3 Things Thursday: Riding Glasses

by 3

Hannah and Benji sit outside in the relative sunshine (look how they’re wearing shorts and everything) to discuss the whys and wherefores of riding eyewear. Should you wear glasses whilst riding? Are expensive ones worth it? What frame designs work? Which lens tint is best for riding to the shops? And so on.

100% S3

Believe it or not, these S3 glasses from 100% are some of the more subtle offerings in their range. That said, they’re still very much CYCLING GLASSES in capital letters. And we like them for that. Go bold or go home and all that. Seriously though, big glasses work better than small glasses. And once you’re wearing them with a helmet, they don’t look as OTT. Interchangeable lenses tech. High-impact and scratch-resistant. 100% (ha!) UV protection (UV400) and with Hydroilo treatment to repel water and greasy things (finger oils from your fingers). Vented lens reduce fogging. Shatterproof Grilamid TR90 frame. Ultra-grip rubber nose pads and tips. Available in myriad lens tints.

Oakley Sutro Lite

Half-frame version of the popular Sutro. Big ol’ field of view. Shown in the video with Oakley’s Prizm lenses that are designed to enhance color and contrast. Now then. Oakley are simultaneously all that’s great and all that’s off-puttingly eye-rolling about premium eyewear. With registered® trademarks™ all over the place and some of the highest of folluting marketing spiel out there, they often don’t do themselves any favours. That said, ‘Unobtanium’ is one of the greatest marketing names of all time, respect is due for that. Anyway. Like most Oakleys, these Sutro Lites are incredibly lovely to wear. You forget you’ve got them on. They’re sharp, clear, even and just… really annoyingly great if you want to pick holes in them because of their attendant flowery PR guff!

100% Speedcraft

The Speedcraft glasses we feature are the ones with the HiPER Blue Mirror lens. Other Speedcraft flavours are available. You might recognise these as the iconic facewear of roadie icon Peter Sagan. Now then, they are essentially the original, even less subtle glasses that the above S3 glasses are derived from. The frame, nose piece, arm tips, venting and all the sort of thing is repeated here. The Speedcrafts just have that raised top section to the lens. Which may originially have been intended as extra view for on-the-drops road sprinting (very Sagan) but is of less functionaility when it comes to offroad. Regardless. These are here to show off the Blue Mirror lens. It’s great in bright conditions. Not necessarily sunny blue sky bright. Big ol’ white/grey skies are surprisingly glarey and bright.

That’s your Official 3 Things. But we did also feature two more pairs of glasses. Because.

Pit Viper Hot Tropics Photochromic

Unfortunately you can’t easily get hold of Pit Viper glasses in the UK, as they’re only available from their website, which ships from the USA. But they will send them to you if pay the postage etc. These are here as a bonus example of photochromic glasses.

Fake Oakley Jawbreakers

  • Price: Can’t remember exactly but under £20.00
  • From: eBay

Hey, we’ve been there. We’re not going to judge anyone. Like we say in the video, by all means use cheapy glasses to experiment in finding what lens shape and tint works for you and your riding. Once they break (which they always do in our experience), use that research to wisely invest in some better made, optically superior ‘proper’ glasses.

Join our mailing list to receive Singletrack editorial wisdom directly in your inbox.

Each newsletter is headed up by an exclusive editorial from our team and includes stories and news you don’t want to miss.

Signing up to our mailing list is not only a great way to keep up-to-date on all things Singletrack but it is also a great, free way to support us.

Sign up to receive awesome editorial content from Hannah every week.

We appreciate how handing over your email address is a mark of your trust in us. Check your inbox for our confirmation email and click the link to activate your newsletter.
We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check out a previous newsletter here

While you’re here…

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/poc-devour-glasses-review-big-price-big-coverage/
https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/3-things-thursday-trail-helmets-with-mips/

Singletrack Weekly Word

Sports Newsletter of the Year finalist at the Publisher Newsletter Awards 2024. Find out why our newsletter is different and give it a go.

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

More posts from Ben

Home Forums 3 Things Thursday: Riding Glasses

  • This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by a11y.
Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • 3 Things Thursday: Riding Glasses
  • a11y
    Full Member

    Riding glasses 100% of the time for me: MTBing, commuting and even just faffing around on bikes with the kids. I’ve taken a fly in the eye without glasses and also ploughed my face into the ground in the past, scraping my glasses lens in the process, so no brainer. You only get one pair of eyes.

    Oakley Jawbones with photochromic lens (non-genuine but from a proper optician) for everything except night riding when I switch to full clear.

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    Had a friend slice her nose open with her glasses after a cattle-grid induced faceplant.
    A scar is for life but you can get glass eyes.

    A11y – didn’t realise they were Oakleys. Assumed you wore cheap knockoffs like everyone else.

    a11y
    Full Member

    A11y – didn’t realise they were Oakleys. Assumed you wore cheap knockoffs like everyone else.

    Nah, I’m worth it™

    (TBF secondhand frames with a few sets of new lenses ovcer the years)

Viewing 3 posts - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘3 Things Thursday: Riding Glasses’ is closed to new replies.