Italian Road Bike Mirror

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Achilles
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Post by Achilles »

Thanks - look forward to seeing the pics and your review!
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

Here's the pic:
Image

It took some aligning. I had to make sure the rubber fitting was taped to the 'bar and I had to wrap the 'bar tape on top of it. I found it best to cut the tape near the RH brake fitting and wrap the tape down from the brake to to the 'bar end. That way, I could peel the tape off, adjust the mirror, and re-wrap the tape. As I say, it took some fiddling, but in the end, it was spot on.

The 'bars are now wrapped with new tape, and the whole thing is great. It was expensive, but it's neat, tidy and stylish.

BTW, the view is a bit restrictive, but you can see behind you adequately. Silent busses don't creep up on me now! No mirror is a substitute for actually looking, but this comes near. Not as good as a full mirror on the top of the 'bars, but quite ok!
Mick F. Cornwall
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Beakyboy
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Post by Beakyboy »

I liked mine because it was un-obtrusive. Only problem was/is mine is set up when i was 'on the hoods' position, 'in the drops' its no good. What i like is that you don't constantly need to move it after vibrations etc. like the other mirrors i tried. Its a great mirror! Shame it doesn't come in white eh mick?
May the wind always be at your rear!
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

No white, but it matches the brake hoods!

Notice the Garmin 305?
Mick F. Cornwall
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Beakyboy
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Post by Beakyboy »

Mick F wrote:No white, but it matches the brake hoods!

Notice the Garmin 305?


yeah. Is the right angle to read when its mounted in the middle, when i mount my cateye there, its the wrong angle to view.
May the wind always be at your rear!
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

Italian Road Bike Mirror

Hi,
I bought the Road Bike Mirror from you on 22nd June of this year and have
been very pleased with it.
However, I'm not pleased today!
During my ride, I looked down to see behind me, and the mirror had gone! It
was there earlier, but it obviously fell off. The rubber mount is still in
place on the end of my 'bars, but the glass lens had disappeared. I did a U
turn and rode back a mile or two, but there was no sign of it.

Please could you send me a new glass, and I can glue it in.

Regards,
Mick.



From: Customer Service @ Aspire Velotech (customerservice@aspirevelotech.com)
Sent: 16 October 2008 18:59:40

Hi Mick,

Thanks for getting back to us about your Italian Road Bike Mirror. We're
sorry to hear that the mirror glass fell out during a ride, but we will send
a replacement mirror glass and installation instructions right out to you.
You should receive the mirror in about 1-2 weeks and be riding safe on the
road again. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused you.

Just let me know if I can assist further.

Best regards,
John Kellison
Customer Service Manager
www.AspireVeloTech.com
Mick F. Cornwall
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Beakyboy
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Post by Beakyboy »

Nice reply, but it shouldn't of fallen out. I will have to go out and check mine now!
May the wind always be at your rear!
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

Funny, but there's no sign of glue in the rubber mount. I wonder if the mirror is held in with a sticky pad of some sort. Also, I wonder if it's waterproof!

I don't want to take out the rubber mount, as it took me a while to get the alignment right, and the 'bars are nicely taped up.

Anyway, watch this space ......
Mick F. Cornwall
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360fix
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Post by 360fix »

PH wrote:I have a B&M bar end mirror that gives a good view;
http://www.amba-marketing.com/products. ... 32&pid=206

I've since seen this one wich is like the one you link to, just a touch bigger and looks to be a better fitting.
http://www.wildoo.co.uk/mirrors.htm


I like your one better PH. It not only provides a rearward view on both ends of the handlebars, it looks like it provides a bit of extra room for your hands too. I like the way the bar ends flare at the end to stop your hand from sliding off the end of the bars. And as you say it looks better, and at two mirrors for roughly the price of one it is clearly a better buy. These mirrors go on my wishlist. Perhaps they would be better in polished chrome - less chance of cracking/shattering if you drop the bike. And as an integral part of the bar end it would not be able to fall out/off. That preposes that the mirrors are fixed focus - not a good idea. But polished chrome as it resists cracking or shattering is IMHO a better idea.

Actually a fixed focus mirror is maybe not such a daft idea as I thought. If your head is going to have to move anyway due to changing from the hoods into the drops why not have it move to sight through the mirrors? A fixed mirror in polished chrome would look better too without any broken lines where the bar end joins onto the bars. The elegance added by the symmetry of two mirrors, one on each side, goes without saying. And another thing is the added safety of a slightly larger mirror.
Last edited by 360fix on 17 Oct 2008, 6:02pm, edited 7 times in total.
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deliquium
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Post by deliquium »

Here are the Wildoo mirrors. I've since removed the left one. I'm pretty pleased. Although my large Nelson Longflap saddlebag does mar SOME of the view. I would imaginf t it to be fine with panniers however.

Image
Image
Image

Drats, I can't upload anything larger it seems - odd, cos other folks do - it's not as if they are large files.
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Beakyboy
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Post by Beakyboy »

Deliquium, do they move any, I mean when going over bumpy roads etc.?
May the wind always be at your rear!
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deliquium
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Post by deliquium »

Pics hopefully show the ball and socket arrangement, which provides a very good fit with no movement of the mirror, yet it easliy adjustable. The plastic "lens" did rattle on one, until I used a very small drop of super glue. I've also just noticed taking these pics of the spare one, the plastic mirror does mark unlike glass. But whether that's an issue I don't know yet, The one on the bike is fine thus far.

Image
Image
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Mick F
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Post by Mick F »

A package arrived from the USA today. It was quite a big box for only a small mirror, so I thought I might be getting some freebies as a sweetener.

I opened the box to find a Chris King Threadless headset, three spacers and a Thompson stem!

Sadly, no mirror.

Just emailed them to thank them for the package, and that I'll get it weighed and priced up to send it back! (They're of no use to me!)

Oh well.
Mick F. Cornwall
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CJ
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Post by CJ »

The American vendors seem very nice people and all (if a bit random in the despatch department!) but I can't help feeling its too wasteful for these mirrors to collect so many airmiles between Italy and England! Apart from the carbon, think of the compounded import duties and currency exchange commissions!

I set out to discover a European vendor in www.google.it - but sadly failed. I don't have much knowledge of either Italian or racing. If these mirrors are "hugely popular, especially in Italy" they ought to be possible to find that way. We also have the clues that they're made by an ex Italian road champion, called Mario, born in 1930s. No use to me, but must mean something to someone. Anyone?
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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360fix
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Post by 360fix »

Aspire VeloTech wrote:Here at Aspire VeloTech, we don't want any junk on our bikes, and we're pretty sure you don't want any junk on yours either.
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