bike mirrors

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
Might be this? Probably less wobbly than the insect antenna type, will miss the arm and might show more than your knee?




Yes ok if you not on the bike but cant honestly see how you will be able to see behind when your knees will be in way

When I get time i am going to see if i can unscrew end of throttle but to be honest it is all of the throttle so cant see how i can fit a end bar mirror
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
From the mirror position one will get a nice view of the upper thigh and lower torso, as you know typically on bikes mirrors need to be on stalks so any view isn't interferred by arm positioning or they have to be placed wider out of leg arm range to show a decent longer rear view. No use having a mirror positioned showing a vehicle that is almost on top of you.
We can't discount the possibility that @jokskot has extremely skinny legs, possibly see-through knees and lower torso. I've seen weirder things on the road believe me.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
When I get time i am going to see if i can unscrew end of throttle but to be honest it is all of the throttle so cant see how i can fit a end bar mirror
As I speculated last year, I think that's very likely a dummy hex bolt (looks to me like a plastic bung pushed in), and you'll have to carefully drill though, hoping that doing so won't interfere with the throttle's function. See @saneagle's post#4 - he knows what he's talking about.
 

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
As I speculated last year, I think that's very likely a dummy hex bolt (looks to me like a plastic bung pushed in), and you'll have to carefully drill though, hoping that doing so won't interfere with the throttle's function. See @saneagle's post#4 - he knows what he's talking about.

Well like i said before above, that is the whole length of the throttle. which i arrowed, its the left side grip, but throttle is all that grip. so maybe best to just stick to what I have, I can take a better look next time I service bike. I have even moved my wing mirrors as far to right as I can, but still see my arm. so when i do turn right, I have to move hand to centre of handel bars to see in mirror ok. and as for the left one well may as well take that off as cant see sod all in that.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
Well like i said before above, that is the whole length of the throttle. which i arrowed, its the left side grip, but throttle is all that grip. so maybe best to just stick to what I have, I can take a better look next time I service bike. I have even moved my wing mirrors as far to right as I can, but still see my arm. so when i do turn right, I have to move hand to centre of handel bars to see in mirror ok. and as for the left one well may as well take that off as cant see sod all in that.
If it were me, that'd hiss me right off. I'd drill/cut/replace whatever until it did what I wanted. A decent view of vehicles behind is essential, didn't used to be when I was cycling in the 1970s and 80s, but I simply won't do without it now.
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
Anyone tried something like one of
these?

TTFN
John.
No, but I considered using an old Android phone and webcam to do that, but then you wouldn't have the benefit of as much waterproofing as that dedicated device, or the mounts. My cheap old Crosstour 4k action camera has a 720P webcam function, could be used this way, easily mounted using GoPro compatibles. Screen image mighn't be visible in bright sunlight...



 
Last edited:

AndyBike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 8, 2020
1,392
593
Might be this? Probably less wobbly than the insect antenna type, will miss the arm and might show more than your knee?



Thats an interesting one mounted on the headtube, not seen that type before.

TBH I'm not into mirrors. I did fit one Zefal is it ? many many years ago but took it off because I prefer to look around me rather than rely on a mirror which i think gives a limited view. You are kind of confined to what the mirror shows and there could lie complacency.
Then there is the reflecting lights issue at night.
Admittedly taking eves off the road ahead offers a drawback, but its really just glancing rather than spending any sort of time off the road ahead.

I remember reading of a motorbike mirror a guy developed, sat on top of the fork at the top of the steerer tube, it was curved and gave a view of everything behind left and right. I remember it because the story was he wanted to market it to the type of bike company who markets these things, but they wanted to charge i think 80 quid or something and he felt that was just ripping bikers off and it should be 20 quid or thereabouts as it was an important safety feature more than anything else.
I've no idea if he got the idea off the ground. I dont follow motorbike stuff these days

I wonder if the same type of thing that fits onto the back of the stem at the steerer clamp bolts would be of use on regular bicycles.
 
Last edited:

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
I remember reading of a motorbike mirror a guy developed, sat on top of the fork at the top of the steerer tube, it was curved and gave a view of everything behind left and right. I remember it because the story was he wanted to market it to the type of bike company who markets these things, but they wanted to charge i think 80 quid or something and he felt that was just ripping bikers off and it should be 20 quid or thereabouts as it was an important safety feature more than anything else.
I've no idea if he got the idea off the ground. I dont follow motorbike stuff these days
Did it look like this £15.19 180 degree convex mirror? I'm sure it could be situated high enough on a bicycle handlebar using GoPro mounts and extension arms, superglue + bicarbonate of soda, by some adventurous tinkerer who hates or can't have end bar mirrors.




 
Last edited:

AndyBike

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 8, 2020
1,392
593
Yeah that looks like it. Though i couldnt honestly say when i saw the article or even if the one in the link is by the same guy. Either way it was a good idea and i thought his ethics over pricing top notch.
 

