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What's a good helmet/rear view mirror combo?


Guest d0n

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I find myself wanting to look behind me often. As a newb, it's hard to hold a tight straight line. I find myself weaving some unintentionally. I'd love to have a lightweight helmet with a rear view mirror so I don't have to look back and lose my track ahead. Any suggestions? 

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Don't do it. If (when) you crash the mirror can poke into your eye. Use a hand mirror instead. It can be installed at the back of your palm. I'm very pleased with CIPA 11125 Hand Mirror. You can find many places selling it online.

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Hey hey, I know you asked about equipment, so please ignore if this doesn't help. I was in a similar spot as I was learning. 

What I did was break the motion down into steps and just practiced it step by step. It takes a little practice. Obviously, the body is learning an entirely new sensations, but the look back will become easier. 

Step 1: mentally decide which should I'll look over

Step 2: rotate chest in that direction--keep the head forward but just rotate chest (try it now)

Step 3: when you feel ready, keeping head level, look back over shoulder.

I took my time with it and now I don't even know I'm doing it.  Over time, it's cool how our bodies learn to read the importance signs of our environment. For example, my hearing has learned how to listen for the direction the sound of the car is going so it helps alert me if I need to start looking behind me. (If that makes sense cuz it's hard to explain).

I'm not at all discouraging mirrors. Never used them so can't say.  

Also, I made an effort to equally do this motion for both sides and found that to be really worth doing. 

 

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You’ll see some people stick their right arm out at a 45 ish degree angle just before they look back over their left shoulder (and reverse). It helps keep your center of mass from moving when you turn your head and shoulders.

It takes constant practice until it becomes second nature, do practice! Both sides.

I use a helmet mirror on my Bell Super DH so I can see much further behind me without all the turning around (yes, I am that lazy). But I shoulder check before direction changes and because I like to know what just made that noise back there. And stuff sneaks up on me.

(there are prolly a hundred listings on Amazon) Turboom 360°Rotated Adjustable Bike Helmet Rear View Mirror Safe Riding for Adults & Kids https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B083JXXMRM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5Y2M5ZKHJ1V71Q29A6W5

Edited by Tawpie
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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried a helmet mirror but it got in my line of sight too much and it took a while to get a good picture of what was going on behind me.  I'm going to try the hand mirror idea.

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good ole fashioned hand mirror. You can even find them in the cheap bin at auto parts stores. I have em laying around everywhere. I use em for all sorts of stuff. Small, round, convex with velcro on the back, or simple elastic band. Takes some practice to realize what you are seeing in them. Even tho they are small, MOTION isnt hard to see and a car looks DAMN BIG when its coming up behind yuo closely...

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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I used a mirror for some time... But now I just turn my head and body to look behind. Much more convenient.
Sure, it requires practice - a beginner tends to turn when looking back, but with practice you get better.

Edited by atdlzpae
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On 6/27/2021 at 2:41 PM, Eucner said:

Don't do it. If (when) you crash the mirror can poke into your eye. Use a hand mirror instead. It can be installed at the back of your palm. I'm very pleased with CIPA 11125 Hand Mirror. You can find many places selling it online.

I wear a full face MC helmet with visor. But I've never thought of that risk.

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Maybe consider a bike helmet mirror, easily adjustable to wide variety of angles, the arm can be bent to suit.

It is very easy to glance at it to see what is behind you.

Can easily attach to exterior of helmet with double sided tape, or self adhesive velcro tape.

Won't poke out an eye as it is attached to the side of helmet.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164228002312?hash=item263cc07208:g:T80AAOSwQLVeBMxH

 

Full face motor cross helmet with pull down visor gives better ventilation than road helmet.

The extended chin makes it less claustrophobic and more comfortable.

Motor cross helmet not rated to the same high speed, but an EUC is not capable or likely to reach the same highway speeds of a motorcycle.

 

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Thanks for the hand mirror advice. I got my cipa 11125 yesterday and love it. I just got another one for the other hand so I can lift each arm to look behind. My arm started to hurt a bit from looking so often. The spandex crew was out in force yesterday. 

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I was also worried about some of the helmet mirrors poking into my brain through my eye if I’d tumble, so I tried a simple bicycle handlebar mirror on the fixed visor on my bicycle fullface helmet.

 Simply can’t live without it. Costs $2. Seeing what happens behind you in the corner of your field of view all the time is a crucial part of spatial awareness in traffic. Hand mirrors simply do not provide the same information.

B3-CDB77-A-4102-402-E-B4-E5-0-DB3-CB32-F
 

D875-E676-B3-B0-4-DD5-AC6-A-0342652794-A

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005002630463919.html

 

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1 hour ago, mrelwood said:

I was also worried about some of the helmet mirrors poking into my brain through my eye if I’d tumble, so I tried a simple bicycle handlebar mirror on the fixed visor on my bicycle fullface helmet.

 Simply can’t live without it. Costs $2. Seeing what happens behind you in the corner of your field of view all the time is a crucial part of spatial awareness in traffic. Hand mirrors simply do not provide the same information.

B3-CDB77-A-4102-402-E-B4-E5-0-DB3-CB32-F
 

D875-E676-B3-B0-4-DD5-AC6-A-0342652794-A

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005002630463919.html

 

So that is how the cool guy checks out all those ladies. 

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If a helmet/bike/car mirror breaks, it might be quicker/cheaper/easier to trace the outline of the old mirror onto a piece of paper or cardboard.

Take the tracing to a glazier and they can cut a new mirror using the template.

Can use silicone to glue the new mirror on top of the broken one.

Especially for car mirrors that can be very expensive and difficult to source.

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Easier if translucent baking paper is placed onto the broken mirror, then trace outline using a pencil. 

Don't need to remove the old mirror.

Don't need to remove/disassemble the mirror in any way.

 

Some helmet mirrors are quite small.

Can buy maybe a 50mm diameter mirror from ebay, aliexpress and glue on top of existing mirror with silicone to get a bigger and clearer rear view.

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2 hours ago, mrelwood said:

I was also worried about some of the helmet mirrors poking into my brain through my eye if I’d tumble, so I tried a simple bicycle handlebar mirror on the fixed visor on my bicycle fullface helmet.

Your brain might be safe, but still you can loose an eye.

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41 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Take the tracing to a glazier and they can cut a new mirror using the template.

These mirrors are inexpensive, curved and made of plastic. If broken, just buy a new one.

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Just now, Eucner said:

Your brain might be safe, but still you can loose an eye.

I really can’t see (Ha! A pun.) how that could happen in a fullface helmet with goggles.

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