Mirrors
#1
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Mirrors
What mirrors do you find most useful, if you use mirrors. I know a lot of people don't want to add weight but I like seeing the car behind me that's about to hit me!
#2
Banned
at my LBS we sell a variety of mirrors , some go on the bars some go on the helmet.
try visiting a bike shop?
https://www.mirrycle.com/
https://www.efficientvelo.com/home/safezone/
....
try visiting a bike shop?
https://www.mirrycle.com/
https://www.efficientvelo.com/home/safezone/
....
#3
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I use Mirrycles on my two hybrids. Not decorative or classic looking but well designed, very tough and functional.
Almost a year ago I began using a Take-A-Look helmet mirror too. Took awhile to get accustomed to. Hated it the first couple of weeks. Now it's so familiar I feel nekkid without it. So I zip tied it to the helmet rather than my glasses, since I switch between sunglasses, clear safety glasses and sometimes no glasses.
I have limited neck flexibility from an accident so mirrors are a must. Some folks seem to get by without them, but even before my accident I preferred riding with a bike mirror. Same as riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
Almost a year ago I began using a Take-A-Look helmet mirror too. Took awhile to get accustomed to. Hated it the first couple of weeks. Now it's so familiar I feel nekkid without it. So I zip tied it to the helmet rather than my glasses, since I switch between sunglasses, clear safety glasses and sometimes no glasses.
I have limited neck flexibility from an accident so mirrors are a must. Some folks seem to get by without them, but even before my accident I preferred riding with a bike mirror. Same as riding a motorcycle or driving a car.
#4
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I have Mirrcyles too and despite reading about some issues in a few reviews, mine have been rock solid. They work as they should. I wish there was a portable mirror that wasn't helmet or glasses oriented. I'd like to have a mirror when I use bike shares. There are the arm/wrist ones, but have read some very mixed reviews.
#5
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I use a mirror made by the late, great Chuck Harris, as well as one sold by the HubBub bike shop, which is a more modern interpretation of Chuck's mirrror....
https://hubbubonline.com/?product_cat=helmet-mirror
I've heard very good things about the Take A Look mirror too.
Steve in Peoria
https://hubbubonline.com/?product_cat=helmet-mirror
I've heard very good things about the Take A Look mirror too.
Steve in Peoria
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On my Surly Long Haul Trucker (and my commuter for that matter) my mirror of choice is a Busch & Muller Cyclestar 901 whereas on my Salsa Mukluk fat bike as I have Jones H-Bar I use a Zefal Spy mirror.
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I've been using Mirrcyles of various styles since (I think) around '78 or so. I've tried others but found none better.
#9
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I have a Blackburn Road Bike mirror...mounts on the brake hood. Had to modify a bit for RS685 Disc hood (cut lower arm curve to straight) and replaced the wonky supplied Velcro strap with a length of 1/2 inch wide Velcro. Works pretty good.
#10
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I use the Third Eye Round Helmet Mirror that has been around a long time. I don't love the clamp-to-helmet so I make custom brackets out of fiberglass that the clamp works really well on. I drill two very small holes in the helmet visor and bolt the bracket on. Mirrors stay on, rarely get damaged and usually last the useful life of the helmet (and longer than most visors). My bracket last several helmets. Drawback is that they are custom to the helmets so when I change helmet styles, I have to make another one which takes only a few hours but over several days. (Very frustrating. If the helmet and mirror people would set a standard detail for about one inch of the visor, this bracket would easily manufactured at a cost of say $10 at high markup.)
But once I have my bracket, those mirrors work very well, are located perfectly and stay there. (And are not very expensive to replace.)
Edit: I move around a lot on the bike. No mirror fixed on the bike will be usable more than half the time. A properly located helmet mirrir works for me really well.
Ben
But once I have my bracket, those mirrors work very well, are located perfectly and stay there. (And are not very expensive to replace.)
Edit: I move around a lot on the bike. No mirror fixed on the bike will be usable more than half the time. A properly located helmet mirrir works for me really well.
