Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
This week’s article is in appreciation of all of you readers who commented on last week’s review of my Cat Eye BM-45 Bar End Mirror. If you missed the story and comments, here it is Cat Eye’s BM-45 Bar End Mirror.
I was specifically looking for a bar end mirror, one that is installed in the end of dropped handlebars. A lot of you suggested other types of mirrors that you love and there were recommendations for other bar end types too. Several of your favorites were new to me.
Since mirrors are such an important safety accessory, I’ve turned your reflections on mirrors into a guide with categories, links, images and what prices I could find too. It will be a helpful resource for anyone in the market. Thanks for your help!
GLASSES MIRRORS
Take-a-Look
(https://takealookactive.com/ $21.95 – $39.95)
You said
“This type of mirror allows me to pan the background which you cannot do with any mirror attached to the bike.”
“I have been using this mirror on my sunglasses for over 20 years. I buy a few and hand them out to my friends.”
“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.”
“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 can see the lane directly behind me as well as the one to my left.”
“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.”
“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.”
TriEye Sunglasses
(https://trieye.com/collections/cycling approx $69.95 – $169)
“For the last 5 years I’ve been using the TriEye sunglasses with a built-in mirror. I find the mirror on the TriEye glasses much easier to set compared to the lens mirror I had before.”
HELMET MIRRORS
Blackburn (Giro)
“I have used the Blackburn helmet mirror for nigh 35 years and felt it performed adequately.”
Clear View Micro
(https://clearviewmicromirror.com/shop-1 ($20 – $25)
“Over the years I have used many of the eyeglass & helmet-mounted mirrors mentioned in the comments. My favorite (and current one) is the Clear View Micro Mirror. The genius of this mirror is two-fold: first, it is very small yet powerful because it has a short stalk and second, because it easily adjusts in all planes thanks to 2 pivot points. And it uses a small but powerful magnet base that sticks onto your helmet, so the mirror and stalk can easily be detached (and will break away should you go down).”
Efficient Velo Tools (EVT) Safe Zone
(https://www.efficientvelo.com/safe-zone-helmet-mirror $40)
“I really love the helmet-mount Efficient Velo Tools Safe Zone mirror. Bombproof, easy to adjust, made in the USA.”
Hubbub
(https://hubbubonline.com/product-category/helmet-mirror/ $34.95)
“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.”
“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 a 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 the 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 done, THIS WILL STAY IN PLACE.”
“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.”
BAR-END MIRRORS
Berthoud
[Editor’s note: as far as I can determine, René Herse Cycles is the USA source for this product however it’s only listed for pre-order, which I believe means it’s not readily available currently and you might need to place an order next time around.]
(https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/handlebars/berthoud-standard-bar-end-mirror-mk-ii/ $129)
“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 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 (see below). 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-50s rather than one of each size.”
Italian Road Bike Mirror
(https://www.italianroadbikemirror.com/ $44.95)
“I’ve been using the Italian Road Bike Mirror 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 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.”
Here’s Stan Purdum’s review of this mirror.
Mirrycle LTD
(https://mirrycle.com/products/ltd-mirrycle-mirror $26)
“I use Mirrycle 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. 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 my car’s rear view mirror.”
Sprintech Racing
(https://www.sprintech.eu/en/products/sprintech-racing/ $27.50 – while this is a Swiss website, the mirror is available in some shops and online too)
“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 an extended range of view.”
“Back when I was riding road, I used this (or a very similar) mirror with great results. It’s a bit sleeker than the one shown in the article, if sleeker is of value to you.”
Spurcycle Mirror
(https://www.spurcycle.com/products/r35-mirror $34 for R35 mm or R50 mm model)
“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.”
“I just bought but have not yet installed a Spurcycle R50 using my 20% off coupon at REI. I’m going to be a ride leader for a ride series and wanted multiple rear view options for this reason (I also use a helmet-mount mirror – see the Efficient Velo Tools Safe Zone above).”
Third Eye
[Editor’s note: my browser warned that the official Third Eye website is unsafe and when I got it to open it said they do not sell to consumers. For these reasons, I used an online source I use and trust.] (https://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/third-eye-bar-end-mirror $13.98)
“I use a Third Eye bar-end on my commuter bike. This has a slightly convex 3 inch-diameter 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 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!”
Thanks to the following contributors who recommended specific mirrors: George Wisman, Ron Neher, Kevin McFadden, Jim Edwards, Gary, Randy C, Amy, John Whirley, Eric J Pedersen, Robert Floyd, Steve Weeks, JB, Paul Colvin, Craig Williams, SLittle, Jeff vdD, David W Minden, Winnie, Ken2, Ken Goldman, David, M Reed, Rowland Brook Mayor, Lee.
