Three reasons you should consider adding an EBC Rear View Mirror to your EBC bike…
Cycling mirrors are an accessory that you should give serious consideration to – especially if you’re spending a lot of time on the road. You wouldn’t dream of driving your car without mirrors… so why do we ride our bikes on the same roads without them?!
Eyes Forward
Having more information about your immediate environment is always helpful. Your eyes should be trained forward so you know where you are going but what happens when things come at you from different directions?
While you may have great peripheral vision because you’re constantly scanning your environment for obstacles around you, you can only really see about 180 degrees from left to right. Bad drivers, holes in the road, dogs, suddenly opening car doors and other road dangers mean you shouldn’t have to glance over your shoulder for even a second and risk an accident.
Your EBC Rear View Mirror keeps your eyes on the road ahead and gives you true awareness of your surroundings – without the possibility of veering or swerving because you have to move your head quickly.
A mirror also means you don’t have to rely solely on your hearing to be aware of situations that might be behind you – a sense that is less reliable because of competing noise like headwinds and loud traffic. It’s also important to remember that there’s been a big increase in virtually silent electric cars on the roads these days which can sneak up on you without warning.
Safety First
It is generally accepted that traveling in groups provides cyclists more visibility to other road traffic – there’s safety in numbers… right? But what about when you don’t have your cycling companions around you? Riding safely by yourself because it’s not always convenient or practical to travel in a group.
An EBC Rear View Mirror allows you to be aware of cars approaching you from behind. Most of the time, drivers will see you, slow down, and/or move over to pass. You will learn to tune most of these people out over time as they’re generally not a threat.
The more you use your rearview mirror, the better you will become at anticipating the actions of drivers around you so you can take action to avoid those who crowd you or are not paying attention.
Your rear-view mirror also enables you to detect traffic approaching from behind much further away than if you rely on your hearing alone. This means you can often position yourself on the road to ensure that cars do not try to squeeze past you unsafely and as a result, drivers are more aware of you earlier.
Group Travel
You might be a rider who always travels in a group – a practice that’s generally accepted to be safer. Despite your best intentions, your group may not always stay together. You might find you’re spread out in a lane or riding single file.
Your EBC Rear View Mirror will enable you to give your fellow riders a “heads up” that there’s a car approaching. It’s good cycling etiquette to let fellow riders know if there’s a risky situation that could place the group or individual members in harm’s way.
Drivers often must gauge when it’s safe to pass and this could happen at a time one of your group without a mirror is also attempting to pass. Your greater road awareness can prevent accidents and keep you and your group safer.
Your mirror will also give you the confidence and awareness to pass other riders safely. Rearview mirrors just make sense – especially if you’re a road warrior.
Find out more about the EBC Rear View Mirror that securely attaches to either side of your handlebars: