Bicycle mirrors, just like the mirrors of a car, offer another aid to improve awareness and visibility around you without having to take your eyes off the road ahead. Bicycle mirrors don't have the best reputation and aren't seen as very cool accessories but it shouldn't matter, as it's there for your safety. Thats the thing with modern mirrors they are small, compact and very easy to adjust and fold away, more road riders should be using them. They are of course ideal for commuter bikes and electric bikes especially if you are new or cautious to riding on the road.
In this guide, we have tested eight of the best bicycle mirrors, these can be broken down into three categories. We have bar end mirrors like our best overall the Cateye BM45 and are fitted inside your handlebar. Handlebar-mounted mirrors either mount directly to the bar or from the shifter hood like the Sella Italia Eyelink. Finally, we have helmet-mounted mirrors like the Zefal Z-Eye which offer incredible fields of view but can be distracting.
The quick list
CatEye's BM45 works on flat or drop bars and its curved glass gives an excellent view of the road behind despite its compact proportions. Fitting is straightforward and secure with good adjustability too.
The rectangular shape of the Spin 15 offers a good view of the whole width of the road compared with the round mirrors. Two rotating joints provide good adjustability and allow it to be folded up when parked.
A clear winner in the optical quality stakes, but with a price tag to match. The brake hood fitting isn't ideal for long hours in the saddle, but for commuting it didn't cause any issues. Not suitable for countries that drive on the left though as it only fits the left-hand brake lever.
The Road Mirror fits over the brake hood with a fairly unergonomic Velcro strap holding it in place. The ball and socket joint makes for easy adjustment and allows it to be used on either side of the handlebar.
Easily adjusted and thanks to the long arm and heavily curved mirror the Zefal Z-Eye gives huge visibility. As it is right there on your helmet you can just move your head to get an even better view. The large curvature on the mirror takes a little getting used to though.
Incredibly lightweight, one of the most striking things about the Blackburn is how tiny it is as well, weighing just 6g on our scales. Whilst this minimalist design will suit many, it only really allows you to see that something is behind you, not exactly what and where it is.
Best bicycle mirrors
Best bar end mirror
This neat, round, highly adjustable mirror fits into your bar end on either flat or drop bar handlebars, keeping it nicely out of the way of everything else. Whilst it's quite small compared to some of the other mirrors we tested, the curved glassed surface gives an excellent view behind – much better than some of the other larger mirrors that we tried. We particularly liked it on drop bars where it gave a really useful long view behind.
Fitting is easy with a supplied 3mm hex key to operate the expanding bolt system. Adjustment is via a ball-and-socket type joint and is simple to do even when riding. Although easy to adjust, the joint is nice and tight and we didn’t have any issues on testing with the mirror moving out of position.
On one occasion we did manage to give the mirror a good thump whilst parking the bike and the ball and socket joint popped apart. But it was straightforward to reattach and has been fine since.
Best small mirror with big view
Compared with many other mirrors of a similar size, the Zefal Spin 15 is rectangular shaped rather than round. This has the key advantage of maximising the view you get of the width of the road so you can see more lanes of traffic behind. The curvature of the mirror further expands this view giving excellent coverage.
The Spin fits into the end of your bars with an expanding plug and flat screwdriver fitting which has held well. There are two rotating joints and a 180° elbow for orientating the mirror and we’ve had no trouble getting a good view on different drop bar bikes. This design also allows the mirror to be folded up out of the way when you’re not riding, which is useful as otherwise it’s easy to catch on a wall or gateway.
For a small bar end mirror, the only real downside of the Zefal is that it weighs more than its peers. But in the grand scheme of things, 49g grams isn’t a lot that you’re adding to your bike.
Best handlebar mirror
Without doubt the Sella Italia Eyelink is the highest quality mirror on test and gave crispest and clearest view. As a large hood-mounted mirror it also gives the biggest and least obstructed view of what’s behind.
It fits over your brake hood with a soft rubber cover and Velcro strap underneath. This means that you have your hand on the fitting rather than the brake hood itself. This hasn’t caused our testers any issues on rides (even those over an hour) although if you ride on the hoods a lot or without gloves it may not be as comfortable.
