Oakley Sphaera sunglasses

The Oakley Sphaera sunglasses are wide, tall shades that shield your eyes comprehensively. They're aimed at 'multisport' use, but the shaping and ventilation work as well for cycling as anything.

Contrast-boosting Prizm Road lens aside, these are pretty basic. The O Matter frames are noticeably broad and tall, and there's no adjustment beyond a second, thicker 'Unobtanium' nose pad in the box. Still, it's the work of seconds to unhook the original from its tiny plastic cleats and stretch on the replacement; essentially you get two settings for how high these sit on your nose, and how far from your face. Don't lose these pads, though, as a quick browse of Oakley's site shows that spares are not available. They really are Unobtainium.

Both pads worked for me, though I preferred the thinner one as even that creates a decent ventilation gap all around. And while these are indeed broad around the temples – Oakley classes them as Wide, to fit large heads – they sweep in tight for a good secure fit over the ears even if you're not a giant. I wear medium or large helmets and have a 59cm head, for reference, and found these a great fit.

I had no issues with fogging (the central vent presumably helps there too), yet those big lenses still give excellent coverage against flying debris.

The 34g weight means there's little to trouble the grippy nose and well-tensioned arms, even when you're sweaty or rattling around, and despite their size I had no issues fitting these under helmets.

The Prizm Road lens here offers 20% light transmission (Cat 2), a middling tint that's perfectly useable even on overcast days – if you're the type to wear shades on overcast days – or for when you're constantly going from light to shade under trees. It's not really dark enough for the full, bright sunshine we don't get in the UK, however.

The slight rose tint is noticeable, pumping up the saturation on blue skies and fluffy white clouds, while darkening greys and blacks. The latter can help you pick out things like potholes, gravel or damp patches on the road. The former just starts The Simpsons' theme tune playing in your head.

Value

At £191 these are expensive given their relatively basic lens and non-adjustable frame. You can easily get photochromic lenses around this price, such as with the £189.99 Rudy Project Tralyx + White Gloss - ImpactX Photochromic 2 Laser Purple we reviewed recently. Those scored very well for both the performance of the lens and their adjustability.

An extra £9 will get you the £200 Koo Eyewear Alibi sunglasses, which also feature an excellent photochromic lens. They're great in low light and offer top protection, though the frames are less suited to those with larger heads than you might think.

Sticking with Oakley you can get a photochromic version of the Sphaera, though there's only a single choice of tint (clear to black iridium) and they're more expensive still at £221.

If you just want simple shades and great coverage, the full-frame Madison Crypto glasses are large, work really well and look great. Better still, they're just £40.

Our best cycling sunglasses best cycling sunglasses buyer's guide covers a wide range of quality shades, while our best cheap cycling sunglasses buyer's guide tops out at £60, so it's guaranteed to be an Oakley-free zone.

Overall

These do their job very well, and the gentle tint makes them versatile – they won't blind you if the sun goes in or you find yourself under trees at speed – if not as versatile as photochromics. They're not the most sophisticated shades for this price, but if you just love the look (or the Oakley logo) they'll keep you perfectly happy.

Verdict

Great coverage from a good lens and comfily secure, if expensive given the lack of features