Ben
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I use the Third Eye Round Helmet Mirror that has been around a long time. I don't love the clamp-to-helmet so I make custom brackets out of fiberglass that the clamp works really well on. I drill two very small holes in the helmet visor and bolt the bracket on. Mirrors stay on, rarely get damaged and usually last the useful life of the helmet (and longer than most visors). My bracket last several helmets. Drawback is that they are custom to the helmets so when I change helmet styles, I have to make another one which takes only a few hours but over several days. (Very frustrating. If the helmet and mirror people would set a standard detail for about one inch of the visor, this bracket would easily manufactured at a cost of say $10 at high markup.)
But once I have my bracket, those mirrors work very well, are located perfectly and stay there. (And are not very expensive to replace.)
Edit: I move around a lot on the bike. No mirror fixed on the bike will be usable more than half the time. A properly located helmet mirrir works for me really well.
Ben
But once I have my bracket, those mirrors work very well, are located perfectly and stay there. (And are not very expensive to replace.)
Edit: I move around a lot on the bike. No mirror fixed on the bike will be usable more than half the time. A properly located helmet mirrir works for me really well.
Ben
#12
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I still have bar end mirrors, but I can not ride in traffic without my take-a-look glasses mount mirror. As everyone notes, it took a while to get used to it, but now I can't imagine riding without it.
A good helmet mount mirror will "display" the same advantage over a handle-bar mirror....You can see a wider field of view due to the closer proximity of the mirror but mostly because you can see almost 180 degrees behind you by turning your head from side to side.
A good helmet mount mirror will "display" the same advantage over a handle-bar mirror....You can see a wider field of view due to the closer proximity of the mirror but mostly because you can see almost 180 degrees behind you by turning your head from side to side.
#13
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With the metal at the final size and shape, I fiberglass one side with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. (I go large with the fiberglass and trim back later.) Let harden, flip and repeat on the other side. Cut and grind/sand to flush with the metal.
Driill two small holes at the top, use as a pattern to drill the visor. I use very small metric screws (M2?), lockwashers and nuts. Paint if you like.
Ben
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I find helmet mirrors the best for me. I've never found a bike mounted mirror that worked for me even a little tiny bit. They're just useless. If convex then even a big truck is the size of an ant, and if not the field of view is tiny.
I use the Cycleaware Reflex. I used to have a Take-A-Look but getting in an accident where I did a faceplant and drove that mirror into my face, cutting me badly, changed my mind about which mirror I like.
I use the Cycleaware Reflex. I used to have a Take-A-Look but getting in an accident where I did a faceplant and drove that mirror into my face, cutting me badly, changed my mind about which mirror I like.
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Rear Viz .... fits like a watch and is really good
add that to a Garmin Varia Radar unit and you will have a lot less stress when cycling on fast roads
add that to a Garmin Varia Radar unit and you will have a lot less stress when cycling on fast roads
#18
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I use a Take-A-Look mirror and attach it to my glasses. You can attach it to a helmet, if you like. I use it so often that I carry it with me even when I'm not riding, just in case I find myself riding a bike unexpectedly, such as a bike share bike. I love it.
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#19
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Don't hold your breath. But it will happen. Probably not in my lifetime.
Ben
#20
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Was excited about this mirror but read a scathing product review so I went with mirrcycles. But if it really does work well...it would be great to have a mirror that isn't tied to the bike.
#21
Senior Member
I use Take-a-look on my glasses. I'd rather ride without a helmet than without the mirror. I used a Third Eye previously, but wasn't satisfied with its durability.
#22
Senior Member
I like the Take A Look mirror, the compact version. I’ve tried most of the other form factors: helmet mounted (BikeHub), bike mounted (Italian Bike Mirror and Bike EyeZ) etc... Nothing comes close to the Take A Look mirror mounted to my sunglasses.
J.
J.
#23
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Helmet and eye glass mounted mirrors are great if you ride a hybrid, mountain bike or always ride on the hoods of a road bike. I used a Take-a-look mirror for quite some time before I started using aerobars. They don't do very well when going from the hoods to the drops, either. At that point, they become totally useless unless you want to readjust them every time you drop to bars and again when you raise up to the hoods. Currently, I'm using the Italian style bar end bullet mirrors and have them adjusted in such a way that I only need to move my arm on the pad, when on the aerobars, to see what's behind me.
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