Do you use a mirror and which type?

"Pete Derkowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small mirror
'just right' ... to the point where I almost ended up in trouble once
glancing up into the mirror and moving it around more than keeping my eyes
on where I was going.

I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs into the end of the
handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot point on it
though, and its OK, but not great... the mirror is a lot bigger (2-3
inches in dia) than the glass frame clip type. I think an extra pivot
point would do the trick.

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that
plugs into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what
I thought was the best I could find.

Pete Derkowski

I use an eyeglass mirror same as yours and am very happy with it. It takes
some time to get adjusted correctly, but once adjusted it is pretty much
stable.

Caution -- I've used two types. My first was "non-adjustable" in that you
had to bend the wire to adjust it. Rock-solid and didn't change after being
initially set.
My second (larger mirror and nicer overall) had "friction sleeve"
adjustments on the three axes. This one is ALWAYS getting knocked out of
alignment (although it is easy to adjust and simple to put back into
alignment).

I use the second (friction-fit) mirror in spite of the tendency to get
knocked out of alignment. I am thinking of (but have not yet done so)
putting a bit of LokTite onto the sleeves to prevent them moving (but still
allowing me to adjust if-and-when I need to).

- Skip

Pete Derkowski said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small
mirror 'just right' ... to the point where I almost ended up in
trouble once glancing up into the mirror and moving it around more
than keeping my eyes on where I was going.

I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs into the end of the
handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot point on it
though, and its OK, but not great... the mirror is a lot bigger (2-3
inches in dia) than the glass frame clip type. I think an extra
pivot point would do the trick.

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror
that plugs into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I
bought what I thought was the best I could find.

I use the "Third Eye" model that is supposed to clamp onto the helmet shell.
That didn't seem even close to stable enough to me, so I dug out some foam
and reinforced the clamp with a wide zip-tie and black electrical tape
wrapped through and around the lid shell. Looks bad; works good.

(I tried the type that clamps onto the sunglass frame, but at least some of
my shades are too thick and/or oddly shaped for secure holding. Felt like
the mirror could fall off pretty easily.)

Bill "live dork" S.

Have you tried the Take A Look glasses mounted mirror? I have been
using one for the last few years and it is great.

Pete Derkowski said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small mirror
'just right' ... to the point where I almost ended up in trouble once
glancing up into the mirror and moving it around more than keeping my eyes
on where I was going.

I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs into the end of the
handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot point on it though,
and its OK, but not great... the mirror is a lot bigger (2-3 inches in dia)
than the glass frame clip type. I think an extra pivot point would do the
trick.

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that plugs
into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what I
thought was the best I could find.

Pete Derkowski

I've been using the 'Bike Peddler Take A Look' mirror for the last
several years and I've been extremely happy with it. (And I've tried a
few differing mirrors). There use to be two versions--one being a
shorter, compact version. I tried that one and didn't like it. (Mirror
closer to the eye and therefore couldn't get a good angle view, and it
seemed to vibrate). But the classic length version works great. The
frame is metal and the swivel points made of brass. Really nice
product. Attaches to eyeglasses or your helmut.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Pete Derkowski said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small mirror
'just right' ... to the point where I almost ended up in trouble once
glancing up into the mirror and moving it around more than keeping my eyes
on where I was going.

Quoted message said:

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that plugs
into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what I
thought was the best I could find.

_ I like this one a lot, for me it works better than anything
else I've tried and I've tried a lot of things over the years.

http://tinyurl.com/287ymq

If the URL doesn't work just search for "italian bike mirror" on
Ebay.

_ Booker C. Bense

Olebiker said:

Have you tried the Take A Look glasses mounted mirror? I have been
using one for the last few years and it is great.

I tried the Take-A-Look and the plastic mirror was noticeably foggier
than glass ones.

Not foggy as in "anything to do with actual weather conditions" but
"foggy" as in "it ain't a front-surface mirror, so you're looking at a
reflection that's gone through two layers of plastic".
~

The Take-a-Look eyeglass mirror is the best one on the market. It's rock
solid with no vibration.

Pete Derkowski said:

.....
Wondering what other road riders use...
.....

I use a Third-Eye Pro helmet mirror, mounting it as Sheldon suggests.
It took about a month of regular riding to get used to it. Now I
wouldn't ride (on road) without it.

It has a couple of quirks. One is that I had to super-glue it to the
inside of my helmet to get it to stay put. The second is that the
pivot points weren't strong enough to maintain its position on a long,
fast downhill (too much wind force). I super-glued that also. And
when the helmet is not actually on my head, I have to be very careful
with it or else the mirror may break off (I've re-super-glued it to
the inside of my helmet countless times).

Just my experience.
Tom

I use my http://www.reevu.com bicycle style helmet made about
2001/2002. There are a few stores that have them, patent suits have
stopped production for now. They are offering a motorcycle style
helmet with mirror and headphones right now.

"Pete Derkowski" wrote: (clip)I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs
into the end of the handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot
point on it though, (clip)I think an extra pivot point would do the

Quoted message said:

trick.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I think you're supposed to use the round plug that goes into the end of the
handlebar as the other adjustment. That may seem awkward when you are first
setting it, but once you get it, and tighten it, the one pivot they give you
should suffice.

Pat said:

The Take-a-Look eyeglass mirror is the best one on the market. It's rock
solid with no vibration.

I'll second this. I've got one I've been using for 4-5 years. After
all that time it is still easy to adjust, yet has never seemed loose.
It's very easy to see traffic behind you. Previously I used a
Blackburn helmet-mount, but it vibrated and was hard to adjust
properly. For road riding, the Take-A-Look is hands-down my favorite.

