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Did you use mirror? Which type?


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Riding in the bicycle lanes here, would be dangerous.

Since here in my city this lanes are not very used, you can ride a lot alone. And because to ride straight is very boring, I use to ride moving in a left-right-left-right.... pattern, like a S.

Usually I dont realize that there are a bicycle behind me, trying to pass, so I have a little mirror over my left hand (attached with velcro to the gloves) and sometimes I move up the left hand until my eyes height to look behind.

I have tried a natural mirror (1:1), and I have tried the kind of mirrors that you can see a big angle but things appear little size and far away.

None of them are very good for me.

I know that there are helmet mirrors and glasses mirror even.

Did you use mirror? Which kind of mirror? Are you confortable with it?

Thanks!

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I just turn my head and look behind regularly as I was taught to do in the early days of motor cycling before mirrors became standard fittings on bikes.

There was a government public information film that was regularly screened on British TV many years ago urging motor cyclists to "LOOK BACK" before any manoeuvre. 

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I just turn my head and look behind regularly as I was taught to do in the early days of motor cycling before mirrors became standard fittings on bikes.

 

Do you turn your body as well? If so, can you ride straight?

I have tried to turn my head, but that is not enough to look exactly behind. I need to turn the shoulders (and chest) to help the head turn, but this makes the wheel to turn in this direction too.

May be I will need more practice about this...

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If you are riding to one side of the track/path a turn of the head to the other side should be enough to start but if you get used to doing it regularly you'll find that you can turn enough of your upper torso to get a clear rear view. 

As with all things practice both sides so that you are capable of dealing with unusual situations.

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I got these.

Google for backeye mirror

 

Looks very good, especially taking into account that you don't need to mount in to the helmet or sunglasses. What is your personal opinion, is it handy?

 

One more Idea maybe even better is to put the mirror on your forearm like this:

 

ScreenHunter_09 Jul. 26 10.41.jpg

ScreenHunter_10 Jul. 26 10.41.jpg

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Looks very good, especially taking into account that you don't need to mount in to the helmet or sunglasses. What is your personal opinion, is it handy?

I've only used it one night on our night ride last week in the mountains with five people total.  It worked well then because, for example, I was in the middle of the pack with two people in front of me and I wanted to see if the other two guys were still close behind.  So I look in the mirror to see two flashlights to confirm that indeed they are.  I have yet to test it in a daylight riding situation but I suspect it is useful regardless.

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There are two bands to choose from for wrist or arm, you don't get both... I got the arm band, still testing it out, but they are really for biking where your arm is 'fixed' out in front of you while holding handles.... So far if I need to look I have to wing my arm out to the side...

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If you are riding to one side of the track/path a turn of the head to the other side should be enough to start but if you get used to doing it regularly you'll find that you can turn enough of your upper torso to get a clear rear view. 

As with all things practice both sides so that you are capable of dealing with unusual situations.

I agree with you, @Gimlet. Turning your head is something you should get used too. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you ride in traffic. I just tilt my head and see if I catch an object with my peripheral vision. I thought about using mirrors but, in the end, they would just collect dust as I would most likely forget them at home.

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Yeah, it doesn't sound to me, like the most suitable way to know what's going on around you.
I'd imagine that by the time you lift your arm up, get the right angle, make sure there's nothing in front of you, focus on the image in the mirror & work out what you are actually seeing, then all sorts of stuff could have happened!

Get used to moving your head around, then start gradually twisting your body until you are able to quickly look behind yourself without losing your balance - it can be done but it does take practice.

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I'd imagine that by the time you lift your arm up, get the right angle

The mirror on my "backeye" is wide angle.  You know those "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" mirrors.  :D
That said, I've only used it in one session and it was only to check how far behind some other riders were behind me.  For "cutting right and left" I always just turn my head to check, often combined with a hand gesture.

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It's also very helpful to be used to looking behind when you start to try riding backwards, it is however much more difficult to keep riding straight whilst going backwards with your body twisted to see where you are going. :)

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