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review

Ekoi Guerra Gold Limited Edition Mirror Lens

7
£89.27

VERDICT:

7
10
Good venting, field of vision and protection, but changes to the arms would make them even better
Weight: 
30g
Contact: 

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The Ekoi Guerra Gold Limited Edition Mirror Lens glasses are a striking set of sunnies with a strong field of vision, very good venting and a decent amount of adjustability. They could do with having a little more curve and a little less length in the arms, though.

As the name suggests, they are a limited edition model, and their golden frame is easily their most distinguishing feature. They certainly have an element of bling compared to more traditional black or white frames, but although I thought they were a bit a garish to begin with, they grew on me and now I think they actually look fairly stylish.

> Buy these online here

These half-frame glasses have a good wraparound to give additional protection when on the bike. It means that they also have a decent field of vision as there's no frame to get in the way of your peripheral vision, helping to see cars creeping up behind you or to get a quick glance at a rival in a race.

Ekoi claims that the lenses are 'unbreakable polycarbonate', which may be a bit of a stretch – I am sure if I wanted to I could break them – but that said, they do seem very durable, resisting scratches and drops, and I'd say are on par with the toughest I've used. I had a couple of stones and bits thrown up at me while wearing them and they protected my eyes well and didn't mark the lens.

As well as being robust, they are also of a high quality, with no distortion or warping.

Switching out the lenses isn't quite as simple as Ekoi makes out, and I struggled with removing the nosepiece, but they do have a fairly well designed central locking system that rotates to release the lens. You can get a number of different tints in addition to the Smoke lens on test, which is the traditional black offering.

> Buyer's guide: 18 of the best cycling glasses

In my opinion, the thing that sets well-designed glasses apart is their ventilation and penchant for fogging. I'm happy to report that these are some of the best I have used, with the only fogging I experienced being when stopped at traffic lights for over a minute in damp conditions; nothing else, even when I was trundling up a 15% waiting for a couple of friends, which is impressive. This comes from the six vents that run across the top of the frame and the fact that the nose-pad keeps the glasses far enough off your face that air can circulate behind.

One element of the glasses that could be improved is the arms: they are almost perfectly straight and long. I found there was more pressure on my temple than most glasses, and I often needed to move them around to get them on when wearing some helmets that sit lower around the ear. However, at the front the adjustment on the nose-pad gives them a good flexibility and they sat nicely on my nose. They aren't uncomfortable, and still sit on the head nicely, but perhaps aren't as comfortable as others I have used.

> Read our guide to the best cheap cycling glasses

They also come with a faux carbon cylindrical case which is very attractive – if you are into glasses cases. In addition they also have a Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis pro rider – these are his 'preferred choice of eyewear', says Ekoi) cleaning cloth, although I think mine may have been a bit older as I had Fabio Aru on mine, commemorating his 2015 Vuelta victory.

For well vented and limited edition glasses, the RRP of just under £90 (the exact price depends on the current exchange rate) is around what I would expect to pay.

Overall, I like these glasses. They have a distinctive look and they perform well in terms of protection, field of vision and venting to prevent fogging. I think the arms could be improved by being shorter and given a curve, but this is a minor niggle on a quality pair of glasses.

Verdict

Good venting, field of vision and protection, but changes to the arms would make them even better

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Ekoi Guerra Gold Limited Edition Mirror Lens

Size tested: n/a

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?

Ekoi says: "A high quality set of very bling glasses straight from the pro peloton."

I would say they fit with this, they have great ventilation, good looks and an excellent lens.

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

- Central frame with 6 vents to promote air flow & prevent fogging.

- Central lock to lock and unlock the lens (easily interchangeable).

- Very protective and enveloping glasses

- Temples possible customisation in 3 parts.

- Lens Made in Japan (optical quality).

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Well made, decent hinges and the lens lock works really nicely.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

They performed very well, protecting my eyes from both sunlight and dirt while riding.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Well constructed frame, lenses seem to be well made, and didn't scratch at all. Ekoi says the lenses are 'unbreakable polycarbonate'.

Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort (if applicable)
 
6/10

They'd be more comfortable with some curve in the arms.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

About right for what they are.

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

They performed well, although it would be nice to have some curve in the arms, which could also be a bit shorter.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The field of vision is a real highlight; you can see everything around you with nothing at all impeding your vision.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The arms needs some curve and could do with being a couple of cm shorter.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

A decent pair of glasses, but score could be improved by some changes to the arms.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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2 comments

Avatar
Danger Dicko | 7 years ago
0 likes

Cons: They're not Oakley's.

Avatar
handlebarcam | 7 years ago
1 like

Mr. T called, he wants his glasses back.

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