Adidas probably isn’t the first brand that you would think of for cycling eyewear but the sportswear behemoth has a huge range of sunglasses that span all sports, demands, and conditions. While its ever-expanding cycling range will soon include cycling-specific glasses, much of Adidas’ other eyewear will also work on the bike.
Adidas’ SP0075 sunglasses are technically aimed at running, people looking for one pair of glasses that crosses over between activities these glasses could be a great option, but how do they compare to the best mountain bike sunglasses?
Design and specifications
The TR-90 wrap frames are made from a nylon and carbon fiber composite and use a half-frame design with a center bridge behind the lens between the upper frame and the nose piece. The center of the brow frame has built-in vents to promote airflow and the arms feature non-slip textured pads at the ends.
The SP0075 sunglasses I have to test have the Mirror Violet polycarbonate lens, but they are also available in Smoke, Brown Mirror, Green Mirror (with white frames), Violet, and Photochromic polycarbonate Vario lenses. Adidas says that the SP0075s features a quick-release lens system, but don't provide any instructions on how to remove the lens, I also did some googling and was unable to find any replaceable lenses for the SP0075 for sale either. They are available with prescription lenses too if you get the SP0075s through an optician.
The Antique Black frames are lowkey and branding is kept to a minimum with a small Adidas “badge of sport” logo on each arm and another lazered onto the lens itself.
Performance
The SP0075s feel light on the face and are very comfortable to wear. The flexible arms have a good level of spring to them allowing the glasses to gently hug the head and the shape and arm grippers keep them stable when riding. I didn't have any problems with the glasses interfering with helmet straps and the slim arms are compatible with trail or enduro helmets with a deeper fit. The nose piece is easy to adjust to ensure the glasses are positioned properly on the face and help make sure they stay in place.
The slim arms can easily fit into most gravel helmet vents. While they are secure enough to be stored in the vents when riding on the road or during a cafe stop, I wouldn't trust them not to shake loose on a gravel track or trail.
I found the Violet lens clarity to be very good, giving superb definition when riding off-road although the tint will likely be too dark for mountain biking if your trails wind through thick tree cover. The lenses offer good coverage measuring 145mm wide and 55mm tall. Compared to the trend of large lens eyewear they are noticeably smaller than SunGod’s Airas or POC’s huge POC Devour sunglasses. I found the SP0075 lens sits quite close to my face, which helps keep branches and debris out while the top vents still retain plenty of airflow. I had no problems with them fogging, even when efforts were starting to hit the red line.
Verdict
Adidas SP0075 glasses do an admirable job at crossing over from the running world to the bike. Lens quality and clarity are really good and there were no problems with fogging on humid days. It is a little closer than you would get with a pair of cycling glasses but they are comfortable and stay in place when rattling over rough surfaces. The tint on the Mirror Violet lens is a bit dark for riding under tree cover but otherwise works well for most sunny light conditions.
I prefer larger glasses as they work for my face, but if you have a smaller head or prefer medium coverage then the SP0075 is a good alternative to the bigger is better trend of cycling-specific glasses.
Pricing on the Adidas website is currently marked at $149 / £170 for the Photochromatic versions, however, the non-photochromatic versions appear to be widely available at considerably lower prices meaning they undercut many of the cycling-specific glasses too.
Tech specs: Adidas SP0075 sunglasses
- Price: $149 / £170
- Lens type: Smoke, Brown Mirror, Green Mirror (with white frames), Violet, and Photochromic polycarbonate Vario lenses
- Weight: 29g
