Mirror question

[chicagogal]

I've quickly become a roadie purist, so I don't recommend riding with a mirror

Learn to look over your shoulder or under your arm to check for traffic/cyclists behind you. If you are riding with someone, learn to put your arm on his/her shoulder as you look back since this will keep you steady and help you hold your line.

It's kinda crazy, but there are so many little faux-pas that roadies use to identify other "real" roadies. As in, real roadies don't wear camelbacks, don't have reflectors, don't have mirrors, don't wear cotton, don't have tri bars, etc, etc. Show up on a group ride with any of these things and don't expect to feel very welcome. I know, it doesn't really seem fair That being said, the "discrimination" is partly because group riding requires so much trust of the riders around you, that often times, these faux-pas are red flags that a rider is new to the road . . .

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Why is a mirror 'impure' ?

Show up on a group ride with any of these things and don't expect to feel very welcome.

Roadies like you describe are also known to ride in a dangerous manner (dangerous to themselves and to others) and to sometimes be downright rude and inconsiderate. They can stop worrying- no chance I'd ever 'contaminate their purity' with my faux-pas helmet mirror, saddle bag, and bike bell!

There are plenty of roadies/group riders around who are safe and considerate cyclists, they put in serious mileage year after year, and they don't put clothes, gear, and status before people and safety.
I consider them to be the actual 'real' roadies, and I deeply respect them. Just my own opinion.

[tulip]

Chicagogal, you are falling into a slippery slope with the "real" roadie talk. I'll agree with you on the aero bars--they do not belong in any sort of group ride because they are simply dangerous in a group situation.

I have been riding for over 25 years, including racing when I was in my teens and 20s. I hardly consider myself unsafe in a group ride. I will, however, avoid self-proclaimed "true roadies" like the plague because they are typically rude and dangerous on the road.

But mirrors?? C'mon! I have a mirror on each of my CUSTOM ROAD BIKES (is that good enough) and if someone makes snide comments, that's a real good sign that I don't want to ride with them for alot more reasons than a mirror. Or Camelbaks.

Pul-eeze! I'm sorry you've fallen into an intolerant crowd. I hope that someday you will realize that showing up to a ride with a mirror or a Camelbak does not make a rider less-safe. Less cool according to some, perhaps. But not less safe.

---

Back to Catrin - helmet/glasses mirrors are cheap. If you feel like trying one out in the future, just get one and see how it goes. Everyone is different. I find mirrors (handlebars; I can't do the helmet/glasses type) very useful.

[Catrin]

I....It's kinda crazy, but there are so many little faux-pas that roadies use to identify other "real" roadies. As in, real roadies don't wear camelbacks, don't have reflectors, don't have mirrors, don't wear cotton, don't have tri bars, etc, etc. Show up on a group ride with any of these things and don't expect to feel very welcome. I know, it doesn't really seem fair That being said, the "discrimination" is partly because group riding requires so much trust of the riders around you, that often times, these faux-pas are red flags that a rider is new to the road . . .

I guess that I will never be considered a "real roadie" then, that's ok. I love my Camelbak and my bar-end mirror. I feel much safer/comfortable with both - and pretty soon my lovely steel touring steed will have fenders and a rack (and eventually a bag of some type)- and he is meant for and will get some serious mileage. If this means that some won't consider me a real cyclist, oh well, that's ok. I am having fun and learning a lot as I go along I will show up for our club grand touring rides in the country, for that is what interests me. Probably not the club dinner/breakfast rides as I don't care for urban riding - though that may well change in the future.

Thanks to all for their different perspectives on mirrors!

[OakLeaf]

What Tulip and BSG said.

Real riders are the ones who ride safely, both in traffic and in their own bodies. That means knowing what's coming up behind you and staying well hydrated.

I know plenty of people who have bar end mirrors on their $10,000+ bikes. Not that what you spend makes you a "real" rider either, but these are people who earned their chops, knew what they wanted and that they would be getting a good value for their money.

The only jerseys I wear are hi viz yellow.

I don't normally wear a hydration pack, but that's for comfort reasons, and if conditions and distance warrant, I absolutely will wear one. I've had heat exhaustion. What if you pass out when someone's behind you in a paceline? They go down, too. Does that seem fashionable to them?

There are rides when I know I might get a little disrespect, but that's because I'm SLOW, not because of what I wear.

And when one of your "buds" is stranded 40 miles from nowhere because they didn't bother to bring a chain tool or a couple of links of chain, I hope you let them know about it before you open up your seat pack to offer them yours.

[PamNY]

It's kinda crazy, but there are so many little faux-pas that roadies use to identify other "real" roadies.

On what planet is it a faux pas to be safe and well hydrated?

As far as being a "real" roadie, I've seen way too much arrogant and unsafe riding by people I'm pretty sure would call themselves roadies to be very interested in what they think of mirrors or anything else.

