I now wear a mirror when riding

[malkin]

That 'look at the image' thing worked for me. I used to get sick looking at the mirror too.

I gave up on my mirror though because I kept knocking it off my glasses and I got better at turning to look behind me anyway.

[Catrin]

I have straight bars there are bar-end mirrors work made for them I use the Mirrycle Mountain mirror and I wouldn't cycle without it. I've no desire for other types of mirrors - you will find fans here of all of the different types of mirror for the bike. Experiment and find what works best for you. My mirror is quite steady/stable and also inexpensive - I don't think any of the mirrors are really all that expensive which makes them easy to replace should something happen.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I love my helmet mirror. Once it broke, and I felt terrible- like one would feel if driving a car with no mirrors.
Mirrors are wonderful things. And yes, you should always use a quick head glance too whenever possible- just like you do when you're car driving.

I use a "Third Eye" helmet mirror.

And yes, helmet and eyeglass mirrors take getting used to. After a few days or weeks (depending on how much you ride) your brain and your eyes adapt to the strange newness and then typically you just love it.
One tip- when you are just starting with a mirror attached to your head somewhere, don't look at it all the time- just glance at it sometimes (like maybe when you hear a truck approaching far behind you) and adjust its position. You'll start to get used to it more naturally that way than if you keep obsessively looking at it.

[emily_in_nc]

It's nice to see how, the longer one rides, the less concerned one becomes about how "cool" they look to others.

Safety, comfort and practicality trumps cool, everytime. IMHO.

Absolutely! I ride with the same type of mirror (the Take-a-Look) and can't imagine life without it!

[Owlie]

Zoom-zoom, what mirror do you have? I'm looking at bar-end mirrors.

I shall also keep the flat-bar one in mind for a hypothetical commute bike.

[zoom-zoom]

Zoom-zoom, what mirror do you have? I'm looking at bar-end mirrors.

It looks like that one in the photo I posted...not sure on brand. Our LBS sold it and installed it for me.

[kmehrzad]

Zoom-zoom, what mirror do you have? I'm looking at bar-end mirrors.

I shall also keep the flat-bar one in mind for a hypothetical commute bike.

Owlie,

I use this mirror all the time on a number of my bikes. It's my favorite mirror and has good visibility.

http://www.ubcbike.com/store/product...irror-(Black)/

[Jo-n-NY]

Yup, don't leave home without it. If I do I ride back to go get it as I almost cannot ride without it.

[tangentgirl]

Yes. It is an adjustment thing, and for me it was a big one. I used to say I had to grow new brain cells to use the mirror.

That is how I feel. I find the mirror really distracting. My eyes are drawn to it, rather than the road, enough so that I had to take it off after a few ride.

Any suggestions on that?

[lph]

I've been back and forth on mirrors. Rode for years without one, but I'm really good at turning my head and checking the road often without veering, and I've passed many a rider who had mirrors but weren't paying attention anyway. Then I won a handlebar mirror, it lay around in my spare parts box for 6 months or so, I put in on on a whim, got really distracted, and kept turning around to check the road anyway from old habit. But after a while I got used to the split-focus thing and enjoyed the ease of being able to keep tabs on my back at all times. Especially useful when I got another cyclist on my wheel, actually.

Then I took a tumble, broke the mirror, and freaked out a little at feeling "blind". Planned to go get a new one, but within a week I'd got used to turning around again, and I still haven't replaced it.

I feel they're a great idea and a good supplement (and it spares your neck and back a bit) but looking behind you properly is a basic skill that needs to be there anyway.

[PamNY]

That is how I feel. I find the mirror really distracting. My eyes are drawn to it, rather than the road, enough so that I had to take it off after a few ride.

Any suggestions on that?

Just practice. I did work at it -- look ahead to be sure the road is clear, glance at the mirror, then look ahead again.

One day it just clicked in. I saw a screaming yellow biker coming up behind me and realized I was using the mirror without thinking about it.

My mirror was a gift, and I didn't want to disappoint the giver. I probably would have given up otherwise. I'm glad I persevered.

[tctrek]

Love my mirror and don't ride without it.,, I use the same one as OP. I did try bar end mirrors first, but just couldn't see anything with them except my knees!

[Melalvai]

I've been opposed to mirrors because I was told 1) they distract you from the more important traffic and terrain in front of you and 2) you get into the habit of relying on them when you should be scanning. I still believe what I was told but I will add 3) on rural roads they can save your (or your daughter's) life.

Based on this thread I'm getting the Take A Look mirror. I'll order an extra one for my daughter, but I will need to encourage her to get in the habit of wearing either sunglasses or goggles. She should wear eye protection anyway.

It'll be very easy to convince her of that. She's highly safety conscious right now. Last night she said to her dad, "The speed limit is 70 mph.' (He was driving 75 mph.) "The speed limit is there for our safety." He slowed down to 70.

[emily_in_nc]

Melalvai - SO glad to hear you're going to try the Take-a-Look and have your daughter try it too. I really believe in wearing a mirror, and I truly don't think it distracts me from what's in front. It's similar to a rear-view mirror in a car, where you just want to give it a quick scan, not stare into it for more than a moment. I definitely think my mirror keeps me safer than if I didn't have one and might forget to scan behind me often enough.

You'll have to let us know what you think of it, but give yourself a few rides to get used to it.

[tulip]

This is the one I have on both road bikes. It's essential to me as I cannot see out of my left eye.

http://www.ortliebusa.com/CartGenie/prod-4.htm