Rapha's new eyewear range has something for roadies, gravel riders and commuters
All of the glasses use a proprietary lens technology designed to work in bright and low light conditions
Rapha has launched a new collection of glasses, with a four-part range consisting of models tailored to road riding, exploring, and commuting.
All of the glasses use Rapha's 'Rider Optimised Surface Enhancement (ROSE)' lens technology, which is designed to offer early warning of hazards as well as heightening the contrast between light and dark, ensuring performance when riding through tunnels and in wooded areas as well as under sunlight.
>>> The best cycling sunglasses
All four frame styles - Pro Team Full Frame, Pro Team Frameless, Explore and Classic - make use of the proprietary Rapha ROSE technology.
All of the glasses benefit from an anti-fogging treatment developed for military use, a water repellent hydrophobic coating to keep the rain off, and with the exception of the Pro Team Frameless model (which doesn't need them) come with vents to allow for airflow which prevents moisture build-up and fogging.
The Pro Team Frameless glasses (£110) offer a minimalist design, and come in at just 28 grams. They utilise a curved shape for a wrap-around fit and come with a variety of lens options (Dark Navy/ Purple Green Lens, Black/ Black Mirror Lens, White/ Pink Blue Lens, Pink/ Black Mirror Lens).
Also designed for aggressive road riding, the Pro Team Full Frame glasses share the same wrap-around lens but will suit those who prefer to have a frame around the entirety of the lens.
The lenses available suit light and dark conditions (White/ Pink Blue Lens, Black/ Black Mirror Lens, Dark Navy/ Purple Green Lens, RCC edition in Black/ Pink Blue Lens). These weigh in at 30g and cost £120.
Targetted more at off-road riding, the Explore Glasses are designed to offer clarity for those riding from dawn until dusk, on varied surfaces.
The drop lens design comes without a lower bar, offering a wide field of vision and there's a removable strap that can be used to leave the glasses hanging around your neck - though we reckon most riders will continue to lodge them in their helmet vents.
The Explore Glasses are available with lenses in a selection of colours for varied conditions (Dark Green/Bronze Lens, Brown/ Black Mirror Lens, Dark Navy/ Purple Green Lens, White/ Pink Blue Lens). These weigh 32grams and come in at £130.
Finally, the Classis Glasses are designed to offer performance on the bike, whilst blending in elsewhere. These have been modelled on the sunglasses worn by the likes of Coppi and Anquetil.
These are the lightest, at 24g, and cost £90. The come with lenses in an assorted range of colours (Black/ Black Mirror Lens, Black Transparent/ Rose Lens, Green Transparent/ Rose Lens, Brown/ Black Mirror Lens, Pink Transparent/ Black Mirror Lens).
All of thee glasses are available at rapha.cc.
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Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.
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