I'm not looking where I'm going. Bad things can happen in an instant. If the rider just ahead of me taps his brakes while I'm turning and looking, I might not be able react quickly enough. At least one of us could go down. Mirrors are intuitive. Use at least one and check it frequently. Never been sorry I had a mirror.

Also, depending where you mount it on your handlebars, you don't necessarily need the most expensive bike mirror. I've had great success with hardwood store mirrors, less than $10 each. Make sure you don't get one with an extremely convex reflective surface. You won't see much until something gets very close.

Like this tool bag?
https://products.wera.de/en/tools_fo...d_e-bikes.html
Or like this:
https://www.instagram.com/7twovelo/

Me personally I prefer a tool box and this is probably my favorite:
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/interv...ry-racing.html
But there are some neat ones here:
https://www.instagram.com/toolboxwars/

Getting back to mirrors, I have one on a bike that I love and but my new bike doesn't have the same mounting points that I have my other mirror on and the bars are VO Crazy Bars so a mirror would be a tougher fit to be functional how I have it. Would love to add something at some point but just need to find the right mounting.

Been fortunate to have good mobility even to this day to do a good shoulder check so never had the need. But Varia Radar or equivalent fills in the blanks.

I'd rather be a hammer than a nail, yes I would, if I could, I surely would ...

I tried once, but I found it distracting, so I tried the bar end version, did not really give me a clear view, so I decided to give up on it. Now I have a varia .

I now use a mirror built into my sunglasses (Trieye glasses). I like it a lot. I used the Take-A-Look mirror for several years before that. But there are mirrors I didn't like.
I found anything mounted to the bike to vibrate so much as to make it unusable. This is somewhat mitigated the larger the mirror. I imagine the effects of vibration are dependent on the angles involved and shape of the mirror. Some people get along great with bar mounted mirrors. I didn't.

I stopped being able to look behind effectively and riding straight after too many collarbone and shoulder injuries. I got a 3rd Eye helmet mirror. I liked it in principal but the mount wasn't stiff enough and didn't really put the mirror in the right place. So I made a fiberglass mount. Did it by making a mount of sheet aluminum.. bending it to the right shape to locate the helmet and just fit inside the visor. Fiberglassed both sides. Drilled #4 holes in it and the visor. Works really well. Mirror is rock solid until I am riding surfaces less than fun. Outlast the helmets. In fact, every one has lasted until I went to a different model helmet.

The other mirror that is excellent is the Safe Zone mirror. Versatile and works with any helmet using just zip ties. I have one and it finds its usages but my far smaller 3rd Eye doesn't catch hanging stuff in my garage, looks far less dorky and because the much smaller mirror is much closer, it has the same range of vision as the Safe Zone.

It’s cool to look like a bike racer, but racers ride on closed roads. The rest of us “tool bags” have to share the road with other vehicles. I wouldn’t drive a car without a rear view - pretty sure it’s a legal requirement for cars in most places. Why on earth would I take to the same public roads in a smaller, slower, less visible, more vulnerable vehicle without a rear view?🤔

In our "Old Farts" group rides bar ends and glasses mirrors are most common, only one helmet mounted but all agree bargain hunting is unwise, good quality glass mirrors and solid mounts are important.

I use a glasses-mounted mirror because I have arthritis in my neck, and it hurts to turn my head far enough to see behind me. With the mirror, I can scan the whole area behind me (no blind spots!) by turning my head only a few degrees. Sometimes I catch myself looking for the mirror when I'm walking in a crowd.

Urban commuting in city with a reckless driving problem I looked in my mirror likely more than forward. I can see and assess pretty far ahead of me but behind is ever changing during urban commuting. Had to watch constantly for the "Milwaukee slide". Every bike I own has a mirror. Doesn't have to be perfect vision for details, just the big picture

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Does that tool bag have metallic rim brake pads in it?

Says the guy raving about colored bike chains..... :notamused:

I don't get motion sickness from anything - even worked on fishing boats for a number of years.

Bike mirrors make me queasy for some reason

71 years old and I can't hear ****. I use a sunglass mounted mirror. Tried helmet mounted and handlebar mounted and much prefer the one I'm using now.

Where on earth does your elitist mentality come from? You, who purchased a cheap e-bike, and then wanted help buying the next bike without having a clear picture of what you want, and then proceeds to spam the forum with inane questions that you don't seem interested in the answers to, YOU have a negative opinion over how somebody else chooses to ride in the safest way they deem necessary? Folks who are actually out on their bikes, who seem to have ridden enough miles to determine what equipment they prefer, those are the people who you decide to look down on? A lot of us here on this forum see the utility in such equipment, the same lot of us who have tried to help you by giving the advice you're asking for. You really should keep that condescension to yourself.

I’m the OP , I have a mirror , in my first bike (bar end) but now on my second bike I’m not sure . I find it distracting constantly looking back and sometimes distract me from what’s up front …
I also enjoy the all natural sensory experience of cycling I.e ears , sight , smell etc..

so I am not sure to install it on my second and additional bikes I may get

I started out my cycling days with a helmet mounted mirror, but I couldn't keep it stable enough. I decided to go with a bar mount type until I learned how to look over my shoulder without swerving. While I don't utilize mirrors on the majority of my bikes, I do have one on one of our tandems, a bar end type.

I got one of these from a cereal box many moons ago. The outer edge of the inner surface is mirrored so that with a small rotation of the head you can see what's behind you.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...524bf7ce6d.png




It worked surprisingly well. They have an aviator style - I wish they had more options


https://shop.spyscape.com/products/r...31609753895006

Take-a-Look mirror mounted on glasses and Varia work well for me.

Mike

what is a tandem? And why do you only have it on that one ?