This is a review of my Adidas Tycane Pro Cycling glasses, after 8 years of using them for cycling and driving, in every kind of weather, from bright sun to snow. Adidas hydrophobic cycling glasses incorporate advanced lens technology to protect your eyes and give you the best possible vision. Back then I thought I might just have found the perfect cycling glasses for protection from sun, cold, and wind. Eight years on, how are they holding up?
I researched long and hard before I bought a pair of cycling glasses, because good cycling glasses are not cheap – and if you want them to be prescription as well, be prepared to dig very deep in your pockets (as in $200 or more). I tried on just about every pair of Oakleys and Ryders on the market.
Light and Comfortable
I wanted something light, comfortable and with ample clearance over the eyes. This is because my biggest problem with cycling glasses is that my eyes water, then the fluid somehow gets on the lens, and then the whole world looks like a blurry mess.
I also needed something strong enough to be almost invulnerable, because I have a tendency to drop my stuff off bikes, step on them, etc. I didn’t want to spend a fortune only to have delicate glasses that would break within weeks.
Adidas cycling glasses are the choice of Tour de France cycling team Movistar. Photo from http://www.opticianonline.net/I ended up choosing a pair of Adidas Tycane Pro cycling glasses. I asked for progressive lenses (they change color according to lighting conditions). And I also asked to have my prescription put into the lenses.
Here’s a video about these great glasses:
Why I Chose Adidas Cycling Glasses
I chose these Adidas cycling glasses for four reasons.
Reason #1: Adidas Cycling Glasses are Just about Invulnerable
The optometrist showed me how flexible these glasses are. You can bend them or snap off the ear pieces, and then just snap them back together again. If you somehow manage to break the ear pieces, you can just replace them. In eight years, I have never had to replace any parts.
My optometrist told me these cycling glasses were tested by Californian life guards in rough beach/surf conditions. Apparently they are made of high-end SPXTM material.
In the past eight years, I have lost count of how many times I have dropped these glasses. I have even managed to drop them, step on them, and watch them break into several pieces. But it’s a cinch to put them back together again!
Nike Cycling Glasses vs. Adidas Cycling Glasses
I also own similar Nike cycling glasses. The Nikes have not been nearly as solid. The Adidas cycling glasses have so far lasted me eight years and still look as good as new. I am on my THIRD pair of Nike’s in the same time frame, and the third pair is currently falling apart. And in the same time, I have replaced the arms and the nose pieces on the Nike glassess more time than I can remember. I have even replaced the entire frame, so in fact, they are not the same glasses I started out with eight years ago.
Meanwhile, the Adidas glasses still have every original part (except the original strap, which I lost). They are just extraordinarily tough and resilient. And as you know if you are a regular reader, I am an extraordinarily clumsy guy. Any equipment that can survive eight years of me, is probably tough enough for a space mission.
Related Post: Best Cycling Glasses under $70 – Ryders Polarized Sports Sunglasses
Reason #2: Weight
These Adidas cycling glasses are so light it’s ridiculous.
Reason #3:Hydrophobic Lenses
My optometrist told me that the Adidas cycling glasses have hydrophobic lenses, and are the very latest and best in terms of repelling water and preventing water streaks. As I cycle in the great rain forest we call Vancouver, that is a major plus. Experience in the rain has now shown that I can keep them on longer than any cycling glasses I have ever had, and still see through them.
Reason #4: Wrap-Around Vision Effect
The Adidas cycling glasses have this kind of wrap-around vision effect, because I now have prescription glass even wrapping around the outer edges of my eyeballs. Maggie found it odd when she tried them on (she has almost the same prescription as I do). However, I found it awesome right from the start. I feel like I have acquired Lizard Powers!
Not All Cycling Glasses Can Be Retrofitted with Prescription Lenses
I also chose these Adidas cycling glasses simply because I could. Not all great looking cycling glasses can be fitted with prescription lenses. For example, most of the ones that do not have a frame on the bottom of the lens cannot be fitted with prescription lenses, as the lenses are relatively heavy and have to be held in place. Also, many cycling glasses with impressively curved lenses cannot be fitted with prescription lenses.
To my happy surprise, it turned out that these impressively curved, wraparound cycling glasses could in fact be fitted with my fairly complicated prescription. I have myopia plus astigmatism (not as sexy as it sounds). This required sending the glasses to Israel, because apparently an Israeli company called Shamir was the only one in the world that could do this prescription at the time. I had to wait three weeks, but they came back done to perfection, with a silver Shamir card that looks like a credit card, but actually contains my complete prescription, and also serves as a warranty. Very cool.
