NRC P-Ride.Skyrun glasses

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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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