When I first bought my recumbent, I resisted buying a mirror because of the geek factor. Didn't want to look like a nerd.

But I recognized that it would a great safety advantage if I could see that guy behind me, eating his hamburger while driving his car and wandering into my lane when he reached for the fries. And since I can't spin my head all the way around backwards a la Linda Blair in The Exorcist, I figured a mirror was the only answer.

I resisted a handlebar mounted mirror, I've watched my computer vibrate around on the handlebars and thought a mirror would vibrate so much as to be unusable. I settled on this:





This is a Third Eye Soft Shell Helmet mirror, it cost me twelve bucks at my LBS. It's only 1 1/8 inch in diameter, so at first I thought it would be utterly worthless, but the guy at my LBS told me that since it is so close to your eye the field of vision was really pretty good. He also told me to notice that the bracket that attaches to the helmet is attached to the mirror arm by a product called Duel-Lock. Duel-Lock is not Velcro, but consists of a whole series of tiny rods on both surfaces that interconnect solidly to one another. He said the primary advantage to it is that, unlike Velcro, there is almost no vibration to it.

Have been using it for about two weeks now and I can say that it really works.

I'd like to know what other folks mirror solutions are:
Handlebar or Helmet Mount?
Large Mirror or Small?
Concerned About the Nerd Factor or Not?

I ride a recumbent, that's enough of a nerd factor in itself. I have a "Take A Look" mirror on my helmet and a bar end mirror. Unfortunatly the bar I made for the infinity is too short and all I see is my fat gut peddaling the bike. If I turn the mirror out to see the cars in the lane next to me, they're on top of me before they come into view, I have to make a longer bar.

Pete:

No real vibration issue with the bar end mirror?

I guess I should have added that my only complaints with the helmet mount mirror are:
1. I have a habit of hanging my helmet on one of the water bottle cages, which sometimes results in bouncing around and knocking the mirror out of adjustment. Do you think bar mounts are less subject to this?
2. With the helmet mount, there's always an adjustment when you first put on the helmet the first couple of times you use the mirror; even if you haven't knocked it out of adjustment, there's kind of a little search routine you go through for a couple of seconds until you zero in on that view behind you. I'll bet that doesn't happen with a bar mount?

Mirrors? Who needs mirrors, I already seen where I was and there ain't no reverse gear on my trike.

When your plastic Third Eye breaks, or the adjustment joint wobbles out to where it won't stay in adjustment, go and buy you a Take a Look. It will be the last mirror you buy. It comes with a helmet adapter, but I use it mounted on eyeglasses or sunglasses. You'll lose it before it breaks or wears out.

Mark

I don't have a vibration problem with the bar end mirror but I don't use it much now that I have the Take A Look.

Thanks, Pete and Mark, I'll definitely track down a Take A Look when this little Third Eye breaks or I get a new helmet.

My eyeglasses are a titanium, lightweight hinge-less affair, and so the bike mirror eyeglass mounts don't work on them (they flex and bend and spit the mount right off). But I notice it seems like the new Take A Look's come with a helmet mount.

I really like the Mirrycle Mirrors http://www.mirrycle.com/ . I have a bar end on three of my bikes and have never had any problems. As for helmet mirrors I've never used a take a look, I've used the one from HubBub http://www.hubbub.com/store/proddetail.asp?prod=helmir and I like it. It fits any helmet and is a real secure fit.

Walt

Walt:

Oooo! the Hub Bub is an octagon! Stylish!