I have the Zefal Spy Mirror mounted on the most left edge of my handle bars, bellow the bars. It is left, since in my country, like in Europe, the driving is done on the right side of the road. I purchased it a year ago thinking that it may come useful on long tours on frequent roads. I thought that I could check for cars when turning left, but also for any issues when I'd like to stop, because I sure do not want to have another bicycle rider or even a car hitting me in the rear.

 The good side of this mirror is that it is tiny. The small size is good since it does not take up space. It almost does not interfere with anything and can be placed almost on any tube or handle. It is quite versatile considering that potentially it can be placed anywhere. It has double axis rotation so it can be positioned in many angles. Thus it is easy to set it to the angle of your view point.

 The fixing mechanism is quite simple. It has a rubber strap that goes around the tube and holds the Spy Mirror firmly. It is very firm, regardless of the placing. Though it happened, in the year I’m using it, that it lost the grip and the rubber strap simply opened on two occasions. Luckily this happened only when the mirror was somehow pulled or moved by something, and I was standing still with the bicycle. During riding it never made such problems.

 The mirror it self is curved, so even though it is small, it covers a wide view of the behind. If fit right, I can see the whole street together with the sidewalks behind me. Nothing really escapes.

 If you are considering weight issues and bulk issues, then this is the right mirror for you. With 25 grams it is almost weightless and hardly gets in the way. Part of the reasons I choose this mirror was the issue of not wanting to have a mirror that would constantly get in the way of moving and storing the bicycle. And it came at a fair price of only 10,95 €.

 However it is not that easy to use this mirror. Like the name implies it is a spy mirror, not a regular mirror. So, one should not expect that will get a very big view of the behind. Having this said, I think I should stress again about the size, but this time in a negative context: The mirror is small.

 Given the fact that it does not have a handle of its own, it is very difficult to position it to get a good coverage. Especially difficult it is to set the mirror to get an open area of the back. The problem is simple: it is me that is the problem. I stand, or better say I sit in the way between the mirror and the view behind me. So if I want to get a clear view of whatever is behind me I need to place the mirror in a position that gets a view around me. Therefore the most left corner of the handlebars is suitable for that, since the left side is where the moving vehicles are. I always set it that I can see a part of my back, so I can have an orientation to distances.

 The double axis rotational movement for setting the angle of the mirror is very easy to move. Therefore it is also very easy to set and change the angle of the mirror to get the right fit. It is so easy that any touch may move it. Almost every time I stop and I get to accidentally touch the mirror with my body, so I have to set it all over again. This in it self is not a painful process, but when I forget to set it, and look when I need it, it is an inconvenient realization of the situation. Sometimes, I get to have the position altered from impacts or harder vibrations. So even during the ride I have to fix the setting.

 However the adjustment of the angle is so easy that it is not a worrying point. I can readjust the angle of the mirror easily even while riding. In fact I would rather have the mirror changing the setting on impacts than having it broken. So this makes it a good thing, since it will be long lasting. If only I manage to remember to set it correctly prior starting the ride every time.

 The final issue that I have with this mirror is the sensitivity on my position. Since I have set it to a position bellow the handle, I sometimes get to cover the view with my hand. So I have to move my hand or head to see the rear view. This is very dependent on my actual position of the hands. Whether I am holding the bar ends or the handle bars. Sometimes even when I move my seat position I get a different view from the mirror. I figure it is so sensitive that I should hold one fixed position of my body and hands so I can get a clear rear view all the time. But this never happens, not on long rides.

View at the Zefal Spy Mirror with my hand on the bar and a bit of a tilted head to see the mirror.

View at the Zefal Spy Mirror with my hand on the bar end - the best view at the mirror.

View at the Zefal Spy Mirror with my hand on the bar and position for riding - no view at the mirror.

 I have tried to find a different, better position for the mirror, but I have always failed. My body is a true obstacle when it comes to seeing through me. So the most left corner of my bicycle is the best option.

 Final word about the Zefal Spy Mirror is that it is exactly what the name implies: A small spy mirror that should serve you to have a peek behind you. And it does that job wonderful. I find it useful since it gives me the opportunity to occasionally plan in advance some movements without too much of an effort of looking back. However, if you have any more ambitions to use it for a constant look in the rear, perhaps you should look for a different, bigger mirror.