Skip to main content

Julbo Renegade glasses

The full-frame design of the Renegades won’t be for everyone, but if you don’t find the bottom of the frame poking into your eyeline distracting, then we found they were a good fit and didn’t allow any light to leak in. Despite the lack of venting, the anti-fog coating stands up to both humid and cold slogs well, and the ‘Reactiv’ photochromic lenses transition from light to dark and back again quickly.

The lack of an adjustable nose bridge means you should try before you buy, but testers with a range of face shapes found them comfy. Grippers on the arms eliminate any slippage. Our only niggle is with the supplied case, which can be compressed, potentially damaging the glasses. While they’re pricey, the urban styling of the Renegades means you can wear them around town too and get more use out of them than you would a regular pair of riding glasses.

Price $165 (with Reactiv Zebra Light lenses)


Labels

Popular posts from this blog

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

READ MORE >>

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

READ MORE >>

SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

READ MORE >>

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>