Having had our first short ride on our new acquisitions we find the need for some cycle mirrors. It's mainly for pulling out for parked cars, but also to keep a check on whichever cyclist is behind the other.

 

I have seen these on eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-BICYCLE-BAR-END-HANDLEBAR-MIRROR-CYCLE-BIKE-REAR-VIEW-CYCLING-MTB-ROAD-/400898227426?hash=item5d57657ce2:g:VnwAAOSw34FVIWQq

What do you more experienced cyclists think?

I'd appreciate your advice as ever.

 

I have one of these - it does the job fine.

 

Given that a mirror inevitably gets clouted from time to time, I think the Mirrcycle is a bit over done.

 

I also have a couple of Zefal Doobacks, just because it's what the shop had at the time.

 

They also do the job, although as commented up thread, the cheapo reflective - as fitted to all bike mirrors - is especially cheapo on the Dooback.

My heavy Kalkhoff has fallen over on that side before now and hit the Mirrcycle mirror and it wasn’t damaged. They are very robust.

My heavy Kalkhoff has fallen over on that side before now

I fully expect to be doing that as well!

So a robust mirror may be useful.

Someone rode my Delite but could not stop. He ended up in the bush and the Mirrycle was deep in the ground and had become detached form the bike. Took a while digging to find it but when cleaned up went back together again and is as good as new.

 

 

Try that with the inferior ones.

He ended up in the bush

I may well end up doing that as well!

I fully expect to be doing that as well!

So a robust mirror may be useful.

 

I wasn’t actually on the bike at the time though…..

The plastic reflector on my cheapo mirror pinged out a few times when I clipped it.

 

A lump of Blu-tack fettled it.

 

Quality engineering around here, I tell you.

I wasn’t actually on the bike at the time though…..

I will be knowing my luck. :eek:

I get on well with a helmet mirror, like this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/blackburn/helmet-mirror-ec006158#reviews

Had to do a bit of modification at the fixing end to get it to sit properly on my helmet, but it works for me.

 

Only useful if you wear a helmet, of course...

Convex Motorcycle mirrors, like those above but these do fold

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROUND-MOTORCYCLE-MOTORBIKE-STREETFIGHTER-BAR-END-FOLDING-MIRRORS-7-8-Handlebar-/221938316948?hash=item33ac8df694:g:DykAAOSwT5tWQyPx

I wonder if anyone has actually got a Dutch style bike with the Mirrycle mirror, and whether it works for them? Anyone?

I don't have a Dutch style bike, but I can say that there is enough adjustability on the Mirrycle to cope with any bar angle. As long as you have an open bar end, it'll fit.

I wonder if anyone has actually got a Dutch style bike with the Mirrycle mirror, and whether it works for them? Anyone?

It really depends on how swept back the bars are.

 

The Mirrycle doesn't really work well with wide cruiser style bars as shown below on the eZee Cadence

I wonder if anyone has actually got a Dutch style bike with the Mirrycle mirror, and whether it works for them? Anyone?

 

Works for me. My Dutch bike was the first of my bikes to have Mirrycle fitted and I then bought them for my other bikes with straight bars.

 

Tom

That's all very encouraging thanks.

My bike is different to the Ezee Cadance John. Below are photos from the Juicy Bike site (I'm sure Bob won't mind me using them). The handlebars are adjustable in fact:

I have just been on my bike to the village for milk (goodness knows why I had to tell you that!). The bars seem awfully low relative to my eye line so I imagine the mirror will have to be high and angled back to get a decent view.

Anyway we have one winging it's way to us through cyber space as we speak, to fit on hubby's Vita Uno, so I will be able to try it out on mine and will report back.

I have just been on my bike to the village for milk (goodness knows why I had to tell you that!).

 

Utility cycling - something else you can do on an ebike.

 

That trip will have saved you a couple of quid in motoring costs, you will have had a bit of fresh air and exercise, and the chances are you will have interacted more with other people than you would have done in the car

 

So it's all good.

I have just been on my bike to the village for milk (goodness knows why I had to tell you that!).

 

Support for our hard pressed dairy farmers, well done. Next time buy two pints and make a rice pudding!

 

The bars seem awfully low relative to my eye line so I imagine the mirror will have to be high and angled back to get a decent view.

 

The Myrrycle will be fine with those bars. It's good having it out of your normal eyeline since if in vision all the time, the movements in its images can be distracting.

.

Utility cycling - something else you can do on an ebike.

 

you will have had a bit of fresh air and exercise,

So it's all good.

I treated my first utility ride differently than our first road ride! I decided that since I was only going a couple of miles, I could afford to let my legs strain more than on a longer ride. So I used less assist and a higher gear and got back home more puffed out than on our first longer ride.

I was also less togged up and the fresh air felt great.

It felt good.

Another good reason to have an electric bike.

I treated my first utility ride differently than our first road ride! I decided that since I was only going a couple of miles, I could afford to let my legs strain more than on a longer ride. So I used less assist and a higher gear and got back home more puffed out than on our first longer ride.

I was also less togged up and the fresh air felt great.

It felt good.

Another good reason to have an electric bike.

 

Another way to look at it is you can load the bike with more shopping in future because the motor will take some of the strain.

 

Your bike has a rack, so a couple of basic pannier bags will give you a fair bit of carrying capacity.

 

It will also be very satisfying to carve your way through a crowded supermarket car park, particularly at this time of year.

Your bike has a rack, so a couple of basic pannier bags will give you a fair bit of carrying capacity.

 

I already have a rear rack bag which sits on top of my rack and contains my lock .... and the milk of course. It also looks rather splendid against my metallic teal bike I must say!

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/z/YtYAAOSwT6pV0Z9m/$_1.JPG

I use my Ebike as a utility bike a lot. My local supermarket is too far to walk and too far to cycle unassisted loaded with shopping. But its too near to keep taking my car, really not good for car engines to constantly be driven short distances where the engine barely gets hot.

So an Ebike is great for it, and i can get a decent amount of stuff in a largish rucksack.

Also no cost and hassle of parking..... and no tw@ts putting dings in the bodywork of my car. Which always happens in supermarkets.

"The bars seem awfully low relative to my eye line so I imagine the mirror will have to be high and angled back to get a decent view."

 

You just glance down at it from time to time. Don't let us catch you riding hands free to do your eye liner!

Convex Motorcycle mirrors, like those above but these do fold

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROUND-MOTORCYCLE-MOTORBIKE-STREETFIGHTER-BAR-END-FOLDING-MIRRORS-7-8-Handlebar-/221938316948?hash=item33ac8df694:g:DykAAOSwT5tWQyPx

 

Thanks for that Gringo, I didn't realise there was a newer version with another joint on it. I must admit, that would make them more versatile.

 

I tried many cycle mirrors but they always seemed a little on the flimsy side, and none of my alloy motorbike mirrors has ever broken or given problems.

 

The original type that I have can be easily folded in if you make a slight modification to them. I just file the cheeks on the inside of the ball clamping arms, just enough to let the square arm pass over the top.

 

I've never found them to have insufficient adjustment, despite the short arm length, because of them being beyond the handlebar ends. They even work on the underseat handlebars of my recumbent trike.

You just glance down at it from time to time. Don't let us catch you riding hands free to do your eye liner!

Ohh, nearly sexist but I'll let you off!

Believe me when I tell you, the last thing I want to look at is myself.