Mirrors on bicycles?

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Hi. I'm considering getting one of those little mirrors you stick into or onto your handlebar to see what's happening behind you. I reckon that'd be really useful on the battlefield that is the australian roads and a quick alternative to the good-ol "shoulderglance".


HOWEVER, i've been told by some people that these mirrors do more damage than good, because they distort distance and don't have a full range of vision, and you tend to rely on them too much and make bad decisions etc etc.... what's with that? should i get a mirror or not?

Reckon it all depends.
There are some cycling cultures who rank mirrors up there with high-water pants or tape in the middle of your glasses as "dork alert" -- so if you're highly sensitive about the COOL factor be aware. (Of course cool is subject to change.)

I have one and like it. It's not curved so it doesn't distort, and I use the information carefullly. I'd rather know quickly if there's a car behind me, or if I"m dropping somebody off the back of a group (or if I"ve picked up somebody sucking on my wheel I wasn't ready for). And, sigh, I probably still weave when I turn my head, especially since I"ve gotten out of the yoga habit.

Oh, my mirror is the DORKIEST -- goes on my helmet. Handlebar ones wobble and I have to change where I'm looking more.

I have been thinking about getting mirrors for my bikes...geeky maybe...

They wobble? That I didn't know...wonder if maybe it is differant between brands of mirrors....what brand of mirror do you have??
Does anyone have anyother comments about mirrors??

Originally posted by interlooper
Hi. I'm considering getting one of those little mirrors you stick into or onto your handlebar to see what's happening behind you. I reckon that'd be really useful on the battlefield that is the australian roads and a quick alternative to the good-ol "shoulderglance".


HOWEVER, i've been told by some people that these mirrors do more damage than good, because they distort distance and don't have a full range of vision, and you tend to rely on them too much and make bad decisions etc etc.... what's with that? should i get a mirror or not?

I think it depends on riding style.

I've always been one to turn my torso and neck around and under and look.

I typically sit up Tall and look backwards directly at the car and point where I want to go.

Some of us are not that comfortable riding foward and looking backward. My wife falls into this category and she solves this by using a mirror.

I use to use a mirror on our tandem until I got comfortable with the size of the bike and then when the mirror got broken I never bothered replacing it.

If it makes you comfortable then use it!

How about trying this if you want to have a mirror.

To see how it works go to www.reevu.com

that helmet is SUCH a good idea. i want one!!! can i get it in australia???

No idea...It was advertised on CycleLab's website (A South African) company. Maybe you can purchase it via their Web site?

Originally posted by Geonz
... Handlebar ones wobble...

I was interested in the take-a-look eye glass mounted mirror, however, being in the UK I mailed the Bike Peddler shop in Colorado to ask about a left handed mirror (after someone else told me he had ofered them one) and whether he would be able to just mail me one rather than charge USD100 in insurance like most web retailers. The new shop owners mailed me back with his number but I wondered if anyone actually knew his name and whether he has an email address

best wishes
james

I use a mirror because I have a neck injury that makes a shoulder check a little dodgy. I still do the shoulder check but it's to confirm what I've seen in the mirror -- essentially checking the blind spots.

Never noticed any problem with distortion and it is very useful when travelling in a pack with the family when I'm trying to figure out if I've left the kids and/or hubby in the dust.

I use the "take-a-look"eye glass mirror and would never go on a ride without one. It is simply awesome.
I find the use of mirrors gives me the confidence to ride aggressively, avoid obstacles knowing that there is not a car close by ready to hit me if I swirve, push the pedals a little harder when another rider is attempting to catch me :) and above all keep track of all the riders on our sunday group rides.
I actually use the same glasses, mirror attached, when I do many other sports such as hiking and snow shoeing. My wife and kids think I'm a geek but who cares? I love being able to see behind me.
[b]pig pog[/b/, I am not sure what you're asking but you can fin their site with a very simple web search. Google will definitely point you in the right direction. You can always mount the mirror upside down and get decent results by simply securing it with a thin wire or something like that.
I could never get used to this english left hand stuff. :) :)

I have a straight bar and put a mirror in the left end, being that we drive on opposite side of the road from you folks. It is indispensible. I will not ride without it.

It is pretty steady, and does not distort the distance all that much. In fact, you get very adept at gauging distances in the mirror.

When I go to a road bike next year, I am going to have to find another way to afix a mirror. I have seen ones on the brake hoods and the ones that affix to your helmet.

Have to try both I think.

Is it dorky? Who really gives huge hoot what others think. If I cared what others thought, I wouldn't be able to do half the things I do!

Two of my all time favorite philosophers are Satchel Paige, an old time U.S. baseball pitcher who said "How old would you be if you didn't know how old your were?" and Popeye, who said "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam."

