Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Recently, some aggressive drivers have inspired me to use a rear view mirror again. I didn’t want a helmet-mount model, the type that I used when riding across the country in 1979. It worked fine on that trip, except that I knocked it off the helmet walking into things forgetting the mirror was there and bumped it out of position when laying the helmet down sometimes too.
After the helmet mirror, I switched to a tiny one (only 9mm in diameter) that was glued inside the left lens of my cycling glasses. I liked that it was protected by the lens and couldn’t get knocked off. What was fun about that mirror was that other riders couldn’t tell you were watching their every move, which they can when you ride with a helmet mirror. I should explain that I used it for commuting, training and racing.
While the tiny mirror actually provided a wide, clear view of the road behind, with the mirror so close to my eye, it took more getting used to than the helmet mirror. It was also much fussier to locate correctly on the lens to get a full rear view. Also, after several years of use, the glue tended to fail and these types of mirrors (I had several different models) would either fall off or start to.
Several companies made these back when I was using them. Searching for an example to show you, I found a brand I remember, Cycle Aware, which made the View Point mirror (photo). Unfortunately, it looks like they might not make them anymore.
That’s okay because the other issue with mirrors that attach to helmets or glasses is that if you’re not wearing the right mirror or glasses, you don’t have your rear view. For that reason, I decided this time to go with a bike-mounted mirror, which will always be there when I’m riding that bike.
And my first search suggested Cat Eye’s model BM-45, which I decided to purchase and try out: https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/accessories/BM-45/ partly because the cost was only $18.95 and more because I’ve had great luck with many Cat Eye products over the years.
How It Attaches
To install it, the handlebar tape plug is removed from the bar end and the mirror is pushed in to take the plug’s place. There’s a 3mm hex bolt on the base of the mirror that tightens a wedge to secure the mirror inside the handlebar end (a 3mm hex wrench is included in the package). Some experimentation is required to determine where it’s best to locate the ball and socket part of the mirror mount that lets you adjust the view. On my bike, it’s at 12 o’clock.
The BM-45 is made of quality materials. The body is aluminum, the lens is glass and the mirror casing is plastic. The ball and socket is plenty snug to keep the mirror in place over the roughest terrain. You can also pull on the mirror to remove it from the ball mount if you want to, maybe to protect it if you think it might get damaged or stolen.
The mirror is 45mm in diameter for a pretty substantial view of what’s coming up from behind. I find that the angle needs to be changed based on whether you’re riding on the tops, hoods or drops, which only takes a second, but means you will lose your rear view in some riding situations if you’re unable to fine-tune the view.
Also, as I experienced with helmet and glasses mirrors, minor body or head adjustments are needed to see behind in some situations. So I don’t consider it that much better. But I do like that it’s on the bike and that it makes it relatively easy to get an idea of what’s approaching from behind and how fast too. It’s also a well-made mirror that’s easy to mount and use for a very affordable price.
The Only Downside
Unlike the helmet mirror that I kept knocking off or out of position, I can see that the Cat Eye mirror is right there attached to the handlebar. Still, I manage to knock it out of position at least once on every ride. It’s easy enough to put it back where it was.
Your Turn
Mirrors are popular and important safety accessories, so if you’ve got a favorite please share the type, brand and model. And, if any of you have tried the Berthoud bar end mirror, which I learned about on the Rene Herse website https://www.renehersecycles.com/berthoud-mirror-pre-order/ ? I’d be interested in how it compares to Cat Eye’s. That goes for other bar end mirrors too. I know there are a lot more than the Cat Eye and Berthoud.
Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. A pro mechanic & cycling writer for more than 40 years, he’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Tune in to Jim’s popular YouTube channel for wheel building & bike repair how-to’s. Jim’s also known for his cycling streak that ended in February 2022 with a total of 10,269 consecutive daily rides (28 years, 1 month and 11 days of never missing a ride). Click to read Jim’s full bio.
I prefer to wear a “Take-a-look” mirror attached to my sunglasses. This type of mirror allows me to pan the background which you cannot do with any mirror attached to the bike.
Right! I have been using the same “Take-a-look” mirror on my sunglasses for over 20 years. I buy a few and hand them out to my friends.
https://takealookactive.com/warranty/
And I have been using one since 1993–which finally broke in 2025 — I like better their compact version (smaller mirror closer to the eye. I have used them attached to glasses and attached to helmet. Have tried others, but none as good.
re mirrors, handlebar mounted ones are too small and vibrate too much
helmet is the way to go
they are always on the helmet, no need to have one on every bike
they can be pointed to see 200 degrees worth of ‘stuff behind you’
and they do not vibrate
Larry, the only time handlebar mirrors vibrate is when they’re not installed correctly. I’m speaking of the type Jim is using. They need to be secured tightly. I’ve been using them for almost 20 years
Just because it doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean everyone will have the same experience. To each his own, right?
I used the Viewpoint for years however for the last 5 years I’ve been using the TriEye sunglasses with built in mirror. I find it much easier to set compared to the Viewpoint.
Tried helmet mirrors without success. I’ve been using a bar end mirror like this for 40 years and feel naked out there without one.
People might also want to look at a Spurcycle R-Series Mirror. Very stable and comes in two sizes … a 35 mm and a 50 mm.. I use the 50 mm on my gravel and the 35 mm on my road.
Same issues as you have with helmet and bar end, love my glasses mounted mirrors. Have three I have had for years, sunglasses and clear lens with progressive lenses and a spare mirror in case I do something dumb.
After years of replacing cheap but useful plastic mirrors, I switched to a Berthoud Bar-End Mirror. Expensive but bomb-proof. It’s small, but once you fine tune the view it’s perfect.
I tried the helmet mirror, but my older eyes had a hard time changing focus between straight ahead and checking the close-up mirror. A rando friend showed me his handlebar mirrors (Sprintech Drop Bar Mirror), and that is perfect for me. It’s got an aero design, and it’s a bit oblong and slightly curved which provides and extended range of view.
I really love the helmet mount Efficient Velo Tools safe zone mirror. Bombproof, easy to adjust, made in USA. I also just bought but have not yet installed a Spurcycle R50 at using my 20% off coupon at REI. . I think Russ from Path Less Pedaled mentioned it’s a good dupe for the Berthoud one at 1/3 the price. I’m going to be a ride leader for a ride series and wanted multiple rear view options for this reason.
I have used Diane Jenks’ HubBub mirrors for years, attached to my helmet. Will not ride without a rear view. Haven’t had the problems with helmet mounted mirrors that you describe. Got the suggestion on HubBub from Road Bike Rider years and years ago. I have to wear glasses all the time, so mounting a mirror on the frame or the lens isn’t a great option- the frame mounted mirrors tend to stress the frame and cause fit problems. And having a separate set of prescription glasses for riding isn’t practical and leads to the same problem you described of being without them at times.
Yes, I too have found the HubBub to work best. It does not stick out far from the helmet, and it stays put.. The rear view is always in my peripheral vision, so I don’t have to look down and away from the road ahead as I did with a bar-end mirror. Wherever I turn my head, I have rearward vision, even if (alas) I am walking my bike along the road shoulder.
Ride safe, All.
I have used the “HubBub Helmet Mirror” for very many years. It’s nearly impossible to figure out how to attach it to helmet and it moves around easily – very frustrating! Then I figured out how to use a long cable tie to hold it very tightly in place – beautiful! Doesn’t ever move! You wrap the cable tie around the ‘outside the helmet part of the HubBub’, then through an air vent of the helmet and loop it around the ‘inside the helmet part of the HubBub’ and back out the air vent and attach to the end of cable tie. Then use a needle nose pliers to bend the metal wire holding the mirror until it lines up correctly for you. I like to see a tiny bit of helmet and shoulder as reassurance that it is pointing correctly. But once doe, THIS WILL STAY IN PLACE.
I also use Varia Radar. The mirror helps reassure me all is well before moving crossways.
Sorry for the crappy directions, but it is hard to describe. I don’t know how to leave a photo here. Try it, you’ll like it!
HubBub is available on Amazon.
