Wearing sunglasses while riding a bicycle serves two purposes: protecting your eyes from weather and debris and reducing glare from the sun. I've always used an old pair that I stopped wearing around town due to a scratched lens. They did the job but required a neck strap to keep them from sliding down my nose and were too dark if I had to ride at dusk.

I wanted to try a pair with photochromic lenses, that is, lenses that darken and lighten based on how bright it is, and Tifosi Optics was kind enough to send me a review copy of their Veloce Smoke glasses (disclosure: I got these glasses for free after asking them to send me a pair to review). I've been using these glasses for about 2 months now, as I prepare for a 3-week tour of Southern Italy, and have to say I really like them!

Tifosi Optics has a catalogue offering dozens of different sunglasses. Veloce is one of their bike-specific lines and I chose the Smoke Fototec lenses. Unlike other Tifosi glasses, these do not offer interchangeable lenses, which don't interest me anyway.

Riding In Style

My previous glasses were vintage 20th Century ones with flat lenses that left about an inch between them and my eyes. This time, I decided to try something that looked a lot more stylish. When my contact at Tifosi suggested the Veloce line, I opted for sleek looking Matte White.

These come with Fototec® lenses, which is what Tifosi's calls its photochromic lenses. The glasses are lightweight and adjustable. I liked how they felt on my face.

One problem I had with my old pair was sliding down my nose as I rode. I was concerned that the Veloce's straight arms might have a similar problem. But, the glasses are so light and the arms curved enough that they stayed put once I put them on. But, after I put on my helmet, I noticed interference between it and the tail end of the glasses. According to Tifosi, the arms are adjustable by simply bending them. So, I gently bent them to a lower angle and the frames have kept the new shape, which now works with my helmet. I suspect the rubber coating at the end of the frame's arm help with the grip, as well.

The Veloces have curved lenses and are designed to be worn close to the face, leaving very little open space between the eyes and the lenses. The first time I put these one, they were too close and every time I blinked, I could feel my eye lashes brush the lenses, which I find particularly uncomfortable. Luckily, the glasses also have an adjustable nose piece. With a bit of trial and error, I was able to get the glasses to sit just the way I wanted them to.

You Glaring At Me?

In deciding which glasses to test, I was surprised that none of the glasses in the Veloce line offer polarized lenses. When I asked about this, the company rep said that polarized lenses distort what is seen and Tifosi doesn't recommended using them when riding. But, what about glare?

I was eager to test out these new glasses but it was raining when they arrived. Instead of using them while riding my bike, my first use was out walking around on a sunny break between storms. I quickly noticed the lack of polarization as I saw hot spots on chrome bumpers, car windshields, and other reflective objects. It was distracting and I wondered if this much glare would interfere with safe riding.

What I discovered when the rain stopped and I could get back on my bike was that the glare problem went away. I've now ridden with the glasses dozens of times on both sunny and cloudy days over and around the San Francisco Bay, where reflected sun is often a problem and I haven't seen much glare at all. That said, I only wear them when I am riding my bicycle, so maybe glare would still be an issue when walking around. It is worth noting that these glasses are designed for biking not walking.

Since the Veloce's lenses are curved, distortion can be a problem. Tifosi's website says that its lenses are "optically decentered," which prevents both distortion and magnification. I don't really understand what that means but I have not noticed any image problems when wearing the glasses.

Seeing The Light

The color of the Veloce's photochromic lenses that I chose are called "smoke" by Tifosi. According to Tifosi's website, they are "color-neutral so that colors are not distorted." My previous glasses had tinted blue lenses. With the Smoke lenses, I no longer see the world with a blue "edge." I liked this. In addition, I am able to see things like text on my cellphone better with these new, non-tinted lenses.

The photochromic lenses get darker as the sun gets brighter and lighter when the sun goes away. According to Tifosi, the transition from most to least tint takes 10 seconds. I didn't find the transition noticeable when wearing the glasses.

What I do notice, though, is that the level of tint provided by the glasses seems to stay constant. That is, my view of the world seems to stay at the same level of grey, regardless of the amount of ambient sunlight. This is a very nice feature and makes seeing the scenery while riding a bit easier.

According to the website, the smoke Fototec lenses have a light transmission range of 47.7% (low sun) to 15.2 (full sun). I have ridden in both foggy and clear weather and in both cases had no trouble seeing things clearly.

In the past, when heavy overcast or a long day in the saddle required me to ride in the dark, I would remove my glasses so I could see. I haven't ridden in those conditions since I've been testing these glasses, so I can't say how these lenses will do in very low-light settings. I will soon take these glasses on tour and should the opportunity arise, I will wear them in such conditions and report back.

Gimme Some Air

Another problem with my old lenses was fogging up. When I am sweating and stop, either to rest, check my map or talk with someone, my glasses would fog up. While the Veloce lenses haven't changed that, they have a clever design feature that helps clear the glasses as soon as I start riding. There is a narrow, half-inch slit at the upper edge of each lens that lets air behind the glasses to immediately clear the fog (you can see the opening in the above picture). I think of it as kind of automatic defrost.

I was concerned about this because I have very sensitive eyes. Any bit of air pressure onto my eyes is both painful and cause for much watering. While I have witnessed the defogging, I have had no problems from air moving through the glasses as I ride.

What Are You Looking At?

My previous glasses were dark enough that people couldn't see my eyes or what I was looking at. With the Veloces, people can always see where my eyes are pointed. I am now aware that people can tell when I am watching them. While this isn't a problem, and has even caused a few smiles, it is a bit of anonymity that I no longer have!

I am in the process of planning my next bike trip (to Southern Italy). In addition to riding around, I will be visiting many historic sites. Given my previous experience with glare when wearing the glasses while walking around, I have been wondering if I need to carry a second pair of "off bike" glasses. I don't plan to do that on this trip and will report back how that goes.

So, What Do You Think?

The Tifosi Veloce glasses with the smoke Fototec lenses have really improved my bike riding experience. They are lightweight, so my nose no longer gets sore from the weight of my old, heavy glasses. I can see things better and really like that the level of tint changes to meet the ambient light level. All in all, I would recommend these glasses to anyone looking for a comfortable, well designed, and adjustable pair of glasses with high-quality lenses that adjust to the light. From what I can tell by searching the web, these glasses cost around $65. From my experience, they are well worth it.

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