Safe Zone Bicycle Helmet Mirror by EVT

Let me tell you about my love/hate, no wait, my hate/love relationship with this mirror. My feelings changed dramatically over a period of two days and two bicycle rides. Introduction I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews before deciding to buy the "Safe Zone Bicycle Helmet Mirror." Still, when the mirror arrived, I was shocked by how big it is. I knew I didn't want one of those tiny dentist-type mirrors because I just didn't think I would be able to see anything. In making the decision to finally get a mirror, after so many years of riding without one, I wanted one that would actually allow me to see what is behind me. And you can see with this mirror! It is big, with a diameter of a little over 2-¼ inches, so be aware of this if you decide to buy one. The mirror mounts to your helmet easily enough using plastic ties. Three ties come in the bag and you'll likely just use two of them. Pay attention to how you place the ties. I trashed one because I didn't insert it "between" the plastic rail that goes against your helmet. You'll know what I mean as soon as you look at the piece that goes against your helmet. Now here's my short story about this mirror. Spoiler alert: buy one! Day 1 I mounted the mirror on my helmet and headed right out for a ride figuring I'd adjust it while on the road. That was a mistake. Adjust it before you get on your bike. It was an incredibly windy day, gusting and blowing, and I was aggravated from the start of my ride from having to fight so hard against the wind. And the mirror only added to my aggravation. I could not get it adjusted. I kept fiddling and fiddling with it and just could not find a position that allowed me to see properly. At one point, I was so frustrated, that I started to reach up to yank the mirror off my helmet with the thought that I was just going to heave it into a cornfield. I resisted the urge but knew I hated this thing and just gave up, deciding to take it off when I got home. When I did get home I immediately went online again to find another mirror option. I ordered two types: the "Bike-Eye Frame Mount Mirror" and the "Sprintech Drop Bar Mirrors" (a pair) from Amazon. Day 2 I showed my wife the mirror on my helmet and she laughed, asking if I thought it was big enough. It is big, as I've said, and I do think I look pretty goofy with it on my helmet, adding to my overall goofiness that is already severe enough. For whatever reason, I put the helmet on and turned my back on my wife to fiddle with adjusting it again. Standing still, and being calm, allowed me to quickly adjust the mirror and there in my view, crystal clear, was my laughing wife. I was struck by how well I could see behind me just by moving my eyes slightly. With the mirror adjusted, I headed out for another ride. Wow!! What a difference a day makes. This mirror is awesome! I love this thing. As I approach 60 I am finding that I just don't have the flexibility on a bike, and in general, that I used to have. Turning to look back while riding used to be easy but not so much anymore. And when you are riding into the wind and it's blowing past your ears it can be impossible to hear a vehicle coming up behind you. Too many times I've been surprised by a passing car and I don't like feeling so vulnerable. With this mirror there are no more surprises. I can't believe how much difference the mirror makes while riding. I can see everything coming up behind me with ease. After all these years riding without a mirror, I'm amazed at how stupid I've been being so blind to traffic from behind. It feels good feeling so much safer now while riding. I will never ride again without being able to see what is coming up on me from the rear. It's not safe doing so and with this simple technology there is no reason to ride with unnecessary risk given the numerous hazards we already must contend with. I highly recommend this mirror. It's big, I really want to stress that, so don't be surprised. But it is lightweight and very stable when mounted regardless of road and wind conditions. Once you position the mirror the way you want it will not move. I'm still interested in seeing my other mirror options when they arrive but one way or another I will be using a mirror of some type from this point forward.