The stick-on mirror illustrates the principle that the closer the mirror is to the eye, the smaller it can be. 9 mm is tiny! Glasses-mounted mirrors like the Third Eye are a little bigger (~29 mm) and allow panning the field behind with small head movements. There is less bouncing around than with helmet-mounted mirrors. Some helmet-mounted mirrors look like they’d offer some serious wind resistance! 😉
I use a Third-Eye bar-end on my commuter bike. This has a slightly convex mirror, so there’s a reasonably wide view. It’s nice for the mirror to be attached for commuting, since I’m often rushing in the morning and it’s impossible to forget the mirror.
I have used helmet mounted mirrors since I first bought one 40 years ago from a guy at an event that made them from scraps he found in the road. Bike mounted is too limited on view. My head mounted (helmet or glasses) rarely get outta wack once donned and give me a view behind with unmatched variability.. Naked without one.
I have used the Third Eye bar end mirror for over 25 years. Once adjusted I can ride in any position without any further adjustment. That mirror has saved me from being hit three times and I won’t ride without it!
I have tried helmet-mounted mirrors, but whenever I was in the drops I couldn’t see behind me because my shoulder was in the way. I have had bar-end mirrors on my tourer and crit bike for many years and love them. I don’t recall the brand, but I think they’re bigger than the 45mm you quote for yours, so I get a bit wider field of view that minimized the amount of adjustment I need when changing hand positions on the bars.
I’ve been using the Italian Road Bike Mirror https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com/ for 15 years or so and it does a great job doing what it’s supposed to do. It stays in position pretty well, but isn’t as adjustable as the Cat Eye.
I’m a belt-and-suspenders kind of guy. I use a bar end mirror AND a Take-a-Look mirror on my sunglasses. I use the bar end mirror most often, but it is slightly convex and makes things look small. So when needed I look to the glasses mirror. Also, I have slight neck issues, and I find the bar end mirror gives more relief to my neck.
Hey Jim, did you crash recently with that bike? I know a good wrench in your neck of the woods who can change that handlebar tape for you. He might do it for bupkis.
S2-1
Actually, I did crash Seth, but luckily, apart from a few scrapes, the only damage was to the bar tape. I refuse to replace bar tape until it’s really needed – it’s the Yankee in me – squeeze every penny until Lincoln cries as my grandmother used to say 😊
With rimless wire temples, mirror on my glasses does not work. Similarly barccons make bar end mirrors a nonstarter. I have used the Blackburn helmet mirror for nigh 35 yrs and felt it performed adequately.
Back when I was riding road, I used this (or a very similar) mirror with great results:
https://www.performancebike.com/sprintech-dropbar-mirrors-black-pair-p001/p318114
It’s a bit sleeker than the one shown in the article, if sleeker is of value to you.
I LOVE my old Cateye Racer which is very similar. But it has a very short post that goes from the mirror to the bar-end piece.. That little connector seems to be ABSOLUTELY unbreakable as one has been on several of my bikes for decades. One is still on my folder which I use every day. I even have a Mirrycle which I won but have never used. I don’t like helmet or eyeglass mounted mirrors and would rather ride without a helmet than without my Racer.
I use the Italian Mirror. . Bar end, streamlined. No adjustability, si you have to get the angle right when you insert it into the bar. Mine hasn’t moved an iota in years. . Small view, but usually I’m only checking for a car’s presence or absence behind me.
I use Mirrcyle mirrors on all my bikes. They are fairly large and very adjustable – since they attach & move from both the bar end & their stem, it’s pretty easy to set them at any angle you want. Also because they are fairly large, they don’t require much adjustment. I can change my position briefly without needing to change them at all. I might change the angle a bit if I’m planning to stay in the new position for a while. Several years ago, I tried helmet mirrors. I could never get them to stick. I never figured out why. The guys in the shop said they could make them stick. Nope. I got about 1/2 block before their attempt came loose. Maybe because I am fairly small? Maybe the helmets didn’t have the right surface (enough flat, smooth area)? But the bar end mirrors are great. On the rare occasion when I am without one (borrowed/rented bike maybe), I can’t imagine how anyone chooses to ride without a mirror. It’s really as important to me as is my car’s rear view mirror.
