Italian eyewear brand Rudy Project continues its quest for sustainable development with the release of its new Deltabeat cycling sunglasses. the Deltabeat model's frame is composed of Rilsan Clear: a bio-based polyamide made from castor oil, developed by Arkema.
To make this bio-based material, the biomass (castor seeds, grown in the Gujarat region of India) is first crushed to extract bio-oil and then refined in several stages to produce bio-based feedstock. The finished product is BPA-free, arguably the highest biological content material on the market.
The Rudy Project is one of a growing number of bike brands that are committing to sustainable materials and production methods. However, as the industry tries to correct the disconnect between cycling's obvious environmental benefits and its sometimes less-than-friendly manufacturing components, their challenge is to find materials that won't compromise performance.
In the Rilsan Clear Rudy project, there is a material that seems perfectly suited for this purpose. Its main characteristics are durability, lightness and flexibility. Haven't tried these yet, but it certainly sounds like the ideal combination when it comes to producing sunglass frames.
This "trinity" was applied to the Deltabeat model to create one of the best pairs of cycling sunglasses, which Rudy Project says fits well on a range of different face shapes and sizes. To create glasses that fit many people. It uses both its head grip geometry and adjustable nose material and temple pads for added adaptability.
Another noteworthy feature of the glasses is the use of the brand's proprietary Powerflow ventilation system. To reduce fogging, it places vents in the frame, temples and lenses, designed to adjust air flow to reduce thermal shock.
The lenses are also available in bike-specific configurations with Project Impactx 2 photochromic and RP Optics multi-laser options. Conveniently, Deltabeat is also configurable on-demand. Like many Rudy Project sunglasses, Deltabeat uses its "easy-in, easy-out" optical insert technology. In short, you can switch to a variety of lenses depending on your riding conditions.
