When we first heard about the RearViz mirror back in February, we were impressed. Here at last was a simple cycling product - a lightweight mirror on a strap - that seemed to marry style and safety. Thanks to the good people at RearViz we have now had a chance to try it out on the road for ourselves. So how does the RearViz measure up to expectations?
First impressions are positive. Straight from the packaging it has the feel of a quality item, as you would expect with an RRP of £24. Both the Standard and Classic versions include a mirror unit and a separate elasticated armband, while the Classic version also includes a medical tag for you to write your emergency details. The mirror unit is made of a sturdy rubber compound. The armband attaches securely to this through two slots using Velcro, and offers a bit of stretch to ensure a snug fit on the arm. Set up is straightforward, and we had the RearViz strapped on and ready to use in a couple of minutes.
Out on the roads of West Sussex, the RearViz turned out to be a useful ally. The tricky part was getting the mirror positioned correctly, but happily it is mounted on a swivel and can be easily rotated, while the mirror itself is on a hinge allowing you to further adjust the angle. We found ourselves fiddling regularly with the positioning throughout the first ride, but once dialled in you can leave it.
We wore the RearViz just above the elbow, but it can also be worn on the wrist or forearm - this may be a better option for cyclists riding on wider, flat bars with their arms in a fixed position. We weighed our Standard RearViz at a puny 77g, and once it's on your arm you won't even notice it's there until you need it.
One criticism levelled at the RearViz by another reviewer is that as you move your hand position on drop bars the angle of the mirror changes. In practice, we didn't find this to be an issue. The majority of our riding is done on the hoods anyway, and when you need to see behind you it is easy to adjust the angle of vision by simply dipping your elbow or straightening your arm as required.
However, it is worth noting that even in optimal position checking your RearViz does require looking away from the road in front of you and glancing down at your elbow or forearm. It's something you quickly get accustomed to though, and provided the angle is set up correctly it is still quicker - and therefore safer - than looking over your shoulder.
The real advantage we found is that the RearViz alerts you to traffic at times that you wouldn't think to look behind you. Blasting along our regular rural loop into a breeze, we caught a glimpse of a car approaching from behind that we simply hadn't heard over the wind, and were able to move in to allow the car to pass safely. It's at these moments that the RearViz really shows its value.
So, is the RearViz going to revolutionise cycling safety? We suspect that, like helmets, many 'serious' cyclists will refuse to wear one until the pro peloton are all sporting them. But hopefully the RearViz will appeal to those cyclists, and especially commuters, who are concerned about safety while cycling in traffic, yet baulk at the idea of attaching mirrors to their bike.
RearViz is discreet, stylish, robust and lightweight - and it works. On that basis, even if RearViz only alerts you once each ride to a car you haven't heard, we feel it's earned its place on your arm.
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