If you want to use mirrors, that's your personal choice.

In general, this forum is more often used by people involved in triathlons, duathlons, or cycling time trials (the basic cycling training principles and equipment for which have many similarities). Oh, and also by people that spend all of their time debating PowerCranks (most of whom have never used them), and lately people debating the merits of war.

So while some people also ride touring, mountain, or commuter bikes and might choose to use a mirror, I don't think people are going to start mounting rear-view mirrors on the aerobars on their Cervelo's.

My 2 cents,

Daniel.

Aw, c'mon. Surely most of the riders on this forum ride on roads, in traffic, for many training rides for those triathlons, duathlons, and time trials, right? The mirror question is perfectly valid. I've never used them. Is there merit to them? Am I safer using them in traffic? Does anyone use them on road bikes on training rides? Is helmet-mounted better or worse then bar-mounted?

I have one of those stick on type mirrors that attach to the side of the helmet. I ALWAYS wear it when training or on group rides. The only time I don't wear it is during a tri.They do have a definite safety value.

I ride 300 miles every week on the road, but what am I going to do when I see something in my mirror? Honk? Pull off the road? What? Wave maybe? I'm not knocking it. If someone else feels safer with a mirror, have at it. Different strokes for different folks. I'm cool with that.

Regards,

Daniel.

>I ride 300 miles every week on the road, but what am
>I going to do when I see something in my mirror?

I don't know. Same thing you do when you see something behind you by looking over your shoulder? Or do you never look behind you at all? Doesn't a mirror serve the same function? Is it a convenience or a hindrance? Maybe it's the handiest thing ever, maybe it's misleading and useless. Curious to see responses of those who've used them.

Thanks for validating my question, this is my first post and I was hesitant to ask the question. Concerning myself, I am a triathlete, have been for over 15 years, and am training for my 3rd IM. I've always trained alone so I'm not familiar with roadie techniques. I do want to know whats coming up behind me even if I may not be able to do anything about it.

I've used mirrors for my entire cycling career, and feel naked without one. Gees, I even used a helmet mounted mirror a couple of times when tting, which was decidedly uncool but it's nice to know if the guy behind you seems to be gaining. The last few years I've used those little mirrors that you glue inside your sunglasses, which helps with the "coolness" factor. If I'm meeting traffic on a 2 lane road, it's nice to see if there's a truck coming up behind me. It helps with many road situations. You wouldn't drive a car without a rear-view mirror(unless you're one of the blue-haired old ladies that I sometimes encounter), so why wouldn't you want to know what the traffic situation is behind you when you're in the vulnerable position of being on a bike?

"but what am I going to do when I see something in my mirror?"

It's nice to know what is coming up behind you. Sometimes you don't realize a fast moving car is there until it's beside you unless you have a mirror. Once I was riding and I could see a pick up truck riding close to the shoulder coming up behind me. I thought to myself "this guy's not going to pull out for me". And he didn't but I pulled in on the shoulder just as his big oversize side mirror passed a few inches by my head. I've had a few other incidents when the mirror may have saved me.

I'll say it again - a mirror is a definite safety device.