Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => The Dark Side => Topic started by: Beardy on 21 April, 2011, 11:00:19 am
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Has this been done before? I apologise if so, but :D
The Grasshopper has USS which I like, but a bar end mounted B&M shows only a lovely reflection of my arm, so is of little use. I steer left handed while a peer in the mirror, but there must be a better alternative.
So lets see what and how you've mounted your vanity accessory to provide a) guidance for me, b) inspiration to the collective and c) [possibly] amusement to all :)
Ta
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(http://www.ductilebiscuit.net/gallery_albums/SMGT/IMG_2595.sized.jpg) (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=45696.msg902373#msg902373)
B&M Cyclestar, long stem version. Clamped round the bar (very few mirrors have this fitting, it's essential if you've got bar-end shifters, but it comes with a bar-end plug fitting too) below the brake lever. I've never had a problem with arms/shoulders/panniers blocking the view, but I dare say I have smaller arms/shoulders than the average YACFer.
Get the setup right, and the mirror will fold in between the brake lever and grip, for trains, doorways and the like.
IIRC the bars on the SMGT are slightly further forward than on a Grasshopper, but otherwise it's a very similar setup.
I expect rower40 will be along in a bit to extol the virtues of his rather nifty but sadly unobtanium Reevu helmet.
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You could also ultra polish the Spork for a variable view mirror.... ;)
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I had a B&M like that, and a bar end Mirrycle that had come with the trike. Both were good, but the B&M was getting a bit old and tended to sag or fold in on fast descents, and the wormgear clamp had worn out teeth, so I replaced it with a matching Mirrycle.
mirrycle.com: mountain mirrycle (http://www.mirrycle.com/mountain_mirrycle.php)
Then, the first mirrycle snapped! Just clean snapped through the arm, on a rough bit of road at about 14 mph.
My other half fixed it for me - there was a cavity inside the horizontal arm (the ridged bit) that I assumed was intentional, but he felt about in it with some rod and found it was actually a bubble in the casting. He tidied it up, inserted a rod to splint it, and glued it back together. He also said that the ridging in the arm, which I assumed had some purpose, is probably why it's weaker. I haven't got round to refitting it yet, but suspect it's now better than new. Despite this, I like the mirrycle, it gives a very good view, and I don't have any trouble with my arms blocking the view, except when indicating, I have to remember to raise my arm a bit more than normal. And it only sticks out a fraction beyond the wheels, and it's easy to rotate the mirror bit in to fit through narrow gaps. I'll probably give both a sleeve of inner tube fixed at each end, so as to retain the bits in case of any further snapping. My other half did say that the sharp edged ridged design probably contributed to the weakness, and was a bit pointless.
I'll look at home later to see if I have pics of the various set ups.
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I've a USS Speedmachine - the Take-A-Look mirror's pretty decent, attaches to one's specs/shades so needs a degree of frame thickness to work properly, but is nice and secure once it's there. Someone on fleabay sells them for about 15 quid iirc - for the correct side too (ie rhs fitment). There's a standard and small model, the standard's not that large IMO. You have to make the minor concession approaching roundabouts, for example ,of turning you head right rather than looking right.
(You *can* put rhs on lhs and vice versa, but it requires bending things I believe)
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I've just got a very old chrome one, that clamps to the bar by a very workman like no frills nut and bolt, that I got for about a £1years ago - it was originally intended to go on the door of my retro cal bug, but now it's on the bar of my PDQ (equally retro by now?).
Needs adjusting a couple of times per ride (too many sleeping policemen around here) but does the job fine.
Tried a helmet mounted mirror, but no good - I'm a head mover rather than an eye mover, so kept losing the view. That and I don't do helmets on the bent.
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B&M Cyclestar, long stem version
same here on the ape-hanger bars of the swb 'bent.
Thanks to Kim for the inspiration at Mildenhall last year.
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The mirrycle is the best I've tried, a really astonishing view (although part of that is the proximity of my face to the bars - it's only about 8" from my eyes).
Unfortunately it doesn't provide a very good view when I'm riding with my right hand tucked behind my head (for that essential "I'm overtaking you but I can't even be arsed to pretend I'm trying" look) and I don't seem to be able to master riding the bike with just my right hand - strange as that sounds.
I also pushed the bars away from me the other day when I realised 155mm cranks gave me lots of space between bar and knee, and now of course the mirror view is a little diminished.
What do you chaps do when it comes to riding at night? I keep meaning to try stocking or something as a gauze to dim my mirror, but haven't yet got around to it. Typically I just twist the mirror so I'm not seeing anything. ::-)
Strangely (and embarrassingly) the only photo I have is from my CCE top trump card:
(http://www.mccraw.co.uk/upload/trump.jpg)
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The mirrycle is the best I've tried, a really astonishing view
mrs. jogler has two of these on her Trice: one lhs & one rhs of the bars.
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+1 for the mirrycle. I dont get too much bother with lights at night, mind you I have yet to do any back county long night rides, just in the city.
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The worst thing is riding at night with other cyclists. Either you are sitting at the height of their rear photon cannon which is most uncomfortable, or your mirror is giving you the full force of their daemonic front laser setup...
Side by side removes this problem of course, but that only works when the road's not overly busy (to be fair, this describes most of the night riding I do).
In town is not so bad because of the high level of ambient light and oncoming traffic etc. It's more when you get outside the 30 zones and your eyes adapt to the black tunnel around your own front light...
