Test Rudy Project Defender glasses

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE – Photos: @3bikes.fr

When I come across cyclists without glasses, I wonder how they do it. Personally, it is impossible for me, whatever the weather conditions, to ride without them. The sun and its brightness blind me; the wind and the cold make me cry; the rain makes me squint my eyes to the point of almost closing them. Setting off without glasses therefore seems inconceivable to me. They are part of my essential training kit, especially since, hidden behind my glass, I feel in my own bubble, more focused on the vagaries of the route so safer, but also more protected from possible insects or critters that might have the bad idea of ​​wanting to blind me.
I therefore pay particular attention to this performance and style accessory that I like to customize if possible according to my outfit. This is good, these Defenders have six colors of tampons, which is more than enough to find my happiness. But before deciding on the details, let's first see what this brand new performance model from the Italian brand, founded in Treviso in 1985, has to offer.

Massive but adjustable

The Defender is a solid mounthigh-end xe for training and competition. Its Grilamid structure is sporty with marked and protruding angles that encompass an extra-large screen. The bridge of the frame is very rounded to stick as close as possible to the face and thus better protect the eyes. At 141mm deep, 118mm wide and 44mm high, the Defender is massive but it only weighs 28 grams.. It features adjustable and specifically designed temples to fit different helmet models. It also features nose pads made of soft polymer for better ergonomics and grip. Other inserts, the "Bumpers", also made of flexible thermoplastic elastomers, allow you to protect your face from the edge of the lenses, particularly in the event of an impact or fall.. Positioned on the bottom of the mask glass, they are available in six colors. Cool! They are also what give this very sporty and aggressive look to the Defender.

20 vents for fog management

Power Flow is thein-house technology to dissipate heat and fog. No less than 20 vents have been placed at the temples, on the front bridge, on the glass and on the bumpers to above all optimize air circulation but also maintain aerodynamic efficiency without disturbing vision.. This is ensured by a wide optical mask that offers peripheral and deep visibility. This Defender is mounted with unbreakable ImpactX photochromic lenses or RP Optics Multilaser lenses, each offered in different tints.

The Quick Change system allows you to change your lens type in the blink of an eye for perfect light management depending on the conditions. Note that cyclists or triathletes who have ophthalmic correction can integrate a removable optical insert with the RX-Compatibility system while benefiting from the wide field of screen vision. Finally, note that the Defender is also available in an exclusive Graphene version to have an even lighter, stronger and more stable chassis.

Impeccable protection

Since the beginning of January, we have been riding and racing with the Defender in the Black Matte version with an ImpactX 2 Laser Black screen. In the hands, this model is very light, the structure is semi-rigid, the height and width of the glass are impressive. An aggressive model all the more so with these lines and these protruding angles which are only softened by the rounding of the frame bridge. Placed on the nose, The structure goes up much higher than the eyebrows, it goes down low on the cheeks and almost reaches the temples on the sides. You feel totally protected and this feeling is reinforced by a design that fits the head impeccably. Rudy Project calls it Total Comfort Fit, but slightly wide and/or flat faces may feel a bit cramped, as the fit is so close. That said, this fit is partly adjustable with the positioning of the pads. The flexible tips are easily oriented with two fingers to position the branches on the ears, as are the nasal pads. The head can move in all directions, The Defender remains stable and well in place. A very good point for running..

Panoramic view

The promise of a wide field of vision is kept. The impression of panoramic vision is good, even if when looking into the distance, the eye still notices the presence of the fluorescent yellow bumpers (in our case) which therefore mark a limit to this field of vision. It is enough to remove the bumpers to lose this limit and have the impression of a continuous field. The perception of colors, in low and high brightness, is faithful with a filter slightly darker than reality but still very close. The photochromic screen reacts perfectly to changes in light, especially when moving from one route in the shade in a very exposed portion as was the case on some of our outings by the sea. If you are directly facing the sun, your eyes are not bothered, which allows for a pilotage, trajectories or a pause of precise supports. This very wide screen also offers excellent wind protection over a large area around the eyes, especially on the sides when turning your head to change direction or simply to admire the landscape, thanks to the very deep design of the glass and the frame under the branches. Likewise, there is no chance that the headwind will infiltrate under the glasses and bother you, the structure descending sufficiently low on the cheeks.

Pads that lack flexibility

Very stable thanks to these flexible thermoplastic temple and nasal tips that grip the skin well, the Defender is however not the most pleasant when it comes to positioning it. This is particularly true during the first use when you adjust the tips. This material rubs a little roughly on the temples and nose and would benefit from being a little softer.. If you spread the pads too far apart, your nose ends up in contact with the Grilamid structure, which is again not very comfortable. You have to find the right positioning, but this Defender would gain in comfort of support with a more worked material or perhaps simply more flexible. After a three-hour bike ride, once removed, you feel a very slight sensitivity at the support points. Nothing to get injured, but if you have to follow up with running like in a triathlon, sensitivity with the impact of the supports could become annoying.

Perfect ventilation

On the other hand, where the Defender is uncompromising is in the management of air flow and therefore the dissipation of fog. The Power Flow system, composed of 20 vents (6 on the lenses, 8 on the bridge, 4 on the bumpers and 2 in the branches), plays its role perfectly during exercise and when stationary. During exercise, vision is not at all hindered because the upper airflows pass at the level of the frame bridge positioned high on the forehead above the eyebrows while the lower airflows are deflected by the holes in the bumpers located on the side.. To be fully tested, this system would deserve a test in high summer temperatures. We'll have to wait, but in our current training conditions, the Power Flow has perfectly ventilated the Defender to ensure a fog-free screen even when running in hill repetitions and when the flows are much less important than in cycling.

Customizable as desired

This is one of the other strong points of Rudy Project and this Defender: the possibility of changing the screen in a few seconds to choose the size and type of lens that suits you best but also according to the lighting conditions. Already present on other frames, The Quick Change system is ultra simple to use since you just have to pull lightly on the sides of the bridge to unhook the screen and replace it. For a total look, you can adapt the color of the temple tips and nose pads, just like the bumpers which are removable and therefore interchangeable. Positioned on the bottom of the screen and designed in flexible thermoplastic to absorb shocks in the event of a fall or crushing, they still have a small safety drawback, especially on a bike. When you turn your head and look out of the corner of your eye to check if a vehicle is coming up behind you, this small piece that widens on the lateral end of the glass partially hides the blind spot due to its very far-back positioning. This is obvious when using the Defender without its bumpers because visibility is then much better. It may be less important in racing, but in training, in the middle of traffic, every detail is important.

But using the Defender without its colored bumpers would be to amputate its signature and characteristic style. Nevertheless, Despite a lack of comfort in the nose pad and temple tips, this Defender performs well in terms of field of vision, protection and ventilation. It is aimed at cyclists and triathletes who like wide and total eye protection.. Fitted with ImpactX 2 photochromic lenses, you will still have to pay around 250 euros to get them.

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