Mirrors on Road Bikes

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Comments

  • timb64
    timb64 Posts: 248
    I strongly recommend the use of a mirror

    1)You keep a constant idea of what's behind-ok you can hear a vehicle approaching but it's better to know it's just one chav filled Corsa or his mate in the Civic too.

    2) The drag it causes is minimal

    3)If you wear specs the blurred blind spot when you glance over your shoulder means you don't see anything useful (unless you turn right round and end up veering into oncoming traffic!).

    4)It winds up "serious " roadies who accept too much dogma about what is/ isn't the done thing!! :wink:

    Having said that still use a glance over the shoulder just to let car drivers etc know of my intentions pre manoevre

    As for music on the move -just say no.
  • geoff_ss
    geoff_ss Posts: 1,201
    I can't turn my head as easily as once I could, partly through age but mostly because of a cycling sustained neck injury. I use a small mirror attached to my glasses and wouldn't be without it. You can see it in my Avatar. I still look over my shoulder before turning for 3 reasons - first as a precaution I learned from my motor cycle days, second to tell following traffic I've seen them and lastly to warn aware drivers that I'm likely to make a manoeuvre.

    Much of my group riding is in narrow, very lightly trafficked lanes which require singling out to allow cars/tractors etc to overtake and my mirror helps to give me an early warning. Most of our group have mirrors and most of us are experienced touring and ex-racing cyclists.

    It seems here that 'road' bikes equals racing bikes and often ridden by those who like to pretend that their riding necessitates having all-out racing bikes. I once rode in a serious Winter chain gang (if you went off the back no-one waited; you were on your own) and all the riders had mudguards and lights. If you're training it doesn't matter if your bike is a bit heavier - it makes you ride harder and you appreciate the benefits of an all-out racing bike when actually competing.

    Geoff
    Old cyclists never die; they just fit smaller chainrings ... and pedal faster
  • timb64
    timb64 Posts: 248
    Geoff-What a lot of sense you talk.
    I alternate weekend rides with the Missus, including occasional camping trips lugging all the gear on a hybrid, with more "serious" rides on my road bike.It's amazing how much strength you can build up hauling a heavier bike around and how much lighter the roadie then feels.I think there's too much obsession with lightweight gear, aerodynamics etc when we are ,afterall ,just amatuers riding for pleasure.

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