OK, now I get to show off a bit and for once I don’t need to wear a helmet or ride along with constant fear of knocking out a tooth. Just look at that handsome devil above… I assure you the only reason I look good is the shades. The VTX sunglasses from Ryders (MSRP $59.99) are super versatile and have quickly become my favorite blinkers for the trail.
The VTX sunglasses come with three lens choices that you can change up in a jiffy. The lenses pictured above are gray with a flash coating, perfect for sunny days. You also get a set with orange tint which provides high contrast on forest trails or for overcast days and a clear set for protection in the dark from thin twigs and dirt. With all these options included you’re really getting 3 pairs of shades that can be worn in any conditions. The VTX sunglasses come with a zipper case to hold the extra lenses and a soft, no-scratch cleaning cloth.
Now a really great thing with all the lenses is that they are optically correct and provide 100% UVA, UVB, and UVC protection. Most inexpensive sunglasses skip the UV protection and can actually harm your eyes with too much exposure to the sun.
Another cool feature of the VTX sunglasses is the adjustable nose piece and arms which can be set to your face and hold the glasses firmly in place. This is perfect for me since one of my ears is slightly lower than the other (go figure) but it also means I can set these specs in place and forget them when I’m bombing down the trail.
On the trails the VTX sunglasses are great and I’m a big fan of the orange lenses in particular. During a recent ride I noticed roots and small differences in the soil popped out visually while my eyes stayed well protected from mud splatter (thanks, in part, to the tight fit around my face). I did notice a little bit of fogging during breaks in the action but other than that I really enjoyed the Ryder VTX sunglasses.
But wait, there’s more!
Check out the Vigor (MSRP $44.99) sunglasses also from Ryders. These share some of the characteristics of the VTXs with the exception of the replaceable lenses. The Vigor shades feature the same adjustable nose and ear pieces but only include this brown lens with flash finish (other models carry a different lens color – see Ryders for details).
The Vigors are part of the Adrenaline Essentials collection from Ryders. Even though these do not have replaceable lenses, the brown lenses with flash finish still provide good contrast in medium to bright conditions and do a good job enhancing yellow and green hues. Because the lenses are not replaceable, Ryders was able to frame the lenses all the way around, making these a more fashionable choice for both on and off the trail.
I found these sunglasses worked best on the open trials and on bright, sunny days. I tried wearing these shades on a few overcast days but I found the brown lenses were a bit too dark in the deep forest. These glasses didn’t seem to fog up like the VTX sunglasses and the slightly larger lenses still kept out the crud and junk.
Ryders Eyewear produces optically correct, UV-protected sunglasses perfect for mountain biking at a great value (which means you won’t be too upset if you accidentally break or lose them on the trail). On top of that, their sunglasses look cool and fit just about any face – check out the huge selection to find the right pair for your riding style.
Cheers folks!
Some Key Features from Ryders Eyewear:
- Adjustable nose pads
- Adjustable temple-tips
- Hydrophilic nose-pads and/or temple tips
- Optically-correct, shatterproof, polycarbonate, performance lenses
- 100% UVA, UVB, UVC protection.
