New Cycling Sunglasses – Assos Zegho and Hawley’s JetBlack Imports

Deeply skeptical of the handmade claim. You really think some artisan carved these out of a chunk of plastic? Plucking something from a mold and cleaning it up really isn’t handmade in my book. Also think they look like ugly women’s glasses.

I’m guessing that ‘Zegho’ is Serbian for shithead and the press release is a gag.

i dont understand all the Assos angst. this is the same company that has 450 dollar bibs. its not meant for everyone. its meant for dentists.

I had a chance to use a pair of the Assos sunglasses on a two-hour road ride. I didn’t find the frame particularly comfortable, and the lenses were absolutely huge; so large in fact that they seemed to cover half of my forehead. Since it was a warm day, I found I lost a lot of natural wind-cooling on my forehead because the lenses were blocking so much wind. Plus, I wasn’t too keen about the amount of glare coming off of the light-colored road through the lower, almost untinted part of the lenses. Oh, and I also looked like a complete idiot when wearing them. I’d rate them as the worst glasses that I’ve ever worn.

For those who don’t want to wear the ugly Ass-os models, Jet Black seems to have some affordable and fairly attractive options. I dig the Flights. Tifosis are nice, but it’s good to have another option in the affordable yet functional category.

I own an Assos winter jacket and it’s seriously the best bit of cycling clothing I’ve ever worn. I’ve had it four years and it looks as good today as when I bought it. These glasses, on the other hand, are ridiculous. In fact do yourself a favour, pick up a pair of Salice 006’s, look damn cool, and save yourself enough cash to buy the winter jacket.

So I work for a bike retailer and we carry quite a bit of Assos stuff, including these Zegho shades. I’ve used every pair of shades under the sun, and I have to be honest…these could possibly be the most comfortable pair of shades I have ever put on. I was originally very skeptical with the $450ish price tag as you guys are, but I have to say that this is a pretty advanced and functional set of shades. Unfolding them, the arms don’t glide—they have small incremental clicks—so depending on what the contour of your head is, they can be adjusted to fit most people with a very well-fitting and conforming grip, but not one that’s too tight. They are rather flexible, but not in a bad way: you’re not really “wearing” them…they’re just…there, and it’s quite pleasurable. The coolest part is how the shade part of the lens works. The top is the darkest, and it progresses to clear at the bottom. In a normal riding position (head slightly down), there is a good amount of shade. As you lift your head, the shade starts to go away and you’re left with clear lens just as your head starts to face up just a bit…it is a very practical effect if you’re in areas where the lighting conditions change rapidly, and in my opinion makes it a better alternative to polarized lenses because it allows you to see a lot of detail like wet spots and imperfections in the road that could be potentially hazardous. I believe that was one of Assos’ intentions behind designing the shades, which is something that has detoured me from using polarized lenses in the past while riding.

To be honest, I haven’t had the chance to use it on the road, but with the several minutes I got to spend with them, I’d be telling you the truth when I say that the Zegho’s are one of the coolest pieces of cycling gear I’ve seen in a while. Do they need to cost almost $500? Probably not. But if you don’t mind being that weird guy that can afford such nice things, then I think this could potentially be that one item that sets you apart in your group, and you have the gratification of knowing that it’s functionally the best pair of cycling glasses money can buy. Knowing the integrity that Assos delivers with all of their products, I believe the hype, and it might be worth it to try a pair.