If you use mirrors....

I'm going to need to get one here soon. I've got drop handle bars....

I'm wondering what you all use, the different types, their advantages and disadvantages. So please....share your experiences.

Thanks.

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"...on a steel horse I ride..."

I've got flat handle bars and I have a CatEye mirror. My problem is that every time I want to check something, I need to adjust it. I'm thinking maybe a helmet mirror might be more useful.

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Insanity has its price -- Please have exact change.

imho, not a good idea.

Why? Just curious...

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I've used a CycleAware helmet mirror for the last couple of years. Wouldn't ride without it now. Believe anyone riding on the street should have a rearview mirror. I got used to them on motorcycles, and in cars, and believe they are even more essential for road bikes.

The helmet mirror gives the clearest view I've found. Also, easy to pop off for race day if you don't want to know who's coming around you.

-limited field of view.
-encourages you to look into it, rather than over your shoulder.
-if mounted on your helmet, can injure you in a crash.
-if mounted on your helmet, takes up part of your field of view, so even if you do turn to check what's behind you, the mirror can obscure things.
-distortion. Distance b/n objects can be difficult to judge when viewed in a reflection.

Safer, imho, to keep your ears open and your common sense about you.

Yes, I agree it is NOT a substitute for a shoulder check, any more than use of rear view/side mirrors are a substitute for a shoulder check in a vehicle.

Are you aware of any documentation, ie medical literature, on injuries being caused by helmet mirrors? Again, just curious.

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Insanity has its price -- Please have exact change.

nup...only one anecdotal.
Had a cutomer come in with a black eye from where the mirror swung around and poked her.

Rest of her face was pretty farked up too though!!!

I'd best stay away...I'm a klutz first class at the best of times. So far, I've managed to keep from dinging myself with the handle bar mirror but the season is young..

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Insanity has its price -- Please have exact change.

lol.....

So, hear a lot of suggestions NOT to use a mirror. So the whole looking over the should thing....do do the whole, use one hand to grab the stem and let go of he other hand and look over technique?

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"...on a steel horse I ride..."

Not the stem...too close to the centre of the bike, any slight over-correction will launch you over the bars.

Keep your body aligned as if you are riding straight, hands on brake hoods. (We ride on the left, so reverse if you are in USA, Canada, etc) Take right hand off the hood (this will enable you to look further than just a glance) and put hand on your right hip for balance. At the same time twist head and upper body to the right and have a gawk at what's coming....

then reverse the above and keep riding.

Don't do if....
-corner approaching
-following a wheel
-descending (cars can wait...you'll probably be going faster than them anyway)
-riding on the inside...it's the person on the outside's resposibilty. You just need to keep tempo.

My opinion is that your reasons against mirrors are not valid:
-great, looking into the mirror is safer than over the shoulder
-don't think so..a small plastic mirror on a flex mount isn't a threat in a crash since it will bend or break away easily.
-not in the field of view at all, any more than the side mirror on my car
-no distortion. Much easier to check and judge rate of closure when you can take a good look in the mirror vs a quick rear glance.

Lots of riders here don't use mirrors either. They usually ignore traffic in back of them, or rely on others to yell out "car back". Believe their attitude is that they have a right to the lane, and that it's the responsibility of the cars to pass safely. I like to be reassured by seeing the car either slow down or pull over to pass. You really can't do that without a mirror.

I rode for several decades without them, so I know it can be done, but I'm convinced mirrors are safer on the road. I see more and better in the mirror than I ever could by glancing over my shoulder. I ride a lot in groups or pacelines, where taking your eyes off the riders ahead can get you in trouble.

I respectfully disagree. I commute by bike almost every day, 10 miles each way in traffic, and I don't use a mirror. I can assure you that by glancing back often and keeping my ears open I'm very aware of traffic behind me (and ahead of me and in all directions). If I weren't I'd probably be dead by now! Lots of bike commuters here and the majority of them (from what I've seen) don't use mirrors, so I don't think I'm an acception to the rule either. You can ride safe without a mirror.

I'd like to add too that while I do try to give every courtesy to motorists, as a cyclist you do have a right to the lane and it is the responsibility of cars to pass you safely. Just like when they're passing another car. Unfortunately, a lot of motorists seem to think that you don't have a right to be there.

i have borrowed my dad's hybrid bike a few times and it has a mirror mounted on the handlebar. i find that when i'm on his bike i use the mirror as a crutch, but if i've just ridden on a bike without a mirror, i ignore the mirror completely and look over my shoulder, which i feel gives me a better sense of what's going on behind me. sure i have to take my eyes off the road for a second, but it's not as if i glance over my shoulder just to see every car that is coming up behind me -- very often i look behind to see if crossing a lane is safe or possibly if there is a situation where i need to speed up or slow down for turning traffic. and that kind of awareness is probably better achieved by looking behind you instead of looking into a little mirror.

besides, i *think* read a statistic recently about how very very few cyclists are actually hit from behind by cars in road accidents, but overwhelmingly from other causes or angles of collision. anyone care to support this if it's true?