mirrors - flat or convex?

[shirt]

hi all,

this isn't a racing qn, but thought it would fit better here.

i have a caterfield type track only car which is currently fitted with abysmal peep type circular mirrors. one is positioned very handily in that all it reflects is the rollcage upright! on track this weekend i was buzzed repeatedly by a pair of ferrari gt3 cars [430 and 458] which was a little daunting when i couldn't tell they were closing in...

i'm looking at single seater type aero mirrors - single bolt type to be mounted via brackets on the roll cage. my question being, which will be better - convex or flat? i am erring towards convex for the larger field of view, but would be interested to hear more learned opinions.

[jeffw]

Convex would be my choice.

[tapkaJohnD]

If a CaterField, then a central mirror mounted on the roll cage should be possible and will give you a clear rear view. Get down to a bike shop, buy a handle bar mirror. You will need to make up a strap larger than the one provided for the handlebar, large enough to go around the roll cage tube. You can get rectangular panoramic ones that should be ideal.

John

[shirt]

if you look at the car in my profile, the design of the roll cage means that unfortunately isn't possible. i just can't hang a wide rear view mirror anywhere handy and the one mounted on the dash needs to come out as it's obscuring my view of the track!

over summer [our season ends around may/june as it gets too hot] i intend to have the cage modded in the style of the caterham factory cages then re-think. in the short term i'll go with the single seat types.

i am very much a beginner to trackdays and there are some hellish expensive track toys out here. i need to know when the quicker stuff is charging through!

i am ready to buy the convex, but the fact they sell plain must mean [to me anyway] that there are pros and cons of each. just wondering what the consensus is around here.

[Trev450]

Must of been a bit hairy getting buzzed by some GT3 stuff.

I used flat mirrors in my single seaters and had no problems other than a bit of blurring due to vibration at high speeds.

[anonymous-user]

My track only seven runs bike mirrors, mouunter by welding two nuts to the front uoright on the cage, one is a left hand thread, the mirrors are mounted on the opposite side to the way they are if fitted to a bike, i use plastic chrome look mirrors of a Harley work great, convex and 3 pond each.

[CDP]

If you've got a full cage get one of these. They're pretty much perfect.

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?method=vi...

And remember the old Lotus motto: "Objects in the rear view mirror are losing."