I've been looking for a reliable helmet-mounted mirror for a while now, and after trying a few different kinds for a couple of years now, I've found that this is easily the best one I've ever used. I wish I'd started with this one long ago, but at the time I wasn't willing to spend much more than $25 for a mirror. First, the cons. This takes a little time to mount, especially if your helmet has fewer vents than most other helmets, like my Bern Allston. Fortunately there are Velcro straps that allow you to find the optimal position and angle to place your mirror before finalizing it with the zip ties. The mounting bracket does run along the exterior of the helmet, so that along with the joints does add quite a lot of bulk to the helmet. Because the mount is also semi-permanent, that extra bulk makes it a little more difficult to carry/store your helmet when you aren't using it. Although I haven't had any issue yet, I am concerned about the joint sockets. My previous mirrors had various swivel parts irreversibly loosen up over time, so a mere gust of wind was enough to misalign the angle of the mirror. I've been using this item daily for a little over a month now and have seen no evidence of wear yet, but I'm curious how this will hold up after a year or two. I'll certainly update my review if I have any problems. All in all, my complaints are meager and not serious enough to deduct any stars. This is certainly the sturdiest mirror I've ever used, the angle of the glass stays exactly where I put it no matter how bumpy or windy the ride gets. There are multiple ball-socket joints that allow me to easily set it in whatever position I need. With local temperatures fluctuating so much this winter, the number of layers I have under my helmet vary and being able to adjust the mirror accordingly makes life so much easier than in the past. The glass is also much larger than any other I've had before; a 2.25" diameter versus ~1" for all the other mirrors I've had. No longer do I feel like I'm shooting for a bull's eye when looking for the glass, nor do I divert as much effort or attention angling my neck so the mirror aims towards where I need to see. This makes it easier to simply glance and move on, and it also makes it easier to notice vehicle headlights appear in my peripheral vision. I cannot imagine riding my bike without a mirror like this. I feel far more secure being aware of what's both in front of and behind me, rather than one or the other. Turning your neck or body to look behind you prevents you from seeing sudden, unexpected obstacles in your path, like potholes, debris, pedestrians, shifting stop lights, or other traffic. If you're an urban commuter like myself, I strongly recommend this mirror because of the improved sense of safety it confers. Although $40 isn't chump change, it's worth the extra cost of not having a tiny, flimsy mirror that struggles to maintain its attachment or viewing angle. If helmet-mounted mirrors aren't your thing, there are others that mount to your handlebars or the fork around your front tire (though I have very little experience with them). Anything that improves your directional awareness will reduce the odds that you will be surprised by things happening around you during your ride, and that can make the difference between life and death.

This mirror is large and gives a nice, big view of the road behind you. The stalk mechanism used to position it is easy to maneuver and holds the mirror in place where you left it, even over bumps, etc. Securing it to the helmet vents with cable ties is simple and ingenious; much better than adhesives or flimsy clip-on mechanisms. I have two nit-picks, which cause me to give it 4 out of 5 stars: 1. The flexible stalk used to extend the mirror off your helmet and hold the mirror in place is too beefy. It’s roughly the diameter of my index finger. That large stalk blocks some of my peripheral vision, and I find it a little hard to see things on the road off to my left, especially while making a left turn. I’m getting used to it; it’s not a deal breaker. It’s like driving car with a super-fat A-pillar though. Going around corners to your left is a little unnerving because the big stalk can block your view of potholes and other things on the roadway. 2. Despite the huge stalk that holds it securely, I still find I have to adjust at the beginning of every ride. I’m pretty sure I’m not bumping it on anything between wearing my helmet, and my helmet seems to go on the same place of my head each time. I expected it to be like the mirrors on my car, which never need adjustment after I dial them in. Again, not a deal-breaker, just a nit-pick. Overall, the view of the road behind is so awesome, I would definitely buy it again, even with the minor issues mentioned above.

Though I ride a bike at work regularly I have not ridden one at home, in town, for some time. I got a new bike, enjoy riding it but I just did not feel safe without a reliable rear view. My bike is a hybrid and I don't think a handle bar mounted mirror would work. I put a concave mirror on the handle bar of my bike at work and it was useless. I couldn't see anything until it was right behind me, too late. I saw this and felt like this was right for me. I got a bike helmet. Ordered this mirror and mounted it on the helmet. I've had it for 3 or 4 weeks I guess, ridden around town quite a bit since I got it. It mounts with cable ties so that's easy and secure and easy to change if you need to. The mirror is larger than many. It's about the size of a mechanic's inspection mirror. I like it so that I can see well what's behind me, critical when making a left turn. It's the ball and socket type arm to you can adjust it anyway you need and it stays where you set it. I have it mounted so with a side glance I can see to the curb fairly close behind me which means I can see a car coming from well behind me till it's right behind me and coming by me. It's big enough that I can see both lanes, that is cars that meet me and going away behind me are easily seen as well as those coming up on me. It's not in the way. I don't "see" it when I'm not looking at it. I'm still learning to see what's in the mirror with out closing my right, dominant eye. It's mounted on the left side of course. If I don't think about it, I can see OK with both eyes open. Don't look at the mirror, look into the mirror and I can see what's behind me with both eyes open. I'm sure it's more than obvious to everyone but as received there is a plastic film on the mirror protecting the surface, same type you see on new electronic screens, that you peel off and you have a sharp, bright mirror. And the darned thing is made in the good old USA. That's important to me. It's expensive for a bike mirror but it's well made, very functional and not nearly as expensive as a trip to the emergency room.

