Bollé was one of the first companies to get into the sports eyewear market and its Chrono Shield counts itself among the first recognisable sports styles.
Shifter is Bollé’s modern take on the 1980s original and has already made its way into the kitbags of pro cycling teams such as AG2R La Mondiale. While Bollé might have set out to create a piece of cycling specific performance eyewear Shifter is also strong on style.
A large, but not oversized, broad, deep shield offers the wide screen optics essential when riding at high speed while the Base 6 wrap provides protection from the wind and debris while offering an uninterrupted view of the road. It is surprisingly light given its size and fits snugly to the contours of the head.
The frame is constructed from sports grade nylon and its S shaped temples fit around or under helmet straps. It also has a thermogrip adjustable nosepiece and thermogrip temple ends which enable adjustment and ensure a non-slip fit.
The model on test during the winter and spring utilised Bolle’s photochromic Phantom lens in vermillion offering oleophobic and hydrophobic coatings which maintain a clear surface, the lens also has effectively-placed slots to ensure airflow and a fog-free view.
Shifter’s most impressive trait is its wide field of view which leaves the rider with uninterrupted, all round vision. Retro with a modern twist is a common phrase used to describe many fashion eyewear products, fortuitously the era currently being called on is the 1980s making Shifter a performance cycling sunglass which is firmly on trend.