SCICON SPORTS AEROSHADE
£170 High-protection, super-customisable eyewear
Scicon Sports is the number one brand in bike bags and cases, with more professional teams and riders travelling with bikes protected by the Italian brand’s luggage than all of its competitors combined. The company’s behind-the-scenes reputation at Grand Tours now moves out front with its new sunglasses range, with no fewer than three teams wearing them: UAE Team Emirates, Israel Start-Up Nation and NTT Pro Cycling.
The design of the 39.4g Aeroshade is very much in the mould of the latest 100% Speedcraft and Oakley Wind Jacket, with a large shield lens that’s 60mm at its deepest. The fit is one of the most adaptable on the market. The nosepiece sits on a multi-position hinge and steps outwards to give three widths. It also adjusts vertically in steps, by up to 4mm; Scicon grandly calls this ‘Horizon Adjust’. Essentially, it means you can tune the position of the glasses on your face, which works brilliantly to ensure the substantial frame doesn’t intrude on your eyeline by increasing your upper field of vision. The end of the arms have bendable rubberised tips so you can choose where they sit and you can make the actual arms more flexible by removing any of the three small ‘Clip Switch’ pieces.
On the bike, there’s certainly no distortion, even at the extremities of the lens, and the prominent venting (four across the brow and two on the bottom edge of each lens) does a good job of preventing fogging. The lenses are well protected from accidental damage with rubber fenders on the lower edge – which are removable if you prefer – and a frame that sits proud of the lens. The grip of the highly sprung frame is vicelike and tenacious, even when riding fast offroad. Plus, the vertical adjustment on the nosepiece lets you adjust the fit so the top of the frame doesn’t clash with low-sitting helmets.
The Aeroshade package is very generous and includes a second clear lens, a soft cleaning bag (with a pouch built in for the second lens) and a protective zipped case that doubles up as a quality saddle pack, thanks to a wraparound Velcro strap that’s long enough to thread through your saddle rails. At £170 these glasses are premium priced, but they stand up to a lot of abuse, plus the twin lenses allow year-round use.