Spiuk Profit cycling glasses

The Spiuk Profit glasses fit closely and comfortably, and don't interfere with helmet straps, but the multi-coloured lens causes a distraction when looking over the shoulder for traffic or looking for other road hazards.

"A vision with no frames, is a world with no limits" declares the case of the Spiuk Profit sunglasses. Packaged in this nifty storage box, which also holds a second clear lens, the Spiuk Profits have straight arms with a rubberised inner.

The one-piece lens has a reinforcing bar across the top which gives a slightly sprung effect and gently holds them onto the face. I found this caused no discomfort during long rides, and the rubber arms could grip well either on skin or a bandana without interfering with any of the helmets I tried them with.

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Putting them on, I initially had to remove them again, as I thought there was a smudge on the lens. However, this turned out to be a 2cm-long Spiuk logo which is etched into the centre of the lens. It did catch me out a few times and I had to keep checking if it was a smudge or just the logo I could see. Also, there is slight intrusion of the nose-piece into the field of vision. The optics, once you're wearing the Spiuks, are okay, but nothing out of the ordinary.

In use, the Spiuk Profits stay closer to the face than other glasses I have tried, but the anti-fog treatment means they stay clear. I was glad of the close fit during efforts of nearby Chew Valley lake, when I would be cycling through clouds of tiny midges. Nothing got past the Profits' lens coverage during testing.

Spiuk claims the Profit glasses to be water repellent, and I found this was largely the case, although in prolonged rain or when really working up a sweat I would have to stop and clean them.

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My main issue with the Profits comes with the multi-coloured lens. It features significant colour change across the whole lens, from light brown in the middle, quickly changing to blue, purple, pink and then yellow at the edges (see photo below). When I cycle I frequently check across my shoulder for approaching vehicles or other cyclists, or am scanning the ground, or hedges for any possible hazards. I found the constantly changing colour when glancing side to side actually quite disorientating and offputting. This doesn't occur with a single colour lens, and it's a shame Spiuk doesn't offer the Profit glasses with single colour lenses.

They do come with a clear lens, and the arms detach by pulling upwards, to pull clear of a couple of small tangs –push-fit connections – on the edge of the lenses. The nose-piece is also carefully removed by unclipping it.

Using the clear lens is fine, although it also features the Spiuk logo in the middle, again leading me to check whether it was a smudge or not.

I noted a couple of chips on the tangs after three or four goes at swapping the lenses, but only a long-term test would determine whether these would get worse over time and affect the glasses' durability or not.

Looking at glasses in a similar price band, the Spiuks, at around £70 (€79.90), have some tough competition. The Madison Code Breaker glasses were found to be good performers, with three lenses included, for only £55. 

Tifosi offers its Amok Sunglasses with photochromic lenses for similar money, £69, although Stu noted the frame could intrude slightly. Stu also tested the Galibier Surveillance Precision Glasses and found them to punch well above their weight at only £37. 

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In summary, the Spiuk Profits fit well and are comfortable for long periods, but the multi-coloured lens is a distraction when riding, the Spiuk logo and nose-piece affect the field of view, and small chips on the retaining tangs showing after just a few changes of the lens raise questions over the long-term durability. Overall, there are other sunglasses in the marketplace with clearer optics and better performance for less money.

Verdict

Well fitting and comfortable, with a second clear lens included, but multi-coloured lens is distracting