Efficient Velo Tools Safe Zone Helmet Mirror

By Jim Langley

We’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the best thing about riding with a good mirror is not that it lets you see what’s coming; it’s that it lets you see when nothing’s coming so that you can ride right down the middle of the road if you like. And as roadies with mirrors know, that turns out to be the majority of the time. So a mirror can change how much you enjoy your rides.

Of course, mirrors also help keep you safe by making it possible to see what’s up behind you without moving your head and shoulders much and without taking your eyes off the road. This lets you check when you’re not sure about an approaching vehicle. And if you recognize a danger, you can take the appropriate action. Mirrors are great on group rides for checking on other riders, too.

Efficient Velo Tools’ Safe Zone mirror is the largest helmet mirror I’ve ever seen at over 2 inches in diameter and with a 4.5-inch arm. This results in an excellent rear view and hardly any of the neck craning necessary with the “spot” mirrors I’ve used a lot that adhere to my glasses.

Equally impressive is how easy the Safe Zone attaches. You simple zip tie the mounting bracket to a helmet rib and you’re good to go. It takes all of 30 seconds. The mirror’s cool ball-and-socket arm design lets you easily position the mirror for the best view. And, you can shorten it by snapping it apart and together, and remove the mirror from your helmet the same way.

I believe that as long as a cyclist is not a racer worried about aerodynamics and fitting in with the other fanatics (hey, I’m one, too), they’ll love it. Even if they don’t want to race in it, they could put it on another helmet for training rides and commuting. Plus, it actually comes with an amazing 5-year no-fault warranty.

Jim Langley

Jim Langley is RBR’s Technical Editor. He has been a pro mechanic and cycling writer for more than 40 years. He’s the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop in the RBR eBookstore. Check out his “cycling aficionado” website at http://www.jimlangley.net, his Q&A blog and updates at Twitter. Jim’s streak of consecutive cycling days has reached more than 8,000. Click to read Jim’s full bio.