Gravel Grinder News: Shimano Sunglasses, Ritchey Gravel Grips, Bookman Lights
Gravel Grinder News: Shimano Sunglasses, Ritchey Gravel Grips, Bookman Lights – by Guitar Ted
The Gravel Grinder News is back with items from Shimano, Ritchey, and a set of lights from Sweden. Let’s get started.
Shimano Introduces Second Generation Eyewear: Shimano unveiled its redesign of its S-Phyre and Aerolite eyewear range to the public this week. The range features RIDESCAPE lens technology that emphasizes colors and highlights surfaces across different types of terrain. The terrain types are designed to conquer Road, off-road/MTB, gravel, and dim-light situations. Six different lens types are employed here and are all under the umbrella of Shimano’s “Ridescape” design idea which is said to enhance differentiation between color hues and contrast between light and shadow is managed for a rider to best navigate in difficult lighting situations.
The gravel rider is considered here by the Ridescape GR, a version of the lens that is said to contrast the differences between gravel, dirt, and asphalt best for the rider. This sounds like a great “all-around’ choice and we hope to get a pair to test soon.
The S-Phyre range sits at the top and has the most options. here is a bullet point list for your consideration:
Frames: Matte Black, Matte Extra White, Metallic Red, Metallic Orange, and Metallic Blue
– Weight: 29.3g
– Lenses: RIDESCAPE ES, RD, OR, and GR
– Spare Lens: RIDESCAPE CL
– Magnetic Lens System
– MSRP: $220 USD
The Aerolite range was developed to also accommodate prescription lens inserts called “RX-CLIP” in Shimano’s parlance. The Aerolite range is also Shimano’s offering at the lowest price/best value to the rider. Here is a bullet point feature list for this range:
● Frames: Black, White, Metallic Red, Matte Metallic Blue,
Moss Green
● Weight: 26g
● Lens Options: RIDESCAPE HC, Photochromic Gray
● RIDESCAPE HC MSRP: $70 USD $99.95 AUD
● Photochromic Gray MSRP: $110 USD $149.95 AUD
New Drop Bar Grip From Ritchey: Ritchey Design announces a new grip for drop bars called the “WCS Gravel Grip”. Looking something akin to a track bike grip, the WCS Gravel Grip slips on over the ends of your drop bars and gives the rider 4mm of vibration damping, good grip.
The WCS Gravel Grip is available now from Ritchey directly or from local bike shops at $14.95 for a pair.
Bookman Lights: Riding Gravel has a set of these Swedish made lights from Bookman. The company specializes in lighting for safety in urban conditions. However; their range of Curve models could certainly be employed in any gravel/back road cyclist’s kit and when paired with Bookman’s Monocle strap-on head lamp, the intrepid night cyclist can be assured of having of plenty of accessory lighting for visibility and auxiliary uses.
The lights are USB rechargeable and strap on via a cam-lock strap. The Monocle has its own head strap which is adjustable up to a pretty large head size, but it probably won’t go around a helmet, unless you swap out straps.
Prices range from $45.00-a little over 50 bucks and the Curve comes in a rear specific model with its own flash patterns. As stated, Riding Gravel has a set of these and there will be a Quick Review forthcoming.
Riding Gravel will also be reviewing the Shimano S-Phyre glasses with the GR lenses soon as well.
Note: Riding Gravel used images and information provided to us by the individual companies represented in this post. Information provided here is subject to change without warning and Riding Gravel is not responsible for any inconveniences caused by such actions on the parts of the companies represented in this post.