Does a clip-on mirror work with a V20? The mirror attaches to the car-side of glasses frame. My wife uses one on an upright bike. I just tested it, but without bending it significantly could not get it aimed in the proper direction (had a view of the ground next to me, which is not helpful). Even if was pointing in the right direction, am wondering if it would be usable since the mirror would raised and the sky would be the background, which could be an issue depending where the sun was.
Clip-on mirrors
- Thread starter Joe Riel
- Start date
RojoRacing
Donut Powered Wise-guy
B&M CycleStar Mirror
The Busch + Muller Mirror is the best bicycle mirror on the market for recumbent bicycles. It is extremely adjustable, light weight and has optical quality glass. It's easy to install and adjust with a wild field of vision and a lightweight aluminum structure. Mounting hardware and tool included.
cruzbike.com
Buy this Cyclestar mirror, it's actual glass, so you get great clarity, but it also has the best convex ratio in my opinion. You can also ditch the little 3" extension rod and mount the mirror directly onto the ball of the bar clamp for a cleaner area setup.
I have that one, mounted without the stalk. The one minor complaint is that I occasionally bang it while getting off or on the bike and don't notice until I need it, say on the climb out of my house. Can adjust it while riding, but it's still sketchy on the climb. Maybe in a few more months.
RojoRacing
Donut Powered Wise-guy
You probably could try rotating the mount slightly forward to get the mirror more above the handlebars and less likely to get bumped. I guess you could also add the stalk back on and get it more forward and way out of the way. As far as noticing until you need it, I feel it comes down to use case, and in my case, a glance or using it almost every minute of my ride. So if I bump it getting off the bike, which can happen occasionally, I notice as soon as I start pedaling again.
As for your available stability to use a free hand when riding and climbing to grab a bottle or adjust a mirror will come with time and practice. If you want to get better at riding with a free hand, you need to practice it, or you'll never gain the muscle memory. In my case, I drink with my right so I can steer with my left only quite well. In the less common times, I have to steer with my right hand to adjust my mirror or grab my left bottle to make the swap, I'm only half as stable. If I really wanted to prioritize better steering with my right, I should drink with my left, but the drive to do so ain't there yet.
As for your available stability to use a free hand when riding and climbing to grab a bottle or adjust a mirror will come with time and practice. If you want to get better at riding with a free hand, you need to practice it, or you'll never gain the muscle memory. In my case, I drink with my right so I can steer with my left only quite well. In the less common times, I have to steer with my right hand to adjust my mirror or grab my left bottle to make the swap, I'm only half as stable. If I really wanted to prioritize better steering with my right, I should drink with my left, but the drive to do so ain't there yet.
Originally the mirror was further up, but rotated it down so it didn't block the view (not significant). Will try rotating it up and back to see if I bang it less often.
I practice riding one handed every ride. Haven't yet dealt with the water situation. I'm right handed but have a reverse shoulder joint on the right which limits the range of motion so will be grabbing the water bottle with the left.
I practice riding one handed every ride. Haven't yet dealt with the water situation. I'm right handed but have a reverse shoulder joint on the right which limits the range of motion so will be grabbing the water bottle with the left.
I feel like a glasses-mounted mirror wouldn't work particularly well with a Cruzbike, but what I do for mirrors is only one step removed - I have a helmet mirror from EVT, which with a fairly low hassle factor gives me a mirror that's always in my line of sight and can be aimed with my head. I've never liked the handlebar-mounted mirrors, they've always seemed clunky to me, but a helmet mirror works perfectly in place of them. It's so bendy that I've never really had to worry about getting too much sky in the view, or too much road - I can just bend it the other way on the fly.
I do wonder about the drag sometimes - would it be more efficient to have handlebar mirrors than have a segmented stick poking up from my helmet into the wind? - but it's probably a fairly small difference regardless.
Here's the mirror I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LVHZ4O
I do wonder about the drag sometimes - would it be more efficient to have handlebar mirrors than have a segmented stick poking up from my helmet into the wind? - but it's probably a fairly small difference regardless.
Here's the mirror I use: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003LVHZ4O
I have used several handle bar mounted mirrors in every recumbent bike, and I have used a helmet mirror on most. No glasses mirror yet, though.
I don't remember ever having problems with the sky being behind the mirror. Maybe if youbare riding into the low standing sun, I can imagine. But maybe the head can be moved in such a way that it works. Or the mirror deliberately mounted at an angle that works when you tilt your head forward to lower the mirror. Worst case: Hold your hand up and behind the mirror in cases of extremely bright backdrop. But most often when the sky is bright the road and cars behind you will be fairly bright as well. Special case would be if the mirror is not covered by your sunglasses, so you get dimmed sky backdrop but full brightness mirror view.
I don't remember ever having problems with the sky being behind the mirror. Maybe if youbare riding into the low standing sun, I can imagine. But maybe the head can be moved in such a way that it works. Or the mirror deliberately mounted at an angle that works when you tilt your head forward to lower the mirror. Worst case: Hold your hand up and behind the mirror in cases of extremely bright backdrop. But most often when the sky is bright the road and cars behind you will be fairly bright as well. Special case would be if the mirror is not covered by your sunglasses, so you get dimmed sky backdrop but full brightness mirror view.
David Lalejini
Active Member
Zefal Spy Mirrors, I use them on the V20c and S40. https://cruzbike.com/products/zefal-spy-mirror
mzweili
Guru
I like the arm mounted rearviz. https://www.rearviz.com/
I'll push that (arm mounted mirror) onto the stack for when I'm comfortable riding one-handed up hill. Just deploying the mirror might be tricky. I'll need to move the left arm across my body so the thumb of the right arm, holding the bar, can flick it out. Maybe it can be done with the mouth?
Has anyone attempted to don/doff a windbreaker while riding? I regularly did that on an upright bike, just before the climb started.
Has anyone attempted to don/doff a windbreaker while riding? I regularly did that on an upright bike, just before the climb started.
chicorider
Zen MBB Master
Ooh! I've been using the Zefal Spy Mirrors for years. They work fine, but the plastic mirror leaves a bit to be desired for clarity. The view is a little wavy, and if a car is coming from behind without running lights on, and it is a neutral color, like tan or gray, it can be harder to see. I've avoided the Cyclestar mirror because I didn't like the stalk. But knowing now that I can remove the stalk and mount it just like the Spy mirror makes it much more attractive. I just watched Robert's installation video. Sure enough...
