Hafny Bar End Mirror

The Hafny Bar End Mirror has grown popular online as a smart alternative to the pricier Busch & Müller line, and the case holds up. Hafny is a Taiwanese bike brand specialising almost exclusively in mirrors, and that focus led to an interesting technical choice: instead of a convex glass lens they use a polished stainless-steel reflective surface marketed as ‘HD Stainless Steel’. That sounds like marketing, but the practical consequence is that the mirror cannot shatter when the bike falls in a rack or gets pushed against a pole. For gravel riders, trekking cyclists venturing into rough terrain and e-bikers parking daily in crowded racks, that is not a trivial difference. In use the wide-angle geometry is the standout feature. Where the Busch & Müller Cycle Star 80 shows roughly 25 degrees, the Hafny delivers closer to 30 — you see noticeably more of the road behind. That helps on busy Dutch cycle paths where alongside an approaching e-bike you also want to register a scooter or car on a parallel lane. The downside of a wider field of view is that everything appears optically smaller, which means an e-bike fifteen metres behind initially feels further away than it is. After a few rides your brain calibrates, but expect the adjustment period. The stainless-steel image itself is sharp in daylight and bright conditions, but in Dutch November mist and dim rainy commutes the reflection is noticeably duller than real glass — not bad, but less.

Against competitors the Hafny sits in an attractive spot: 15 euros, bar-end stability, wider than average field of view and an unbreakable lens. The Busch & Müller Cycle Star 80 remains optically superior in poor light and has a smoother ball joint, but costs a quarter more. The Zéfal Spy is cheaper but clamp-mounted and therefore vibration-prone. Mirrycle targets MTB bars more and is harder to source in Europe. For Dutch gravel riders, cargo-bike parents with open bar ends, or e-bikers tackling Randstad cobbles who want a price-conscious alternative without dropping to plastic, the Hafny is a genuinely smart middle choice.

Honest caveats: the stainless surface can develop light oxidation spots after two or three years outdoors if the bike lives through Dutch winter salt. A soft cloth with a drop of oil twice a year keeps the image clear, but ignore it and it dulls. The expander bolt is the same category as the B&M and needs the same careful installation — do not just crank through the bar. Finally, construction feels slightly more plasticky than the all-metal German competition, and the ball joint does not hold grip quite as well long-term. For half the price that is an acceptable trade, but if you plan to use one mirror for thirty years it is worth noting.