Helmet mirror or handlebar mirror?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Which is better?
I don't want anything on my prescription glasses, so that's out.
I'm going to have taped drop bars on my road bike- are there mirrors made for drop bars, or does that not work well? I have no clue about mirrors. Are there good and bad helmet mirrors?
Advice from you experienced riders out there please...

[tulip]

I had a handlebar mirror on my commuting bike (flat bars), but I found two problems with it: it widened my bars to the point of making it difficult to negotiate tight traffic, which I must do in the streets of DC, and it kindof got me off balance. I decided that I was safer without a mirror, that I am better off paying attention to what is going on in front of me.

I can't use one of those helmet mirrors because I am blind in my left eye and the mirror wouldn't do much good on the right side! Plus, it would block my good eye, and then we'd all be in trouble.

But you'll have to decide for yourself what is just right for you.

[Kano]

There are handlebar mirrors for drop bars -- I saw several styles today. Bought one -- mine aren't drop bars, but I put it in the end of my "flat" bars. I haven't tried DH's eyeglass/helmet mirror, but the placement looks to me like it would drive me nuts! That and his glasses, which are old and loose to begin with, keep falling off him when he's using it. (can't convince him it's time for new glasses, though...)

I had one on my handlebars before, and it worked out pretty well for me. The one I picked up today will fold back onto the handlebar when I need it to, which is an improvement over the one I had on my old bike until my kids decided it wasn't "cool" and chucked it.

Karen in Boise

[mimitabby]

some of us just can't get used to helmet mirrors!! i just bought the coolest little mirror at Freerange cycle for my tandem. i like it so much that i am going to buy one for my single bike too.

[Fredwina]

i;m going to be weird and admit that I prefer a helmet mirror. By twisting your head, you do get a lot more visibility.

[Kano]

i;m going to be weird and admit that I prefer a helmet mirror. By twisting your head, you do get a lot more visibility.

I love the idea of these things -- MY problem with it is that I'd fixate on it, since it's right there... I'd probably get over that eventually, but I'm concerned about what sort of trouble I could get into in the mean time!

Karen in Boise (who's looking forward to being able to see backward with the new mirror!)

[tomgrrrl]

I think it's just a personal preference. I tried the helmet mirror, but hated it....some I know love it. I have a nice round mirror on the drops (left side) that works well and doesn't stick out much.....it's probably about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and is adjustable, but doesn't stick out like the one on my mtb.

I think a mirror, either way, is a must for road riding safety.....

[salsabike]

I have handlebar mirrors on drops on both road bike and tandem. Wouldn't want to be without them.

[witeowl]

I love the idea of these things -- MY problem with it is that I'd fixate on it, since it's right there...

I just put on my brand-new mirror for the first time today and loved it! Based on the recommendation of someone in the LBC (and seeing that everyone with a mirror in the group has it) I got the take-a-look mirror (available at teamestrogen here (http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=4043)). Most people atach it to glasses, but it comes with an adaptor to attach it to a helmet if you want.

I was also afraid that I'd fixate and/or it would block out part of my line of sight. Surprisingly, I totally forgot it was there except when I was using it. (I forgot about it so much I even forgot to take advantage of it a couple of times!) It's frameless, too, so that probably helps.

I was warned that handlebar mirrors shake and wiggle a lot, but I can't speak from experience on that.

Oh, and I'm sure it goes without saying, but even with a mirror, be sure to still look over your shoulder before changing lanes or making a similar move... just like you do when driving your car. :)

[Blueberry]

I use a handlebar mirror which plugs into the drops. Before that, I tried one that mounted on the hood, but it caused problems with flightdeck operation.

Only problem with it: it vibrates on rough roads. It doesn't knock itself out of alignment, but it makes it hard to see. I still double check by turning my head, but I generally like to know what's coming behind me as a defensive biking measure:p

[SR500]

We use this one on a couple of our bikes:

http://www.aspirevelotech.com/ebayimages/Inst_Cap.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/Italian-ROAD-BIKE-MIRROR-bicycle-mirrors-bar-end_W0QQitemZ260012710717QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42319QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Works great.

[Nanci]

I had the Take A Look mirror on my helmet, and I loved it, except it looked stupid in pictures- it would alwys be right over my eye, but a few weeks ago the helmet mounting plastic thing broke. (Less than 6 months old) So now it's on my glasses, but it makes the bow bend in and push really hard on my temple. I'm in the market for a new mirror now- maybe handle bar...

Nanci

[SouthernBelle]

I had a helmet mirror for a short while but lost it pretty quickly. But while I had it, it was aggravating. You get it adjusted, then change your hand position and it's wrong.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

You guys are great! Now I feel like I have "some" knowledge when I go to get my bike tomorrow and pick up a mirror. More opinions and preferences are still welcome on this subject....

One type mirror I can rule out though--
I will have bar end shifters like this:
http://cyclofiend.com/cc/images/cc020-4Rambouillet%20009%20(2).jpg
so those little mirrors that fit into the bar ends won't work for me.

[Nokomis]

Nanci - does the Take a Look mirror stay in a fixed position?

I have a flexible mirror on my helmet now, but feel like I have to buy a new one frequently because the pivot joint becomes so loose that it'll be out of adjustment on a quick decent or a breezy day. I like it - on days I can get it positioned correctly. But I did have a LONG learning curve when I first bought it - some days I'd get it positioned correctly right away, the next I'd be fighting it the entire ride trying to get it adjusted.

