Do you use a mirror when you ride?

Years ago, I didn't use a mirror. Then I got one for a gift, and I'm
hooked! This first mirror was a helmet mount, but now I prefer a
handlebar mount. What do you use?
Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/

In article .com,
wrote:

Years ago, I didn't use a mirror. Then I got one for a gift, and I'm
hooked! This first mirror was a helmet mount, but now I prefer a
handlebar mount. What do you use?

My ears and my eyes. I listen for cars, which tend to be incredibly
noisy (tire and wind noise always and frequently music, exhaust noise,
rattles, etc). On windy days that is less effective, and interestingly
when several cars are passing you only hear the first one, so the second
or third can surprise you. I accompany that with looking over my
shoulder. Back when I raced on the velodrome for a couple of years, we
were drilled by the instructor on riding in a straight line while
looking over our shoulders. It was a very handy skill to develop. Some
guys could ride an entire lap while looking over their shoulder, I never
got that good.

I don't use a mirror on a bike. Mounted on the bars they vibrate too
much; mounted on the helmet or glasses the orientation of the mirror is
too uncertain. The rearview mirrors of a car are fixed in place and
that makes it easier to judge where the things you see in the mirror are
located relative to yourself. I find that mirrors mounted to my head
result in uncertainty. I suppose that might improve with practice.

I don't use a mirror for day rides, but when I'm touring with a heavily
loaded bike (front and rear panniers, sleeping bag, tent, foam pad) I
find it helpful. It's just a little bit harder to turn around and look
back while riding such a bike.

At first I tried the small clip-on helmet mirrors but the small size
limits my backwards field of view. I had to scan behind me by twisting
my head, in order to get a decent view. Also, in the event of a crash
I'm not crazy about having another thing up there near my eye.

I agree that a mirror on the bars vibrates too much.

What works for me is a wrist-mounted mirror. While touring through
West Yellowstone, a bike shop sold me a snowmobiler's mirror. It is a
convex mirror about 3 inches in diameter. An elastic strap holds it to
my left wrist. A slight arm movement is all it takes to see anything
behind me. The front of the mirror is a white reflector for added
safety. This mirror looks a little odd, but it works out well. It
doesn't vibrate, it is large, there are no sharp edges, and it's not
close to my eye.

wrote:

Years ago, I didn't use a mirror. Then I got one for a gift, and I'm
hooked! This first mirror was a helmet mount, but now I prefer a
handlebar mount. What do you use?
Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/



I have used a handle bar mounted mirror ever since buying one while on
my first bike tour in 1991. Contrary to other comments, it does not
vibrate too much. In fact, I don't even notice vibration. I'm sure it
does, but it does not reduce it's effectiveness. It's a relatively
large, flat mirror. One quick glance and I know what's going on behind
me (even if it's a "tiny" bicycle in the distance).

Of course you can hear cars coming from behind, but how many are there?
That's where the mirror comes in. I feel blind whenever I ride a bike
without one. I also enjoy having a mini landscape "painting" off my left
handlebar - blue sky, green grass and trees, black/gray road.

My preference is "The Mirrycle."

http://www.cycletourist.com/Scenes/Bar_End_Mirror.html

--
*****************************
Chuck Anderson • Boulder, CO
http://www.CycleTourist.com
*****************************

I don't use a mirror, I tend to just look behind me.

wrote:
Years ago, I didn't use a mirror. Then I got one for a gift, and I'm
hooked! This first mirror was a helmet mount, but now I prefer a
handlebar mount. What do you use?
Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/
After 20 years of adult cycling I decided to try a mirror in 2002. I
scanned the web looking for advice and decided to default to Sheldon
Brown's Third-Eye Pro (helmet mirror). I told myself I would try it
for one month (I ride every day, mostly long commutes in traffic).

I wanted to dump it after the first few days but looking back my
frustration was due mostly to fine tuning the mirrow position. Four
years later, I am so used to it I feel naked without it. I ride a road
bike, often in the drops, and I am aware of every car coming up behind
me. I know if the motorist is crowding me or not. When making a left
turn I can turn my head and scan several lanes of traffic behind me.
The only time I turn around and look is to get a drivers attention.

Speaking from my own experience,
Tom

On Fri, 24 Mar 2006 12:30:48 -0700, Chuck Anderson wrote:

My preference is "The Mirrycle."

http://www.cycletourist.com/Scenes/Bar_End_Mirror.html

A couple of fellow riders swear by the "Italian Road Bike Mirror" from
Aspire Velotech:

http://tinyurl.com/hyrpu

I'd consider one of these.

Most riders I know use helmet mirrors. But my helmet gets stuffed into a
backpack and generally thrown around, so a helmet mirror would be getting
knocked out of alignment all the time. An eyeglass mirror would be
equally inconvenient.

I do fine without a mirror, but they're a good idea. When riding into the
wind, I often can't hear vehicles behind me at all. So I look back often.

Matt O.

wrote:
....
I wanted to dump it after the first few days but looking back my
frustration was due mostly to fine tuning the mirror position. ...

To adjust a helmet mirror, place your left finger at your ear as though
you're about to block a loud noise. You should be able to see your
fingertip in the mirror. Move the mirror or the mount as needed.

HTH

--Karen D.
20-some years of watching Chuck Harris adjust his mirrors

Matt O'Toole writes:

My preference is "The Mirrycle."

http://www.cycletourist.com/Scenes/Bar_End_Mirror.html

A couple of fellow riders swear by the "Italian Road Bike Mirror"
from Aspire Velotech:

http://tinyurl.com/hyrpu

I'd consider one of these.

I wouldn't for a couple of reasons. The needed size of the mirror is
dependent on distance from the eye to give a reasonable field of view.
This mirror is about the size of a dental mirror and at more than arms
length from the eye. It is also not adjustable so it can serve for
only one position (on the tops or in the hooks). In addition, it
vibrates with road roughness and gets knocked off as easily as my bar
end caps do that I replace now and then because they are missing.

Most riders I know use helmet mirrors. But my helmet gets stuffed
into a backpack and generally thrown around, so a helmet mirror
would be getting knocked out of alignment all the time. An eyeglass
mirror would be equally inconvenient.

That's a lesser problem than a fixed mirror on the bar plug.

I do fine without a mirror, but they're a good idea. When riding
into the wind, I often can't hear vehicles behind me at all. So I
look back often.

That may be a problem if you want to know what is going on behind all
the time.

Jobst Brandt

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 15:51:52 +0000, jobst.brandt wrote:

Matt O'Toole writes:

A couple of fellow riders swear by the "Italian Road Bike Mirror"
from Aspire Velotech:

http://tinyurl.com/hyrpu

I'd consider one of these.

I wouldn't for a couple of reasons. The needed size of the mirror is
dependent on distance from the eye to give a reasonable field of view.
This mirror is about the size of a dental mirror and at more than arms
length from the eye. It is also not adjustable so it can serve for
only one position (on the tops or in the hooks). In addition, it
vibrates with road roughness and gets knocked off as easily as my bar
end caps do that I replace now and then because they are missing.

It's a convex mirror so alignment isn't an issue. I'm sure vibration
is a problem on rough pavement though.

I do fine without a mirror, but they're a good idea. When riding into
the wind, I often can't hear vehicles behind me at all. So I look back
often.

That may be a problem if you want to know what is going on behind all
the time.

It hasn't been yet. I make note of and remember what's around me, and
look around occasionally to check on things.

Matt O.