| WORDS: Myles Kelsey | IMAGES: Troy Davies |

Melon’s Alleycat trail eyewear feature a Zeiss lens, are designed to maximize airflow and have rubberized contact points so they don’t fly off your face.

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Details

The Alleycat mountain bike shades are designed for maximum clarity of vision on trails. The non-polarized Zeiss lens increases the perceptible detail of the trail to improve rider accuracy. An ‘off-the-face’ design moves the lens slightly further from the face to improve airflow which reduces fogging and excess sweating. That’ll sure come in handy when riding in the harsh South African climate.

The frame has no lower edge around the lens. A major factor driving the popularity of this design is enhanced visibility through a greater field of vision. This is especially helpful when looking down at the bike or when navigating through slower, more technical terrain. The frame is flexible and substantial – feeling stronger than many other popular brands on the market. Our test pair is the Paint Splat Matt colorway and Melon Optics offers the Alleycats in 11 frame colours.

Six lens options cover every possible riding condition from night rides, to low and full light shreds. Our test pair had a Photochromic lens which look clear when in shaded areas but automatically darken when moving into a brighter area. That’s very handy for riding in changing conditions. The lens has a 5.2 curve which is said to optimize the clarity of vision and protection from the elements. Two side vents aid airflow. The lenses are impact, scratch and water-resistant.

The rubberized contact points on the nosepiece and frame arms prevent the glasses from slipping or falling off.

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Ride Impressions

I’ve picked up distortion with other eyewear and have often had to pass those glasses on. It’s just too sketchy riding a trail when all the detail of the terrain doesn’t pull through accurately. With these Alleycats, I found the optics to be crystal clear. I’m also a massive fan of the photochromic lens technology – with them, you only need one pair of glasses. They work well in all light conditions and excel in the dappled lighting that often occurs in the woods.

I’m giving a top rating for the fit and function of these Alleycats. The rubber grippers and the tiny bit of flex in the arms make them super comfortable and they don’t slide or slip off. The 150mm width wraps nicely around the face and that definitely improves protection from flying debris. The airflow is excellent and even during low-speed efforts, I didn’t need to remove the glasses to prevent them from fogging or ‘sweating-up’.

If you are looking for a mountain bike specific set of eyewear, that offers a wide variety of lenses, colour customization and compatibility with different helmets then you should consider the Melon Alleycat. They are well-designed and functionally faultless. More: melonoptics.com

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