For my commuter MTB, I also like the Zefal Cyclop Mirror. I've tried
other handlebar-mounted mirrors with velcro straps (e.g., Blackburn),
but they were too flimsy. This one mounts right into the bar so it's
stable and solid. I've banged mine into bike racks and other hard
objects without it breaking. I'm sure it's got its limits, but so far
it has been robust.

-JR

I second the Bike Peddler Take A Look . I've used that and Chuck Harris
handmades for many years. You can adjust either to glasses or helmet.

Handlebar mounts vibrate--I find them useless.

--
ie
ride fast, take chances.

"Pete Derkowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small mirror
'just right' ... to the point where I almost ended up in trouble once
glancing up into the mirror and moving it around more than keeping my eyes
on where I was going.

I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs into the end of the
handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot point on it
though, and its OK, but not great... the mirror is a lot bigger (2-3
inches in dia) than the glass frame clip type. I think an extra pivot
point would do the trick.

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that
plugs into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what
I thought was the best I could find.

Pete Derkowski

"DougC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pete Derkowski said:

I ride a road bike and used a mirror that clips onto the frame of my
glasses - but I found it took quite a lot of time to get the small mirror
'just right' ...

I use one like that and generally have no problems with it (Third Eye
eyeglass mirror). It is rigid plastic and has ball joints that eventually
wear out. It takes some practice to know when it's adjusted right--I
usually make sure I can see the edge of my own ear in the mirror. I have
to tilt my head to the side 15-20 degrees to see behind me, but I /can/
watch forwards and backwards at the same time this way.

I tried a few handlebar-mount mirrors once, didn't like any of them. They
all vibrated way too much to give a decent view.
~

I like the Third Eye helmet mirror.
It attaches with velcro tape to the helmet.
I thought that was iffy at first but it's never been a problem.
I'm on my second.
The eyeglass version didn't work for me.

JP

Booker C. Bense said:

_ I like this one a lot, for me it works better than anything
else I've tried and I've tried a lot of things over the years.

http://tinyurl.com/287ymq

If the URL doesn't work just search for "italian bike mirror" on
Ebay.

I remember seeing these when they came out, but they seem to no longer
be available commercially. Is there anywhere to get them aside from ebay?

--

David L. Johnson

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by
little statesmen and philosophers and divines."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pete Derkowski said:

.....
Wondering what other road riders use...
.....

I use a Third-Eye Pro helmet mirror, mounting it as Sheldon suggests.
It took about a month of regular riding to get used to it. Now I
wouldn't ride (on road) without it.

It has a couple of quirks. One is that I had to super-glue it to the
inside of my helmet to get it to stay put. The second is that the
pivot points weren't strong enough to maintain its position on a long,
fast downhill (too much wind force). I super-glued that also. And
when the helmet is not actually on my head, I have to be very careful
with it or else the mirror may break off (I've re-super-glued it to
the inside of my helmet countless times).

Just my experience.
Tom

"Pete Derkowski" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that
plugs into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what
I thought was the best I could find.

I also endorse the Take-a-Look, which has served me for many years.

There's an initial trick to adjusting and habituating to a mirror like this,
which seems to elude some riders. It's this:

Imagine the outside left rear-view mirror in a car. It's in a fixed
location, and you adjust it so that, from your normal driving position, you
turn your head so that your sightline intersects the mirror at a predictable
angle that provides the desired field of view.

Using a glasses-mount mirror works the same way, except that during the act
of turning your head both the sightline and the mirror are in motion. The
mirror must be adjusted so that when the mirror's motion path and your
sightline intersect, the desired field of view presents itself.

This takes a little bit of practice, but it soon becomes second nature. I
found, all those years ago, that once I'd adjusted the mirror so that the
reflected sightline passed just over my left shoulder, it only took a few
rides before I could move my head and hit the mark predictably, without
thinking about it.

I never ride without my mirror, which I find invaluable whenever I need to
make a leftward move in traffic.

r

Pete Derkowski said:

I just bought one of those mirrors that plugs into the end of the
handlebar... I have drop bars.... it just has one pivot point on it though,
and its OK, but not great... the mirror is a lot bigger (2-3 inches in dia)
than the glass frame clip type. I think an extra pivot point would do the
trick.

Wondering what other road riders use... is there a decent mirror that plugs
into the drop bar - choices are limited in my area, so I bought what I
thought was the best I could find.

You might try looking for "mountain mirrycle" (might need to
play with the spelling a bit). I've got several, all on motor
cycles, and they work quite well. On pedal powered two-wheelers
the third-eye mirrors work well on glasses, the helmet mounts
work up to about 50 mph on motorcycles.

hth,

bob prohaska

Rich Clark said:

Using a glasses-mount mirror works the same way, except that during the act
of turning your head both the sightline and the mirror are in motion.

AND... this is a great benefit because you can "scan" very
effectively, creating a wide field-of-vision simply by moving your
head an inch or two.

Quoted message said:

I never ride without my mirror, which I find invaluable whenever I need to
make a leftward move in traffic.

I find it very hard to ride without the mirror. I feel a bit blind,
not knowing what's going on "back there'...

Will said:

Rich Clark said:

Using a glasses-mount mirror works the same way, except that during the act
of turning your head both the sightline and the mirror are in motion.

AND... this is a great benefit because you can "scan" very
effectively, creating a wide field-of-vision simply by moving your
head an inch or two.

Very true. One precaution is that with an eyeglass or helmet mirror
you are viewing mostly with one eye so your depth perception is not
what it should be.

On my commute home there is a multi-lane road where I need to move
over one lane to avoid taking an offramp. The road also curves at
that point. My mirror is not sufficient, especially at night, to
determine if an approaching car is in the right or second-from-right
lane. I have to turn my head and look.

Tom