The many personalities of cycling part II: Oakley Sutro Lite Review

I’m not sure why this post has been the most successful in this young blog’s history. Honestly, it’s comprehensive enough and offers OK insights into one of the best Oakley frame shapes from recent years. Perhaps it articulated the frame’s design brief quite well. That cycling has, of late, moved beyond convention and is far from one dimensional. In any case, owing in some part to the posts’ popularity, Oakley was kind enough to send a Sutro Lite (in white) for this review. Fingers crossed the search results are just as good.

Spec wise this is a semi-rimless update (more on that later) of the Sutro frame shape. It was quietly launched late during last year’s truncated season on the faces of big name Oakley sponsored cycling royalty with the same or similar high-wrap shield concept. It boasts the same road-enhancing Prizm lens type - probably one of the best if not the best available - and the same adherence to creating something highly adaptable, well-suited to road riding, running, trail, post-ride coffee shop, for which the originals gained notoriety. When on, they feel more like a redesign than a revamp, due specifically to major functionality upgrades that will appease road-specific users who found fault in the originals.

Seen perched in the Swiss hills: a subdued and mostly perfect pair of cycling sunglasses.

Road impressions of the Sutro Lite were overwhelmingly positive. They come with (our opinion) an enhanced frame shape, textured gripping nose pads and rubberized arms (specifically where the sunglasses hit the helmet strap), or what we’ve dubbed, “the triumvirate.” A considered effort by a big name in performance cycling to get back to its roots.

Interpreted another way, one suspects that Oakley got a lot of feedback (some good some not so good) on the originals: great courier-inspired frame, cool-looking flared design. But the originals moved around way too much. Particularly on hot climbs and in high temps when sweat is pouring down.

Well, all previous qualms quashed. All concerns obliterated thanks to two things: the rimless design and much richer feature functionality. While the Sutro Lites still fall into the camp of oversized frames, they’re actually pretty tame relative to other Oakley designs and new 2021 releases. Also going rimless makes these much more performance-oriented. While that may come at the expense of street appeal, it’s a play to Oakley’s core user — the dedicated athlete. Rimlessness is next to godliness in cycling, and the added field of vision, especially in the periphery for lane changes, is unobstructed, amazing and arguable far better than the originals.

A pretty dope looking pair of shades in countless environments. Seen here with 24K gold lens type.

In summary (I love quick summaries), they’re a bit retro, a bit performance-driven, a little pricey and entirely worth it.

32 near weightless grams - a cycling sunglass geared towards medium to large faces. Retails for USD$184. Ten different frame colours available. More here.