I’m all in on the TriEyes. After training myself to use them, I find them a better solution than my bar-end mirrors. For the record, I never got the hang of helmet-mount mirrors.
Here’s why I’m removing the bar-end mirrors from my 3 bikes and using TriEyes (“The Pros”):
- Similar head motion. Rather than looking down (bar-end mirror), I’m looking left around my shoulder. Roughly the same movement away from center, just in a different direction.
- Closer view. The mirror is much closer to my aging eyes.
- Wider available field of view. By moving my head, I can scan much more of the road behind me without repointing the handlebars.
- No knee bumping. A hard standing push with a turned wheel doesn’t change where my mirror is pointed.
- Multi-bike doesn’t matter. One pair of TriEyes works on every bike, though the bar-end mirrors ARE cheaper if you only have a few bikes.
- Simpler packing bikes for planes. I don’t have to remove and remount the bar end mirror when I pack my bike for a plane trip.
There are some things to keep in mind ("The Cons”):
- Training required. For me, at least, it took a few rides before I got comfortable with them.
- Can’t change your shades. There is only one style of TriEye, though clip-ons and inserts are available for prescription glasses wearers.
- Mislaid = no mirror. If you prone to losing your sunglasses, TriEyes probably aren’t for you. And replacements aren’t cheap or local.
- Expensive. Unless you’re a top-shelf glasses wearer, that is, and I don’t know how TriEyes compare. I’ve previously been getting by with < $10 US pairs of glasses. Yeah… I’m cheap. And not noted for being fashion conscious. :-)
- 2nd pair required for opposite-side drive countries. I needed a 2nd “right hand” pair for riding in the UK/Australia/New Zealand.
