Cycling-specific eyewear has come a long way from generic sport sunglasses, and the Equinox from Shimano represents where that evolution currently stands. The half-rim frame uses Rilsan Clear G850 Rnew polyamide, a bio-based material that reduces petroleum consumption without compromising the stiffness needed to keep the one-piece lens locked in position. The result is a frame that weighs almost nothing on your face but holds the lens steady through rough descents and sprint efforts.

The RIDESCAPE All Road lens handles the tricky job of working across multiple riding conditions. Rather than optimizing for a single environment, the AR lens balances contrast enhancement for both pavement and mixed surfaces, which makes sense if you ride road one day and gravel the next without wanting to swap lenses. The polyamide lens material delivers impact resistance while staying optically clear, and the hydrophobic coating sheds water and sweat before they become distracting. If conditions change or you want terrain-specific tuning, the interchangeable lens system accepts RIDESCAPE Road, Trail, and Off-Road options.

Temple design is where the Equinox gets interesting. The Z-shaped cutout structure looks unusual, but it serves a purpose beyond aesthetics. The shortened temple length clears most helmet retention systems, and the flexible construction with bio-based Pebax tips grips without squeezing. The reversible nose pad offers two thickness options depending on how high or low you prefer the frame to sit, which affects both field of view and ventilation around the lens edges.... Read More