Smith Optics has a great lineup when it comes to performance glasses. The Motive is a half-frame model and the only oversized model in the range that doesn’t use a one-piece lens. These large lenses offer unrestricted peripheral vision and feature Smith’s ChromaPop colour enhancement technology, which enhances clarity. They’re compatible with most helmets and come with interchangeable clear lenses for low-light conditions. I was not the biggest fan of their look at first, but I’ve been won over by their fit, versatility, and massive unobstructed field of vision.
- Best mountain bike sunglasses 2025
- Madison Crypto glasses review – Affordable riding specs that don’t slack on performance
- How to get your mountain bike ready for summer — choose the right tyres, spruce up that suspension and perfect your pedalling to make warm weather riding even better
Smith Motive ChromaPop glasses – Technical details
Designed to offer a large and unobstructed field of view with performance at its heart, the Smith Motive means business. They are a medium-fit frame featuring large single-piece lenses measuring 55mm x 74mm each with a small cutout at the top corner to aid airflow. The frame is made from high-impact resistant TR90 Nylon, which affords a ton of flex and, with a slight curvature to the overall shape, creates a slight wrap-around feel that contours the face. The frame is all angles. Most internal edges are chamfered, as are the arms, adding a nice premium look to the Motive.
The arms measure 130mm in length and sweep in a continuous curve, ending with a tiny flare at the tips. Here they thin out to create an extremely flexible area and are wrapped with Megol rubber for grip.
The large nose bridge is quite pronounced and visually not the nicest, but necessary to hold the lenses in place. Megol rubber is used for the nose pad also, and this material is designed to increase its grip when wet, so it should be good in wet or warm weather. The nose pad is adjustable to ensure a great fit and is much appreciated by me, as I have a wonky nose!
The Motive comes fitted with ChromaPop Black Gold Mirror lenses with a VLT value of 10%. They are aimed at riding in medium to bright conditions, as are all the other lens options, which range between 10-15% VLT. To cover all bases, the Motive also comes with additional clear lenses.
ChromoPop technology works by cleverly filtering specific wavelengths of light that can cause colour confusion to your eyes, and in effect enhances contrast and clarity and cuts down on harsh glare in bright conditions.
They come in a good quality hard case with lens bags for both the glasses and spare lenses, and are available in 7 frame lens combos.
Smith Motive ChromaPop glasses – Performance
I’ll admit, the prominent nose piece was the first thing that struck me about their aesthetic, and not in a good way. With the light frame and gold mirror lenses, it really stands out. Not a problem so much with a darker frame, I’d imagine, but they took some getting used to after wearing one-piece models in recent years.
Owning a lot of gravel and MTB helmets, I did my usual thing of trying the Motives on with all my go-tos. I had no issues with the fit on any helmets, as the flexible arms afforded a ton of malleability – big tick!
There’s a big upside to the Motive’s half-frame, and that’s the great peripheral vision. My focus is laser-focused out on the trail, always looking ahead, but on a scenic gravel ride or out on the road, it’s good to have such a wide and unobscured field of vision. The Motive’s tick the box here too.
They are very comfortable, and weighing in at only 28 grams felt almost weightless on my face. The Megol rubber nosepiece kept them firmly in place at all times, whether sweaty or when riding in the wet. I also appreciated the adjustability of the nose piece to get the correct alignment on my face because of my wonky nose, and when flared out, I could get a nice close fit to my face.
The ChromaPop lens is cracking in mid to bright sunlight, and the clarity is fantastic. Colours pop, but still feel natural, and everything looks sharper and more contrasted, which is great for picking out details on the trails. Popping in and out of dappled sunlight, the lenses transition well. The only place they really couldn’t cut it was under a full-leaf canopy, deep in the woods – even on the brightest of days. But that’s where the clear lens came in. Light and small enough to carry in my pocket, it was a stress-free and super-quick process to swap lenses as the frame is so flexible.
They didn’t suffer from much fogging, with only a tiny bit creeping in on warmer rides where the frame sat closest to my brow. But that always cleared quickly.
Smith Motive ChromaPop Glasses – Verdict
With such a massive range of styles and technology on offer, the riding glasses market is awash with great options.
At a similar price point, the Oakley Sutro glasses – £160, I previously reviewed, are an outstanding option, and they do trump the Smith Motives in the looks department, with the Prizim lens being a bit more versatile. But then it doesn’t come with an extra clear lens…
Melon Optics Kingpin glasses come in at the same price at £155. The styling is right up there, with an oversized frame and plenty of Zeiss Photochromatic lens options. But performance was slightly mired by some issues with fogging and compatibility with some helmets. A low-light lens will also cost you an extra £20.
For their versatility, the Motives come up trumps. The additional clear lens makes them an all-year-round option, and that, combined with the excellent ChromoPop lens clarity, makes them well worth the asking price. Their looks may not suit everyone, but the build is excellent, and swapping lenses is a cinch, especially as they’re small enough to carry with you for a quick swap if the conditions change.
You might also like:
- How to prepare for your first gravel race – kit, bike setup and training
- What is the spirit of gravel biking?
- How are bicycle spokes made?
Product purpose:
Build extra:
Product construction
Product construction extra:
Product performance
Product performance extra:
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product weight
Product comfort
Product comfort extra:
product value
All the deals displayed on our review pages are pulled from a constantly updating database feed of the best affiliate deals available. The criteria for deciding on what are the best deals is who is offering the lowest, delivered price. In most cases we will be showing the very best deal available online, but sometimes you may be able to find an item cheaper. If you can please feel free to post a link in the comments box below. To find out more about affiliate links on road.cc click here.