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’m another fan of Take a Look. Easy to adjust. The previous one I tried (all plastic) was very difficult to keep adjusted.
Take a Look, my favorite mirror, is typically mounted on the left side of glasses for U.S. riders but also has a right-side mount for riding in countries that drive on the wrong side.
I used bar end mirrors for 20 years then switched to Hubbub. Using a cable tie keeps it firmly in place. In addition I drill a small hole in my visor and tie the end of the mirror arm to the visor to reduce vibration. Would not go back to bar end. Part of the reason for changing is my shift from road riding to mostly gravel/trails. Sitting more upright a bar end mirror is less useful.
I use a mirror attachment to my sun glasses. And I am deaf. I also have well over 100,000 outside miles on road and gravel recorded on Strava since 2013.
great mileage
I actually do use a Take-a-Look, but only while kayaking. You can get run down by a big boat when in the Georgia Strait! (So I carry a loud Air Zound air horn when kayaking or cycling.).
I’ll stand by my old Cat Eye Racer until it breaks (if ever!). I do have a BM-45 waiting if that ever happens.
I agree about teh take-a-look; I use the compact one which i really like. I’ve never liked bar-end mirrors because of road vibration bouncin the bike and making it hard to see the image. Maybe its San Francisco streets that contirbute to that, but as a 40+ year bike commuter my Take-a-Look is as important as fully inflated tires. . . .
I have a hubbub and an efficient velo. I have never been able to adjust the hubbub properly – it sits just where there is a curve in the bottom of my helmet so it wobbles.
The velo has a very big, very good-quality mirror, which is great for city riding (and I ride in NYC), it is easily adjustable and it holds its place once adjusted. One nice thing is when I get off the bike I can fold the mirror into the inside of the helmet so it doesn’t catch on anything. You can also pop it off if you prefer.
NOT ABOUT MIRRORS! Jim, how about an article delving into why it’s become so hard to mount road tires on rims?
For decades you (and I) used to mount and dismount 23 mm tires BY HAND and we routinely put over 100 psi in them. Never had one blow off the wheel.
Now, even non-tubeless 30+ mm tires are ridiculously hard to mount even though they are designed for much lower pressure. It can be nearly impossible to fix a flat at the side of the road,
I’ve used several of these. I really liked the idea of the Italian drop bar mirror, but it has 2 flaws for my use. The first, as noted, is that you have to get the position exactly right when installing and wrapping the bar–no adustability. And to that end, you have to figure out that fit for your riding position. The only way I know to do that is mount the bike on a trainer and adjust it then–you have to make sure your bike is precisely horizontal. The second issue is that getting the mirror at the right angle might be diffucult based on how angle of the bar ends relative to the ground. So, I wanted a similar mirror that was ajustable. I settled on the Sprintech. It comes out of adjustment too easily, but it is really easy to adjust on the fly==-so that’s what I’ve settled on. With that mirror and a Varia, I feel like I have a very good sense of cars around me when I ride.
As the manufacturer of the Hubbub Helmet Mirror, I’d like to offer up a few “updates”
First: We have lightened up the mirror by 1/3 as well as are using a sealant (no more fading of the mirror surface,) and a better vinyl for the clamp. Second, we have a pretty easy-to-follow installation video on You Tube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjgN0aTb7Kk) 3: Our mirror is 100% made in the U.S. 4. We also have upgraded our warranty to lifetime. Please feel free to contact me if you have any question. Diane [email protected]
So far I’ve been using the Take A Look mirror, and it’s ok, I don’t really care for the elimination of part of my field of vision though. I looked at the TriEye sunglasses, but they were heavy feeling and after checking reviews said they can start bothering the bridge of your nose and ears on rides longer than a couple of hours due to the weight. The HubBub is way overpriced, they want $35 for $1 to $2 dollars’ worth of material and assembly, the Take A Look mirror has nearly the same amount of material they can sell it for $20 which I also think is overpriced, but they do that sort of thing to cyclists; I paid $13 for mine about 7 years ago to replace one that broke, I can’t believe inflation has gone up that much in 7 years.
I think the TriEye has the best conceptual thing going on but the application needs to be improved by making it lighter.
There used to be years ago in the 70’s a small thin round stick-on mirror that you simply stuck onto your glasses, it worked pretty well and it was extremely lightweight. I tried looking for it on the internet, but I guess they’re no longer made; I don’t think these will work very well with curved lenses.
I’m not going to try to justify the the cost of our mirror. suffice it to say, it’s a bit more complicated than it looks.