[Kubla]

[QUOTE=PamNY;514880]On what planet is it a faux pas to be safe and well hydrated? [QUOTE]

+1 I've been wondering the same thing. Personally, I'd rather live to ride another day - even if it means being shunned or labeled "uncool".

[Owlie]

Oops. I guess between the SPDs on a road bike, the lights, wheel reflectors, seatbag full of stuff and the Camelbak, I don't qualify as a roadie. Oh well.

[Catrin]

Oops. I guess between the SPDs on a road bike, the lights, wheel reflectors, seatbag full of stuff and the Camelbak, I don't qualify as a roadie. Oh well.

We can ride together

I don't understand the attitude that lies under all of this - guess that is just part of the more difficult part of human nature. if I were a few decades younger it would have bothered me, but not any more

[Owlie]

We can ride together

I don't understand the attitude that lies under all of this - guess that is just part of the more difficult part of human nature. if I were a few decades younger it would have bothered me, but not any more

Sure, sounds like fun. We can be heretical together.

Not to threadjack, but when I first got my bike, my boyfriend wanted to take the wheel reflectors off "because you don't need them and they add weight." Um, if I were worried about weight, I'd have bought a more expensive bike! His road cycling was greatly influenced by a former scoutmaster who was very much a part of the "roadie culture". This was someone BF greatly admired, and while this guy would tone it down for the scout troop (apparently there's a cycling merit badge...?) because of practicality and $$ reasons, it very much rubbed off on him. The scoutmaster did make an exception, however, for Camelbaks--they're in Arizona!
(Turned out BF couldn't get the reflectors off... )

[tiva]

I have the mirrycycle that mounts right on the shimano sti road levers. Works great, so far, although I think the mirror itself could be smaller.

My brother, who fancies himself a serious roadie, always finds himself endlessly amused by my cutout seat (it's a road seat, but clearly not a serious road seat!), the visor on my helmet (eek! how could I do such a thing!), the mirror on my bars, my kayaking gps that I use on the bike, the keen commuter spd sandals that work for my feet, etc etc. Whatever! I feel safer, and I get out and have fun 4 times a week, so who cares? It's a big brother's job to make fun of his little sister, even when we're both pushing 50 (plus, he's not really all that faster than I am).

[Crankin]

I've never used a mirror, but for no other reason than I feel very comfortable looking behind me, taking the lane, and signaling aggressively to drivers. In fact, my riding buddy once told me it's like I'm giving them the "schoolteacher" look with my hand signal.
I used to ride with a Camelbak all of the time. I stopped about 3-4 years ago. But, if I were doing a long ride, like a century or 75 miles, I would probably use it if there were no places to get refill my bottles. I'd rather be hydrated. My bottle skills are not that great, but most of my rides allow for some stopping time, enough that I know I am drinking enough.
In my riding group (mostly older, very experienced riders) we have people with all kinds of gear on their bikes. Some of it looks like a little overkill, but if that's what the rider wants, who cares? Some of these people ride 5-10K miles a year and do tours I could only dream of, as well as running the Boston Marathon, riding the PMC, etc.
I have my flat bar road bike pimped out, though... 2 rear blinkies, pannier, 2 front lights (one stays on all of the time). My road bike does have a rear blinkie and a seat bag a bit larger than most roadies.

[PamNY]

Catrin:

Sounds like you are happy with your mirror choice. FWIW, I have the Take a Look mirror and I love it. I use it mounted on glasses. There is a learning curve -- it's weird at first, but now it's second nature.

Using a mirror and learning to look behind you are not mutually exclusive. You can do both (and you should). The mirror is great for very, very crowded urban situations which is where I spend most of my time.

[Bike Chick]

Oops. I guess between the SPDs on a road bike, the lights, wheel reflectors, seatbag full of stuff and the Camelbak, I don't qualify as a roadie. Oh well.

Guess that makes us road geeks instead Wish the "roadies" would get over the elitist attitude and we could get work together to promote cycling instead of bickering among ourselves. We have enough problems with dogs and cars and the ignorance of non-cyclists without being snubbed by other cyclists.

Didn't mean to drift here. I've used the bar end mirrors and am currently using the sunglasses mirror. There are pros and cons to both. Bar end mirrors have to be readjusted each time you put your bike down. Sunglasses mirror has to be readjusted each time you put it on and is easy to forget My preference is the bar end mirrors like Miranda suggested.

[Marionette]

Yes, people find the weirdest things to get snobby about. Jeez, what's wrong with wanting to stay well hydrated with a Camelbak? Ha ha!

Anyway, for me sunglass and helmet mirrors seem to shake a lot, even the really nice ones, and that irritates me. I never have a shake problem with the bar-end mirror I have now. It just brings home the point that if you can try something out before buying it, you should. I have bought or been given some mirrors that weren't terrific, and only my latest bar-end mirror has proven the best yet.