The greatest hazard of cycling on rural roads is dangerous overtaking by motor vehicles. This can be passing too close or passing going into a blind bend or hilltop. The closest I came to being killed on a bicycle was on a straight stretch of road about two years. A jeep driver passed me much too close, but the real danger came from a trailer that was wider than jeep. I still clearly remember looking down and seeing the trailer mudguard a few inches from my foot.
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| Mirror on my Oakland |
After this incident I decided to get a mirror. The first one I tried was a handlebar mounted mirror. But there were several problems with this. It was subject to a lot of vibration and didn’t give a really clear view. It was a long way from my middle aged eyes and even under the most favorable circumstances gave a poor view of the road behind. It constantly came loose and needed repeated tightening. It was always subject to the risk of being broken if the bike fell over. And as my fleet of bikes grew it was not convenient to move it between bikes.
After a few months I gave up on it and replaced it with a Zefal Z-Eye Mirror, which attached to my helmet. Since that day I have never rode without it. The mirror attaches to the helmet with a sticky pad and velcro. I had doubts that the pad and velcro attachment would last but after over two years it is still working well.
A helmet mounted mirror solves all the problems of a bike mounted mirror. While still subject to vibration it is a lot less. One helmet mirror will cover a fleet of bikes. Being much closer the the eye it gives a much better view of the road behind, important if like me your sight is not as good as it once was. It will not be damaged if a parked bike falls over.
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| The Blackburn Helmet Mirror |
A helmet mirror has several clear advantages over one mounted on a bike. It allows you to take a quick glance at the road behind without loosing focus on the road ahead, you don’t have to look down as with a bike mounted mirror. But perhaps the greatest advantage it that with a little head movement it is possible to scan the whole road behind. This is very useful as it allows you to keep an eye on a car in the critical few meters as it finally comes up alongside.
I am agnostic on the great helmet debate, having never fallen off a bike since I was small child. I feel just as happy riding without a helmet, but since I got a helmet mirror, I always wear a helmet but as a platform to mount a mirror on.
I got my helmet mirror from Wiggle, it is still available from them for 14.46 euros but has to be ordered, which takes two or three weeks. I’ve just ordered a Blackburn helmet mirror from Rose Bikes in Germany, so as to have a spare, they have them in stock and they sell for 9,95 euros.
Zefal Z-Eye Mirror from Wiggle
Blackburn Helmet Mirror from Rose Bikes