I agree with most reviewers that this product is a great design and a well made piece of equipment. But reviewers fail to address the bigger question as to why one might bother to use a mirror at all. The reason most bikers go without a mirror is lack a clear understanding the margin of safety and peace of mind they offer. Why is the Safe Zone mirror design best to achieve these objectives? 1. Presence: it is 5 inches from the eye so it is very easy to check with an instantaneous glance. 2. Adjustability: once trained up, you can micro-adjust with one hand with extreme precision in a split second. 3. Stress: most don't realize that unobservable threat of approaching traffic creates psychic stress and fatigue; being able to glance at the threat allows you to position your bike for the type of threat, being car, big truck, or towing trailer. The mirror is a big stress reliever. 4. More access to the road: although most of the time the biker will use road aprons or bike paths, but with the Safe Zone, moving into the adjacent vehicle lane will be appealing. If the mirror confirms that you have no traffic behind you, move over and enjoy better road surface and greater safety of the road itself (not a tactic I recommend for every biker however). Move back on the apron with a judicious time margin when you see approaching traffic. 5. Speed: If you are able to use the road rather than the apron of the road, you will go faster overall. Concentrating on a few feet of margin slows you down. The product itself: Absolutely superb design and manufacture. I have used handlebar and glasses mounted mirrors and they were useless. Mounting: Straightforward, but I have some suggestions: The mirror comes in three parts, the mirror, the boom, and a foot. The directions show the boom mounted on a diagonal relative to the base of helmet. Better, mount the foot in the most horizontal position relative to the base of helmet and you will have greater ability to adjust to optimal setting and the boom will tend to be more straight without less curve of the boom in the field of vision. The velcro straps supplied with the product are only useful as a trial measure -- use zip ties. When using a zip tie, take a diagonal wire cutter and twist/roll the cut end of the tie tightly against the latch lock. Leave the tag on the outside of the helmet to allow easy re-tightening. In sum, it is commonly said that if you are going long distances, use a mirror. I say, use one all the time and your won't regret it and it might even save your life.

This mirror, which was delivered March 9, 2021, deserves five stars. It is rugged. It is large enough to see well. It has an excellent attachment system. It will not, as have all my previous helmet mirrors, leave the ugly glue spot on the helmet that I have been forced to apply because the stick-on system that came with it failed. Those other helmet mirrors have also not lasted long even though I was careful with them. I prefer helmet mirrors because it is much more effective, easier, and safer to move my head to scan behind than to have to move the handle bars to position a mirror attached to it. This mirror allows excellent rear vision, and, together with my new Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar, has made me feel much safer while riding on the road. So why did I award only 3 stars? I did not notice until after I had attached it to the helmet and clipped the zip ties that the mirror was sent to me without the protective film. The instructions say that it comes with this protective film. The rather large mark on the mirror, which I assumed would disappear when I removed the film, could not be removed with cleaning. Perhaps this was a return that the company failed to inspect before shipping it to me. I highly recommend this mirror. It performs wonderfully and is built to last. I also highly recommend that when it arrives you give it a thorough inspection before installing it on your helmet to make sure it is in new, undamaged condition.

