The 100% Speedtrap sunglasses are the glasses of choice for professional cyclist, and seven-time winner of the Tour de France’s green jersey, Peter Sagan, but are they the right choice for you?
While not all of us can be as fast as Peter Sagan, 100% affords us the opportunity to look (almost) as cool. The cool-factor of these glasses is easy to take at face value, but we need to dive deeper into the technology to truly appreciate just how awesome these glasses actually are.
Review in a Nutshell
Pros:
- Lightweight
- High-coverage profile
- Replaceable, swappable lenses are seemingly scratch-proof
- Excellent ventilation
Cons:
- Poor durability of temple pads
- May look goofy, especially on smaller faces
Price (MSRP): $165-$230 depending on color/model
Where to Buy:
How much effort do you give?
Drew Lien founded 100% in 1982. The company is rooted in motocross and still has a large presence in the motocross industry. They have expanded to BMX, road and mountain cycling, and sponsor some of the best athletes out there, including Peter Sagan, Sam Hill, Dean Wilson, and more.
100% is more than a goggle and sunglasses company – they have expanded their line to include helmets, protective gear, and casual wear. 100% products can be purchased through authorized retailers around the world, through online distributors, and direct through the company.
The company’s name makes a lot of sense when paired with their original tagline: How much effort do you give?
Suitable For All Types of Riding And Riders
While the 100% Speedtrap glasses are more popular among road riders, the vents and large field of vision make them well suited for either the road or the trails. They’re even great on my e-bike commute, as I’ll mention later.
These shades work well not just in a variety of situations, but also for a variety of riders. Thanks to the three-way adjustable temple tips and additional nose pad, the Speedtraps fit securely on a wide variety of face shapes and head sizes, despite their large lenses.
High-Coverage Profile, Low-Noticeability
The glasses have an extremely large field of vision. Even in an aggressive downhill position, the frames are hardly noticeable.
The frames are also very light, and the lightweight design coupled with the shield-like lenses have led me to forget I was wearing these a couple of times.
While not their intended use, these high-coverage lenses are a great way to stay tear-free while riding an e-bike. Most e-bikes used for commuting can go up to 28 miles per hour with minimal effort, making the effects of the wind much more noticeable than they are on a standard bike. These lenses protect like goggles but vent like sunglasses, making them a great option for those fast, warm commutes.
Lenses are Swappable, Replaceable, and Highly Scratch-Resistant
- The lenses boast a scratch-resistant coating and HYDROLIO treatment to repel oil and water.
- 100% has a number of replacement lenses available in varying tints, to suit all of your light needs.
- All lenses offer 100% UV protection and range from 93%-11% light transmittance.
While expensive to replace, the lenses are well worth the $50-$90. The scratch-resistant coating is no joke.
I have had the same lenses for the last 18 months, and while I do take good care of them, I also wear them a lot. These lenses have survived several crashes and countless wipe-downs, and there are still no visible scratches.
I have the HiPER Red Multilayer Mirror lenses as well as the clear lenses. The red lenses are perfect for the road, but a little dark for the trails.
The low-light yellow silver mirror lenses seem to be the best option available for wooded trail systems. I plan to give those a try in the near future.
The lenses are also very easy to change, and the carrying case has enough room to hold the glasses and two additional lenses, so you can be prepared for any light condition.
Ventilation
Despite the coverage of the glasses, they are still very well ventilated. I am predominately a mountain biker, and since mountain biking is typically slower speed than road biking, I was nervous these would fog up on climbs.
Even on hot days (80+ degrees F), I have not had these fog up on me yet. They also breathe well, making them a great choice for those long climbs and descents.
In the past, I have had to compromise on coverage to avoid overheating, but the placement, size, and shape of the vents on the Speedtraps keeps the air moving underneath the large lenses.
Durability Of The Temple Pads Leaves A Bit To Be Desired
The arms on the lenses are sharp, and the temple pads are a very nice feature that would be a real shame to lose. The adhesive used to secure the temple pads does not seem to be too durable.
The temple pads on my Speedtrap glasses started peeling off after only a couple of weeks. This is easy to fix with a small amount of superglue, so this should not be a deal-breaker in the decision-making process.
Aesthetics
While I love the way the 100% Speedtrap sunglasses look, they are quite polarizing. The large lenses can “take over” a smaller face, and there is a limit to the adjustment. These frames do not seem to work as well on those with a narrower face since the lenses are so wide.
These do have a snug fit at the temples, and it did take a few days for these to be truly comfortable. Even after I found the best spot on the temple adjustment, I noticed they were still tighter than other performance glasses I have worn.
100% Speedtrap Versus The Competition
Not one of the cheapest options out there, these range from $165-$230. This does place them right in the price range of their Oakley counterpart, the Jawbreakers*. However, unlike the Jawbreakers, each pair of Speedtrap sunglasses come with one tinted lens and one clear lens.
Takeaways
I love the 100% Speedtrap glasses to the point that I want to get another pair just to have another color. The Speedtraps are an investment, but a worthwhile investment.
They are durable where it truly matters most, but the temple pads could benefit from some of that durability. Since it is an easy fix, this doesn’t dock them too many points in my book.
The seemingly scratch-proof lenses are a huge plus. I have never had a pair of glasses that have survived the same heavy wear and the occasional crash. These have not only survived – they remain scratch-free after a year of near-daily use.
I recommend the 100% Speedtrack sunglasses and am excited to try out some of their other models in the future.
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Kira Maicke has been an avid cyclist since 2010. She started racing road bikes in college for the University of Georgia and switched over to mountain biking after graduating and moving out west. When she’s not on one of her bikes, she’s out playing in the mountains with her husky, Semenuk.