Lowdown: Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG Sunglasses
The ideal pair of bike riding sunglasses strikes an even balance between fit, function, and fashion. During the first half of the 2016 riding season, we've spent extensive time testing the Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG, a pair of shades designed to accentuate the positives of polarized lenses, while minimizing the drawbacks. They are designed specifically for road use, but we've taken them on the trail, too. Read the full review below to find out how they performed.
Stat Box
Review: Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG Sunglasses
Polarized lenses help filter out glare (a good thing), but they can also make it harder to see things such as smartphone screens and slippery manhole covers (not so good for cyclists). Ryders has attempted to rectify this with its Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG sunglasses, which purport to offer all the good of polarized lenses without the bad. They're designed specifically for road cyclists, but during testing we also used them on a number of trail rides.
We've worn these shades on all manner of outings, including at a Mavic press launch in Spain. Thumbs up all the way.
The Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG also have, you guessed it, a fog busting hydrophobic layer that's designed to absorb and disperse water vapor, thus preventing it from condensing of the surface of your lens and making you temporarily blind. You just need to remember to keep them clean, as dirt and grease build-up can clog the fog resistant layer. And if the lens does fog, a quick wipe resets the anti-fog treatment. You're also advised to wear them as far away from you face as is comfortable to improve airflow.
The anti-slip temples and nose piece are highly adjustable.
In about three months of wearing these shades on the road and trail, lens performance has been as good as advertised. The effect of the polarization is akin to turning up the contrast on a photo. Everything is a little clearer and more defined. And no, reading text messages or emails is not an issue, which is something I can't say for standard polarized shades I've worn. Fog has also been a non-issue, though in Colorado's dry climate, that's the case for most of the glasses I wear.
Continue to page 2 for more of our Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG sunglasses review
It's fun when you can see clearly without looking like the Terminator.
Other notable features include light weight (29 grams), anti-slip nose pads and temples that can also be adjusted, and a scratch resistant coating that I have put to the test on numerous occasions. Distortion is all but non-existent. The look is what I'd deem semi-casual, not too racy, but still not something you'd wear much off the bike.
For my money, the adjustability is arguably the No. 1 feature. On hot (and sweaty) days you can position the lens further away from your face, lessening the impact of perspiration pouring off your forehead. The pliable temples, meanwhile, allow the wearer to really dial in fit based on head shape and helmet model. The end result is solid and comfortable on-face security.
The nose piece can be adjusted so the glasses fit further away from your face, improving air flow.
On the downside, the green tinted lenses are a bit on the dark end of the spectrum, meaning they're not so great on non-sunny days, or if you're riding in and out of the light, say on a trail through thick forest.
I'd love to see a photochromic version, which brings us to another solid option in the Ryders catalog, the $130 Seventh antiFOG Photochromic, which have the same 29-gram weight. These shades don't have quite the same lens clarity, but are arguably a better option for riding in variable light situations.
For cloudier days or if you ride deep in the forest a lot, the Ryders Seventh antiFOG Photochromic are a great choice.
The Seventh antiFOG Photochromic have all the same fit adjustment features as the veloPOLAR, but when the amount of available light changes so does lens tint. Just know that they don't get as dark as a standard lens, so take a pass on these if you primarily ride in bright and sunny conditions.
The photochromic lenses also have the antiFOG layer on the back and a hydrophobic layer on the front. And like all Ryders lenses, are impact resistant and optically correct with 100% UVA, UVB and UVC protection.
The photochromic lenses adjust to changing light conditions, but never get overly dark.
Bottom line, while neither of these sunglasses are cheap, they sell for as much as $100 less than the latest top-flight offering from the bigger boys in this space. So depending on where you ride and what your exact needs are you might be even able to justify buying two pairs of Ryders to cover all your bases.
For more info please visit www.ryderseyewear.com.
