Mirrors

[Chuck-B]

Handle bar mirrors versus helmet mounted mirrors; what is your experience. Do the helmet mounted mirrors vibrate?

[DaveB]

I've tried them all and settled on the Third Eye Barend Mirror.  I could never get a helmet mounted mirror aligned properly and, since I wear prescription glasses the view was always either blurry or unpredictable.

[mbattisti]

Bike Peddler Take A Look Cycling Eyeglass Mirror. Cheap, durable, mounts simply on eyeglasses of sunglasses. stays how you adjust it.

[johnsondasw]

I've been using the bar end type for years.  They seem to have the best position and never vibrate like the helmet and handlebar types.  I have tried just about every other kind over the decades.

[Chuck-B]

Thanks. I have to use reading glasses and separate glasses for viewing a desktop computer. Have you had an problems with focus? Thanks again for your time.

[Patco]

To remedy the reading glass issue, I now wear progressives so I have zero problem with seeing the road, the bike computer, or the bar end mirror that I use. You might wish to consider progressives.

[BikePacker]

Use bar mounted mirrors ..... a convex/fisheye on one side and a flat mirror on the other.  Thus, probably have more rear vision coverage than forward :- ).
Helmet mirrors confuse me.

[johnsondasw]

To remedy the reading glass issue, I now wear progressives so I have zero problem with seeing the road, the bike computer, or the bar end mirror that I use. You might wish to consider progressives.

Same here, progressive sunglasses and regular ones.  I have found Cosco sells very durable prescription glasses for a fraction on the cost of some other places. Because I use them all time for biking, hiking and climbing, durability matters. However, the little screws do seem to come loose and I have to tighten them with those little screwdriver kits for glasses.

[Chuck-B]

Thanks for all the insight.

[indyfabz]

I only used a mirror once. That was back when Cycle Oregon required them. I went with a helmet-mounted mirror. Since I wasn't used to it, I forgot it was there and early on in the event I realized that I had knocked it off at some point. All that was left was the base attached to my helmet.

[DaveB]

However, the little screws do seem to come loose and I have to tighten them with those little screwdriver kits for glasses.

Clear nail polish on the threads will make that problem go away.  Use Locktite if you never want to remove the screws for any reason.  Even the "Blue" grade is stronger than those tiny screws.

[wishard]

I've used bar end mirror and helmet mounted, much prefer the helmet mount.  Actually the helmet mount can be used on glasses but I prefer just leaving it on my helmet.  I wear contacts due to aging eyes and my arms not being long enough the read anymore, I do the mono vision method with a strong one in one eye to read and weaker one in left eye for better distance vision.  The helmet mirror is on the left side so that works great for me.  Remember though that when you look in the mirror you aren't focused on the actual mirror but the distance to the reflection, so close focusing is not really an issue.  I whacked the bar-end mirror off a couple of times in some close quarters, plus gets in the way when transporting on the car rack.  Helmet works great for me!

[DarrenBnYYC]

I've used bar end mirror and helmet mounted, much prefer the helmet mount.  Actually the helmet mount can be used on glasses but I prefer just leaving it on my helmet.

x 2 on this comment. I have tried a number of bar end mirrors, and always found them to be a royal pain. I have also tried a number of worthless helmet-mounted mirrors (there are lots of those out there), but I found a winner in this product (I have no affiliation with the manufacturer):

Bike Peddler Bike Products "Take A Look Cyclist's Mirror"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Op5lJp5gOo

The best two features of a helmet-mounted mirror are: (1) it is always in your peripheral vision, and I generally spot cars approaching me from behind before I hear them (not so much with bar end mirrors for me), and (2) you can focus on the mirror and swivel your head to "scan around" behind you, which is handy on curves in the road or in urban environments when there is a lot going on around you. Highly recommended for touring on highways or urban commuting.

[jcostanz]

On 2 wheel recumbents I always use the take a look glasses mounted version. very adjustable and stable, when I tried handle bar mounted ones they vibrated so much that I could not see anything.  On 3 wheel recumbents (greenspeed or trident trikes) I use handle bar mounted ones with curved mirrors, Things are closer than they appear.

[tbessie]

I tried a bar-end mirror once, but it wasn't very intuitive to use and it did vibrate.

I tried a few helmet/eyeglass mirrors, and found I liked the Bike Peddler Take A Look Cycling Eyeglass Mirror as mentioned above the best.  It'll last forever, and nice and simply designed.

You DO have to be wearing glasses to use them, but I have some cycling glasses with removable lenses in case I want to ride with them without lenses.

- Tim