Mirror for trekking bars?
 

I'm having trekking bars installed on my bike to give me more hand positions for a short tour this summer. I've looked at the mirrors that my LBS carries and none seem well-suited for attaching to them. They have bar-end for mountain bars, and several that mount to hoods or bar-ends for drop bars.

Anyone have any suggested mirrors for attaching to a trekking bar?

I did search first, please don't flame. The issue I found in the threads that I searched is there was no real conclusion, and the one that looked good in pictures goes to a dead link, and nothing like it on the manufacturer site. So anyone have any up-to-date suggestions?

I dont have a bar mounted solution for you, but as someone who has toured a fair amount and who commutes in busy areas, I can suggest the helmet mounted ones like this one I have used for the last 3 or 4 years.

Bike Peddler Take A Look Cyclist's Mirror - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

To be honest I never liked the idea of these type of mirrors, had bar mounted ones before, but became a convert to this. I always thought having something in my line of vision would be horrible, but after a few days it became completely natural and being able to just glance with my eye to see what is going on behind has become second nature (sitting, standing climbing, in corners where a slight turn of your head gives you a different view back, from bike to bike if you ride more than one etc)

I am also too old to care about how it looks but appreciate the advantages of it over bar mounted ones. In any case, any sort of mirror can and will save you from serious incidents simply by giving you a few seconds heads up with dangerous situations. I know over the years having a mirror has been a real factor in avoiding an unpleasant event.

If you've never tried a helmet mirror, I'd advise you to try. I realize not everyone takes to them, and there is a short learning curve, but it's worth it IMO.

BTW: Don't worry about looking like a Fred, you're already riding a touring bike with trekking bars ;)

Trekking bars and fenders on an old mountain bike with slicks, I don't think there's a chance of being unfredly anymore...

This bike will also be my foul-weather commuter, but the changes are being justified to the wife as "making the bike tour with the son safer". :thumb:

Yes!

D+D Oberlauda UltraLight Bike Mirror only 57 grams...about 25USD

Uses a hose type clamp for attachment anywhere, on any bars, that you choose... I've been beating mine up for 3 years and it's darn near impossible to damage or break.

Takes some getting used to like any convex mirror.

I've been looking at motorcycling mirrors for mounting on my trekking bars.

It seems those mirrors and their respective mounting brackets are made a little stronger than those made for bicycles. I haven't bought any yet and am sure a trip to the hardware store may be required, but well worth it imho....

Some bike shop in Minnesota has a workaround for the Myrricle............... I'll see If I can find it.

Helmet Mirror http://www.efficientvelo.com/safezone/

Probably where you would most conveniently put the mirror, unfortunately,
occupies the places you want to put your hands , unless its well towards the center , on a long stalk.
then bouncy..

How about, a 2nd stem underneath the first, with another bar , and then you have a place to mount the mirror,

on the end of that .. will be fredly aesthetically , but effective.

I have a second stem , but a short piece of tubing , not a long one
I use it to mount my BarBag QR Mount.
it would also offer abundant bar mount space for all sorts of electronics gadgets..

Or, as I said before, consider a helmet mirror ..

That German mirror should work nicely. Just in case it won't, DIY.

Yes these are great mirrors and you can mount them on any handlebar.

Marc

I would consider a handlebar mounted mirror less safe than a helmet mirror. A mounted mirror will always have a blind spot. With a helmet mirror the rotating of your head allows for zero blind spots. In fact with quick left-right glance I can get a 360 degree view of my surroundings.

BTW: No matter what, have a fun and safe tour.

Well, I've been against "helmet-mounted" only because the idea seemed "weird" to me, and hard to get used to, but based on your suggestions, I will try one out.
One of my concerns about bar mirrors on this bar is the idea of getting in the way of hand positions (the reason for the bar in the first place).

Bonus: the helmet moves between my bikes without a lot of work.

I have trekking bars on one of my bikes and went with a helmet mirror and love it.

+2 on the D+D Oberlauda/Ultralight German mirror. (I have it on 2 bikes). Easy to install/remove/adjust, wide field of vision, durable.

You can even mount it horizontally under/inside the grips, my favorite position:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2...o/PB160500.JPG

If I had it to do over again, I'd go with the helmet or glasses mounted mirror, just so I could conveniently flip my bicycle upside down, to rest on it's handlebars and saddle. However, this works quite well for my trekking bars, with a stable image, and no "objects may be closer than they appear" distortion. Here's a pic of my sunlite deluxe bicycle mirror.

https://t8fr9g.bn1302.livefilestore....W_332_1440.jpg

I switched to treking bars recently and want to keep my mirrycle mirror, which was bar end mounted.

I ended up cutting off a piece of the old handlebar and hose clamping it to the upper left corner of the treking bar then mounting the mirror. I wrapped foam and tape around the bars and hose clamps.

Works great!

I threw my Peddler into the trash can.

Spotted online the other day:

BIKE-EYE THE CYCLING MIRROR - HOW IT WORKS - YouTube

Bike-Eye - Now selling internationally as well as the UK!

Thoughts?

no rear rack load may need be part of the plan, as it would be just what the mirror would see.
the panniers ..

I think I would like it better if there was more adjustability....like a ball and socket in addition to the attachment bolt which only allows adjustment on one plane.

Not happy with other eyeglass-mount mirrors available, I made my own pictured here. If this style mirror is your choice, please copy the design and make one.

http://www.messengermirror.com/mmfullview.jpg

a general mirror observation- for me convex ones that give varying degrees of a wide angle view, are not good for giving a proper idea of both distance and stuff being too small in the mirror to properly assess where a car is in relation to being too close to shoulder etc. This is one of the main things I liked so much with the Take a Look one, its a flat mirror, so gives a much better idea of distances etc, just as a car rear view mirror compared to the convex side mirrors.
Having used a slightly convex bike mirror for years, I really appreciated a flat mirror.

Ha, found it - Evo Mirror