Forget quick-release skewer, the mechanical derailleur, carbon frames, or disc wheels. Never mind clipless pedals or brake-mounted shifters. Scratch those deep-section road wheels, lightweight helmets, or miracle fabrics.
The most important innovation in Cycling had nothing to do with those incremental advances, but rather with the invention of Cycling-Specific eyewear. To begin with, they allowed the Cyclist the privilege of being able to see where they were going, and avoided the indignity of having the eyes tear up on a descent. After all, no one needs to look like they’re crying because the speeds are too high. They also protect the eyes, saving them for important things like the admiration of the opposite sex.
Most importantly, however, they look cool as hell. And, as Paul Fournel rightly pointed out in Need for the Bike, to look good is already to go fast. To go fast, you need to look fast.
Oakley is widely considered to be the pioneer of cycling-specific eyewear, but others were doing Merckx’s work in that avenue at about the same time. While Greg LeMond and Phil Anderson were leading the arms race for the American eyewear specialist, another of my childhood favorites, Charly Mottet, was also busy sporting some prototype Rudy Projects and setting an early high water mark in the art of Looking Fantastic.
Once Cyclists sorted out that shades make you cool (we’re not as clever as rock stars), the late Eighties and early Nineties saw an explosion of rad eyewear in the peloton. Here are some standouts from the period.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Shades/”/]
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
My mom kept telling me that if I kept doing what I was doing I would go blind. Now I can't wear "cool shades".
The coolness of Mottet's shades was necessary to offset the awesomeness of those guns. Geesh! My attempts on both accounts are comparatively negligible.
I had a pair of those early Rudy Projects from 1987. Unfortunately, they were lost during a foray in to the Dark Side (mountain biking). I also had a pair of the Oakley Factory Pilots. I'm not sure where they are now, but an expedition through my parents' basement may be in order. They'd probably sell for a pretty penny on Ebay. I confess that I have spent way too much time agonizing over which pair of Oakleys to get for replacing my current Smith Optics.
On a side note, my not-so- inner Beavis keeps chuckling at that picture of Mottet during a time trial. I am sure it provided a nice base to push against, but it looks like he's on a miniature toilet. And did anyone notice the Scott Struts on LeMond's bike? I recall reading that the first time he sprinted on them, they almost took his front wheel out from under him because of the direct connection and lack of flex in the bars.
@Cyclops
Welding without a visor or goggles ???????
Hall and Oates know what's up with cool shades...
@Optimiste
Heh...new formula: Guns x Shades = K (onstant)
Oakley Radars with the deep Range lens in rose, with a clear lens for night riding, for me.
Never a truer word written frank.
Check out the handlebars on LeMan's bike.