Cycling UK Forum

ChrisButch wrote:I'm waiting for somebody to develop a bar-end mirror compatible with bar-end shifters.

Would a mirror with a clamping collar do?

Jonathan

Have seen "down tube" mounted mirrors.
Pros? Cons?
Effectiveness?
Limitations?
and even cost-effectiveness.
Anyone gone tried these and moved on to above.
Or Perhaps vice versa?

The OP ruled out anything attached to a helmet, but it's occurred to me I've read positive reviews - CJ in the CTC mag (?) - for a small mirror which attaches to the arm of a pair of specs. Bearing in mind the number of riders who wear specs unrelated to eye conditions, that sort of thing wouldn't necessarily be restricted to spectacle wearers.
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eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glasses-Rearvi ... 33&sr=8-14

thirdcrank wrote:The OP ruled out anything attached to a helmet, but it's occurred to me I've read positive reviews - CJ in the CTC mag (?) - for a small mirror which attaches to the arm of a pair of specs. Bearing in mind the number of riders who wear specs unrelated to eye conditions, that sort of thing wouldn't necessarily be restricted to spectacle wearers.
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eg

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Glasses-Rearvi ... 33&sr=8-14

SJS have a mirror that attached to your wrist https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessories/rearviz-sl15-slim-line-mirror/. I have no idea how well that would work but might get round some of the concerns about helmet (or glasses) mirrors (concerns I share based on nothing more than "gut feelings).

Ian

I use a down tube mounted mirror and it’s fine when day cycling. It gives a view as good as my old sports cars gave, not like a modern wide mirror but enough to see if anything is approaching. Unfortunately when touring all I see in the mirror is panniers and bags. I’ve tried bar end mirrors and after the third was broken by others on trains, and outside cafes I gave up.

Re the wrist mirror, one of my cycling companions in years gone by had a recumbent and on that machine used a mirror dangling from his wrist. He just held it up in his hand when it was needed. I don't think it was anything from a bike shop, just an ordinary little mirror dangling from a ribbon. I'm pretty sure he didn't use it on an upright and I don't imagine it being much use then.

Anything Cateye, really.

I have https://www.cateyecycling.co.uk/products-c1/accessories-c5/mirrors-c22/cateye-bm-500-right-hand-mtb-mirror-p57 on my flat bar MTB (road tyres).

I have https://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-bm-300g-race-mirror on both drop bars of my touring bike but sadly they are no longer available.
My favourite mirror for flat or drop bars but the BM 500 is fine for flat bars.

Thanks to all for suggestions. Have now ordered a Busch and Muller mirror with double ball joint which sounds as if it will be ok even with the North Road bars on one of my bikes. Will report back on it’s performance.
( Incidentally, received my Cycling UK renewal notice this morning. At £48 it’s well worth it just to be able to discuss all these obscure subjects with you knowledgeable lot!)
Cheers.... fenmanctc

fenmanctc wrote:Thanks to all for suggestions. Have now ordered a Busch and Muller mirror with double ball joint which sounds as if it will be ok even with the North Road bars on one of my bikes. Will report back on it’s performance.
( Incidentally, received my Cycling UK renewal notice this morning. At £48 it’s well worth it just to be able to discuss all these obscure subjects with you knowledgeable lot!)
Cheers.... fenmanctc

You can "discuss all these obscure subjects with you knowledgeable lot!)" without paying £48. The forum is open to non-CUK members.

Ian

I had the opportunity to review all of the above in my time as CTC technical officer: Zefal, Blackburn, Busch & Mueller... and none of them IMHO worked as well as the 'Mirrycle'. Some don't believe this model to be sufficiently beautiful, but I know it to be really useful and consider that more important. Because it's...

1. easy to tweak into alignment,
2. remains aligned despite the vibration of poor road surfaces,
3. sticks out far enough to see past one's own body and yet...
4. can easily be folded inwards for parking, then out again without losing alignment on the other two axes of adjustment,
5. is a good size and slightly convex for a wide-enough view without distortion,
6. and although glass can be broken, plastic is too easily scratched and never as clear even when new.

So fond am I of the Mirrycle that I've got one on almost all of my bikes, having devised ways of modifying the stalk of the Mountain-Mirrycle and the tops of Ergopower and STI controls, so I can use them on dropped bars too.

Psamathe wrote:You can "discuss all these obscure subjects with you knowledgeable lot!)" without paying £48. The forum is open to non-CUK members.

Off topic of course!

I am on record on here in stating that I won't be renewing my CUK membership later this year.
I joined the CTC and was happy, but TBH, I'm not happy with CUK.

Just try telling me that I have to be a member of CUK to post one here!

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Back on topic.
Great post there CJ.
Very informative and a good recommendation from "someone who knows".
Thank you.

re the Myrrycle I had one - the type intended to fit on old fashioned (traditional ?) hoods with the brake cable coming straight out of the top ie the mirror replaced the adjuster. Not for me, I'm afraid. I expected so much and consequently my disappointment was all the greater. It's a while ago now but the main thing for me was it didn't clear my arm etc enough to give a useful rear view.

MickF

Unless the forum rules have changed, cUK membership is required to be a moderator. I don't know and care even less whether that covers others in the moderation team but I do know you have all the powers - or at least I did BITD.

Jdsk wrote:

ChrisButch wrote:I'm waiting for somebody to develop a bar-end mirror compatible with bar-end shifters.

Would a mirror with a clamping collar do?

Jonathan

Perhaps, but there's a bit more to it than that. There would meed to be nothing in the mirror or attachment which obstructs the hand moving to/from a shift, and nothing in shifting which knocks the mirror awry. The attachment bracket or arm would need to be very cleverly shaped - and it's vibration from the attachment which has ruined most of the mirrors I've tried in other positions. (one of the reasons for the Myrricle's success is that the fixing is so rigid).

thirdcrank wrote:re the Myrrycle I had one - the type intended to fit on old fashioned (traditional ?) hoods with the brake cable coming straight out of the top ie the mirror replaced the adjuster. Not for me, I'm afraid...……. the main thing for me was it didn't clear my arm etc enough to give a useful rear view....

"elbows out" all the way, eh..?...

FWIW a few years ago 'poundland' did a mirror that cost, er £1. IIRC was intended to be mounted on a flat bar, (presumably inboard of the brake lever) and had a long flexible stalk. I bought one (just to have a look at it mainly) and concluded that the mirror itself was not bad, but the stalk looked as if it was long enough (without being long enough to be really useful BTW) that it would move around too easily over bumps etc. However the biggest issue for a 'non-committed' buyer might well have been the clamp; I'm not sure that it would spring open without breaking; if so, that would mean to fit it might require removal of the grip, brake lever and shifter from the handlebar first; a major technical hurdle for the average punter who has just invested a whole pound (on a whim) possibly. They must have sold many thousands of the things but I don't think I have never seen one fitted to a bicycle in use.

cheers

This is a while ago now and once upon a time I'd no more have used a mirror than ride with an umbrella. I quite suddenly found that I had a couple of really unexpected close overtakes. Without wanting to get this thread banished, I hadn't realised how much I depended on hearing traffic, and a change of headgear meant I could no longer do so.

The Mirrycle sounded just the job but it wasn't, in that I couldn't get the long rear view I needed: a view of traffic already overtaking is too late.

I can't remember where I got the idea from but it may have been cj's review. If so, I would say I've bought all sorts on his recommendation and all my other experiences were good. In particular, a Karrimor cycling briefcase and a Topeak Twister pump. In the latter case, he subsequently revealed on here that he had changed his mind over the Topeak adaptor but mine is still "best thing since sliced bread."

(With apologies for this deviation.)