asterix
Comrade Member
- Location
- Limoges or York
I don't like to rely on mirrors, my preferred method is sit up and turn round. It can prove quite useful to eyeball an oncoming driver for traffic calming purposes.
Rear view mirror
- Thread starter 3narf
- Start date
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My favourite is the Cateye Race Mirror - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/C...r/5360007169/?referid=frogoog&source=googleps
snailracer
Über Member
I use a Blackburn helmet mirror.
Took me a while to position it right and get used to it, but IMO it's actually better than a shoulder check because you can switch your attention between front and rear much more frequently and quickly, without unbalancing the steering. These days, I mainly do a shoulder check as a courtesy to other vehicles.
The viewing angle is narrow, but all the angles are covered by a small sweep of the head. The mirror is not convex so I can easily judge how close other vehicles are. I position it so it sits horizontally just to the right of my right eye’s field of vision (i.e. not above or below), maybe 5 inches away from my right eye. I wear prescription glasses.
I sit fairly upright on a slicked-up MTB – with a roadie “head-down” position, a helmet mirror wouldn’t work because you would only see your own shoulder in it.
I cut off the balljoint/sticky pad and fixed it to my helmet with cable ties – I have no issues with vibration. The balljoint has lots of stiction (good) and is probably usable, but I cut it off because there was no flat area to attach it on my helmet.
I guess it could be bumped out of position, but that hasn’t happened yet in the 3 years I have been using it. The arm/pad is made out of a very strong, “chewy” plastic that is unlikely to just snap with normal use.
I think it’s brilliant, but it IS tricky to position and took me ages to get used to it.
Took me a while to position it right and get used to it, but IMO it's actually better than a shoulder check because you can switch your attention between front and rear much more frequently and quickly, without unbalancing the steering. These days, I mainly do a shoulder check as a courtesy to other vehicles.
The viewing angle is narrow, but all the angles are covered by a small sweep of the head. The mirror is not convex so I can easily judge how close other vehicles are. I position it so it sits horizontally just to the right of my right eye’s field of vision (i.e. not above or below), maybe 5 inches away from my right eye. I wear prescription glasses.
I sit fairly upright on a slicked-up MTB – with a roadie “head-down” position, a helmet mirror wouldn’t work because you would only see your own shoulder in it.
I cut off the balljoint/sticky pad and fixed it to my helmet with cable ties – I have no issues with vibration. The balljoint has lots of stiction (good) and is probably usable, but I cut it off because there was no flat area to attach it on my helmet.
I guess it could be bumped out of position, but that hasn’t happened yet in the 3 years I have been using it. The arm/pad is made out of a very strong, “chewy” plastic that is unlikely to just snap with normal use.
I think it’s brilliant, but it IS tricky to position and took me ages to get used to it.
henshaw11
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Walton-On-Thames
>I'm not sure that the Take A Look can be adapted for RH side (riding on left)
Perhaps I should have been a little more explicit
The LS side fitting (riding on right) versions *can* be bent - carefully - for rhs fitting - there's even a bit of video from the manufacturers showing as such. Curiously they don't list a RHS fitting mirror on the website, but they do exist - the version I bought off ebay (uk) *is* for RHS fitting without any bending necessary.
FWIW, there's a 'standard' and 'compact' version - the standard's fine size-wise, I think I might find the compact a little small for not much gain otherwise - YMMV.
One good thing about it is that since it sits on one's glasses it's very easy to position, and tends to stay there. That said, I find I occasionally knock it whilst shifting my kit around, but it's easy to reposition and never moves in actual use, so it's never an issue as such.
Perhaps I should have been a little more explicit
The LS side fitting (riding on right) versions *can* be bent - carefully - for rhs fitting - there's even a bit of video from the manufacturers showing as such. Curiously they don't list a RHS fitting mirror on the website, but they do exist - the version I bought off ebay (uk) *is* for RHS fitting without any bending necessary.FWIW, there's a 'standard' and 'compact' version - the standard's fine size-wise, I think I might find the compact a little small for not much gain otherwise - YMMV.
One good thing about it is that since it sits on one's glasses it's very easy to position, and tends to stay there. That said, I find I occasionally knock it whilst shifting my kit around, but it's easy to reposition and never moves in actual use, so it's never an issue as such.
smoggy
Active Member
- Location
- North West Durham
Has anybody tried one of these http://www.bike-eye.com/products.html I'm concerned that a helmet mirror on my hybrid will only show my shoulder. Its a shame that I cant find an lbs locally that does a "clip on type" that I could try astride a bike.
Gasman
Old enough to know better, too old to care!
- Location
- Third Rock From The Sun
I've used the helmet and spec-leg mounted mirrors featured here for some years now and consider them the best cycle accessory since the brake block! Particularly when I'm on the 'bent and a look behind is damn near impossible. I wouldn't recommend the 'Viewpoint' spec lens mirror. If your specs have any degree of wrap-around then they are far too close (!?) to your eye. On regular specs they work but need to be a lot more central than the illustrations show.