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Third eye, on the QNT (with thumb shifters;) faultless. Can even use it to catch some of the tyre spray/ caste off, if I am caught out in the wet, mudgaurdless. And, it works as a wrist rest too! :thumbsup:
I need a mirror for my B1, (hamster bars.) My problem now is I have a choice, and I feel an attack of pendantism coming on. Curse the trifling detail, but maybe it is of importance, in some situations :hand:
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I wonder about a small wide angle camera, and LCD screen on the bars. We probably have the technology to do this now, at a not daft price range, although it would be something else that needed batteries. :-\
I quite like the idea of a mirror for group riding, although I know it'll get knocked out of position sticking out sideways, the moment I lean the bike against something. A rear view camera would obviate that problem.
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I quite like the idea of a mirror for group riding, although I know it'll get knocked out of position sticking out sideways, the moment I lean the bike against something. A rear view camera would obviate that problem.
As would a propstand. ;D
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I quite like the idea of a mirror for group riding, although I know it'll get knocked out of position sticking out sideways, the moment I lean the bike against something. A rear view camera would obviate that problem.
As would a propstand. ;D
I doubt a propstand would support the weight of my panniers. ;D
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I expect rower40 will be along in a bit to extol the virtues of his rather nifty but sadly unobtanium Reevu helmet.
Yes Miss. O:-)
Actually, there's no need. It's all been said before.
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Timo, bullet camers and led/lcd display; I think the world carbon consumption would be slightly reduced with this feature on all new vehihcles, especially those with internel combustion!!!!!!! Those wing mirror must cause so much drag. I wonder what increase in fuel consuption one would get. A digression, but I am living dangerously! :)
I notice they use dinky litttle mirrors on Quests. Thats the answer; buy a quest. I'll get mine on order. (Current dream, future reality!) Solves the propstand problem, and the panniers.
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I expect rower40 will be along in a bit to extol the virtues of his rather nifty but sadly unobtanium Reevu helmet.
Yes Miss. O:-)
Actually, there's no need. It's all been said before.
I've got one.".
Neck stretched too far back on the Airnimal or other Upwrongs, and chin on chestbon the recumbents
Worked wellon the Delibike though
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I've got one.".
Neck stretched too far back on the Airnimal or other Upwrongs, and chin on chestbon the recumbents
Worked wellon the Delibike though
Point taken - the vertical field of view is rather poor - like looking through a car rear-view mirror that can't be adjusted.
Having said that, on the Grasshopper 'bent, the movement of the head to see backwards using the helmet mirror is, as you say, just a dip of chin to chest, whereas to look back in the conventional way requires the full Exorcist re-enactment.
I didn't wear it on the Tissington trail today; I was supremely confident of being the fastest thing on the trail, and didn't dare look upon the carnage left in my wake.
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Any ideas what mirrors I can fit to mine? Needs to sit below the foam hand grip.
(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1231/1424672941_b7fca128b5_z.jpg?zz=1)
Ideally something nice looking that I can paint green to match.
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That seat looks uncomfortable!
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More seriously - are the "bars" extending back from the headsets hollow with a bar end plug?
Do they extend behind the wheel?
If so then plugging a Mirrycle into the end of these is an option seen on Catrikes....
(http://lh3.ggpht.com/__e2UbuEZzog/S9hkgiaJhrE/AAAAAAAAEpY/efEBNuzIYwo/CatrikeMirrorImprovement.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs459.ash2/73207_1636719488167_1542136333_1482614_7140434_n.jpg)
I have nicked a couple of images to show the position.
.. and the black continues the theme of the handlebar assembly, so saves your paint!
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Tis not hollow :(
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Got a big drill?
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Sounds like 20 questions here!
Is it a standard handlebar diameter?
If so will it take a bar end, and then fit the Mirrycle to the bar end?
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The Terracycle cockpit mount has various bits and clamps designed to extend and provide mountings for all sorts, and bits can be bought separately:
Miva Merchant: Fatal Error (http://www.terracycle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=T&Category_Code=CP)
Alternatively, looking at that lot might give ideas has to using odds and ends like barends, as Cunobelin suggests.
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Brilliant, that might also help me out with the lack of suitable mudguards. I really don't want to pay Challenge £245 for a set.
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I used to find that the Mirrycles on the Trice eventually failed through fatigue and bounced off into the undergrowth, never to be seen again. It's currently got Blackburns. Best of all is the glasses-mounted Take-A-Look.
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Now has two mirrors, I had too many of my mates try to sneak up on my left side with just the one mirror:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2662/3878648578_ec9e964175.jpg)
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Dear Wendy.......As a digression. Like the look of that fairing!
What is it? :o
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Dear Wendy.......As a digression. Like the look of that fairing!
What is it? :o
Thanks! It's a VK2 tail box - lovely piece of work and fits the carbon Fujin seat perfectly, because that's also made by Velokraft. P.s. Anyone have news of Kamil?
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I could just put up a picture of my glasses, but instead this should do:
(http://fotoalbum.dds.nl/ivo_m/300kmmaastricht2011/medium/IMGP8290.jpg)
Picture made by Ivo on his 300km BRM last saturday.
It's a bent dentists mirror, attached with cut off bits of hose. Sold to me by recumbent shop ACE in Winterswijk, NL.
It's bent the wrong way for the UK though.
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It's a bent dentists mirror, attached with cut off bits of hose. Sold to me by recumbent shop ACE in Winterswijk, NL.
It's bent the wrong way for the UK though.
I tried using my Take-a-Look on the LHS of my glasses while in France but couldn't get used to it and left it on the right instead. Not a problem in practice.
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I agree that the side isn't really important.
On the ferry to LEL I moved it to the other side, and found out that the bend made it useless on the right. I put it back on on the left, and it was fine.