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review

Salice 006 sunglasses

7
£69.95

VERDICT:

7
10
Smart and stylish shades for the Italian loving cyclist that offer good optics at a good price
Weight: 
30g
Contact: 
www.salice.co.uk

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Some day soon (maybe even today) you're going to ask yourself 'What is that large yellow thing in the sky all of a sudden?' These smart looking 006 glasses from Salice - in a slightly Euro-style, well they are Italian - are for when that happens. Salice are a company that specialises in eyewear and helmets. They've been around since 1919 so have plenty of expeience in this field, and are situated on the shores of Lake Como... which is nice for them.

The 006 (not the snappiest product name ever) was developed with input from Alessandro Petacchi. They use a frame made from Grilamid - a type of nylon - that is light and said to be shock absorbent, with a half-frame design and wraparound shape. That shape is not breaking any new ground but they look good and fit the head well.

Fit is good, with a decent range of flex in the arms for them to sit softly, but firmly, against the temples. The nosepiece is incorporated into the frame with a soft rubbery one-piece nose bit moulded to the frame. Unlike, Oakley say, who offer replaceable and different sized nose bits. They felt a bit wide across the nose at first, but any worries proved unfounded after the first ride. They're very comfortable and stay planted on your face - well, they do on mine. Even when the sweat is pouring, they don't budge.

The lens is wide and deep, giving good protection from flying stones and other airborne debris. The clarity through the lens is excellent, clear and free of distortion at the edges. You can choose from a wide range of lens tints. The Italian themed glasses tested here come with a UV400 lens, rated to protect against 100% of UVA, B and C rays. It's a good choice for a British summer, they cope well with bright sunny days and are light enough to deal with cloudier weather.

A mirror coating gives them a smart appearance and reduces glare when you're riding in bright light. A nice added feature is the hydro repellency finish applied to the lens. Not only does it ensure rain water slides off them, it also keeps the level of accumulated fingerprints and dirt to a minimum.

They come supplied in a hard case containing a spare set of clear lenses, ideal for evening training, chain gangs and crit races. Or just riding home from the office. You also get a cleaning cloth for, well, cleaning them.

Changing lenses is fairly straightforward, but not the easiest. First you push the nose piece back and release the lens, and it pops out. Pushing them back in place is the reverse, and does require a firm hand. And you'll be needing to clean the lenses afterwards as you need to clasp the lens to get them in and out.

There's a lot of choice when it comes to choosing eyewear, and a few brands tend to dominate. The latest glasses I reviewed were the BBB Select Team glasses, which just happen to cost about the same money. The Salice 006 offer a wider and deeper lens for better coverage, but they both offer very similar levels of comfort. And both are available in a raft of different colours. Both also go to show you don't have to spend four times as much to get top quality optics.

Verdict

Smart, stylish shades that offer good optics at a good price in a wide choice of frame colours

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Salice 006 sunglasses

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The Salice 006 first sprung to immense popularity being worn in the professional peleton by Alessandro Pettachi, they quickly became widely regarded by other top athletes and were seen on the faces of famous sports people all around the world

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

UV400 lens rating ensures protection against 100% of UVA, B and C rays

Anti-glare lens coating

ITA - Special edition Italian graphics

RW - Multi layer mirror coating cuts glare and increases contrast

Side arms feature rubber tips for extra grip

Supplied with protective case and spare low light lenses

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Solid construction

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Great lens clarity and they sit well on the head comfortably

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

No issues so far, the lenses don't show any sign of scratches yet

The Grilamid plastic frame keeps the weight down

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

The nosepiece feels a little wider than some shades, but they're comfortable and don't slip about

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

They're very competitively priced, and include a hard case and spare clear lens

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

They comfortably kept the sun out of my eyes and afforded a large area of protection from dust and other airborne hazards

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Their Euro-styling

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Non-replaceable rubber nose piece

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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8 comments

Avatar
thekooman | 8 years ago
0 likes

just had my new glasses out this morning and they are nice. one word of warning; they do not seem to fit onto my Kask helmet very securely when you don't want to wear them. Might be just a Kask helmet thing but i had a cheap oakley imitation pair of glasses from china previously and they used to sit in the helmet perfectly.

Avatar
KAR_Cyclist | 9 years ago
0 likes

Wore mine first time today. Fit issue using skull cap to start but altering their position worked fine. Nice styling, Photochromic lens worked well but did have watery eyes on descents so not keeping the wind out?

Avatar
Nick T | 10 years ago
0 likes

I Love my pair. I'd give them a 5 no worries but I'm glad your review didn't, I get to be "in on the secret" a little longer while everyone else sticks to Oakleys.

They look better without the Tricolor though.

Avatar
russyparkin replied to Nick T | 10 years ago
0 likes
Nick T wrote:

I Love my pair. I'd give them a 5 no worries but I'm glad your review didn't, I get to be "in on the secret" a little longer while everyone else sticks to Oakleys.

They look better without the Tricolor though.

ha ha i like this!

I have just ordered the flouro with photochromatic lenses after trying on a mates.
by bye oakley, hello euro cool

Avatar
TheHound | 10 years ago
0 likes

I've got these.

They deserve much more than 3.5

They offer everything Oakley does for less than half the price. The lenses are much cheaper to replace. Though getting them out takes a couple of attempts to get used to.

Coverage is great and they don't budge at all. You can get them cheaper too if you're willing to forgo the little ITA flag on the frame.

Avatar
arrieredupeleton | 10 years ago
0 likes

They're not made from Grilamid. They're 'made from sport'!  7

Avatar
mingmong | 10 years ago
0 likes

Bit 'busy' aren't they!

Avatar
David Arthur @d... replied to mingmong | 10 years ago
0 likes
mingmong wrote:

Bit 'busy' aren't they!

That's euro-style for you!

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