Thanks so much for sharing your favorite mirrors and tips readers, super helpful for anyone looking for one. Thank you!
Jim
Over the years I have used many of the eyeglass & helmet-mounted mirrors mentioned in the comments. My favorite (& current one) is this: https://clearviewmicromirror.com/ .
The genius of this mirror is two-fold: first, it is very small yet powerful because it has a short stalk; & second, because it easily adjusts in all planes because there are 2 pivot points. And it uses a small but powerful magnet base that sticks on to your helmet, so the mirror and stalk can easily be detached (& will break away should you go down).
I’ve been using the Take-a-Look style eyeglass mirror for more than 35 years. Nothing gives you a wider field of view and I can pan it around. If a lane is merging from my right, I turn my head a little to the left and I can sight right down the lane. Normally, I cans see the lane directly behind me as well as the one to my left.
For many years I used a mirror that mounted to my glasses. There was a guy in Ohio (got them at GOBA) that made the mirror stalk out of bike spokes and his own small (about 3/4″ dia) mirrors that threaded on to the stalk. When you bought one he custom bent the spoke to your preferrance. These worked great since I was very near-sited and could clearly see the view since the mirror was only about 3-4″ from my eye. THEN I got cataract replacements which changed my vision to far-sited. After that the mirror was too close to my eye to be useful. Really miss that little mirror, but have changed to the bar end one.
I use a Take-a-Look mirror that I strap to my helmet visor. I adjust it when I get on the bike, and it’s good for the rest of the ride. Also, I like being able to scan behind me with a slight head turn.
Used, but never liked, the bar-end style, especially on rough roads.
My wife and I have been using the Take-a-Look mirror mounted on the helmet visor for many years with all the advantages previously mentioned.. We have experienced the mirror being knocked off of the visor. To address that, my wife thought of tying the mirror to the helmet suspension with a short piece of dental floss. While the mirror still gets knocked off, we don’t lose it. More recently, I’ve switched to a helmet-mount Monkey Mirror. It is very stable, even when bumped, unlike the Take-a-Look mirror. Also, with its circular profile, it is less apt to cause injury to the face in a fall as compared to the Take-a-Look. Both of these helmet-mount mirrors provide an undistorted perspective on distance. Unfortunately, I’m finding that as I write this that the Monkey Mirror may not longer be available. Upon getting a Cruzbike recumbent, I installed their recommended on-bike mirror, the Busch + Muller Cycle Star Mirror (https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/mirrors.php). It is adjustable, durable, and provides multiple mounting options, including as a bar-end mirror. The Cycle Star mirror is slightly convex, so cars, while clear, are closer than they appear in this mirror. I use the helmet-mount on my diamond frame and the Cycle Star on the recumbent.
I also use the HubBub helmet mounted mirror. It is hard to adjust at first because the wire is so stiff, but once you dial it in, it never moves. I like that I can scan behind me by moving my head, and small head motions allow me to use it no matter where my hands are on the bars.
I have the Berthoud mirror which looks great on my steel lugged bike. I also have a Spurcycle R-35 on a travel bike and a Spurcycle R-50 on the gravel bike. Of the three, I prefer the R-50 because the field of view is wide enough to see behind regardless of if you are riding on the tops, hoods, or drops. I also prefer the ease of adjustment on the Spurcycle to the Berthoud. Spurcycle was also kind enough to send me the larger mirror after I mentioned that I wished I had purchased two R-50 rather than one of each size.
Rene Herse pre-order post was from June 6, 2023. Looks like Jan hasn’t cleaned up the vaporware post.
I use the Cateye mirror on my road bike and the Sprintech on my gravel bike. I prefer the Cateye due to its clear and proportionate image. The Spintech is fine, but it is convex and, as they say, objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.
You should know the Cateye can be knocked off its ball mount (never to be found again) as I learned when I hit it with my knee on a fast training ride. I also lost one when it detached in the car and fell out somewhere, where I cannot tell you. Despite being on my third, I think the mirror is great and inexpensive enough to buy the inevitable 4th and 5th copies.