Description

VeloNews' Zack Vestal looks at eyewear technology from Smith, Oakley and Giro.

Transcript

Replacing Sun Glasses Lenses for Cyclists Stylish, functional sunglasses are an essential part of every rider’s outfit. Interchangeable lenses have long been a feature of sports sunglasses. As riders choose tinted lenses for sun clear lenses for cloudy days or night riding. But what are new are creative approaches to lens replacement. Back in a day popping a lens in or out required some careful effort in a sure grip to flex the frames and pry the lens free. Now, a number of creative approaches make changing lenses easy. Smith Sport Optics might be credited with kicking off the revolution. Their interlock lens system opens the frames to release the lenses like on this trace model. Twist the temples 90 degrees inward and the lenses are released insert lens and rotate the temples to close. The latest performance glass from Smith is the PivLock V90 as the name implies the temples pivot off the lens completely. Removed the nosepiece and then replace the parts on a lens tint of your choice. Oakley gets into the game with the Javo(ph). Unlock by moving the nose pad then swing the frame away to release the lens. Giro is newer to the sunglass market but no less innovative. On the filter model it is one-step process to unlock the lens release it and replace it. It’s a brave new world in eye wear, form and function are freshly united with easily interchangeable lenses and chances are there are even more developments in the pipeline from these and the other manufacturers.