off-road.cc

The Smith Optics PivLock Asana Chromapop glasses are a ladies small face specific pair of cycling glasses for any application or discipline be it mountain biking, road riding or gravel adventures. They are extremely versatile and great quality lenses mean they last a long time even with less than careful treatment!

• Review - Adidas Evil Eye Pro Glasses
• First Look - Calibre Bossnut Evo - new 2018 version!

I’ve got a really small head, 53cm in circumference to be precise and find it pretty difficult to find cycling glasses that both fit my face and don’t interfere with the lower edges of my helmet. The Smith Optics Pivlock Asana glasses fit the bill, they are a minimalist and small pair of glasses that still offer more than adequate coverage whilst sitting neatly on the face and not ratting about.

• Buy the Smith Asana's here from CRC

The Asana’s are a multi-lens pair of glasses that are relatively simple in construction. Their frameless design consists of two arm pieces, a nosepiece and a one-piece lens. In the box you get a choice of two lenses a Chromapop sunglasses lens and an orange ‘brightening’ lens alongside a sturdy case and a glasses pouch. Disappointingly the Asana’s no longer come with a third clear lens making these best for sunny or overcast days, the orange lens does a good job in dark woodland, but it’s no match for a clear lens to enable you to see properly whilst keeping muck out of your eyes. Chromapop is Smith's own take on a polarized lens, in place on both lenses in this set. They both produce a stunning outlook on the world, they are crystal clear and produce great colours whilst still shielding you from the suns rays. The sunglasses lens here has a VLT (visible light transmission rating of 14%, meaning it only lets 14% of sunlight through the lens. 

Rose 'brightening' lens

The lenses both have a hydroleophobic coating which repels moisture, grease, and grime, they are also injection moulded which Smith say makes them one of the most scratch resistant lenses in the world and no doubt the reason I get away with wiping the dirt from them with just my glove. The one piece design of the lens ensures a good field of vision right out to the peripheries. 

The box still has the space for the lens that isn't included

Swapping the lens out uses Smith’s simple PivLock system – just rotate the arms through 90° to disengage them and pull down on the nosepiece to remove it. Reverse the process to place the parts back on the new lens, very simple and easy to do even trailside, just make sure you have clean hands as you will likely have to grab hold of the lens itself.   

The arms are simple to remove to swap lenses

The Asana’s fitted well on my small face, the nose piece is adjustable and I found they slot into place well without any wriggling around needed to set them at the right height. The arms can be shaped to help the glasses fit securely to the head, just heat them up with a hairdryer and bend inwards / outwards to the desired fit. I shaped the ends of mine in a little which meant they were secure enough that I didn’t have to tuck them up under the cradle of my lid as I have had to do with other larger glasses.

The fit with a variety of lids

When it comes to riding the Asana’s are the least foggy glasses I have every worn, only steaming up when the pace uphill was very slow, I was very sweaty and the breeze was non-existent. They do mist over a bit when stopped at the top of a sweaty climb but they clear so quickly once you set off again it's forgivable. I think I managed an average of three pedal rotations dropping into a trail and the glasses would be clear – pretty good going I reckon.

Arms can be heated and adjusted

Coverage wise, for their small size the Asana’s do a great job of keeping the dirt and grime away from my eyes, they fit snugly to the face to stop muck getting up underneath from the trail. They oval shape of the lens and lack of frame means they also don’t interfere with the lower edges of my lid which is good for the comfort stakes but also means the airflow can be kept circulating. I’ve worn these glasses with a variety of lids from Smith, Scott, Giro and Kali and experienced the same performance in each. The Smith lid (Forefront) allowed the glassed to be stowed above the peak which I found really handy. I could also stow them above the peak with the Giro Montara also, whether by accident or design, but not so unfortunately with the Kali Maya lid. The only lid I couldn’t wear the glasses with was my Bell Super 2, the low temple area of this lid getting in the way of the arms, but then I can’t find any glasses to fit with this lid!

Rubber nose piece is adjustable

My Asana’s have had a hard life and are still looking in mint condition, I’ve worn them in all kinds of weathers, cleaned off dried on mud with my gloves, stuffed them uncovered in packs and pockets and they lens is still in great nick. The clear lens you see here is one from a pair of Asana’s which I have owned and have used since 2016, its scratched but not quite yet due for replacement I don’t think.

For £161 the Asana’s are pretty pricey glasses and I’d certainly like to see the clear lens thrown in for that price too. What you do get, though, is a long lasting pair of glasses that won’t look out of place whatever bike you choose to ride. They will be fog and sweat-free whilst being scratch resistant, offering clear vision and a comfortable fit, great for ladies that usually opt for a size small helmet or have a narrow face.

• www.smithoptics.com

You might also like:

• The best mountain bikes you can buy for under a grand
• Buyers guide to MTB's - all you need to know
• The best women's MTB jersey's - tried and tested