Cycling UK Forum

If these are Italian, isn't it possible to find somebody in Italy who does mail order?

Seems daft!

Google them, and the sellers are Aspire Velotech in the US.

ive bought things on the internet before....

says UK based...yet the gear gets shipped from china?!?!?!

They've taken my money. I hope it's worth it!

Mick F if you dont get on with it I will buy it from you

In the intersts of research I googled retrovisore bicycletta my guess at Italian for bicycle mirror. Zilch - not even mirrors for roadsters. Perhaps they have eyes in the backs of their heads?

Well, it arrived yesterday, and I took it out for a short test-ride this morning.
(It should have been a long test ride, but I got rained on, so came back early!)

The thing fitted easily enough with no tools required. You have to take off the bar tape first. (Only the side you want to fit the mirror, though!) I wrap my tape from bar-end to stem, if I did it the other way, I wouldn't need to have taken it off completely.

The fitting is rubber and tapered, and you slide it onto the bar. The instructions tell you to put your bar-plug back in first so your bar doesn't scratch the back of the mirror.

Next comes the tricky bit.

You sit on the bike and align the mirror so you can see rearward properly. I did it in the hall! I tried it on the drive, but as it isn't level, I couldn't get it right at all. The "Hall Method" seemed to work. The best thing would have been to gone round the block to do it, but we don't have the luxury of level streets to help align mirrors!

When you've got it right, wrap the thing tightly with sticky tape to secure it in position. The mirror can aim left or right by rotation, and up and down by brute force and the sticky tape.

Then you re-wrap your bar tape, and off you go!

Did it work?
Was it any use?

Yes, just and yes, just.

The aim was too low today, so I've unwrapped the bar tape again, moved the mirror and stuck it all back together again. Try again tomorrow. I've absolutely no doubt that if I can get the aim bang on, the answers will be YES! and YES! The optical quality is superb - it's just the aiming of the thing that lets it down at the moment.

Mick,
No alignment problems with a glasses frame mounted 3rd Eye mirror.
I have used one of these for several years now. Wouldn't be without it when riding. It's like a head-up display. No blind spots, just turn the head a few degrees and all behind and to the side is revealed. When I use contact lenses, I still use the mirror as I have an old glasses frame with lenses removed.

Thanks for the advice, Colin.

My OP, and my thread throughout, has been about this specific mirror.

Out again later, to test my re-alignments.

Hmmm. Seems a bit expensive. Recently bought a pair of these for £5 brand new off e-bay.

Jim

Bit on the bike nerd side for my liking. I will use a mirror when I see them in the peleton.

Yeah, you're right.

Not sure I'm happy, but I'll take a ride into the big city soon, and see if it makes a difference to me.

We'll see .....

I have had one of these for the last year. I agree they are a bit tricky to install but once set up properly they are excellent. Being rubber they have a small amount of play so can be adjusted on the fly.

I like the look of these mirrors for drop handlbars - has anyone tried the Wildoo ones?

I agree they do look a bit large but look good value and easy to fit.

Ordered a pair of Wildoo ones a couple of days ago. Wll take some pics when they arrive.

Also have the Italian Road Bike ones, but haven't got around to fitting them yet, partly cos of the fiddle and unwrapping of bar tape factors.