Test: The gravel bike is no longer a fringe phenomenon, as the off-road drop bar models have now firmly established themselves. In addition to a wide variety of setups for riding on gravel and more, there is also special equipment for gravel use. For example, helmets and glasses. The German manufacturer Uvex also brings a gravel combination with the Gravel Y helmet and the Pace Stage CV goggles that promises a lot of performance. We tested the Uvex Gravel combination.
Uvex Gravel Y helmet
With its extremely light yet impact-resistant construction including a 360 degree protected inner shell made of expanded thermoplastic and an insulating polycarbonate coating, Uvex wants to offer the best protection on technical paths and fast gravel routes with the Gravel Y helmet. The helmet in size M weighs an attractive 280 grams.
A low-cut back of the head provided an additional feeling of security during our rides and, according to the manufacturer, should further improve the protective effect in the worst case scenario. The integrated decorative elements and logos with their reflective surface ensure the best visibility at dusk. We found the fit of the Uvex Gravel Y helmet particularly pleasant, because thanks to the Anatomic 3D IAS system, precise and individual adjustment in height and width is easily possible. Even after driving for several hours, we didn't feel any pressure points.
With a total of 13 generous ventilation openings, the Uvex Gravel helmet offers good ventilation. An integrated fly net protects against uninvited guests inside the helmet, in our opinion a successful feature as it hardly seems to affect ventilation.
Uvex Pace Stage CV glasses
As a perfect complement to the Gravel Y helmet, Uvex offers the Pace Stage CV, a pair of sporty glasses to always keep a clear view on gravel sections and in changing light conditions in the forest. In combination with the Gravel Y helmet, the Pace Stage CV blends in perfectly and offers an ideal fit. The adjustable soft nose pads also ensure an optimal fit with maximum comfort.
The Uvex Pace Stage CV combines versatile style with uvex Colorvision lens technology for sharper contrasts and excellent color perception, which was definitely an advantage on our test drives through various forest sections in changing light conditions. The high reduction in solar radiation due to the filter category 3 with a light transmission of 9-18% also comes into play here.
Thanks to the Uvex Supravision anti-fog coating, the manufacturer guarantees maximum fog-free vision and optical quality in any weather situation. Under test conditions, a full 60 seconds of fog-free protection was achieved - twice as long as usual standards require.
