helmets and mirrors

[Esmail Bonakdar]

Hi,

"(Pete Cresswell)" wrote:
>
> RE/
> >I have been riding a bike for 35+ years,
....

> Any tips for diletants like myself re/saddle comfort/butt maintainence?

he he .. I can't say I do, my behind seems to be lacking the need for any sort of special
comforts

Seriously, I rode my first RAGBRAI with a bike seat that had all of its padding taken off i.e., it
was a piece of hard plastic. (Note, I didn't rip off the padding, the bike I had bought at the time
came like that)

And, I rode across the US without getting any sort of cycling shorts, though a few years ago I
started to use them.

I just tried clipless pedals for the first time last summer pior to my west coast ride - before then
I hadn't looked at them seriously since I used by bike regularly for in-town commuting and didn't
want to bother having to wear special cycling shoes for that. Used toe clips for all my rides (big
and small) before.

So, I am not a gadget freak, I really only use the things I find useful, like the helmet mirror

Sorry, I'm not good helping with this ..

Esmail
PS: I find that getting off the seat fairly regulary while riding helps,
(ie. cycle while standing). At times you can use the tip of the seat as a massage pointer while
doing that too.
---
Esmail Bonakdarian - [email protected] - http://www.cs.mercer.edu/bonak 32N 83W

 

[Esmail Bonakdar]

Peter wrote:
>
> The mirror I got at REI ('Take-A-Look'??) was designed for fastening to glasses but also included
> a plastic piece to glue inside your helmet allowing you to fasten it there. I usually have it
> attached to my helmet so I don't have to keep taking it on and off of my glasses, but it's nice to
> have the option for times when I don't wear the helmet.

Hey there,

thanks, I've got a couple of REI catalogs floating around here, I'll take a look. Is the mounting
fairly stable on the helmet? I don't believe I've seen one of those at REI before.

When I'm out riding in the country side I usually wear sun glasses, but riding to campus and back I
usually don't, hence the desire for a helmet mounted mirror.

Cheers, Esmail
---
Esmail Bonakdarian - [email protected] - http://www.cs.mercer.edu/bonak 32N 83W

 

[Peter]

Esmail Bonakdarian wrote:
> Peter wrote:
>
>>The mirror I got at REI ('Take-A-Look'??) was designed for fastening to glasses but also included
>>a plastic piece to glue inside your helmet allowing you to fasten it there.
> thanks, I've got a couple of REI catalogs floating around here, I'll take a look. Is the mounting
> fairly stable on the helmet? I don't believe I've seen one of those at REI before.

I've been happy with it. The plastic piece comes with some double-sided tape for attachment to the
inside of a helmet. It lasted for a few months and then started coming loose. I glued it in place
with some silicone-sealant and that has been much more durable.

 

[Esmail Bonakdar]

Peter wrote:
>
> I've been happy with it. The plastic piece comes with some double-sided tape for attachment to the
> inside of a helmet. It lasted for a few months and then started coming loose. I glued it in place
> with some silicone-sealant and that has been much more durable.

Thanks Peter, I'm off to look for my catalog now

Esmail
PS: oops, sorry, I meant to ask you earlier, what type of helmet do you have?
---
Esmail Bonakdarian - [email protected] - http://www.cs.mercer.edu/bonak 32N 83W

 

[Matt Locker]

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I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a mirror for more than a day? Once you get used to
a mirror you feel naked without it.

MOO, Matt

Richard Ney wrote:

>Matt Locker writes:
>
>
>
>>Shucks, I glance back in the car too but I still use the mirrors when driving. And, believe it or
>>not, I glance over my shoulder while riding my bike even though I also have my mirror on. Why?
>>Because it's a good idea not to depend entirely on the mirror. Despite that though, I feel the
>>mirror gives me a wider margin of safety. Obviously your opinion differs but that's your right.
>>Tell me, have you ever worn a mirror or are you afraid of looking like a "dweeb"?
>>
>>
>
>Shucks, Matt, I already look like a dweeb!
>
>
>
>

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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title></title>
</head> <body> I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a mirror for more than a day?
Once you get used to a mirror you feel naked without it.<br> <br> MOO,<br> Matt<br> <br>
Richard Ney wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite" cite="[email protected]">
<pre wrap="">Matt Locker writes:

</pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">Shucks, I glance back in the car too but I still use
the mirrors when driving. And, believe it or not, I glance over my shoulder while riding my bike
even though I also have my mirror on. Why? Because it's a good idea not to depend entirely on the
mirror. Despite that though, I feel the mirror gives me a wider margin of safety. Obviously your
opinion differs but that's your right. Tell me, have you ever worn a mirror or are you afraid of
looking like a "dweeb"? </pre> </blockquote> <pre wrap=""><!----> Shucks, Matt, I already look
like a dweeb!

</pre> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>

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[Richard Ney]

Matt Locker writes:

> I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a mirror for more than a day? Once you get used
> to a mirror you feel naked without it.

