In the last installment of my Psychology of Sports Technology, I focused on FORM smart swim goggles that has a heads-up display in one of the lenses that provides real-time tracking of essential data including time, distance, and pace, as well as useful post-swim data such as DPS, stroke rate, and SWOLF.

In this week’s installment, I introduce you to Trieye sunglasses, the first and only sports eyewear with a rearview mirror built into the lens. This unique feature enables you to see behind you without turning your head while keeping your eyes on the road ahead.

When you think about sports technology, electronic gadgetry, like heart-rate monitors, power meters, and GPS bike computers, likely come to mind. It probably didn’t occur to you that innovative eyewear is also an important piece of technology.

Trieye Technology

Being able to easily see behind you without taking your eyes off the road ahead means you’re safer and better prepared in several ways. First, when wearing Trieye, by not turning your head to look behind you, you are able to continue to see the road ahead of you, thereby seeing and being able to avoid upcoming road hazards such as potholes and debris. Second, with Trieye, when you know what’s behind you, you may be able to avoid the dangers of cars approaching from the rear. Third, if you’re riding in a group, hitting the wheel in front of you while looking at riders behind you is a real danger. With Trieye, you’re able to better track riders in front of and behind you, thus increasing everyone’s safety. Finally, if you race bikes, Trieye enables you to keep a constant eye on your competitors so, if they make a move (i.e., attempt a breakaway early in the race or begin their sprint as the finish approaches), you can see and respond to it more quickly.

Those are the physical and safety benefits, now for the psychological benefits.

I come to writing this article from a very personal place. Back in September of 2021 I was hit by a car on Pacific Coast Highway during a training ride the day before the Malibu Triathlon (two articles here and here about my experience and journey). I wasn’t wearing my Trieye sunglasses. If I had, I might have been able to avoid the physical injuries and psychological scars of that near-death experience.

Fear

Not surprisingly, my hit-and-run was traumatic for me. When I returned to riding outdoors four months later, I was pretty darned scared during my first rides. I was in a constant state of anxiety with my body tense, my breathing short, and my focus decidedly behind me. I became even more tense when I heard cars coming upon me from the rear. I rode tentatively, which made me feel even more vulnerable.

But, thanks to my Trieye sunglasses, I quickly lost my fear as I realized the safety they provided me by allowing me to see car approaching me from the rear while also keeping an eye out for obstacles on the road ahead. Within a few rides, I was able to relax and put my fear behind me.

Confidence

Confidence isn’t just about believing you can ride at a certain wattage, push a certain pace, or achieve your goals when you get on your bike. Rather, confidence also involves believing in your safety when you’re out on the road. Without that confidence, all of the other benefits of confidence just won’t happen.

As anyone who bikes outside knows, we can’t completely remove the risks, but we can mitigate them substantially by seeing what’s ahead of and behind us. Trieye gives me the confidence I need to set my worries aside when I ride on the road and pay attention to the task at hand.

Focus

The ability to focus effectively and avoid distraction is essential to both safe riding on the road and getting the most out of our cycling efforts. As every cyclist knows, the road is full of two types of distractions. First, distractions that directly impact your cycling safety and efforts such as fear, doubt, and tentativeness. Second, distractions that come into your field of vision that simply take your mind off of your riding including roadside attractions, other bikers, and traffic going in the other direction.

When I wear my Trieyes, my fear decreases, my confidence increases, and my focus narrows onto the most relevant cues in my now-broadened (due to the Trieye rearview mirror) visual field such as the road surface ahead of me, traffic approaching from the rear, and riders in front and behind me. The comfort that Trieye provides me with frees my mind to focus on what I need to so I can ride safely and put in my maximum effort in my rides.

Bottom Line: Comfort

One of the greatest benefits of using Trieye sunglasses with a built-in rearview mirror is that I simply feel more comfortable physically and mentally when I go for a ride on the road. With this comfort, I’m able to be fully committed to my ride while also being mindful of the risks that I face with road biking. The end result, aside from being safer out there, is that I enjoy myself more and have more fun. Suffice it to say, my Trieyes are now a must-have piece of technology every time I ride outside for pleasure, training, and races.

Disclaimer: I gain no financial benefit from your buying this product. I write about it because I bought it, use it, believe in it, and think that you may benefit from it as well.