POC’s brand-new cycling sunglasses, Elicit Clarity, have been developed… ‘for the very highest levels of performance at the very lowest weight.’
At a notably light 23g, they represent the lightest ever sunglasses that POC has produced and were unveiled at the Rouleur Live show in London on November 4th.
The Elicit shades feature a unique truss design along the temples allowing for a balance of rigidity and weight. Created with bio-based materials the design allows the temples to maintain rigidity and stiffness where needed, nearer to the lens, whilst allowing for greater flexibility around the head and ears, providing more comfort and security.
Weight, however, is still only one aspect of the Elicit’s unique approach. The shades offer levels of protection and coverage, all of which have been subjected to rigorous testing, particularly with EF Education – NIPPO rider Mitch Docker.
Head of Product at POC, Oscar Huss said “We know that grams matter, so we set ourselves the challenge of creating the lightest performance eyewear we could, balanced with a large modern shield lens for enhanced coverage, visibility and protection.
“The simplest way to cut weight would have been to make the lens smaller, but this does not match the expectations of modern performance eyewear, especially protection and visibility. For our developers and designers, the Elicit required a lot of unconventional thinking and innovation, and we are incredibly proud of the result.”
Featuring specially designed snap hinges, lens changing is made easy and quick, allowing riders to change lenses in a matter of seconds. POC adds that the frameless design also creates a unique sensation of openness whilst still providing all the benefits of enhanced coverage.
EF Education – NIPPO rider Mitch Docker was a key contributor in the development process. Docker said “The Elicit’s are special, and their weight is extraordinary. The lightness means I hardly notice them, and they are beautifully balanced.
“I am a fan of bigger lenses and I have ridden the Elicits in almost every weather condition, including my last race, Paris-Roubaix, which was very messy, but they handled it all. I also think they look amazing and it has been fun to work so closely with POC on their development, especially to test them during my ‘Length of Sweden’ ride this summer.”
POC added that, to give an illustration of the lightweight approach, when paired with POC’s lightest helmet, the Ventral Lite, the combined weight would be a mere 200g (approx. for both). Naturally for those focused on weight and performance that is a significant performance advantage.
Available in spring 2022 the new sunglasses will come in a variety of frame colours (Hydrogen White, Uranium Black, Fluorescent Orange, Actinium Pink, Sapphire Purple and Lemon Calcite) and lenses (Gold, Silver, Define and clear).
They will be used by a host of riders, including many from EF education – NIPPO and Drops – Le Col. For consumers, the Elicit Clarity shades have an RRP of €240.
