Bike Perfect Verdict
Supremely comfortable and lightweight sunglasses with an adaptive lens that works well in unpredictable light conditions.
Pros
- +
Very lightweight rimless design
- +
Excellent coverage
- +
Adaptive Fototec Lens copes well with changeable conditions
- +
Hard carry case included
- +
Adjustable fit
Cons
- -
Adaptive Fototec lens tint is quite slow to react
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Tifosi offers a huge range of sunglasses and its Rail XC Clarion Fototec are a slightly smaller version of the original Tifosi Rail Sunglasses that I reviewed and highly rated last year. Despite the ‘XC’ moniker the Rail XC is promoted as suitable for all types of riding and I’ve been extensively testing them on XC, Gravel and Road rides throughout the summer.
I’ve been using Tifosi’s adaptive Clarion Fototec Lens that starts very lightly tinted and darkens in sunlight to a smoked tint. With the summer weather becoming more and more unpredictable an adaptive lens could be just the ticket when it comes to selecting the best mountain bike sunglasses.
Design and specifications
The Rails XC Clarion Fototec are available in two color ways, the blue mirrored lens with crystal clear arms that we have on test and a red tinted mirror lens with black arms. The arms are made from Grilamid TR-90 thermoplastic which feels reassuringly tough, and the end of the arms have a metal core which allows the arm tips to be easily shaped to your head. The metal core is encased in transparent plastic and is hardly visible underneath the hydrophilic rubber sleeves, a material that’s designed to offer more grip the more you sweat. The same metal core and hydrophilic rubber has been used for the nose piece to offer similar adjustments.
The Clarion Fototec lens is made from shatterproof polycarbonate with Photochromatic particles that darken when exposed to light. In low light, the Fototec lens allows 46% light transmission and is only slightly tinted. When exposed to full sun, the lens tint darkens to allow 13% light transmission. In all conditions, the lens provides full UVA and UVB protection.
The lenses measure 131mm from arm to arm and are 52.6mm at their deepest, which is 6.3mm shallower than the original Rails. The rimless design keeps the weight down to a svelte 30g on my scales which puts them on a par with similar MTB sunglasses like the Adidas SP0075 at 29g and the SunGod Airas at 31g.
A hard case and microfibre cleaning bag is supplied to keep the Rail XC’s in tip-top condition.
Performance
My one small gripe with the slightly larger Tifosi Rail was the large lens format tended to knock against the brow of the helmet in chunky terrain. The Rail XC's with slightly reduced lens size have negated this problem and have been great to use throughout the summer.
I’m a big fan of the crystal-clear arms which complement the blue-tinted Fototec lens. Once adjusted to fit my head, which is a simple case of bending the tips of the arms to the desired shape, the Rail XC’s were used for most of my riding over the summer, from 8-hour road rides in the French Alps to local mountain bike loops in the woods. The Rail XC's have impressed me throughout. They’ve stayed put in some seriously chunky terrain and I’ve not experienced any fogging issues. Even after 8 hours of continuous use, they were still comfortable with no pressure points. The Rails XC’s have played nicely with a wide range of the best mountain bike helmets and also lightweight roadie offerings too.
I’ve found the adaptive lens tint to work well throughout our poor excuse for a summer. Not knowing when the sun is going to appear would normally make lens choice a bit of a gamble, but the Fototec lens has coped admirably with unpredictable light conditions. The full sun tint (13% light transmission) doesn’t seem overly dark and the transition to a low light tint (46% light transmission) is what I would describe as subtle and undetectable when wearing.
When on the trail the Fototec lens does a good job with regards to contrast and definition, allowing you to read the trail with confidence and hold your speed. The relatively slow reaction time to adapt to changing light conditions is the only thing stopping me awarding full marks. If you ride in full sun and then drop into a deeply wooded section of trail, the Fototec Lens could struggle to adapt quickly enough. I didn’t experience this throughout testing as proper sunshine has been hard to find, and my local riding spots aren’t particularly densely wooded. Still, the slow reaction time does worry me slightly.
Verdict
The Rail XC's have become my default riding sunglasses over the summer, and I’ve put in some serious test miles wearing them. They offer great coverage and are super comfortable and stable in use. The slightly smaller lens compared to the ‘Rail’ will suit a smaller head size and worked well for my average (medium) sized head.
The slightly slow reaction time for the lens to change tint may be an issue if you’re riding in and out of dense woodland, but other than that, I have nothing to complain about.
| Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Lens quality | Excellent clarity. Adaptive lens tinting is on the slow side | ★★★★ |
| Fit and comfort | Easily adjusted arms and nose piece results in a great fit. Very light feel when wearing. | ★★★★ |
| Value for money | Competitively priced | ★★★★ |
Tech specs: Tifosi Rail XC Clarion Fototec sunglasses
- Price: $79.95 / £109.99
- Lens type: Fototec
- Colors: Crystal Clear, Satin Vapour
- Weight: 30g
