Elite Cycles - Bike parts for Bikers by Bikers - Malta

By James Sharp


There are so many things that are automatic these days. Windshield wipers that sense the rain and turn on, house lights that sense motion and turn on, I even had a program on my phone that used the built in camera to determine the ambient light level and adjusted the screen brightness automatically! Sometimes, though, I want to decide for myself when to turn on the lights, or how bright my screen should be. The same holds true for sunglasses. Photochromic lenses are all the rage -- we've even reviewed a few ourselves -- but sometimes they don't seem to be quite right. They don't work while driving -- I know, we're talking about cycling gear, but bear with me -- and they are sensitive to temperature extremes. And, to be frank, sometimes I just want to choose my tint myself, and have it stay the same. Fortunately, multi-lens eyewear is still readily available, and I've been using a pair of Winner glasses by BBB which comes with four different tints.

BBB has been in Europe for quite some time, with their sunglasses showing up prominently displayed on the face of Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini of the Quick-Step team. Now in the U.S., I thought we should see -- pun intended -- what they have to offer. The glasses come with a semi-rigid case and a carry bag. The case holds the three sets of lenses not being used. The Winner comes with Smoke Blue (14% light transmission), Orange (70% light transmission), Mirrored Clear (80% light transmission) and Yellow (87% light transmission) polycarbonate lenses. The lenses have a 9-layer coating to cut down on the glare. The frame is made of Grilamid Nylon so it is darn near indestructible. The nose piece is adjustable. The Winner is available with a Photochromic lens, as well, should you decide to go that route. The glasses weigh a mere 20g.

Right off the bat, I found the Winner to be a very comfortable pair of sports eyewear. They don't slip -- thanks to the rubber inserts on the nose piece and on the arms -- and they are light enough that even after hours of having them on my face, they weren't uncomfortable. There are two features that I really like. First, I love the Mirrored Clear lenses. They are fantastic in inclement weather. They cut enough light for overcast days, and do a good job of protecting your face. In fact, until these lenses I wasn't a fan of clear lenses at all. The other feature that stands out the first time you put them on is the tinting of the Smoke Blue. It's not the same, side to side. It's like the tint blocks less light peripherally than it does straight on. At first, I thought that the lenses were messed up, but, after finding out that they were that way on purpose, I discovered that they work very well while on the bike.

Complaints? Just one, really. The nose piece should be a dark color, or completely covered by the rubber pad.

Summary: The BBB Winner you get four different lenses, two carrying cases and a comfortable, indestructible frame. The Winner is lightweight, is dirt simple to swap out lenses and does the job with a little style, too. I found them to be a good value for the money. If you are looking for multi-lens eyewear, or even if you want Photochromic, you owe it to yourself to try on the Winner. It just might be what you are looking for.