bmt074

I'm curious as to how many people have installed a mirror (or mirrors) into their handlebars.

I'm going to put one in as there are multiple points on my commute where it would be useful to be able to see cars coming up behind me.

I_bRAD

mirrycle is the best.

daredevil

A helmet mounted or glasses mounted mirror is best for obvious reasons. Take-A-Look is popular so is the CycleAware.

travelmama

Agreed

daredevil

If you are wanting to limit your rear visibility, I'm sure it works fine. I believe he would be wise to consider the much more efficient head mounted mirror. Why not?

I_bRAD

well if you don't wear a helmet or glasses it's pretty useless. Most bikes have handlebars though. If you adjust it properly you can see what you need to.

bmt074

Hmm interesting what are the advantages/disadvantages of helmet mounted vs. handlebar mounted?

daredevil

With a handlebar mirror, your vision is restricted by where your bars are pointed. No such problem with a head mounted system. I don't wear glasses either but I put a mirror on my helmet and when I don't wear that, I throw on some clear glasses which isn't a bad idea for protecting vision anyway. Pretty much a no brainer folks.

btw, the advantage of being able to see absolutely anything, anywhere behind you, far outweighs the burden of wearing a helmet or some kind of eye wear to put the device on.

I will give you this though, any mirror is better than none at all.

travelmama

Huh? Are you disagreeing with the choice one has made to state your claim?

daredevil

I am explaining the the OP the advantages of a head mounted mirror vs a stationary bar mounted mirror. I'm not sure I understand your question but I guess I'll say yes, I am disagreeing with the choice of a less efficient mirror.

Jim from Boston

Noting that the original post is from Somerville, MA, as a year round cycle commuter in Boston, I heartily endorse the opinion of Daredevil. Why bother to post to the Forums just to announce you are buying a handlebar mirror? Whoop-dee-doo.

bmt074

People come to the commuting forum to get opinions on bicycle accessories all the time - it's in part why these boards exist.

bmt074

Thanks for the recommendation - I'll have to consider a helmet mounted mirror. Any particular ones you like?

daredevil

Personally, I use the CycleAware Reflex style on the helmet. It's easy to install and very adjustable.

https://www.cycleaware.com/index.php?...&products_id=1

tsl

Okay, I'll take the contrary position.

I tried a glasses mounted mirror. I didn't like it at all.

First, it pulled my glasses down on the one side. Those of you with astigmatism or bifocals (I have both) know how that screws up your vision. Second, no matter how I tried adjusting it, all I could see was my own shoulder. So why should I use an "obviously" superior product that only ruined my vision and didn't show me what I wanted to see anyway?

I went with Mirrycle's Road Mirror for STI.


It mounts out of the way of my hands, yet right where I instinctively look for a mirror. Within days, I bought one for my second bike too.

daven1986

I used the MTB mirrycle and now will get an STI one (or two) when I make another order from sjs. I haven't had a mirror for a while now but I don't think I have missed it really however I am sure when I get another one I will remember how useful it was!

colleen c

Used a Reflex helmet mirror. It was ok and did the job needed. Then came winter along with bad cellphone talking CA motorist. Almost got swipe on a few occasion. I also needed some extra light when I noticed that car did not see me well in area such as merging on a city street with car comming out of freeway off ramps, so I ended up with a white and red mini blinkies lights on my helmet next to a P7. Helmet looked like somethinng from a Sci Fi film and it got so bulky that I felt like a bobble head. The lights also affected my vision caused from reflection. So then I took off the Reflex and went with Mirrycle on my roadie with STI and a Blackburn handle mirror on the MTB set up as a commuter. Both type of mirror has it good and bads but it all depends on your application and set up.

daredevil

but we're talking about a helmet mount now....

tsl

Nope. I checked. The thread title is still "What mirror(s) do you use?"

You talk about the ones you use, and I'll talk about the ones I use.

daredevil

tsl, the op asked about a helmet mounted mirror in post 13. That's OK, I don't always read all the threads either.

daven1986

Actually he only said he had to consider them - leaving it open to all types of mirror.

bkrownd

FWIW, I have a simple Bell convex handlebar mirror as a backup (i.e. better than nothing) for those times when I can't effectively use my main M2Racer glasses-mounted mirror. In blowing mist or rain sometimes you can't look up to use a glasses-mounted mirror because your lenses will get plastered with raindrops. I would never want to rely primarily on the handlebar mirror, though. YMMV Fortunately my eyes don't have any problem using the glasses-mounted mirror. It is also useful as a pedestrian and to check out people behind you in the store.

daredevil

So tell me tsl, why not a helmet mount instead since you obviously wear a helmet. And what do you use daven? Sorry, I just have a feeling someone is going to say a bar mount is somehow just as good as the other.

Maybe we have been over this however. I remember some time ago someone saying the head mounted mirror was too annoying to use. That response I could understand.

Andy_K 

I started out with a helmet mounted mirror. I now use only handlebar mounted mirrors. It is far from obvious to me that the helmet/eyeglass mounted mirrors are superior.

The mirror area on the head-area mounted mirrors is fairly small. You compensate by moving your head to increase the coverage area. I dislike this because you are focusing your attention away from the road in front of you and I find it very difficult to pick up the area you are interested in with a quick glance. For me, it took a lot of concentration to use it effectively. It also puts a small plastic object in the vicinity of your eye, which is less than ideal in the event of a crash.

If you have a flat bar, the Mountain Mirrycle Mirror provides a huge and adjustable viewing area which is almost always pointing at the area that you want to see. It's easy to pick it up with a quick glance and it provides a stable and clear view.

I haven't been able to convince myself to try the STI Mirrycle because I don't like the idea of having something jammed in my shifter. It sounds like a recipe for breaking an expensive part, even if it doesn't degrade normal functionality. So, on my bikes with drop bars, I use the SprintTech drop bar mirror (having compared it side by side with the CycleAware roadie and concluded that the SprintTech gives a better image). The drop bar mirror, which mounts on the end of the handlebar, is much smaller than the Mirrycle products. It doesn't give you nearly as visible a rear image. It's easily blocked when you're riding in the drops and I often bump it away from where I want it to be pointed. It gives, at best, a hint as to what's behind you. However, a hint is generally all I really need. If I'm about to make a potentially life-threatening move like turning across a traffic lane, I turn and look directly behind me, regardless of what mirror I have.

I-Like-To-Bike

This is the mirror that is the "ultimate" for my purposes. Has been for the last nine years. Bought it in Germany for 20DM (about $10)