Oakley 2023 Tour de France Sutro Lite Sweep

As part of its 2023 Tour de France line-up, Oakley's Sutro Lite Sweep glasses get a funky make over – while still providing great coverage and a secure fit. Oakley isn't renowned for its entry-level pricing, but if you are willing to spend the cash you're getting impressive clarity from the curved lens, excellent build quality and good comfort. Those dramatic vents may annoy you, though.

The Sutro Lite Sweeps come in a selection of colours and lens finishes, with prices starting at £152. This particular model is part of the limited-edition 2023 TdF range, and comes with vent holes along the top and some extra branding that you don't get on the cheaper models.

It's those holes that provide the one and only issue, and that's only because I suffer from hayfever. As my allergies with the grass tend not to start until June it wasn't an issue during the earlier review period, but at speed I could feel air jetting into my eyes – and that would be problem come June and July. The Sutro Sweeps won't be part of my kit then purely for that reason.

As I mentioned though you can get these glasses in other styles without the vent holes.

If you don't get leaky eyes, then definitely consider the Sweeps. I found the fit great, and very secure thanks to the slight spring to the arms. The rubberised section over your ears grips even if you get hot and sweaty.

I've used the Oakleys on the road bike, gravel bike and when running without any movement issues. The nose pads – made from Unobtanium, no less – provide great grip in all conditions. The bridge doesn't have any adjustability, unlike some glasses, but I didn't find that it affected the fit in any way.

The frame is made from O Matter, which is a nylon composite thermoplastic Oakley says is durable, flexible, and sweat resistant. All the things that you want from sunglasses, I suppose. They are indeed impressively flexible: I've dropped them, found them squished at the bottom of a box (after the usual 'tidy-hidey' I carry out when the wife complains about bike bits taking over the dining room table) and accidently sat on them with no ill effects.

For this Tour de France model the only lens option is the Prizm Road, and it's a good all-rounder. Light transmission is 20%, which Oakley says is ideal for medium light, and I found them great both on cloudy days and in lovely bright sun.

The lens is 133mm wide and has a subtle curve around your face, with no distortion. It gives you a rose-tinted view of the world with a slightly pinky-purply hue to everything, while still giving great contrast across different colours. The frame hardly ever gets in your line of vision, so you are getting great coverage with no compromises.

At 58mm deep the Sutro Sweeps aren't as large as some cycling glasses, so you can also wear them away from the bike without looking like a complete berk.

This TdF version is £172. That's pretty much the same as the Koo Demos at £170, which have a similar lens colour. Tom was impressed with their performance.

The Poc Propels come with a spare clear lens and a certain amount of adjustability, which reviewer Ben liked. They are £230 a pair though, which did bring the overall score down a bit.

Cycling sunglasses cover a massive price range though, and sometimes it's hard to tell why. Magicshine's Windbreaker Classic sunglasses were described as stylish, effective, light and comfortable by Lara in her review, for instance, and all for £38.99.

Overall

Oakley shades have a long-standing tradition for performance and durability – I say that having owned many pairs over the years – and with that comes a premium price. But the quality of the fit, the materials and the visual performance justifies it. For me the air vents could be an issue for a few weeks each year, but otherwise I've really no complaints.

Verdict

Awesome clarity and visual performance, plus the secure fit means they stay put wherever you are riding