Cafe Fashions: Ultra-Versatile Adidas Zonyk Pro Eyewear

Adidas, the German-born shoe maker, haven’t always had much of a presence in cycling, probably best known for their patented three stripes being placed on the kit of Team Telekom for quite a lot of years in that iconic squad’s history. Lately, though, they seem to have hit upon a very clever beachhead in cycling: eyewear.

Cycling eyewear is a pretty crowded field, but Adidas have made a splash in a short time with the Zonyk Pro line of glasses: lightweight, versatile and durable products in a variety of sizes and styles to fit just about any wheeled sport. I got me a pair of the standard Zonyks and “pro” is definitely a word that comes to mind.

Item: Zonyk Pro / Aero Pro

Maker: Adidas, Herzogenaurach, Germany and Portland, Oregon

Material: Lightweight plastic frame with polycarbonate lens

Price: Pro $199 (Amazon); Aero Pro $205

Order? You can buy them from various retailers, including your local eyewear shop, where there is a prescription option. Check the Adidas Website for more.

What it is: Very lightweight, practical, durable eyewear with lenses that transition in reaction to light conditions.

Strengths: Loads of options on fit, lenses, etc., versatility, look.

Weaknesses: Hm... once I folded them and the arms came off. Don’t lose the arms. They pop right back on. Also, do tinker with the adjustable settings for a firm fit. The Pro model might feel bulky otherwise.

The Zonyk Pro wants to be your only set of shades. It will take care of you in low light or glaring sun. It will fit you the way you want it to, with the adjustable TRIFIT temple system to change your glare and wind settings, and an adjustable nose bridge. It’s your cool and hot weather option, with a detachable foam band to collect sweat in summer or in your next triathlon.

I gave the Zonyk Pro’s several different tests, wearing them in crappy low light in Seattle, bright sun in Belgium, and even a day of skiing in the Cascades. In all cases I barely noticed them, thanks to the ultra-light feel and their generally effective work at keeping my vision at the right light level, with minimal air flow.

I don’t know much about the Zonyk Aero Pro model, the slightly sleeker version, but I think I may have seen them recently...

Tim de Waele

Oh yeah, right. They sponsor Movistar and both the Pro and the Aero Pro have graced the bridges of Movistar riders throughout the season. In fact here you can see the two side by side:

Luk Benies

For more versatile use, I’m good with the Zonyk Pros. Riding in cool weather as often as I do, I’m more concerned with cold air causing eye watering than minimizing the wind drag from the frame or getting a bit more peripheral vision — though those are both positive upgrades found in the Aero Pro. It’s just that... I really liked skiing with the Zonyk Pros instead of bulky goggles, at least in springtime. It says something about their potential as cycling glasses that they kept me warm enough even on the slopes, in near-freezing air moving at a pretty good clip.

Although the adjustment features are important, most eyewear is about the lenses, and here Adidas definitely measures up. The reflective Vision Advantage lens not only deals with incoming light in a nice, stable way, it’s also scratch-resistant, can be swapped out for other options, and is available in a prescription. The frames come in two sizes to best fit your noggin, and when you have them tuned in they stay snugly on your face like they are supposed to.

Like a lot of tech, if you don’t notice them much, it’s because they are doing their job. Not letting in too much light or blocking light overzealously to the point where it becomes hard to see (like a lot of transition lenses do in Seattle). Not feeling anything but completely comfortable. Not allowing too much air flow to sneak in the side and set off your tear ducts. Just doing what they were designed for, keeping you comfortable and seeing well. Very well.