Market: high-tech on the nose. Self-tinting lenses are certainly nothing new for cycling glasses, but depending on the area of application, the technology was only of limited practical use: the main problems were the insufficient range of tinting and too long adjustment times. With the new Uvex Variotronic, this should be a thing of the past – thanks to lenses with LCD technology.
It sounds a bit like science fiction: However, LCDs built into eyeglass lenses have been around in winter sports for a year or two. It was there that Uvex gained initial experience with its Variotronic technology. Last winter, the LCD glasses in the Uvex Snowstrike celebrated their premiere - in 2016 the bicycle segment will follow with two models. The German manufacturer promises adjustment times of less than 1/10 second and a huge range of tinting.
But how does Variotronic work? An E-Tint coating just over two millimeters thick on the lenses can change the light transmission of the glasses in a flash. Depending on the requirements, the liquid crystals in the coating produce different dark or light tints and are therefore easy on the eyes. The ultra-thin LCD is controlled using a light sensor on the inside of the bracket. The glasses then tint themselves in three stages: the brightest stage lets 64% light through, the darkest only 16% - of course, the darkening can also be completely deactivated.
The battery, which is also integrated into the glasses housing, supplies the glasses with the necessary energy for over 50 hours - should the battery run out on the go, the glasses automatically deactivate the displays and you have a clear view. The micro-USB charging socket can also be found underneath the frame of the glasses.
In addition to the Variotronic highlight, the glasses naturally also offer other features such as the Supravision coating, which is intended to prevent the lenses from fogging up, and the very soft nose pads known from Uvex, which significantly increase comfort. The Variotronic will come to the shops in two variants for two different areas of application: The light Variotronic S does not have a frame on the underside and is primarily aimed at roadies, while the more robust Variotronic ff model offers a completely enclosing frame and is therefore more of a case for the mountain bikers should be.
Both variants should be on the shelves in spring - price point: 299 €
Leave a Comment