Bicycle Mirrors of 2025: Expert Guide to Handlebar and Helmet-Mounted Reflectors for Road, Gravel, and Electric Bikes
Staying safe on the road is crucial for any cyclist, and bicycle mirrors are an essential piece of safety equipment for commuter and electric bikes. In this article, we'll explore some of the best options available on the market, each offering a wide field of view, easy adjustability, lightweight construction, and compatibility with typical commuter and e-bike handlebars.
Premium Quality and Adjustability: Busch + Muller CycleStar Mirror
Considered one of the best bicycle mirrors on the market, the Busch + Muller CycleStar Mirror stands out for its premium quality and adjustability. Made with optical quality glass and an aluminum structure, this mirror is lightweight and highly adjustable, making it easy to install on a wide range of bicycles. It offers excellent rear visibility for safe commuting.
Practical Fitment and Ease of Use: Aventon Handlebar Grip Mirror and Sprintech Compact Flat Bar Mirror
The Aventon Handlebar Grip Mirror and Sprintech Compact Flat Bar Mirror are excellent choices for those seeking practical fitment and ease of use tailored to common e-bike handlebar types. The Aventon mirror features a wide field of view and is easily adjustable to preferred angles, fitting bikes that have removable bar-end grips, common on many commuter and electric bikes. The Sprintech mirror is specifically designed for eBikes and bikes with straight or slightly curved handlebars, wrapping around the end of the handlebar without increasing handlebar width significantly.
Value for Money: Blackburn Road Mirror
For those looking for a more affordable option, the Blackburn Road Mirror offers good value. This handlebar mirror attaches over the brake hood with a ball and socket joint for easy adjustment, providing a good view at a lower price compared to the Sella Italia Eyelink.
Other Notable Mentions
- The Zefal Z-Eye helmet mirror offers a large view due to its long arm and large curvature, but its curvature may take some getting used to for some users.
- The Zefal Spin 15 Mirror is a small mirror with a rectangular shape, offering a good view of the width of the road compared to round mirrors.
- The CatEye BM45 Bar End Mirror is the best bar end mirror, fitting into handlebars and offering a good view of the road behind despite its compact size.
Factors to Consider
When choosing a bicycle mirror, it's essential to consider factors such as mirror size, adjustability, compatibility, and left or right-sided placement. Compatibility is crucial for various styles of bikes, and it's worth measuring the inside diameter at bar ends and the external diameter around handlebars before making a purchase. In countries like the UK and Australia that drive on the left, a right-sided mirror is more useful, while in countries that drive on the right, a left-sided mirror is preferred.
Alternatives to Bicycle Mirrors
While bicycle mirrors are the most common solution for improving awareness and visibility around the rider without the need to take their eyes off the road ahead, there are alternatives available. These include running more than one mirror, using a rearview radar like the Garmin Varia RTL515, or wearing mirrored glasses like Hindsight sunglasses.
For more safety equipment, guides on the best bike lights, best road bike helmets, and best bike cameras are available. Commuter bikes and electric bikes are ideal for using bicycle mirrors, especially for new or cautious riders on the road.
- The Busch + Muller CycleStar Mirror, renowned for its premium quality and adjustability, is among the best bicycle mirrors on the market.
- The Aventon Handlebar Grip Mirror and the Sprintech Compact Flat Bar Mirror are suitable for e-bikes, offering practical fitment and easy adjustability.
- The Blackburn Road Mirror, an affordable handlebar mirror, provides a good view at a lower price compared to some more expensive options.
- The Zefal Z-Eye helmet mirror and Zefal Spin 15 Mirror are notable mentions, each offering distinct advantages like a large view and a good view of the road width respectively.
- The CatEye BM45 Bar End Mirror fits into handlebars and offers a good view of the road behind despite its compact size, making it the best bar end mirror.
- When selecting a bicycle mirror, it's vital to consider factors such as mirror size, adjustability, compatibility, and left or right-sided placement, along with the type of bike.
- In addition to bicycle mirrors, alternatives for enhancing awareness and visibility include running multiple mirrors, using a rearview radar, or wearing mirrored glasses.
- For further safety equipment, guides on the best bike lights, helmets, and bike cameras are available, making commuter bikes and electric bikes excellent choices for using bicycle mirrors, especially for new or cautious riders on the road.
