I bought a Busch & Muller model 701 mirror for my bike about 18 months ago. It is a nice looking mirror and works well when it works like it should. However, the quality is very poor considering the average price of $40-45.,
The adjustable head is on a ball & socket joint but the fit on mine was very sloppy when new. It was constantly moving around when riding when meant I had to make frequent adjustments. There is an adjustment with 3 screws that should make ball & socket joint tighter, but I found the retaining clip just bends rather than tightening the joint up.
My mirror has pretty much become useless so I was looking at replacement mirrors on Amazon. At least I knew which mirror (and brand) not to buy!. I could not help but look at the reviews on the B&M 701 and some people complained about the same problem I had. One reviewer said he cut the finger tip off a household rubber glove and put it over the ball. That seemed like a good idea to me.
I had some disposable rubber gloves and cut 3 finger tips off. I placed all 3 finger tips over the ball and then used a small 4" zip tie (aka cable tie) to secure the finger tips on to the ball shaft. Put it back together and the joint is very secure. There was no movement in the joint on my first ride. The gloves I used are 6 mil thick so 3 fingertips increased the diameter of the ball by approximately 36 mil. That makes for a tighter fit and I think the rubber itself helps reduce slippage in the joint as well.
It may not be the most professional repair or modification I ever made, but it sure works well. I wish I could take credit for the great idea, but I got the idea from a reviewer on Amazon.
BTW, I would not buy this mirror again simply because the fit of the ball & socket joint is very poor for the price. At least I was able able to make mine usable..
The adjustable head is on a ball & socket joint but the fit on mine was very sloppy when new. It was constantly moving around when riding when meant I had to make frequent adjustments. There is an adjustment with 3 screws that should make ball & socket joint tighter, but I found the retaining clip just bends rather than tightening the joint up.
My mirror has pretty much become useless so I was looking at replacement mirrors on Amazon. At least I knew which mirror (and brand) not to buy!. I could not help but look at the reviews on the B&M 701 and some people complained about the same problem I had. One reviewer said he cut the finger tip off a household rubber glove and put it over the ball. That seemed like a good idea to me.
I had some disposable rubber gloves and cut 3 finger tips off. I placed all 3 finger tips over the ball and then used a small 4" zip tie (aka cable tie) to secure the finger tips on to the ball shaft. Put it back together and the joint is very secure. There was no movement in the joint on my first ride. The gloves I used are 6 mil thick so 3 fingertips increased the diameter of the ball by approximately 36 mil. That makes for a tighter fit and I think the rubber itself helps reduce slippage in the joint as well.
It may not be the most professional repair or modification I ever made, but it sure works well. I wish I could take credit for the great idea, but I got the idea from a reviewer on Amazon.
BTW, I would not buy this mirror again simply because the fit of the ball & socket joint is very poor for the price. At least I was able able to make mine usable..
