While bike radars have become almost ubiquitous to see on bikes, it’s hard to beat the simplicity of a bike mirror. The Portland Design Works (PDW) Watch Your Back Bar-End Mirror is an easy way to see what is behind you to ensure you always have situational awareness while riding. Retail price for the mirror is an affordable $28 and it features a large 2.75” / 70mm mirror. PDW has designed the mirror to work with 14.7-23mm handlebars with a simple compression plug that slides into bike bar-ends. The mirror has a durable nylon construction with a clever swiveling mount that makes it easy to position the mirror to get the perfect viewing angle.
The Portland Design Works Watch Your Back not only has a clever product name, but it also has a simple design and large mirror.
| Retail Price | $28 |
| Rating | 9.0 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 89 |
| Likes | + Budget friendly pricing + Swivel mount allows for a wide range of adjustments and is secure + Easy installation and stable design with compression plug |
| Dislikes | – Bulky in size with large diameter mirror – Lacks a convex split lens or full convex lens to increase field of view |
| Where to Buy (US) | Portland Design Works |
FIT & FINISH
The PDW Watch Your Back has probably one of the best names for a bike mirror as it literally helps you see what’s coming behind you. This is a traditional no-frills bike mirror with a large 2.75” or 70mm round mirror and a nylon body. PDW has designed the mirror with a bar-plug style attachment that slides into handlebars between 14.8 – 23mm using an expanding plug to hold it securely in place. The body is constructed from nylon and has a textured black finish with a simple Portland Design Works logo on the backside. There is also a sun-like graphic cut into the back of the mirror body to help break up the otherwise flat surface. The mirror essentially consists of two components, a swiveling mirror and a body with the compression plug.
There are two 5mm bolts, one that lets you adjust the compression plug tightness and a second one to lock the angle of the mirror. For handlebar diameters of 19mm or smaller, you want to slide off the plastic cover off the compression bolt before installing the mirror. The mirror itself is advertised as “HD Glass” and it has a flat profile that does not distort your view like convex mirrors would. The body has a slight lip around the edges to help protect the mirror from accidental bumps. PDW has used a simple ball-socket design for the mirror attachment which allows for a full two-axis 360 degree rotation of the mirror along with a 360 rotation for the bar-end plug which makes it easy to find the optimal angle.
ON THE BIKE
Even though we’ve become accustomed to the beep of bike radars like the also cleverly named Trek CarBack to notify of cars approaching, it is hard to beat the simplicity of a simple mirror. There are no worries about batteries or annoyance with excessive beeping when you are riding on busy roads. The PDW Watch Your Back is quick and easy to install with the compression bolt design making it easy to get a secure fit. With its large size you get a nice view of what is approaching without distortion but we would have liked to see a convex split lens or smaller form factor. It’s too bulky to look good on a road bike compared to a small mirror like The Beam Corky Mirror but it works well with commuter bikes. We liked how easy the ball-socket swivel mount made it to adjust the mirror angle and the bolt to lock it in place or put enough tension to hold it in place while still allowing for small adjustments.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Portland Design Works Watch Your Back to be an affordable and easy to use bike mirror. PDW has combined a clever product name with a simple large round mirror and swivel mount. It’s a classic formula that helps you see cars approaching without any distortion so you can be safer on the road. We found it easy to mount and adjust with the ball-socket design and secure bar-end compression plug. The mirror is priced well and provides easy security on the road without the need for batteries or GPS head units. As far as negatives, we thought the mirror is a bit large and would have liked a split convex mirror or smaller size with full convex lens. That said, the Portland Design Works Watch Your Bike is a simple and effective bike mirror for more peace of mind while you’re riding.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Portland Design Works. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.