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review

NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses

8
£112.27

VERDICT:

8
10
Lightweight, comfortable glasses with great optics that are best suited to sunny days
Excellent field of vision without obstruction
Lightweight
Not as adaptable to changing light conditions as some
Weight: 
26g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The P-Ride.Skyrun glasses are part of NRC's multisport range but work brilliantly when on the bike thanks to great clarity from the lens and no frame sections to obscure your vision. They are best suited to bright, sunny days, though, and are a little dark when you enter shade or the sky is overcast.

The Skyruns are noticeably light, weighing just 26g – well, it's not noticeable, if you know what I mean. They are so light and have such a comfortable fit from the soft, adjustable nosepiece and minimalistic arms that you really don't know you are wearing them.

> Buy these online here

The arms themselves offer just a small amount of pressure to keep them in place when you dip your head, but not enough to cause any pressure points when out for really long rides. Their thin design also means they didn't clash with any helmet shell or straps that I tried them with.

2020 NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses arm outside - 1.jpg

Unlike some glasses, NRC has used screws for attaching the arms to the small frame section either side and to connect those to the lens, rather than just clicking the bits all together. It's early days, but I'd imagine that adds to their durability especially as the glasses get older and have been worn many times.

2020 NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses arm interior - 1.jpg

The lack of frame above and below the lens means there is nothing to get in the way of your vision. I spend a fair amount of the time either in the drops or stretched out on the hoods, and glasses with a chunky frame along the top can get in the way when I'm looking up the road with my head dropped. No such issues here.

Also, no frame at the bottom section means that when glancing over your shoulder – when changing lanes or overtaking – means you don't have a blind spot.

2020 NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses nosepiece - 1.jpg

Coverage is also good – as a hayfever sufferer I don't like wind passing my eyeballs and that didn't happen here. I didn't have any issues with fogging either.

The lens is made by Zeiss and the Super Charged Flat Mirror Blue finish does a very good job of dealing with very bright sunshine. The clarity is very good too – crystal clear, in fact, with no distortion at the edges or where the lens curves.

That effectiveness in bright sunshine does bring with it a trade-off, though: if you are riding through dappled sunlight under trees it can be a little difficult to see as the lens is so dark, something worth bearing in mind if your routes take in lots of tree-lined lanes. Out in the open, I couldn't really fault their performance in the recent heatwave.

> Buyer’s Guide: 26 of the best cycling sunglasses

You can get photochromic lenses for less than this £112 price tag, though, which adapt to changing light conditions, if you want a single pair of glasses that offer versatility. Something like the £69.99 Tifosi Amok sunglasses, for instance – though they can't compete when it comes to the sharpness of the NRC's optics.

When it comes to like-for-like, Liam tested the Smith Optics Flywheel glasses over on our sister site, off.road.cc. They are £115, and come with the same benefits and drawbacks of the Skyruns.

I also wear the Smith Trackstand glasses. Like the Skyruns, they have very little frame going on, and they offer great optics. They cost £139, though, so the NRCs are decent value in comparison.

> Buyer’s Guide: 13 of the best cheap sunglasses

Overall, the Skyruns might be limited to those bright and sunny days for optimum performance, but when you do get to wear them you'll be very impressed with their clarity and quality.

Verdict

Lightweight, comfortable glasses with great optics that are best suited to sunny days

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses

Size tested: One

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?

NRC says, "The P-RIDE line of sports eyewear offers the best in professional-quality protection and a comfortable and contemporary design ideal for any cycling or running enthusiast."

I found the optics to be very good, and they offer a very comfortable fit.

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

NRC lists:

Frame: Matt Fluo Azure

Lens: Super Charged Flat Mirror Blue

Filter Category: 3

Adjustable nosepad

Anti scratch

Hydrophobic + Oleophobic lens

Impact resistant

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

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

Clear and comfortable glasses that worked well with any helmet I tried them with.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

No frame for a clear view.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Travelling from heavy shade to bright sunshine and vice versa can take a while for your eyes to adjust.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

They are similar in design to the Smith Flywheel and around the same price too. The Smith Trackstand offers near identical performance and fit but comes in more expensive at £139.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A little bit limited to bright and sunny days because of the lens, but when those conditions come along they are very good indeed thanks to clear optics and a comfortable fit.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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