79pmooney

I have a super mount for a helmet mounted mirror (3rd Eye Hardshell Helmet - 03, the one that clamps on). I never liked either the not-so-secure clamp to the slippery plastic nor the location the mirror liked to take, so I made my own bracket out of aluminum sheet bent to suit, then fiberglassed on both sides with cloth and epoxy resin. Mount it to the helmet visor with two small sexy screws. Really nice! Only drawback - on a prototype basis, quite labor intensive. I wish that 1) mirror makers and helmet makers would find a standard like say 2 screw holes and a agreed on gentle radius and 2) make these brackets out of plastic (20 cents?) and sell them for $4. Cool part is that I just snap off the visor and mirror to clean the helmet. (I've now done both the Bell Image (or some similar name; it is discontinued but roughly the Formula) and POC Trabec.)

I make the brackets to last several helmets but for $4 I would have no trouble buying new ones each helmet.

Ben

saddlesores

i had a fantastic blackburn bar-end mirror i'd used for many years that finally died. not much selection in terms of bicycle mirrors here in china, mostly garbage bendy armed with plastic clips.

want something solid and durable so checked taobao for the motorcycle mirrors. they deal with shock and vibration right? you can find the same chinese motorcycle stuff on ebay.

note that moto bars seem to have the same external dimension - 22mm - but a larger internal as they are thinner wall steel. the bar end plugs will be too large by a couple mm. if rubber plug, they can be cut down with a razor, others you need to find a replacement rubber plug.

some of the mirrors have a plug that works like a bar extension, and the mirror arm slips onto that. in that case the extension has the same external dimension as the bars, so you can clip the mirror arm directly onto your bars.

decent prices, you get a pair for $3-5 bucks in china, maybe $15 in the usa.

this one has a plug expansion too large for some bars. the metal is crappy and corrodes and flakes quickly. the folding arm is a nice feature, but doesn't hold tight enough.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-...s/352100937769

this one has a rubber plug you can cut down to fit inside your bars. better quality housing, and very little vibration. the end plug part is removable and will mount directly on the bars. drawback is the arm bend....if you have bar ends, you can set up the mirror to use on the grips OR on the bar ends, but NOT both.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-...d/113163487761

and finally, these no-arm bar ends are like awesome. very simple, visible when on grips or bar-ends, isolated so no vibration at all. the expander is too large, so i replaced with a rubber plug. didn't see 'em on ebay, so here's a taobao listing.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm...d=522869820117


i was planning on doing a write up and starting a new thread but am too embarrassed - i don't have any links to youtube channels or webbylogs to monetize it....

Tourist in MSN

Different ones attach different ways. Some attach with adhesive, some with a small clamp on visor, some grip on to eyeglasses, lots of options.

In post number 7 above I showed a Third Eye brand one that clamps on to my helmet visor. That is this one.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/THIRD-EYE-H...w/220929802215

It is the one called the hard shell mirror.
Third EyeŽ Mirrors

The way I clamp it on it only fits on the left side, if I was to bike tour in the UK where they drive on the other side of the road I would be looking for an alternative.

I like that it has a threaded clamp, it takes several minutes to remove and re-install, but I can take it off for travel to prevent damage.

djb

I attach my take a look in exactly the same way and position.
I however find it to stay on perfectly well, the design of the 3 pt attachemtn system is such that you can adjust it for diff thicknesses of things, so you can put the right pressure to stay on.
Not permanently attched, but works pretty darn well.
I have put a bit of tape on it at times, but at times not, still a good design overall.

rumrunn6

they are pretty good. I got one after reading another BF member's review. I attach mine to my safety glasses.



I also got the newer model but haven't tried it yet. it has a shorter arm & is supposed to provide a better view. lately I've been using a new helmet w a face shield but haven't ridden on roads in a while. I might have to ditch the shield to use my glasses if I can't rig it to work with the new helmet. for me, the take-a-look works best in a more upright position. when I'm down in the drops my left shoulder obscures some of my view. but it still better than nothing



took this pic while riding holding the camera within the sight line, meaning where I could see it where the oncoming traffic would be

Andrey

I used to have a helmet/glasses mirrors, Few years ago I switched to Italian road bike mirrors on all of my bikes.

https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com/

It made out of glass and it is very clear, way better than plastic mirrors. I am thinking of adding another one on the other side of my bars on my long distance bike.
Took a little bit to get used to it after the helmet mounted mirror, but now it is OK. It is on a small side but not dorky .

chrisx

Avoid helmet, or eye glass mounted mirrors. In a crash you could lose an eye or cut your face up.

https://ortliebusa.com/product/bike-mirror-10/

My cateye mirror works fine.

