Zefal Cyclops Mirror
If you commute, tour or ride just for fun, you need to be able to see into the past (what's behind you). There are several mirrors available on the market. Some strap or bolt to the handle bars, whilst others attach themselves to the hole in the end of your handlebars.
These are referred to as bar end mirrors and in this review we look at the Zefal Cyclops Mirror which is a folding bar end mirror.
The Zefal Cyclops mirror folded out so I can see into the past.
Some mirrors do not fold in when not in use, and therefore can get damaged when the bike falls over (which all bikes inevitably do). The Zefal Cyclops mirror not only folds in, but it also folds in on impact.
The Zefal Cyclops mirror folded in when it's not in use.
The Zefal Cyclops mirror is a universal bar end mounting and is fully adjustable with a three angle rotation. It is extra large and has a convex unbreakable chrome plated ABS mirror face. It also gives better peripheral vision than some of the other mirrors that I have tested.
I have found only one minor problem with this mirror when on tour on rough bitumen roads, and that is that the vibrations from the road, cause the mirror to move out of adjustment. After tightening the mountings again, this problem went away.
Mounting this mirror on the end of the bars on drop handlebars, I found I had to look down to see the mirror. On drop handlebars, the mirror folds neatly and safely away as shown in the above photograph.
On flat handlebars, the mirror is still at the end of the handlebars even when folded, and if the bike falls over, the mirror may still get broken. On a flat bar bike, I would recommend fitting bar ends, and then mounting the mirror on the top of the bar ends.
