Race Schedule and Results

Monday, May 2, 2011

My future's so bright I've gotta wear shades

Last week I got hooked up with Ryders Sunglasses to test our and review.  I've been stalking the Ryders site for a while now, knowing that they have some pretty amazing sunglasses and although I love my pink no-namers, I would be needing some new cycling ones soon. So I was pretty stoked when I opened the box to find two different pair to use - the Vela and the Hex.

Vela -  Retail $39.99
Right out of the box, I liked the look of these glasses.  I'm a fan of rimless or at least no bottom rims when I'm cycling because of riding aero.  I was sent the white ones with the mirror lenses (it's not quite orange... more of a dark brownish color).  I loved the feel of them.  They have adjustable non-slip nose pads and non-slip temples which I'm a huge fan of, especially when I ride.  They fit great -snug on my head, but not squeezing it, but I also knew that they wouldn't bounce around.  It was a cloudy day on Saturday when we rode, so I opted for the other pair, but Tom wore them and said that they were prefect, even as the day brightened up.  They came with a nice little bag, but I always worry that I'm going to crunch my glasses with something and put them in a hard case.

Hex - Retail $69.99
I'll be honest, when I first opened these, I wasn't thrilled.  The lenses were clear and I have this thing with clear glasses... I was a bio-chemistry major and any time I see someone with clear lenses, I am immediately time warped back to my lab days.  Not a pleasant memory.  I loved the black sleek frames, but ugh, the lenses.  Then it happened - they started darkening.  Say what?  These might be the best glasses ever!  They have a photochromic lens which means that they darken in the sunlight.  When I showed them to Tom, he said "these are the perfect sunglasses for anyone in Ohio where the weather changes in a minute".  I agree.  The Ryders Website has a great explanation of the lens here.  I wore them on a run on Friday (I never wear sunglasses while I run).  They started out very light gray and within minutes, were tinted to a very dark gray.  As the sun set, they lightened a little and adjusted perfectly.  They didn't bounce and didn't cause a headache (which is the reason I've always avoided running with sunglasses).  Since Saturday was cloudy, I opted for these glasses and was so happy to have them as the sun started shining 40 miles into our 60 mile ride!

It was like having two pairs of glasses in one!  These came with a great hard case.
Tom wearing the Vela and me in the Hex

Both pairs of glasses come in a variety of color frames and lenses (I'm still eying the hot pink ones... maybe I'll splurge and get myself a pair).  And if these aren't the style you're going for, Ryders has something for everyone.  They have a great chart helping you choose the right lens for your activity and many of their glasses are adjustable through the nose and temple. I'm super happy with my pairs and would definitely recommend them to you if you are looking for a quality product that's fashionable and functional!


And this is a totally random picture from our ride, but Tom is pointing to a little dot on the far off tree.  It's actually a huge bald eagle's nest. We couldn't see much more than a head sticking out when we stopped this week, but two weeks ago, we saw a big one in the nest and then another big one a few trees over.



*** Please note - I was given these glasses free of charge and the opinions that I presented are solely mine.  I am not getting paid to review these products.***

26 comments:

Teamarcia said...

You both look great! How cool you found that nest.

Unknown said...

I use Ryder sunglasses too. They are excellent~ thanks for the review!

Molly said...

Very cool shades and nice review - I have some of theirs as well and they're awesome!

Lauren said...

i need a new pair of cycling glasses! i want pink ones to match my bike...obviously :) thanks for the review!

Kim said...

sweet shades col! i ride/run with oakleys which were a tad more expensive than the ones you have! i wish i could review some products! like toilet paper :)

Big Daddy Diesel said...

I just got a new pair of sunglass's and they came with 4 total lenses, a pain having to swap them in and out based on the weather, I now know I can order the Hex and not worry about it

Matty O said...

We have bald eagles on our favorite running trail :) they are soooo fun to watch!

What a good sport your husband is to pose for a blog pic ;) I am sure there was a bit of some negotiations haha.

And, OMG I HAVE THE SAME BIKE HELMET!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

have a great week!

Meredith said...

I just bought a pair of no-name, clear (love them!!!), children's sunglasses off Amazon for $13.

Glad you found something you love. See you this weekend!

Lora Abernathy said...

I am loving that last pair. I need a good pair for both the bike and run. Hmm. Will have to check them out.

Beal88 said...

Sweet shades!

Ironman By Thirty said...

Sweet shades!

I actually had a pair of those glasses on the Christmas list along with another pair. I got the other pair though. They have interchangeable lenses and I have to say that the clear lenses have been the most used so far. The color changing ones would be more suited for some of the rides though.

Matthew Smith said...

Those are both great glasses. The transitioning ones sound super rad. I may have to pick some of them up for myself. Bald eagles are some of the coolest birds around. I haven't seen one in a long time.

DRog said...

wow it seems I am missing out based on your review and everyones comments

Ill have to get some

if only the sun would come out here :)

D

Wes said...

nice... Dee Dee has been looking for some hot pink glasses... I will check them out...

Kristin Deaton said...

This is the geek optometrist in me. Are they polarized?

Kristin Deaton said...

Oh and great photo of you and Tom!! Y'all are looking hot in those shades!! I love transition style lenses. Makes the world just a better place

Shannon (IronTexasMommy) said...

I purchased almost the same pair of White Ryder's glasses. I love them. Although was a little disappointed in how difficult the lenses have been to change. I've just stuck with the tinted lenses because the last time I switched, it left a crack in the frame of the glasses. Uggh. Otherwise though, they are super comfy. Transition style... may be the way to go! They look great on you both and love the Bald Eagle nest shot! :)

Unknown said...

oh I like that style! they look light too!

Molly said...

I am in need of a new pair of running sunglasses BADLY. My current ones are superglued together.

I keep meaning to tell you about my feather in my hair, it's sewn into my hair and a bead keeps it in place. Funky, huh?

Marci said...

I'm so attached to my Oakley's... I totally forgot there are other companies that make sunglasses for us athletes!

Kurt @ Becoming An Ironman said...

I still have multiple pairs of lab glasses from years of biochem, chem, and bio lab work!

But photochromatic lenses are AMAZING!! I had to race one of my Oly's with dark sunglasses while it was raining and wished for photochromatic lenses the entire 25 miles!

Coy Martinez said...

Those sunglasses seem crazy good! I have a pair of Costa Del Mars that I LOVE but the ones you tried seem almost better suited for biking than mine!

You know, funny about the bald eagle, there was one in a field across the street from where I live and I nearly drove off the road I was so excited to see it! Really regal birds!!

Andy said...

Thanks for the review! Always helps when you are on the market for a new pair of shades. The photochromic lenses on the Hex are really cool! Enjoy them!

Caratunk Girl said...

Nice review!

Anne-Marie said...

Thanks for the info! I haven't heard of Ryders but have trouble with my current glasses sliding down my nose. Maybe I'll give these a try! :)

Anonymous said...

I also have a brown Vela that’s polarized. A biker should always wear shades when biking in daylight. Wearing shades protects the biker from debris and UV rays.

Vincent Davis