Does anyone mount a mirror on their bike to see behind them?
 

At a few points in my loop, I must cross to the other side of the road, while riding forwards. Since the other side has a better median, in some sections.
I prefer not to stop entirely, and cross the road perpendicularly. I find that crossing to the other side of the road can be dangerous since I can't fully see behind me while riding forwards, to see if cars are coming.
This is probably the most dangerous part of my ride, maybe I have a stiff neck, or maybe I am not a great rider, but turning my head almost 180* while riding forwards is unstable for me.

Does anyone mount a mirror on their bike to see behind them?
Or do you prefer one mounted to your helmet?

Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-...-goods/3403241

Yes, some people do that. Obviously.

I have 2 big truck mirrors I put on my bike sometimes, rear view is amazing. LOL.

I have a helmet mounted mirror. It works well, but it still has a blind spot: just to the left rear of me. Most cars I can hear, but slow moving (electric?) cars are problematic as well as cyclists that don't give an on your left! So, I always glance around before moving left.

I couldn't imagine anyone doing that, it sounds too crazy and far fetched. Does anyone hold on to the handlebars when they ride their bike?

Yes I find mirrors very useful, but even with a mirror i still have a habit of turning my head to double check.

Handlebars are overrated. I got rid of mine and enjoy the weight savings.

2 constructive replies and then this typical low IQ garbage signal to noise ratio. LOL.

We all ride so we see mounted mirrors all the time. You reference Amazon who probably has pages of mirrors ready to be sold and mounted on your bike because they sell zillions of them every day so your question seems odd at best.

Would you suggest helmet mount over a handlebar mounted ?
How does it attach to helmet? Universal mount?

I've used and continue to use mirrors for decades. I now have added Garmin's Varia Radar/light. It alerts with both beeps and shows rear approaching traffic (cars, trucks, bikes, and yes, even on occasion a train!) on compatible Garmin GPS units. It even shows more than one rear approaching vehicle. In urban riding there can be a lot of beeps.

I have the mirror on my drop handlebars on the left side. In the past I used a helmet mounted mirror but now have trouble focusing on it.

Thank you for noticing my reply was constructive! I very much enjoyed your question. I like knowing if people use an object for seeing behind them to see behind them. I always wonder about that.

I don't get how could you possibly have blind spot on your helmet mirror.

I also use helmet mirror and don't have issues with blind spot. Obviously, you have to pan your head a little bit to have full view of the rear with that tiny mirror. They're expected to be used in such manner.

Of course, compared to not having any mirror, you have to pan your head all the way to the back to see behind you, losing front view. With helmet mirror, you only pan a little bit without losing front view on your peripheral vision. It's a massive improvement of rear view, otherwise, I would not have bothered having a pointy thing attached to my helmet.

I find helmet mirror better for cycling. The mirror is smaller and lighter and comfortably within forward view, you don't have to look down (as you would with handlebar mirror) and have better coverage of rear view.

sounds like you want to ride on the wrong side of the road. Not too smart.

I've owned and tested most mirrors. In combination with a Varia, I use one or two of the following.....always. A car does not approach from the rear without me verifying that they have moved over.

My favorite for helmet mount: EVT Safety mirror

My favorite for handlebar end mount: "The Italian road bike mirror"

My favorite for bar mounted mirror: B&M 901 or 903 Mirror

Most of the rest have crappy plastic optics, all three of these are high quality glass mirrors with excellent optics.

Here are two reasons

1. degenerative disc disease
2. riding a bent
3. Bonus response.....some helmet mirrors have a miserible FOV

Very perceptive.
Yes, I ride on both sides of the road.

One one stretch, there is a 3 foot wide margin or breakdown alley only on one side of the road. (Not wide enough for a car)
So, I ride facing traffic and then need to cross over when the margin disappears to the other side. What is the right term for "margin"?

I try to avoid riding in the actual traffic lane, whenever possible
I feel it is safer to ride facing traffic, but in the margin, than to ride with traffic, but in the actual traffic, causing all sorts of problems for cars.

I just ordered this for $8
https://www.ebay.com/itm/134188824280?

Glasses Mirror and Glove Mirror
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a028d052d.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3da193d89e.jpg

In the three states I predominantly ride AZ, OR & WY and I suspect others you would and should be ticketed as it is dangerous and annoying to cyclists who would meet you head on following the law..

"In Arizona, it is legal for bicycles to ride in the traffic lanes, as long as they adhere to the same street laws as motorists. Always ride with the flow of traffic. Riding against traffic is very dangerous. Follow the same rules motorists do; travel in a straight line without swerving into other traffic lanes."

Not really safe, in some jurisdictions, drivers can just run you over without facing any consequences simply because you're at the wrong side of the road.

Even if they're not intent on killing you, they are likely not looking your way so the chance of a collision is much higher.

For me, it will always be a helmet mirror. It's a better mirror than I have in my car. (Yes, I do have better visibility in the car but it takes all three mirrors to get there.) Personally, things fastened to my handlebars and sticking out scare me. Anything that hits it or that I hit with it will affect my steering and probably cause a crash. Also they do not take kindly to bikes falling over (and being weight mounted on the handlebars, might add to the bike falling over when parked less than perfectly).

I do have a pet peeve re: helmet mirrors. The helmet manufacturers and mirror people can't just sit down and come up with a standard so all helmets have the mount provided and any mirror can just go on. Isn't that simply a no-brainer? I've gotten around this by making my own brackets that screw on with very small screws. I use the 3rd Eye short helmet mirrors and mount them on the visor. Works extremely well. I make them by forming thin aluminum sheet (I have an endless supply left over from a garden project) to fit the curvature of the helmet, then extending down and bent out at the bottom as a shelf. Fiberglass both sides with cloth and epoxy. Drill for the screws. Paint. Outlasts helmets. In fact, outlasts helmet runs. Places the mirror exactly where I want it.

Production plastic, my mirrors might cost 50 cents to make. Helmet manufacturers would have to provide some almost tiny holes. And we cyclists could have really good mirrors that go easily from helmet to helmet.

Me too... Thanks 10wheels...

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...625961760c.jpg

My wife uses this one https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com

I've never used a mirror on a bicycle but have on the recumbent. I've been thinking of getting a helmet mount type.

Where I live a bicycle is a vehicle and must ride with the other vehicles all going the same direction. You can't ride facing the oncoming cars just as you cant drive a car going against traffic.

No.

Everyone uses Garmin radars.

Absolutely no exceptions.