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Geonz
Reckon it all depends.
There are some cycling cultures who rank mirrors up there with high-water pants or tape in the middle of your glasses as "dork alert" -- so if you're highly sensitive about the COOL factor be aware. (Of course cool is subject to change.)
>>>

I don't give two damns about "cool"--my late father when he was 9 thought smoking was "cool"...but he didnt look so"cool" dying of lung cancer in his hospital bed a few yrs back, with lung and bone cancer destroying his body.

I read an article in Carbusters about bike safety and the author said mirrors are so vital that you'll wonder how you ever got by without one. I went out and bought one the next day--actually I bought fir each member of my family...my husband and three kids.

"Cool" means nothing if you're dead from a car you didnt see coming....or if you're in a head trauma unit with a new IQ of 4 and drooling from becoming a vegetable.

II agree with the last post about "cool". I have been using the take-a-look mirror for
about twelve years. I think they work grate.

The best thing about said mirror is that it will not rattle. Since it is mounted to your
head by way of your helmet or glasses you have a natural shock absorber.

They also let you scan behind your back without having your body getting in the way.

The take-a-look guy is a acquaintance of mine and if anybody is interested I will give
him a call and see if he has made or will make some lefty types.

"Ride to arrive alive"




Mike Frye Owner Frye Bikes Portland Or. U.S.A.

:D

count me in as a "cool dork". where i'm at right now, the only way to get from here to there on a bike is to have a full time 360-degree view of everyone on the road. i have a third eye mirror mounted on my helmet and i think, next to the camelback, it's the most functional thing i have on my bike.
i'm currently living in manila where commute biking is generally considered to be a death sport, bikes being at the bottom of the chain and considered as a nuisance (read, road kill). road regulations are openly disregarded, car lanes and traffic lights ignored, and right of way is determined by the size of your vehicle.

Originally posted by Diaba
[b]pig pog[/b/, I am not sure what you're asking but you can fin their site with a very simple web search. Google will definitely point you in the right direction.

But that's my point. It doesn't. The only contact ref I have ever seen is on the icebike site which gives an email address for the guy at Bike Peddlar but he seems to have sold the shop now. The only other sites are US resellers who want up USD100 shipping

best wishes
james

Originally posted by mike frye The take-a-look guy is a acquaintance of mine and if anybody is interested I will give
him a call and see if he has made or will make some lefty types.

I am interested. Especially if he would mail me one via USPS (it is hardly worth the cost of insurance/fedex etc for the value of the item). I heard someone on another list who claimed to have been offered a left handed mirror.

best wishes
james

Originally posted by interlooper
Hi. I'm considering getting one of those little mirrors you stick into or onto your handlebar to see what's happening behind you. I reckon that'd be really useful on the battlefield that is the australian roads and a quick alternative to the good-ol "shoulderglance".


HOWEVER, i've been told by some people that these mirrors do more damage than good, because they distort distance and don't have a full range of vision, and you tend to rely on them too much and make bad decisions etc etc.... what's with that? should i get a mirror or not?

Some mirrors distort some don't The curved surface mirrors that give you a panoramic view with wide field of vision distort. The flatter mirrors that give you a narrow field of view don't. Now days I just use 3rd eyes on helmet or glasses. The glasses mounted one gives the more reliable view.

When I used to ride more street, less bike route, pre-helmet glasses, I used to mount the wide angle mirrors low and sticking out to the sides. I mounted the nondistorting mirrors high and inside. Best of both worlds.

For a few weeks now I've been riding with a rear view mirror...I couldnt find a decent one until I went to a bike shop in Pitman, NJ, run by an elderly couple..but they have all the bike things I've needed that no one else had!

Anyway the mirror really really reduces my phobias of being hit from behind. I read an article last month in Carbusters thay recommended a mirror,. and in my 30+ yrs of cycling I never thought to get one. I wish I'd done it sooner! It also enables me to keep an eye on my 9 yr old daughter who rides behind me, too.

Originally posted by interlooper
Hi. I'm considering getting one of those little mirrors you stick into or onto your handlebar to see what's happening behind you. I reckon that'd be really useful on the battlefield that is the australian roads and a quick alternative to the good-ol "shoulderglance".


HOWEVER, i've been told by some people that these mirrors do more damage than good, because they distort distance and don't have a full range of vision, and you tend to rely on them too much and make bad decisions etc etc.... what's with that? should i get a mirror or not?

Consider trying helmet mounted or glasses frame mounted mirrors as well. I tried them all. Glasses mounted mirror works best for me. When I am ready to make a lane-wide move left, I always double check directly first, just to make sure nothing is in my blind spot.
David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA