Galibier Surveillance Precision Optics glasses

Galibier's Surveillance Precision Optics glasses offer excellent all-round vision for a full-framed pair of shades. They're lightweight and very comfortable to wear, and they're flipping cheap too!

• Pros: Quality optics; look great on and off the bike
• Cons: Large design might not suit smaller faces

On test we've had two of the three available options of Surveillance glasses, the Matt Black with Smoke Plasma Mirror lens (£37), and the TortoiseShell frame with a Gold Plasma Lens (£42). If you want a polarised lens then this is available in a Gloss White frame, also £42.

> Buy these online here

Both Plasma lenses are designed to be used in medium to bright light, with the black framed option offering truer colour perception in sunny conditions, while the Gold version on the TortoiseShell has a coating to increase contrast by filtering blue light and reduce glare. Both work brilliantly with really clear optics and no distortion whatsoever.

What I like the most, though (aside from the price), is that the slim frame provides such a close and secure fit without restricting your vision at all. With some full frame glasses you can easily lose a car behind the edge of the frame when giving a quick glance over your shoulder, but you get none of that here. The frame is never in your line of vision.

With no rubber nose grip or ear tabs on the glasses, I was initially worried they would slip off my face when things were getting really hot and sweaty, but that proved unfounded as the curve of the arms hold them perfectly in place, and without any unnecessary pressure above the ears.

On really rough surfaces like gravel they can bounce about a bit on your nose, but only when you are absolutely flying so I didn't find it too much of a distraction.

Another thing I'm a fan of is how close they fit to your face. If you are a hayfever sufferer you'll be thankful that no pollen-carrying wind is able to whip around the side of the frame or down from above.

The lenses do have cutouts at the top to stop any fogging, but you don't feel any air flowing over your face.

As I've mentioned, the price is impressive and for your money, aside from the glasses themselves, you are getting a soft case which can be used for cleaning them and a hard case for protection.

The similarly styled Oakley Sutro glasses don't look to be bringing much more to the table than a few more technical frame materials for their £130 price tag.

> Buyer's Guide: 24 of the best cycling sunglasses

Galibier isn't the only company able to knock out decent specs for sensible money, though. Tifosi often impresses us with its offerings like the Swick Onyx for £30. I'd argue that the Galibiers are a little more on-trend, though, and to my mind look better when you're off the bike too.

> Buyer's Guide: 11 of the best cheap cycling glasses

Overall, I can't really criticise the Galibiers for the way they perform on the bike, whether you are out for a bimble or blasting along in a chain gang.

Verdict

Brilliantly performing shades that prove that you don't need to spend a fortune