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
I just saw these on a web site Im wondering if they would be ok, considering i have a throttle. I know the mirror will be facing down when i have throttle on But not when i need to turn right and there-fore. wont be turning throttle. they are £7.64 what do you all think

2024-02-18_120932.jpg2024-02-18_120956.jpg2024-02-18_121019.jpg2024-02-18_121042.jpg
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,818
3,152
Telford
a picture would be nice to see that


Well I took a image of my right handle bar throttle and i see at ends the looks to be a allen type slot but i couldnt seem to fit a key in the end will try some more keys but the whole throttle is where i have arrowed on the left side grip and where the arrows point to on throttle side all that is included with throttle so maybe if i can remove the centre end bit i can hopefully fit end bar mirror

View attachment 56448View attachment 56450
That looks like you have an ordinary bar end protector in the handlebar. If that end stays still when you twist the throttle, that's what it is. Something like this:
 

Wayners

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 5, 2023
412
89
55
Gloucester
My mirror fell off at some point so I've not bothered replacing.
Used to get hit off at the work bike rack plus I'd knock it off by accident.
It's great to have if you can get one to work well.
I always had to turn to look behind as I never trusted the mirror.
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,818
3,152
Telford
My mirror fell off at some point so I've not bothered replacing.
Used to get hit off at the work bike rack plus I'd knock it off by accident.
It's great to have if you can get one to work well.
I always had to turn to look behind as I never trusted the mirror.
The Zefal Cyclops folDs completely flat against the handlebars so that can't happen.

Also you can replace the screws in your stem clamp with Q/R ones, which will let your turn the handlebars flat with the bike, so you don't get the bars tangled with adjacent bikes, and it's an additional security feature.
 

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
That looks like you have an ordinary bar end protector in the handlebar. If that end stays still when you twist the throttle, that's what it is. Something like this:
That looks like you have an ordinary bar end protector in the handlebar. If that end stays still when you twist the throttle, that's what it is. Something like this:

The Whole of throttle grip is where i have arrowed and that all turns I am not sure if that , black centre piece moves when throttle turns marked in blue. Also dont know what to fit in that end piece to unscrew it But will check it soon as i get time


2024-02-20_102433.jpg



I have also Ordered these 2 wing mirrors as they seem to have long stems so maybe I could bend the stem horizontal to go just past end of throttle grip

2024-02-20_103405.jpg2024-02-20_103438.jpg
 

guerney

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 7, 2021
11,396
3,237
I have also Ordered these 2 wing mirrors as they seem to have long stems so maybe I could bend the stem horizontal to go just past end of throttle grip
I reckon those will waggle about. I've tried mirrors like that before, wobbled about so much I couldn't see a thing.


The Whole of throttle grip is where i have arrowed and that all turns I am not sure if that , black centre piece moves when throttle turns marked in blue. Also dont know what to fit in that end piece to unscrew it But will check it soon as i get time
Is that end piece metal or plastic? If it doesn't move when you turn the throttle, and if it's plastic, maybe you can crush it using waterplumb pliers, twist/turn and yank it out? If metal, maybe cut a slot into it using a dremel, unscrew and pull?
 

saneagle

Esteemed Pedelecer
Oct 10, 2010
6,818
3,152
Telford
The Whole of throttle grip is where i have arrowed and that all turns I am not sure if that , black centre piece moves when throttle turns marked in blue. Also dont know what to fit in that end piece to unscrew it But will check it soon as i get time


View attachment 56491



I have also Ordered these 2 wing mirrors as they seem to have long stems so maybe I could bend the stem horizontal to go just past end of throttle grip

View attachment 56492View attachment 56493
Did you check that it turns like you showed, because it doesn’t make sense? There would be no use for the screw like that.

I'm going to bet that those mirrors are a waste of space and money. You need a bar-end one, like everybody else has.
 

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
I reckon those will waggle about. I've tried mirrors like that before, wobbled about so much I couldn't see a thing.

Well if they no good I will just sell them on ebay



Is that end piece metal or plastic? If it doesn't move when you turn the throttle, and if it's plastic, maybe you can crush it using waterplumb pliers, twist/turn and yank it out? If metal, maybe cut a slot into it using a dremel, unscrew and pull?

That end piece arrowed in red arrows is metal, but that centre piece in blue is plastic. I just have not had a chance to sort bike as of yet, as so many other stuff to do , but i will eventuaily look at removing the end piece
 

billyboya

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 10, 2016
1,137
90
73
uk
Did you check that it turns like you showed, because it doesn’t make sense? There would be no use for the screw like that.

I'm going to bet that those mirrors are a waste of space and money. You need a bar-end one, like everybody else has.
I am going out on bike in a bit I will check the throttle grip as Im sure that centre piece in blue which is plastic dont move. Yes i defo want bar end mirrors if possible