Tourist in MSN

I will keep using helmet mounted mirrors, I always have glasses on when cycling, an old habit from my motorcycling days. Often use ones that are rated as safety glasses.

Papa Tom

Is a wing mirror one that mounts on a helmet, or on a handlebar? If it's the handlebar type, I started using a Mountain Mirrycle (sp?) about four years ago and I would never ride without one again. I thought it would vibrate too much to be of any use, but I don't notice any vibration at all. GREAT accessory.

meyers66

Darth Lefty 

acantor

I am in the mirror-as-indispensable-accessory camp. I feel safer when I've got one. I tried one or two helmet mounted models, but they didn't work for me. For many years now I have ridden with a mirror that velcros to the hood of my brake lever, and it works well enough.

rumrunn6

yup! a mirror is a great tool!

djb

that was considerate of you to pull over to let them by, only takes a few seconds.
The real times a mirror (any mirror that gives you a proper view) really saves your life are when it gives you those few seconds to realize the truck coming behind you, perhaps on a downhill, so he cant slow down greatly, is going to meet up right where you are at the same time an oncoming truck, or car pulling a trailer, or whatever, and there is no wide shoulder, and probably a corner involved that interferes with your line of sight front or back.

while its only been a handful of times, well a few handfuls, mirrors were a huge part in saving my life and giving me that heads up that allowed me to take proper action in situations that could have very easily been dire.

its also just part of my routine to regularly check my mirror, and especially when a corner,downhill or narrowing of road is involved, and wider vehicles getting into the situation.

we wouldnt drive our cars with out mirrors, and our vulnerability on two wheels combined with great closing speeds means we have to use this simple tool to reduce and manage real risks.

fietsbob

Trucks , do it pulling modular homes , those wing mirrors stick out a lot, so be mindful of those

, especially when the truck is returning from the delivery... the mirrors are still there.. but the wide load pilot truck is not ..




....

Wozza2014

What's the difference between the take a look compact and original? I want to mount it onto a bike helmet. I've read the compact is not able to do this?

djb

I have no idea, but I would like to add that the regular length seems to me to be ideal because one can position the mirror outwards enough to not have shoulder seeing issues, and I can only surmise that a shorter piece of the two sectioned wires that lead to the mirror could be too short at times.
--again, I havent actually seen a compact version, didnt know there was one.

do look at this video done by this couple who rode around the world, their video review sold me on trying a Take-a-Look.

Take-A-Look Mirror | TravellingTwo: Bicycle Touring Around The World

This video review must be 9 or 10 years old now, and everything she says about it has been exactly my experience--tough, infinitely flexible in setting it up at the mounting point (three contact points on a stiff pivot system) for whatever thickness whatsit it gets stuck onto, whether a helmet visor or eyeglasses arm, and, yes the metal rods can be easily bent slightly with no harm/issues at all.
Hold mirror adjustments very securely, never sags or changes position on its own.
And yes, mine too has had bumps and bangs for 8 or 9 years and is still in great shape.
and yes, can get flipped easily to the right hand side of your head if you ride in the UK or Japan or New Zealand.

ps, looked at the website, here is the page clearly showing the adjustability
https://www.bikepeddlerbikeproducts.com/events

Jakey27

Hi, I tried mirrors of various kinds but they didn't work out for me. I had more joy using the Garmin Varia Radar, which I really like.

rumrunn6

I haven't used my newer version called "compact" but I just read a very old review by another BFer who wrote: "I've have and have used both the regular and compact...I think the regular gives a better view and requires a little less turn of the head...the main advantage of the compact is that it's smaller, lighter and doesn't stick out so far...prolly better for wimpier framed glasses." see post#10 here

for some reason I'm thinking the compact version has a larger mirror, or because it is closer to your eye, the mirror appears to show a larger image? I should really try it out, cuz I bought it at least a whole year ago!

JohnJ80

It is with the compact version being smaller and, IMHO, better anyhow. It sticks out less and it has less wasted surface area. The TAL mirrors are the best and they are cheap.

bobwysiwyg

What?! You taking issue with my clumsiness?

JohnJ80

No, but I hope you're wearing a helmet.

bobwysiwyg

JohnJ80

They have a mount that you attach to your helmet in order to make it helmet mount. $7 available on Amazon.

If you had the regular TAL mirror, I'd bet you did hit it more often. If you use the compact version, I'm positive you'd find it to be less of an issue by a significant amount - would be worth a try.

Good job on the helmet. I'm right there with you. My family has had way too much experience with traumatic brain injury and it's nothing to fool with for anyone much less anyone well over 25 yo. That's not being a wuss, that's being smart.

J.

bobwysiwyg

John, thanks for the tip on the adapter, will give it a try.