eyemkeith

Hi all. I ride an old bike with north road bars and I’m looking for a handlebar mounted mirror.

I know everyone has opinions, and I don’t wanna turn this into a “mirrors are stupid/no, you’re wrong” thread. I also know lots and lots of people love their helmet or glasses mounted mirrors and that’s awesome. I don’t want one.

ive been looking for an attractive silver colored mirror, but most of the most functional looking mirrors seem to be black, which is okay, I guess. I’m also not positive a bar end type would work with my bar setup, but if anyone has north roads and a bar end mirror, I’d be interested in hearing your experience.

my neck isn’t as bendy as it used to be and I’m putting in a lot more miles than I use to as well. Just tryin to not die out there.

All help appreciated.

nlerner

For a bar-end mirror, I learned about the Sprintech model when borrowing one of @Andy_K’s bikes, which had one mounted. Now all of the bikes I ride regularly have one though those are all drop-bar bikes.

https://www.amazon.com/Sprintech-Roa.../dp/B084RN1L85

Not sure about using one with North Roads bars, however.

Chuck M 

I'm following this as my neck is not as able to let me know what is behind me as well. I have a bar end mirror like the one above on my newer bike, but I don't think it would look right on my older bikes.

This one is cheap enough that if I didn't like it I wouldn't hate throwing it in a drawer or box in the garage.

https://www.amazon.com/UNIVERSAL-VIN.../dp/B075SDCY3L

Warren128

I use a Zefal Spy. It's a strap on style mirror, which works for me because I have multiple bikes and I'm able to move the mirror to whichever bike that I'm riding that day.

https://www.amazon.com/Zefal-95293-S...g-goods&sr=1-1

clubman 

I've always used Third Eye. Convex view with real glass. I even use them on my 72 R75/5. As good as it gets. And cheap!

bikingshearer 

This one from Rivendell isn't bad. I use it on my commuter/town bike and it does the job.

The Golden Boy 

Here's a thread with some suggestions:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...1-mirrors.html



I want to be able to just glance over to the mirror, I want to know where the mirror will be and where it will be pointed.

I don't like the helmet or glasses mounted mirrors- too much work/thought to figure out where it's pointing and where you want it pointed.

I don't want to turn or rotate my head way down to a bar end mirror.


Out of the ones I've tried- I think the Axiom clamp on might work for you- otherwise browngw posted a silver clamp on mirror that seems about right in post #41.

canklecat

Old neck injuries limit my neck mobility so I've used mirrors since I resumed riding in 2015. I don't race anymore so it's no big deal.

I've noticed several cycling acquaintances who used to race and ride without mirrors have added mirrors as they got older. No particular reason given but I suspect it's the same old thing -- with age everything gets a bit stiffer, mobility suffers and our reflexes and hearing suffer a bit. I don't like to rely on listening for approaching vehicles, although my hearing is still pretty good. But some vehicles now are incredibly quiet, especially with smoother tires on smooth asphalt.

Even one of the fastest guys I know locally, who holds many KOMs, uses a pricey Italian made glass bar-end mirror on his road bike. Another friend used to razz him a bit about it. Now that guy has the same mirror on his road bikes.

I use the similarly design but much more affordable Sprintech mirrors linked above on two of my drop bar road bikes. However my hybrid with swept bars (Nitto Albatross) have bar-end shifters so that space isn't available for the Sprintech and similar bar-end mounted mirrors. I mostly got those so I'd have a mirror on occasions when I wear my aero helmet, with no way to mount a helmet mirror as I do on my main helmets.

I also use Take-A-Look mirrors on my two main helmets.

I considered an adapter for my Mirrycle handlebar mirrors, but discovered I could get by with just the helmet mirror, so that bike still has no mirror on the handlebar after two years. I keep thinking about trying a clamp mount and adding a mirror, but I guess I'm satisfied with it as-is.

I've seen a few folks add clamps to the Mirrycle and similar design mirrors, that put the mirror below the handlebar, rather than above. That seems to suit folks who prefer lower bars, or flipped North Road bars (path racer style).

10 Wheels

Dollar Tree Sun Glass Mirror. Glue one to each Glove

repechage

that works, of course I adhere to the school of Italian driving as explained in the movie Gumball Rally-
what’s behind me is not my concern
as the Italian race car driver rips off the center rear view mirror on a Daytona no less.

( of course does not work so well on a bike, but sounds good)

Bad Lag

+1

lottafreaks

Sunlite mirrors are decent. Check out a site like Modernbike and search up that name. I own the heavy duty and the rectangular mirrors. I have them mounted on north road and wide cruiser bars respectively. They are solid. And they are chrome.

Roger M

I've seen the Berthoud mirror advertised online recently. If style was the first priority, it wins(imo)

As far a being functional, we'll it is a fair bit smaller than anything else mentioned here.

nlerner

I have the Berthoud mirror on one of my bikes. It was a birthday present from my lovely wife. Looks sharp, but the Sprintech is much more functional and a lot cheaper!

oldlugs

I saw a guy the other day with a rear view camera set up on a bike, small center screen or cell phone holder, and a tiny camera.

daverup 

I use the same thing on my non-drop bars, it's nice and small.
On drops I use a bar end mirror.

Kobe 

I have been tempted to try these cheapo $5 ones from China. Has anybody tried these? They look a lot like the Zefal.

Handlebar mirror

Korina

I've been where you're at; I have north road style bars and have had a @$%&!! of a time finding a mirror that shows more than my arm. The only kind I've found is a cruiser-style mirror like this one. I haven't tried that mount, but you get the idea; the arm is long enough so you can see behind you. I currently have this one, which works great, except the mounting bracket sucks nuts, so I ordered this one, hoping it'll work. Fingers crossed.