Mirror, mirror....

[HaloJ]

I've got a bike eye like Potsy. Nice mirror for keeping an eye on what is behind but requires my right leg to be at the top of the pedal stroke. I'm still a frequent shoulder checker to the extent that as I pull away from lights I check over both shoulders, the right hand side for mopeds with L plates overtaking and the left hand side for cyclists undertaking.[sup]1[/sup]

[sup]1 [/sup]please note gross generalisations are meant as light banter and are not to be taken personally even if you are one of those undertaking cyclists.

 

[Davidc]

Mirrors or not the next time I'm on my own in London I'll try out one of the Boris bikes.

Should be better than my experience on one of the Brussels ones. The front wheel on that one moved across the road, all on its own with no action by me, and stuck itself into a tram line. The tyre came off and so did I. It was all the bike's fault, not mine! Should have had tyres wide enough so they wouldn't fit down the gap. After all hired bikes in The Netherlands never did that so it must've been the bike design, mustn't it?

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Used a mirror only when I went on a very heavily laden camping trip years back - found it useful then, but only because long looks back were more difficult, it allowed me to monitor what was behind (and keep an eye out for the girl riding behind, make sure I wasn't pulling away etc)

The cheapie steel ones on a long stalk are a waste of raw materials, a reasonable quality mirror doesn't shake all that much

I don't use one for "normal" riding but have considered it but only IN ADDITION TO looking behind, just to monitor things but I worry that it might inadvertantly lead to lazier riding, not looking back enough etc.

 

[Norm]

I've got a bike eye like Potsy. Nice mirror for keeping an eye on what is behind but requires my right leg to be at the top of the pedal stroke.

+1 to all of that. I don't use a mirror as a substitute to a shoulder check when manoeuvring - aside from anything else, a driver is usually more conscious of a shoulder check meaning that the cyclist is about to do something.

However, as an additional safety item to check longer distances to the rear, the Bike-Eye gives arguably better vision than a shoulder check.

 

[gaz]

Having ridden these bikes and having no problem looking over my sholder. I can't see any reason to install a mirror, it's only something you will miss if you have one on your bike, and lets be honest how many people do. (i don't have an issue with mirrors, just that from a general obvservation, the majority of cyclists don't have mirros)

has three gears: Sloth, Tortoise and Ageing Elephant.

I love this quote, mainly because it's true

If you can look round, but can't do it without wobbling or riding perfectly straight, then I'd suggest your bike skills need serious practice. Might be best to spend some time in a park riding a chalk line whilst looking back.

Aye. lots of practice means you can eventually look behind you for a good period of time whilst cycling in a striaght line, very helpful for when cycling on fast duel carrageways.

 

[661-Pete]

...very helpful for when cycling on fast duel carrageways.

The sort of carriageways that inspire Steven Spielberg to make a movie....?

Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

[BSRU]

I have a mirror, I find it very useful for giving a general idea of what is behind me. Just a quick glance down with the eyes and I can see what's going on. Still look over my shoulders, especially when any change of direction/road position is required, also remember to look over the left shoulder when turn left.

 

[hackbike 666]

Actually I have a weakness...I don't seem to be able to look as far over my left shoulder as I can over my right shoulder...so sometimes I tend to look over my right to look to the left so to speak,so perhaps a left hand mirror would be useful.

 

[661-Pete]

Actually I have a weakness...I don't seem to be able to look as far over my left shoulder as I can over my right shoulder...so sometimes I tend to look over my right to look to the left so to speak,so perhaps a left hand mirror would be useful.

That's true for me, too. In fact, when in France I still tend to look over the right shoulder, obviously not the best idea, but I can see far enough round to suffice. Over the left shoulder, I can't. I don't go on very busy roads, there, in any case.

 

[phil_hg_uk]

I use one of these on the rhs on my bike:

fits in the bar end on drop bars.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Actually I have a weakness...I don't seem to be able to look as far over my left shoulder as I can over my right shoulder...so sometimes I tend to look over my right to look to the left so to speak,so perhaps a left hand mirror would be useful.

I'm the opposite....on my way home on a d/c with a very slight left hand bend, though of course I check over my right before moving out into the outside lane to turn right, I tend to monitor traffic further back by looking over my left

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

Use the 'Blackburn' brand mirrors; more expensive but worth it - they don't tend to shake out of position.

 

[Arch]

Having ridden these bikes and having no problem looking over my sholder. I can't see any reason to install a mirror, it's only something you will miss if you have one on your bike, and lets be honest how many people do. (i don't have an issue with mirrors, just that from a general obvservation, the majority of cyclists don't have mirros)

You assume there that the hire bikes will be used by people who have their own bikes, or at least use them regularly. If you want to get people out of cars for short trips, then make the bikes like the cars - with mirrors for easy rear views....

I have mirrors on the trike - it's much more difficult to look right round from the seat. Everytime I ride the trike and then get back on the upright, I have to readjust to not having the mirror to just glance into as I go along. On the trike, they are invaluable, and I like being able to monitor the road behind constantly without turning my head - I still do lifesavers of course. On the upright, I can glance round more easily, so I do that instead.

Mirrors can also be very useful for people like my Mum, with poor peripheral vision, or loss of sight in one eye - to see clearly behind her, she'd have to be looking round at virtually 180 degrees.

I tried a Bike Eye, and it was useless - but then they do say it's not meant for a bike with rack and panniers, as they block, or complicate the view to the point that you can't take it in quickly.

Being able to look round for a long time without wobbling is a skill, and one useful perhaps on a long straight road. In town, I fear you might be looking back so carefully, you'd run into the idiot stepping or pulling out in front of you....

 

[Tinuts]

I've tried a number of mirrors over the years and the best is still the first one I bought.

Mirrycle make mirrors for both road and mtb style bars. I've tried both and find them very stable and sufficiently adjustable.

The only downside is that they add a bit of extra width to your mtb bars which can be inconvenient when manoeuvring through tight spaces.