The Shimano premium S-Phyre range keeps expanding, as they now add sunglasses to the shoe & clothing mix. Developed together with pro riders from Team Lotto NL Jumbo, Shimano is debuting two new high-end, but affordable styles – the frameless S-Phyre R, and full-frame S-Phyre X glasses, with several lens options for each.
Shimano S-Phyre R & S-Phyre X cycling sunglasses
Shimano calls it a natural evolution to their S-Phyre clothing & footwear line-ups. And it’s not a big surprise since Shimano’s lifestyle range already included about a dozen pairs of glasses, although nothing as refined looking as these.
The S-Phyre shades bring Shimano to a more competitive position in the eyewear market, with lightweight construction, improved fit, and high quality optics.
The development feedback from the World Tour Lotto NL-Jumbo riders was key, as they emphasized the importance not only of greater protection from a large lens, but the need for darker tints for racing in bright conditions, the importance for secure but comfortably fitting contact points, and a desire for more durable anti-scratch coatings.
Shimano says they developed the new eyewear to create a form-fitting design that holds in place comfortably but securely at the temple, and reduces turbulent airflow around the cyclists eyes. The result is a large single wraparound lens design shared by both versions of the glasses.
S-Phyre R frameless sunglasses
At around 140€ the S-Phyre R is the lighter of the two at 25.6g. The wide rimless glasses forgo any frame for a simple pair of black arms that secure to the lens and adjustable, interchangeable nose pads.
S-Phyre X full-frame sunglasses
The full frame S-Phyre X isn’t much heavier at 28.6g. Retailing around 160€, they feature the same general wide design and lens tech, but with the additional of a structural upper frame. The lower frame is removable, and as you can see in the team’s yellow lowers, a possibility for customization. The thought behind the removable lower frame is to allow users to customize how the lens & frame fit against the cheek. The X offers frames now in black or metallic blue.
Lens options for all weather riding
Both glasses offer several different interchangeable lenses for all weather conditions. A photochromic (PH) dark gray lens is available with a mirror finish for variable cloudy to sunny weather (13-62% light transmittance).
Then a polarized (PL) red or blue mirrored lens is available for truly sunny conditions (16% light transmission), while also making it easier to read the screen of a cycle computer, to peer through car windshields, or to see through puddles on the road.
Either option includes a Cloud Mirror spare lens (85% light transmission) that cuts out mostly blue light for comfortable vision and good contrast even in dark conditions.
The new S-Phyre sunglasses will arrive in stores from early April 2018 or will be available through regular Shimano retail channels.