This is the first bicycle helmet mirror I have used, so I can't compare it to any other, similar product. I purchased the mirror a few months ago, and it is working well for me. I have particularly come to depend on it when riding on and crossing busy multi-lane roads, as it allows me to monitor the traffic behind me without constantly having to turn my head. The size and quality provides an excellent, clear field of view. If mounted correctly, there is no shaking (other than the inevitable vibrations from the road) and, after an initial period of getting used to the concept, one is able to gets a good fix of the rear view. Here are a few points: 1. Mount Position/Blind Spot The mirror goes on the traffic side of the helmet, with the flexible stem and mirror protruding forward a few inches. I have mounted mine at between 10 and 11 o'clock. At this position, there is essentially no blind spot in the forward/sideways field of view due to the mirror, since each eye sees it at a sufficiently different angle. The larger size isn't a problem, and in fact helps getting a better fix on the rear view. Post and mirror do protrude into the field of vision, but with time this becomes integrated in the general field of view. 2. Mirror Angle As suggested by another reviewer, I have positioned mine at an angle that requires a small turn of the head to see the rear, like the turn of head that is required to see the side view mirror in your car. That way there will be less glare from car headlights when riding at night. An added benefit is that this position slightly reduces the rear-view blind spot, though it is still important to check that every time before a lane change (this mirror will not help you avoid that). 3. Adjustment The flexible multi-element post allows for a wide range of adjustments. In principle, it is possible to extend the post with additional elements (not included in product) for even more adjustment options, if that is desired. The only drawback to the post is that it easily de-adjusts - not while riding, but when the helmet is taken off and placed somewhere. This can become a little frustrating after having spent some time finding the perfect position, only to lose it to an accidental knock against mirror or post. But re-adjustment is easy and, to a certain extent, is even possible while riding (though not necessarily recommended, for obvious reasons). 4. Zip-Tie Helmet Mount The mirror comes with a rail (see image of the product) that is to be mounted to the helmet, and onto which the mirror post attaches. The included zip ties are meant for that mounting. However, be mindful of the included warning that says that these zip ties can damage the structural integrity of the helmet. And sure enough: when I first attached the rail with zip ties, they cut into the styrofoam of the helmet. They also loosened after a while and needed re-tightening. I have abandoned the zip-tie mount in favor of non-velcro-like fasteners from Scotch (http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Heavy-Duty-Fasteners-Inches-RFD7091/dp/B00347A8GM) that have proven as (if not more) durable than the zip ties. This way of mounting provides more options for positioning (the mirror rail does not necessarily have to be aligned with a helmet strut), and it also allows to use the same mirror on multiple helmets without cutting zip ties. I recently upgraded my helmet (in parts because of the damage from the zip ties), and changing over the mirror is a breeze. 5. Getting a "Fix" If, like me, you have never used a helmet mirror before, it will take a bit before you are easily able to get a fix on the rear view. If properly mounted, the mirror doesn't shake, but, of course, your bike does, you with it, your helmet with you, and the mirror with the helmet. So getting that "Fix" takes some practice. Like other reviewers, I started out by briefly closing my right eye, but eventually got used to fixating on the rear image with my left eye without closing my right. The adjustment period was fairly brief. Bottom line: This is an excellent product that improves bike safety. Highly recommended!

I did a lot of research and though there are many less expensive options this mirror was recommended by many. Now I see why. It has a unique design that allows you to get it perfectly positioned...after quite a bit of fiddling. But then it stays put. It gives a nice large view and has minimal vibration. I will repeat two tips from previous reviews that helped me. One was to ditch the zip ties that came with it and use "Scotch Extreme fastener 3-in Black Hook and Loop Fastener 10-lb Weight Capacity (2-Pack).' I got mine at Lowes and Home Depot carries them. They are a more robust version of Velcro. First get a good idea of where you want the mirror to attach. I had my wife hold and turn and adjust the mirror while I held it on the helmet. Then cut the fasteners to match the mirror attach plate and the helmet. This is not going to come off. The other tip is to adjust the mirror so that you can see you ear and a little of your eye. This will not show you to the rear very well, but a small turn of the head, as you are used to in looking in you car's left side mirror, will show you the road. And the nice thing is that you can turn your head slightly and get a full panoramic view, which is great going around turns. With a fixed handlebar mirror you can't do that. Using it took a little getting used to but I love it.