Ryders Eyewear

Ryders Eyewear Camino at Urban Velo

In the world of sunglasses, it often seems like there’s very little difference between $100 action sports eyewear and $7 shades from the souvenir stand at the beach. They’ve got nylon frames and polycarbonate lenses. Even some of the cheapest glasses tout 100% UV protection, and provided they fit well, when you’re wearing them it’s almost impossible to tell what’s what. Where you’ll notice the difference is down the road when the paint begins to peel away from the cheap frames, the rubber parts become discolored or begin deteriorating, and the hardware rusts and/or breaks. More expensive sunglasses afford the manufacturer better quality-control options, so you’re less likely to have problems in the long run. However, you’ll almost inevitably sit on, drop or lose the $100 pair.

I was pretty happy about the arrival of a new pair of Camino shades from Ryders. These $40 basic sunglasses offer classic styling and function. Mine have gloss black frames and dark lenses, but they’re available in other color combinations. They’re not sport-specific, rather, they’re intended for casual wear. I’ve found them pretty darn appropriate for urban cycling, though. Sure, lighter lenses might be a boon in some situations, but these are going to see a lot more use this summer.

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