Vibrating mirrors.

[allen-uk]

I have a Busch & Muller bar-end mirror, which I find one of the best for clarity and the distance it sticks out from the bars. But vibration is a big problem, partly due to the slightly higher speeds I'm now doing than in my non-electric days, partly because of the dreadful state of the roads.

Do helmet mirrors suffer any LESS from vibration problems than bike-mounted ones?

Allen.

 

[lemmy]

I have a mirrycle bar end mirror which is the only one I've used that doesn't have a vibration problem. I do have front suspension on my bike, However, which may have an influence.

I tried a helmet mirror but found it required too much fine head movement to get the view I needed at any time and was little better than craning my head round and looking behind me.

 

[flecc]

I've never suffered any vibration problems with the Cateye BM300G mirror.
.

 

[allen-uk]

I have tried a Cateye (it's in the shed somewhere). Trouble with me is that being built so WIDE, mirrors like the Cateye only tend to give me a view of my elbow, whereas the B&M sticks out far enough to see down the road.

Maybe it's the long stem which exacerbates the vibrations.

A.

 

[flecc]

Maybe it's the long stem which exacerbates the vibrations.

A.

Yes, that is the problem, every outward reaching long stem mirror that I've tried vibrated like mad. They need double arms, above and below, to stabilise them. You often see this on truck mirrors which are subject to diesel engine vibration, the arm is a loop that goes around the mirror, bracing it above and below.
.

 

[rooel]

"I have a mirrycle bar end mirror which is the only one I've used that doesn't have a vibration problem."

Me too, and I have never had any vibration problem either with or without front suspension. I have used such a mirror for well over 20 years and find it impossible to ride a bike in traffic or country roads without one. I do wish the government and other "safety" organisations would direct their propaganda away from helmet wearing to the advisability of having a good rear view mirror. It is still advisable of course to turn one's head before deviating from the straight, partly as an indication to observant motorists that a deviation is imminent, but also to check any blind spots not covered by the mirror.

 

[iaing]

Use the Cateye 500 myself. Maybe its because I prefer a very upright seating position, but I have no problem with seeing past my elbow. And no vibration problem either.

Iain

 

[Old Timer]

I find the Blackburn bar end mirror to be superb, no vibration and it sticks out far enough to cover everything plus it is very flexible for lining up and it folds in flat against the bars for parking and narrow gaps.( We have 6 of them in our shed of bikes)

Here Blackburn Multi Fit Mirror | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com

 

[Old Timer]

On Anne`s synergie Breeze the bars turn back Dutch style so a bar end mirror didn`t work so we tried on of these and it is simply superb, get it positioned and tightened up properly and there is no vibration at all on her bike( the breeze does have front suspension)
UNIVERSAL FIT RECTANGULAR HANDLE BAR BIKE CYCLE MIRROR on eBay (end time 10-Aug-10 15:10:16 BST)

 

[Scimitar]

I have a Busch & Muller bar-end mirror, which I find one of the best for clarity and the distance it sticks out from the bars. But vibration is a big problem, partly due to the slightly higher speeds I'm now doing than in my non-electric days, partly because of the dreadful state of the roads.

This is an old problem with bar mirrors on bicycles and motorcycles. You can add /remove weight to the mirror head to move the resonant frequency up beyond or below the range of speeds you use. Of course, sometimes the vibes recur even more savagely (and destructively) at another frequency, just where you don't want it. As you suggest, the long stem doesn't help, but if it's properly designed it needn't be a drawback.

 

[aseb]

I use a Zefal dooback bar end mirror after trying a few others. Mounts in the bar end, is slightly convex to see more, and good imho. Prices were quite variable, I don't think they were on eBay (except USA which was expensive).

 

[allen-uk]

Just for the sake of clarity, this is the one I'm complaining about (and it does seem to have a good pedigree):

Busch & Muller Cycle Star Mirror Long Stem

Allen.

 

[frothycoffee]

I have just got my bike and also have a Mirrycle Mirror I find it fantastic no vibration at all

 

[allen-uk]

So, I bought the mirror OldTimer recommended

Blackburn Multi Fit Mirror | Buy Online | ChainReactionCycles.com

and nice little mirror it is, too.

Trouble is, back to those bloody Wisper bars - too small for a Busch & Muller, and now too small for the Blackburn. Ah well, another session with grinder and sandpaper is called for (modifying the bit that goes into the bars).

What I really (really) want is an insert which fits into the Wisper bars, with a stepped bit that pokes out that is NORMAL handlebar size, so that I can use mirrors without having to modify their bleeding mounts first... Nothing on the market, I suppose?


A

 

[Blew it]

The Mirrycle is supplied with two inserts, one for 7/8th" bars and another for 1". The smaller insert is usually okay with Wisper bars, unless they are now using a non-standard bar. have you measured the inside diameter of your bars?

 

[flecc]

Trouble is, back to those bloody Wisper bars - too small for a Busch & Muller, and now too small for the Blackburn. Ah well, another session with grinder and sandpaper is called for (modifying the bit that goes into the bars).

What I really (really) want is an insert which fits into the Wisper bars, with a stepped bit that pokes out that is NORMAL handlebar size, so that I can use mirrors without having to modify their bleeding mounts first... Nothing on the market, I suppose?

That Cateye BM 300G that I recommended above does have a very small diameter insert, few do as you've found:

 

[allen-uk]

The Mirrycle is supplied with two inserts, one for 7/8th" bars and another for 1". The smaller insert is usually okay with Wisper bars, unless they are now using a non-standard bar. have you measured the inside diameter of your bars?

I have now, Blew it – 5/8th"!

No wonder I can't get the mirrors into it. Mind you, that has given me an alternative - my old non-electric bike (which DID take the Busch & Muller, so must be at least 7/8th) is in the shed, so I could always knick the bars off that bike, as long as I can spare the couple of necessary hours to transfer all the gubbins from Wisper to new bar.

Allen.

 

[Blew it]

That may not be possible. If the bars on your old bike have any sharp curves, they may not pass through the single bolt clamp on the Wisper 905 stem.

Regarding the Mirrycle. The outside diameter of the small insert is 0.595". 5/8ths = 0.625" so the Mirrycle should fit your 905 bars. Come to think of it, a Mirrycle was successfully fitted to a Wisper 905 Alpino a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Old Timer]

I have now, Blew it – 5/8th"!

No wonder I can't get the mirrors into it. Mind you, that has given me an alternative - my old non-electric bike (which DID take the Busch & Muller, so must be at least 7/8th) is in the shed, so I could always knick the bars off that bike, as long as I can spare the couple of necessary hours to transfer all the gubbins from Wisper to new bar.

Allen.

Get yourself an 18mm drill from e bay( around £3.50) and drill out the bars, there will be enough meat left(trust me) if you can`t find a drill then I will lend you mine through the post.

Here you go 18MM DRILL BIT HIGH SPEED STEEL DRILLS on eBay (end time 15-Aug-10 13:13:56 BST)

Dave

 

[allen-uk]

Thanks Blew, Dave.

As the Scotsman said, "I am in blood steep'd so far, that return were as tedious as go o'er"... but I don't suppose Shakespeare ever rode a Wisper, either.

In English: I've already bought the Blackburn mirror, as recommended by Dave, and it seems a splendid item, so I shall

a) look at my old bars and see if they'll wiggle through the central hole

and failing that

b) look at Dave's solution, drastic, but it would solve the problem.

(Another complication of course, Blew, is that some of my Wisper items currently fixed to my Wisper bars might not have big enough clips to go round a pair of bigger standard bars. Why ain't it easy?)


Allen.