The quality of the Eyelink is reflected in its price, it’s over twice the cost of the second most expensive mirror in this guide (£40; $80 RRP). Its other drawback is that you can only run on the left of your bars so isn’t useful for riders in the UK or other countries which drive on the left.
Best value handlebar mirror
The Blackburn Road Mirror is a large, rectangular(-ish) mirror which attaches to your drop-bar brake hoods. Essentially it’s a cheaper (less than half the price) and more basic version of the Sella Italia Eyelink (and a drop bar version of Blackburn’s Multi Mirror), although it can be used in countries that drive on the left. This makes it a really good option for those who do a lot of busy commuting and prefer the lower price over higher quality.
The plastic shell of the Blackburn Road clips over the brake hood and is held in position with a wide Velcro strap. This fitting wasn't hugely ergonomic or comfortable for us though, so you probably want to avoid it if you ride on your hoods a lot.
There’s a slight curvature on the mirror which gives a good view of what’s behind albeit the quality of the mirror isn’t as high as the Eyelink. The mirror adjusts via a ball and socket joint which has given good adjustability (and allows the mirror to be run on the right or left) and held secure in testing.
Best helmet mirror
For a small helmet-mounted mirror the Zefal Z-Eye gives a really big view thanks to the length of the arm and the large curvature of the mirror. It’s easy to adjust too via a series of rotating and hinged bolts as well as a screw adjustable pivot by the helmet attachment. All together you can get a pretty good look at the road behind.
There are a few downsides to this design though. Primarily, as the mirror is so curved, it can be a bit strange to change your focus from the view ahead to the mirror itself. Some of our testers got used to this, others didn’t.
Best minimalist mirror
The most striking thing about the Blackburn helmet mirror is how tiny and lightweight it is, weighing in at just 6g on our scales. As it’s so small and doesn’t have a curved mirror it only really allows you to see that something is behind you, not exactly what and where it is. As with all helmet mirrors, it’s also quite hard to minimise the amount of your shoulder in vision, further limiting what else you can see.
The mirror attaches to the outside of your helmet using a two-part ‘socket’ on an adhesive pad which means it’s easy to remove. For its size, the fitting is surprisingly strong and hasn’t loosened in the slightest during our testing.
The mirror is adjusted on a ball and socket joint at the end of a thin plastic rod. The rod is flexible so won’t cause any problems in a crash but it does mean that there’s a certain amount of waggle as you ride. Conversely the ball and socket joint are really tight which means it holds its position well but is difficult to adjust as you ride.
FAQs
What is a bar end mirror?
These mirrors fit into the end of your bars and can be fitted to both drop handlebars and flat handlebars. There are a few different designs but generally, they are on the smaller side and so more discrete than those which mount on lever hoods. They’re best for riders who want to see a bit more behind but are willing to sacrifice a big view for a less obtrusive mirror.
The smaller mirrors mean that you don’t always have a big view but those with a good curvature will still give you a good field of vision which is unobstructed by your arm / shoulder. Our drop bar testers tended to prefer the long and low down view that they could get with these mirrors. On the downside, you do need to move your focus more to see what’s in the mirror compared with those that are higher up on your bars.
Road bike bars will have a small plug that can easily be removed and replaced with the mirror. If you want to run on a flat bar bike you’ll need a grip that has a removable end or do a little DIY trimming so you can slot the mirror into the bar.
What is a handlebar mirror?
These mirrors mount somewhere on your bars with options for flat or drop bars. This style of mirror tends to be the largest, the sturdiest and the best for riders who want a large uninterrupted view.
If you’re riding with drop bars then there are brake-mounted hoods which give the best un-obscured view, and the easiest to view with a quick glance – very much like a car wing mirror. However, these larger mirrors are vulnerable to being knocked when you’re parking up and also may be uncomfortable for your hands if you ride on the hoods a lot.
Other versions can be fixed anywhere on your bars using a strap or clamp. This fitting gives a lot of flexibility but you might find it difficult to get a clear view past your body and there’s little room for them amongst the best bike lights, bells and bike computers or smartphone holder.
What are helmet and sunglasses mirrors?
