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review

Briko Endure 5.0 sunglasses

7
£119.99

VERDICT:

7
10
All weather glasses with great optics though a flimsy feel and drafty lenses knock them down a star
Weight: 
24g

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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Cycling shades aren't just for when the suns out and thanks to a range of spare lenses the Briko Enduro 5.0 glasses should see plenty of year round use.

Open up the hardshell case and you'll find a lightweight frame made from Grilamid polymer which is incredibly flexible in all directions which should pay dividends when you inevitably sit on them or, like me, drop them before accidently riding over them.

Looking down on the Briko's you realise how curved they are, they have a much larger radius on the arms than most only really touching the head right at the end where the rubber grippers are attached. This does give plenty of clearance for helmet straps though with such a small contact point they don't feel as secure in use as my usual faves, Oakley's Radar.

The arms themselves are attached to the rim with screws which is a nice touch as a lot of sports glasses tend to just use moulded dimples for an interference fit.

There are five lenses included in the pack, two of which are UV category 3 for those properly sunny days. One is the mirrored finish letting through 17% of light and the blue/purple allows 11% of light through. Both of these work well in bright sunlight offering brilliant clarity though none of the lenses are polarized.

For duller days or night riding the other three lenses provide plenty of options. The green category 2 (30%) lens is a good all rounder making it ideal for changeable conditions plus there is a red version for rainy days allowing 80% of light transfer. Clear is the last option.

Changing from one lens to the next takes about thirty seconds once you've had a bit of practice as its only a matter of pushing the nose bridge down a bit to allow the lens to fall out. Insert the new lens into the grooves under the frame and snap it into place on the nose bridge, job done.

Each lens has ventilation slots around the outer edge and coupled with anti-fog treatment they never steam up even in wet and humid conditions. It does allow the breeze to pass through pretty close to your eye though so for hayfever sufferers it can be irritating, quite literally.

One hundred and twenty pounds is a fair price for a decent pair of sunglasses especially when you get a good choice of lenses which allow you to use them 365 days of the year.

Overall the customisation is the main reason for buying the Briko's as you're always going to have a lens for the conditions. They fit pretty well even though they don't feel as secure as some other glasses and that would be my biggest concern. You wouldn't want to risk putting these on your helmet or cap when riding as they won't still be there when you finish.

Verdict

All weather glasses with great optics though a flimsy feel and drafty lenses knock them down a star

road.cc test report

Make and model: Briko Endure 5.0 sunglasses

Size tested: White

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 Briko 5.0's are performance glasses designed for all condition use thanks to the range of lenses.

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

-5 Interchangeable lenses with anti fog and mirroring treatment

-Grilamid techno-polymer Frame with extremely high break resistance

-Adjustable ultra grip soft nose pad

-Ultra grip soft end arm tips

-Direct lens ventilation

-Case and bag

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Okay, I didn't think the coverage the lenses provided was enough to keep out everything a pair of sports glasses should. They aren't as secure on your face as the likes of Oakley or RH+'s offerings.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The versatility of such a large range of lenses

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

to drafty for hayfever sufferers and a not very solid fit

Did you enjoy using the product? average

Would you consider buying the product? probably not

Would you recommend the product to a friend? yes

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Said it in my verdict  1

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Whatever needs testing or Genesis Flyer, fixed of course!  My best bike is: Kinesis T2 with full Centaur Red

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: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

Since writing his first bike review for road.cc back in early 2009 senior product reviewer Stu has tested more than a thousand pieces of kit, and hundreds of bikes.

With an HND in mechanical engineering and previous roles as a CNC programmer/machinist, draughtsman and development engineer (working in new product design) Stu understands what it takes to bring a product to market. A mix of that knowledge combined with his love of road and gravel cycling puts him in the ideal position to put the latest kit through its paces.

He first made the switch to road cycling in 1999, primarily for fitness, but it didn’t take long for his competitive side to take over which led to around ten years as a time triallist and some pretty decent results. These days though riding is more about escapism, keeping the weight off and just enjoying the fact that he gets to ride the latest technology as part of his day job.

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