Progressive Lenses
I had also asked for glasses that double as sunglasses, and they do this too. They call it progressive lenses. It’s super subtle and very effective. They never go extremely dark – they just subtly get a little darker when I go outside, cutting out all the glare.
I never notice the progression, but it happens over a period of about twenty seconds. Also, even without the progressive treatment, these glasses have polarized lenses that are supposed to eliminate uncomfortable reflected light and intensity colors.
See also our review of Mira sunglasses – our pick for Best Budget cycling sunglasses – here.
Packaging and Accessories of Adidas Cycling Glasses
Maggie and I were disappointed when we bought Oakley cycling glasses and they arrived in nothing but a cloth bag. These Adidas cycling glasses were packaged much better. They came in an attractive Adidas hard case, which can be closed to varying degrees depending on how you want them. They also had the usual cleaners with them, as well as a cloth bag. This case has stood up to very harsh treatment and still looks great. I still have the original case, eight years on.
Again, if I compare my Adidas cycling glasses to my Nike cycling glasses. The Adidas case has lasted for eight years, while the Nike case broke after six months.
These Cycling Glasses Don’t Fall Off!
These Adidas cycling glasses come with a strap that you can use to secure them around the back of your head. I did not use the strap at first, because Maggie (Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist) did not think it looked particularly dashing. However, I started to use them and discovered that they work really well to keep the glasses steady under your helmet. And of course, when you’re wearing a helmet, no one can see the strap.
Since then I managed to lose the strap. This was during a particularly awful ride when I got lost at night in pouring ice-rain, and eventually had to rip the wet glasses off. This of course caused me to get even more lost without my prescription glasses. I called the optometrist, and they replaced the part within two days. This is the only part I have replaced, and it was my own fault.
Performance of the Adidas Cycling Glasses
Cutting to the chase, how do these Adidas cycling glasses perform on a bike? In a word, awesomely. I have never had such good vision on a bike. Thanks to my new Lizard Vision I feel safer on my bike. The lens is a q10 base curved polycarbonate. This provides great vision because of a UV 400 filter, a light stabilizer, a contrast booster, a color balance, and a compensation prism.
My vision is crystal clear on my bike. I also wear them on beach holidays, where it is always great to have clear vision with shades.
These days I also wear these glasses indoors, at night, to watch TV. After eight years they are in better shape than my two-year-old TV glasses!
Performance in the Rain
I have worn my Adidas cycling glasses many times in light to heavy rain. Unlike other cycling glasses I have worn, I hardly ever have to stop to take these off. The rain drops bead, rather than running down the glasses, so I can still see. Obviously, I cannot see as well as when there are no beads of water on the lenses. Still, it is amazing how well they do. I combine them with a peaked helmet to keep as much rain as possible off my lenses.
I have worn my Adidas cycling glasses many times and only once had a problem with tear-smearing on the lens. This was when my allergies were acting up, forcing me to go back to my Bolle Tactical goggles (reviewed here) for a brief time. Usually, I don’t have a tear-smearing problem with these glasses, because the clearance from the eyeball is generous, due to the curved lenses.
How Do They Fit Under Cycling Helmets?
Of course, there is the usual problem of fitting the ear pieces under your cycling helmet. It varies depending on which helmet I am wearing. In general, though, it works well, and certainly not uncomfortable or painful.
I always wear them with the strap on, which keeps them in the correct place under my helmet. When wearing a cycling balaclava, I put the strap and glasses over the balaclava, and it works well.
Related: How to Choose the Best Cycling Balaclava – 7 of the Best Cycling Balaclavas
Ventilation of the Adidas Tycane Pro Glasses
These Adidas cycling glasses have a ClimaCoolTM ventilation system, which keeps you cool thanks to the ventilation holes. These are little rectangular holes between the lenses and the frame, on the outer edges. I don’t notice the holes, but I do feel cool wearing these glasses on hot days.
Appearance of the Adidas Cycling Glasses
I think these Adidas cycling glasses are very good looking, and I have had several people ask me where I got them.
Bottom Line on Adidas Tycane Pro Cycling Glasses
These are fairly expensive cycling glasses. But the quality is unbeatable. If you cycle a lot, and you value your eyes, they are absolutely worth the outlay. They are great for protection against the sun in summer, and icy winds in winter too. I wear them every time I ride my bike. They have also become my go-to glasses for driving, and even watching TV. They are especially great in winter, because they do not mist up when I am wearing a balaclava.
They are also incredibly long-lasting – mine still look almost as good as the day I bought them. I have not had to replace any parts, despite dropping them many times, and even stepping on them.
I would recommend Adidas cycling glasses to our readers with complete confidence.
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