I tried a mirror, for a few weeks, when I started cycling 15 years ago. I felt vulnerable to cars,
and my bike handling skills were less than ideal. I thought the mirror would be the solution.
Instead, I found that it was a distraction, and I became overly concerned with every car coming up
behind me. I removed the mirror and eventually learned how to look around quickly without swerving
the bike, and to ride in traffic. These skills has served me well over the years.

 

[Sheldon Brown]

Matt Locker asked:

>>I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a mirror for more than a day? Once you get used
>>to a mirror you feel naked without it.

Richard Ney replied:

> I tried a mirror, for a few weeks, when I started cycling 15 years ago. I felt vulnerable to cars,
> and my bike handling skills were less than ideal. I thought the mirror would be the solution.
> Instead, I found that it was a distraction, and I became overly concerned with every car coming up
> behind me. I removed the mirror and eventually learned how to look around quickly without swerving
> the bike, and to ride in traffic. These skills has served me well over the years.

My case was rather different. I was a very experienced cyclist before I tried using a head mounted
mirro (this was back in the days before helmets, my first one mounted to a railroad engineer's hat I
used to wear.)

I did find it distracting and confusing at first, and, indeed, I had a couple of close calls in the
first few weeks. The problem was that until I was accustomed to the mirror, it took long enough to
figure out what I was looking at behind me that I nearly smacked into something ahead.

With practice, I became more used to the mirror, and now it's second nature to me. I find it
invaluable.

Sheldon "Retrospective" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
| What is good for you is what is good for you. | --Peter Chisholm |
+-------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Doug Huffman]

After about five years with my Third Eye Micro Mirror, I find it disconcerting while motoring to
check the wrong rearview mirror. It has indeed become second nature to use.

"Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in part in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> With practice, I became more used to the mirror, and now it's second nature to me. I find it
> invaluable.
>
> Sheldon "Retrospective" Brown +-------------------------------------------------+
> | What is good for you is what is good for you. | --Peter Chisholm |
> +-------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
> Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
> http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

 

[Matt Locker]

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Richard:

It sounds to me like you weren't a competent enough biker when you first started using the mirror &
it was a distraction. Using a mirror on a bike is the same as using it in a car - it's there to
give you information. Sounds like you were spending all your time looking in the mirror instead of
where you were going. You may want to try it again now that you can ride in a straight line. You
may like it.

MOO, Matt

Richard Ney wrote:

>Matt Locker writes:
>
>
>
>>I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a mirror for more than a day? Once you get used
>>to a mirror you feel naked without it.
>>
>>
>
>I tried a mirror, for a few weeks, when I started cycling 15 years ago. I felt vulnerable to cars,
>and my bike handling skills were less than ideal. I thought the mirror would be the solution.
>Instead, I found that it was a distraction, and I became overly concerned with every car coming up
>behind me. I removed the mirror and eventually learned how to look around quickly without swerving
>the bike, and to ride in traffic. These skills has served me well over the years.
>
>
>
>

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Richard:<br> <br> It sounds to me like you weren't a competent enough biker when you first started
using the mirror & it was a distraction. Using a mirror on a bike is the same as using it
in a car - it's there to give you information. Sounds like you were spending all your time
looking in the mirror instead of where you were going. You may want to try it again now that
you can ride in a straight line. You may like it. <br> <br> MOO,<br> Matt<br> <br>
Richard Ney wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite" cite="[email protected]">
<pre wrap="">Matt Locker writes:

</pre> <blockquote type="cite"> <pre wrap="">I know the feeling! {: )} But have you ever tried a
mirror for more than a day? Once you get used to a mirror you feel naked without it. </pre>
</blockquote> <pre wrap=""><!----> I tried a mirror, for a few weeks, when I started cycling 15
years ago. I felt vulnerable to cars, and my bike handling skills were less than ideal. I thought
the mirror would be the solution. Instead, I found that it was a distraction, and I became overly
concerned with every car coming up behind me. I removed the mirror and eventually learned how to
look around quickly without swerving the bike, and to ride in traffic. These skills has served me
well over the years.

</pre> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>

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[x]

RE/
>PS: I find that getting off the seat fairly regulary while riding helps,
> (ie. cycle while standing). At times you can use the tip of the seat as a massage pointer while
> doing that too.

That's been my own biggest breakthrough. Got it from this wirey, leathery, guy that had road soot
sort of embedded in his skin - just *looked* like he rode a lot...and sure, enough, was a former
professional racer....

But I also think that having a cast iron (probably narrow spacing between ichial tuberosities...)
butt goes a long way too.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

 

[Joe Riel]

I briefly tried a helmet-mounted mirror for a few days but didn't like it, primarily because of the
seemingly large blind spot that it induces. I'm surprised that no one has commented on this. The
vision system being what it is, I suspect that many long term users of a helmet mounted mirror are
no longer aware of this blind spot. Whether it produces a significant hazard I don't know.

Joe Riel