The ideal pair of bike riding sunglasses strikes an even balance between fit, function, and fashion. During the first half of the 2016 riding season, we've spent extensive time testing the Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG, a pair of shades designed to accentuate the positives of polarized lenses, while minimizing the drawbacks. They are designed specifically for road use, but we've taken them on the trail, too. Read the full review below to find out how they performed.
| Weight: 29 grams | Fit: Medium/large |
| Adjustability: Nose pads and temple tips | Curve: 8C |
| Lens colors: Light grey, green (tested), brown | MSRP: $150 |
| Protection: UV400, impact resistant | Rating:
|
| Frame colors: Matte black, blue/green (tested), orange/yellow |
Pluses | Minuses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Review: Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG Sunglasses
Polarized lenses help filter out glare (a good thing), but they can also make it harder to see things such as smartphone screens and slippery manhole covers (not so good for cyclists). Ryders has attempted to rectify this with its Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG sunglasses, which purport to offer all the good of polarized lenses without the bad. They're designed specifically for road cyclists, but during testing we also used them on a number of trail rides.
We've worn these shades on all manner of outings, including at a Mavic press launch in Spain. Thumbs up all the way.
The Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG also have, you guessed it, a fog busting hydrophobic layer that's designed to absorb and disperse water vapor, thus preventing it from condensing of the surface of your lens and making you temporarily blind. You just need to remember to keep them clean, as dirt and grease build-up can clog the fog resistant layer. And if the lens does fog, a quick wipe resets the anti-fog treatment. You're also advised to wear them as far away from you face as is comfortable to improve airflow.
The anti-slip temples and nose piece are highly adjustable.
In about three months of wearing these shades on the road and trail, lens performance has been as good as advertised. The effect of the polarization is akin to turning up the contrast on a photo. Everything is a little clearer and more defined. And no, reading text messages or emails is not an issue, which is something I can't say for standard polarized shades I've worn. Fog has also been a non-issue, though in Colorado's dry climate, that's the case for most of the glasses I wear.
Continue to page 2 for more of our Ryders Eyewear Seventh veloPOLAR antiFOG sunglasses review
It's fun when you can see clearly without looking like the Terminator.
Other notable features include light weight (29 grams), anti-slip nose pads and temples that can also be adjusted, and a scratch resistant coating that I have put to the test on numerous occasions. Distortion is all but non-existent. The look is what I'd deem semi-casual, not too racy, but still not something you'd wear much off the bike.
For my money, the adjustability is arguably the No. 1 feature. On hot (and sweaty) days you can position the lens further away from your face, lessening the impact of perspiration pouring off your forehead. The pliable temples, meanwhile, allow the wearer to really dial in fit based on head shape and helmet model. The end result is solid and comfortable on-face security.
The nose piece can be adjusted so the glasses fit further away from your face, improving air flow.
On the downside, the green tinted lenses are a bit on the dark end of the spectrum, meaning they're not so great on non-sunny days, or if you're riding in and out of the light, say on a trail through thick forest.
I'd love to see a photochromic version, which brings us to another solid option in the Ryders catalog, the $130 Seventh antiFOG Photochromic, which have the same 29-gram weight. These shades don't have quite the same lens clarity, but are arguably a better option for riding in variable light situations.
For cloudier days or if you ride deep in the forest a lot, the Ryders Seventh antiFOG Photochromic are a great choice.
The Seventh antiFOG Photochromic have all the same fit adjustment features as the veloPOLAR, but when the amount of available light changes so does lens tint. Just know that they don't get as dark as a standard lens, so take a pass on these if you primarily ride in bright and sunny conditions.
The photochromic lenses also have the antiFOG layer on the back and a hydrophobic layer on the front. And like all Ryders lenses, are impact resistant and optically correct with 100% UVA, UVB and UVC protection.
The photochromic lenses adjust to changing light conditions, but never get overly dark.
Bottom line, while neither of these sunglasses are cheap, they sell for as much as $100 less than the latest top-flight offering from the bigger boys in this space. So depending on where you ride and what your exact needs are you might be even able to justify buying two pairs of Ryders to cover all your bases.
For more info please visit www.ryderseyewear.com.
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
