Author Topic: mirrors on bikes?  (Read 7948 times)

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
mirrors on bikes?
« on: 17 June, 2009, 11:27:53 am »
I seem to have a bad case of Miss Whiplash, complicated story, but not car accident related.  Out this morning and couldnt really look over my right shoulder. So what options are available for mirrors, The bike eye jobby wont be much use as I got a saddle bag on the rear rack, (width ways not a rack top bag). Any body use the ones that plug into the ends of the drops and stick out side ways, are any of them any good, or useless / fragile/ wobbly.  I bow to your greater knowledge! :thumbsup:

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #1 on: 17 June, 2009, 11:40:32 am »
I use this one
fits on the hoods with velcro so you can take it off and you can still use to hoods for riding

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #2 on: 17 June, 2009, 11:48:39 am »
If you wear shades while riding consider the Take-a-Look.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #3 on: 17 June, 2009, 12:18:04 pm »
I use this one
fits on the hoods with velcro so you can take it off and you can still use to hoods for riding

Any chance of a piccie in situ. :thumbsup: stumpy

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #4 on: 17 June, 2009, 01:10:58 pm »
I've fallen in love with these

Wildoo - Mirrors

Two mirrors in the pack, bar end ones, give a good coverage (slightly obscured by large panniers).

Best of all though the give a clear picture.  All mirrors on stalks I have tried vibrate too much to be useful.


Also, being in the bar ends, I haven't yet snapped it off.  I have damaged too many stalk mounted mirrors.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #5 on: 17 June, 2009, 01:32:11 pm »
I use the B&M bar-end mirror (the smaller version, which I use with a long stem).  It does vibrate a bit, but not greatly so - I've used it for 3 or 4 years and been very happy with it.  It certainly overcomes the problems of saddlebag / panniers obstructing the view.

Subject, of course, to the observation that a mirror is no substitute for a look over the shoulder - great for that first look, or generally keeping an eye on the road behind, but easy to miss things as the angle of view is quite narrow.

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #6 on: 17 June, 2009, 01:33:22 pm »
I've fallen in love with these

Wildoo - Mirrors

Two mirrors in the pack, bar end ones, give a good coverage (slightly obscured by large panniers).

Best of all though the give a clear picture.  All mirrors on stalks I have tried vibrate too much to be useful.


Also, being in the bar ends, I haven't yet snapped it off.  I have damaged too many stalk mounted mirrors.

Hmm! look a bit odd! dont your kneez hit them when out of the saddle?

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #7 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:03:38 pm »
no.  No knee interaction at all.

Same as with bar end levers, you don't hit them  :)


Shown from side on, you can see they aren't that big.


FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #8 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:11:24 pm »
You want to swing those handlebars down a few degrees!   :demon:
This isn't just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional blood sport. It can happen to you. And it can happen again.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #9 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:14:23 pm »
You want to swing those handlebars down a few degrees!   :demon:
That's his French set up, duh!  ::-)
When he puts the Brooks on he swings the bars down.  ;D

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #10 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:16:43 pm »
I think if fatblokes right, then they'd be more like mine, and maybe some interference there. Must say never felt the need before, maybe just panicking! Do you rely on them now, I mean if you took them off would you miss them.?

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #11 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:32:46 pm »
I've never "relied" on mirrors.  I always look over my shoulder.


I like riding with them, especially when commuting, as I always have a constant awareness of the situation behind me, which enables me to adjust my speed so that when I get to a junction I want to turn right into I have aligned myself with a gap, which just needs a shoulder check to confirm.

I don't have mirrors on any other bike, other than the windcheetah, and although I do miss the total awareness of my surroundings I don't have a problem riding, nor do I need a distinct need to go out and purchase more mirrors.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #12 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:33:39 pm »
Another thought re knee interaction - the ends of the bars are outside the knees when honking, not in line with them.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #13 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:34:10 pm »
You want to swing those handlebars down a few degrees!   :demon:

lol.  They've gone up several degrees since that photo was taken.  :thumbsup:

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #14 on: 17 June, 2009, 02:46:28 pm »
I had the small one similar to those, but it frequently go knocked off. I prefer the view in the Mirrycle ones. The don't wobble too much and have a nice big surface that isn't too convex. :)
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #15 on: 17 June, 2009, 04:11:10 pm »
I use a Cateye one on the bar-end, it's got a sort of Universal Joint affair. These have served me well, but do eventually snap off. As soon as my SO isn't looking I intend to invest in a pair of Nutty's mirrors.
(Me - I've got two permenantly frozen shoulders which makes looking over my shoulder , as well as using the pockets on normal cycling tops, very difficult)
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Blodwyn Pig

  • what a nice chap
Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #16 on: 17 June, 2009, 04:55:29 pm »
I had the small one similar to those, but it frequently go knocked off. I prefer the view in the Mirrycle ones. The don't wobble too much and have a nice big surface that isn't too convex. :)

dont suppose they do these for campy ergo's, says sti specific.!

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #17 on: 17 June, 2009, 07:38:42 pm »
I have used the other type with a p clip type arrangement on my butterfly bars, you could probably cobble something :D.
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Si

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #18 on: 17 June, 2009, 07:57:39 pm »
I got one of those that attaches to your helmet so that you can use it on any bike and it doesn't get knocked when you lean your bike against anything.

Other's views may vary (crap pun!) but I really couldn't get on with it.  The size meant that a lot of head movement was needed to get the right view, and even then I could only see what was immediately behind me - anything more than a couple of car lengths back could either have been parked or doing 90mph toward me - it was impossible to tell from the small view.  Anyhow, after a few rides the mirror fell out of the backing mount.

Gone back to the one that sticks out the end of my handle bar - much better as long as you don't have panniers on.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #19 on: 17 June, 2009, 08:47:10 pm »
Cyclestar Bar end works very well for me on my set up. Mirror never interferes with my knee when pedalling.

Same view as nutty. Good for general awareness, but no substitute for a look over the shoulder when you really want to communicate with anyone in a following vehicle.
Rust never sleeps

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #20 on: 17 June, 2009, 11:50:08 pm »
I think that cyclestar might have been my original, lost I think in an accident, and deeply missed ever since.

The sprintech have been a good substitute.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #21 on: 18 June, 2009, 12:04:45 am »
This looks tempting I have to say.
Rust never sleeps

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #22 on: 18 June, 2009, 12:20:36 am »
Seems expensive compared to the other options?    The sprintech ones are £19.99 for a pair, and that photo is what I look at every time I get on the bike...

Martin

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #23 on: 18 June, 2009, 12:27:18 am »
the little Zefal bar-end one worked well on PBP (until some plonquer broke it by knocking over the railing my bike was attached to in Fougeres) for very little dosh, especially as I find it hard to look behind to the left whilst riding on the right. On that event most Leftpodians had shades-mounted ones.

Re: mirrors on bikes?
« Reply #24 on: 18 June, 2009, 06:41:27 am »
I've fallen in love with these

Wildoo - Mirrors


+1

Fantastic items for general awarness, vibration is minimal, I also look over my shoulder as this tells the driver that you know that he is there.

The flat bar ones are also good.

Geoff
Only those that dare to go too far, know how far they can go.   T S Elliot