Riders of a certain age (like yours truly) have probably noticed that things like bike computer screens are getting smaller and harder to read. Or at least getting harder to read. Campy Only has started using bike computers with bigger and bigger displays, but some of our bikes have units that display in (seemingly) tiny digits.
There are lots of riders like us out there, so it's a wonder that nobody (that we know of) has come up with the product recently launched by
Dual eyewear. Dual's product is simple: Cycling-oriented sunglasses with a built-in bifocal at the bottom so you can more easily read your computer, or watch, or route sheet.
Sure, you can go to your optometrist and have lenses or inserts made for Oakleys or Rudy Project sunglasses, but Dual's product is relatively cheap--$50 for a nicely made pair of sunglasses--and doesn't require a visit to your local optician. For the price of one set of prescription inserts, you can probably buy half a dozen pair of Dual's sunglasses.
We've been wearing Dual's glasses for several days now (their V6 version, with a bifocal portion that matches our prescription for reading glasses). Having never worn bifocals in the past, they took a little getting used to, but after a little practice they work exactly as advertised. Suddenly, bike computers are easier to read, and my wristwatch face is in sharp focus. They'll even serve to read the menu at your lunch stop. (In case you're wondering, from more than a few inches away the bifocal isn't visible. Your friends won't know unless you tell them.)
The design is nice, and the overall quality is good. The lenses aren't polarized (or preference--we don't like riding with polarized lenses). The lenses aren't replaceable, but Dual offers a lifetime warranty in the event they break.
Of course, Dual's glasses won't work if you're nearsighted and need prescription lenses for distant viewing. But if you're one of the millions of riders who use reading glasses, they could be just what you've been looking for.
Note: Dual provided a pair of sunglasses to Campy Only for road testing.