[Nanci]

It's very adjustable. (Take a look) The mirror is on a jointed wire thing, which hooks under plastic/velcro, which broke. Adjustment, even on the fly, was simple.

[Clare]

Thought I'd chime in on this thread. I've gone through just about every kind of helmet mirror that I can find. Some I've lost because they fell off, or they have broken. The best one yet that I have used and am using now is this one:http://www.kijkom.nl/docs/reflex-e.htm. It is so super adjustable that you can adjust it so that you almost don't have to turn your head to get the rear-view that you want. It is removeable for pictures:D. I guess what I like best about it, though, is the fact that it is so adjustable. With the others, I was constantly turning my head, or adjusting it, to get a good view of whats coming up behind me. This mirror has a bendable arm that really helps in its mobility and functioin.

Clare
p.s. I didn't buy it from this site. My LBS ordered it for me, and I think it cost me about fifteen dollars.

[HillSlugger]

I tried the glasses mirror but the field of view is so small that I spent too much time trying to figure out what I was seeing and it was preventing me from keeping my eye on the road. I've now got a mirror on the end of my flat bar, but I don't like the extra width. If anyone has another idea I'd love to hear it!

[eclectic]

I've used a handle bar mirror for a couple of years first on a leisure bike and now on my road bike.

I had the ones that velcroed on and don't care at all for them, I can never get them on tight enough and they seem always to shift, also it gets in the way when I go down in the drops. I am constantly adjusting it due to road chatter.

Advantage: wide range of vision when adjusted correctly, easy to look at

Bought a helmet mirror on Monday.

I am like the guy that wears both a belt and suspenders. I still have my handlebar mirror on until I get used to the helmet mirror :p

I think I will like the helmet mirror better in the long run because I'll have it no matter which bike I am on (I don't have a mirror on my old mtn bike and the road one doesn't fit), it is easy to adjust and stays in place

[mary9761]

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l151/mary9761b/14%20-%2016%20July%20Bike%20Journal%20ReUnion%202006/DSCN8011MarytakingpictureofZintakin.jpg
This is the mirror I use and I'd be lost without it. I got it at my LBS, but they're made by an older gentleman in Ohio from used spokes. It's not in my way for line of sight, I can adjust it and it pretty much stays adjusted unless I bump it and I don't get a lot of jostle while I'm riding. I don't have the guy's name with me right now since I'm not at home, but I LOVE mine. It's even strong enough to pick your helmet up with (though I try not to do that) sorry about the size of the photo, I don't know how to adjust the size in this forum.

[Bike Goddess]

I used to have a glasses mirror, but then when I saw one of our elite riders in my club with a mirror on the drops, I decided to try that.

I now have these mirrors on both of my bikes. What I like is I can see behind me for probably 1/4 mile or more, so I know when traffic is coming. It's specially nice when they have their lights on!

When I am going to move into another lane to turn left, for example, I always look over my shoulder (as I do when I drive as well). It's easy to adjust which I will often do on the road.

[KnottedYet]

I've always had handlebar mirrors (Zephal), for years and on several different bikes. Finally, I couldn't take the sloppiness and the constant adjusting, and realized it was really distracting me.

Bought a mirror that hooks on my glasses (CycleAware) and really love it. Took about 1/2 hour to get used to it. The field of view is awesome for me, it doesn't go out of adjustment when I go over bumps, and it doesn't block my view.

I'm much happier with the glasses mirror. Your mileage may vary.

[mary9761]

I've had several people ask where I got my mirror. It's made by a gentleman in Ohio who's name is Chuck Harris.

This is from the paperwork that came with my mirror...
Ultra Light Rear View Mirrors For Cyclists
Continuously manufactured since 1970 by Chuck Harris. A Green product.

They are available in 1/4 inch, 1 inch, 1 1/4 inch, and 1 1/2 inch. You can get them for helmets or glasses.

He does make custom mirrors.

To contact Mr. Harris, here is the information

Ultra Light Touring Shop
P.O. BOX 363
Gambier, Ohio 43022
(740) 427-3404

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I got a "Third Eye" helmet mirror. I really like it! Takes a day to get used to it being there, then you don't really notice it unless you are checking it. As a new rider, I have a hard time looking all the way behind me long enough to get a really good look without starting to wobble. Now I can check my mirror first and get a pretty accurate wide scan, then take a quick last look over my shoulder to make double sure (as in driving a car, I would NEVER depend soley on a mirror when turning or changing lanes). Also, like with a car rear view mirror, I tend to check automatically more often while just riding along now, and that keeps me knowing what's generally around me even if I'm not planning to turn, and when I normally wouldn't be looking over my shoulder. I am learning to move my head just slightly to quickly scan around behind me with my mirror.

[SnappyPix]

We use this one on a couple of our bikes:

http://www.aspirevelotech.com/ebayimages/Inst_Cap.jpg

http://cgi.ebay.com/Italian-ROAD-BIKE-MIRROR-bicycle-mirrors-bar-end_W0QQitemZ260012710717QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42319QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Works great.

I just wanted to thank SR500 for making this post, as I went ahead and ordered one of these mirrors for my road bike.
The service was excellent - arrived from the US to NZ in just a matter of days.
It's a bit fiddly to fit, but it really is the dog's baubles.
I've been out a few times now since I fitted it, and the field of vision is excellent - very wide angle and clear.
I'd highly recommend these over the type that strap onto the STI hoods - it's unobtrusive, has less dorky factor and does exactly what it says on the box.