As these are mounted directly to your helmet, cycling glasses or even your sunglasses, they can be much smaller and neater than bar-mounted versions. These mirrors are best for those who just want a quick glance behind.
As they’re not on your bike they also get around the problem of catching your mirror as you lean your bike up against something or go through a gate or door (although you’ll need to be careful when taking off your helmet not to do the same), and can be with you whatever bike you ride.
On the downside, they can be awkward to adjust and get a view that isn’t blocked by your shoulder. Also, some riders find the mirror distracting as it’s always in view.
What mirror will fit my E-bike?
Dependant on if you are riding a drop bar e-bike like some of our best electric gravel bikes or are flat bar e-bike like the Specialized Turbo Vado. For drop bar bikes you can choose between any of the three categories, bar end, handlebar or helmet mounted.
For flat bar e-bikes, you tend to be limited to bar end or helmet mount mirrors. This is due to the bike brakes and controls possibly getting in the way of the mirror mount. Thats not to say you can't, there are some great options out there like our honourable mention of the M-Part E-bike mirror.
What to look for in a road bike mirror?
There are many design aspects to look out for when buying mirrors for road bikes. These include the mirror size, adjustability, compatibility and side specificity. Read on for all the details!
Factors to consider
Mirror size
A larger mirror is not always preferable as the increased size could result in glare and take up a lot of space at the front end of your bike, which is often cluttered with other useful bolt-ons. To see clearly what's behind, the size of the mirror is not the only factor; in the optimal position, a mirror with a smaller diameter can be sufficient and ideal for staying safe while riding.
However, this doesn't mean the smallest mirrors are the best either: too small and you really won't have a large enough field of vision. Vehicles could easily sneak up just outside the range of the mirror and therefore relying on a small mirror could be riskier than double-checking over your shoulder.
Adjustability
A mirror that can be easily adjusted is useful for making quick changes as you ride along and also when setting up the mirror in an optimal position. However, with greater adjustability, the mirror is also more prone to vibrating out of position; to what extent depends on the surface quality of the roads you are riding.
Compatibility
Bike mirrors are available for all styles of rides including road, hybrid, gravel, fixed and singlespeed bikes. Most bar end and handlebar options tend to have a range of diameters they can fit, but it is worth measuring the inside diameter at your bar ends and the external diameter around the top of your handlebars because sizes can vary.
Left and right-sided mirrors
Although partially down to preference which side of your handlebars or helmet is best to mount your mirror, in countries like the UK and Australia that drive on the left, a mirror mounted on the right will be the most useful, while in countries that drive on the right, like the US and Canada, a mirror on the left will provide the best view of the road behind.
Bicycle mirror alternatives
No mirror is perfect and will allow you to see everything behind you. For those of you who drive a car, this will be a familiar concept, you still need to look over your shoulder to check your blind spot after you’ve looked in your mirrors.
If you want a better view there are a few options you could consider:
1. Running more than one mirror. Using something mounted to your bike combined with a helmet mirror would probably be the best combination of different views and the pros and cons of each choice.
2. Fit a rearview radar like the Garmin Varia RTL515. This picks up approaching vehicles up to 140 metres behind and transmits a warning to a compatible bike computer (many brands now have rearview compatibility built in so you don't need to have a Garmin Edge unit), a smartwatch, a smartphone or Garmin's dedicated Varia bar mounted head unit. It's an expensive option but might help you feel safer as you ride.
3. Rearward mirrored glasses such as Hindsight sunglasses. These have a mirrored outer segment so you can see some of what’s behind you.
How we test
The Cycling Weekly team take time to consider every product's use case, its effectiveness and overall experience. Bicycle mirrors are no different and our testers spent hours fitting and adjusting all of these mirrors to understand how each one performs and the attributes they offer.
With bicycle mirrors, we are looking for three key points. Firstly, of course, the simplicity of fitting and ease of adjustment. We are then looking at the field of view each mirror offers, just because one mirror is smaller than another doesn't make it any worse, it just might suit a different type of user or rider. Finally, style. As I mentioned at the top of the page bicycle mirrors aren't the coolest thing in the world and they are subtle and sleek or can fold away thats a big plus.