Bollé C-Shifter glasses review - quality and style to throw shade on the premium brands

Excellent optics, tough, lightweight frame and high-end look and feel without the high price

Bolle C-Shifter glasses on a wood background
(Image credit: Simon Smythe)
Cycling Weekly Verdict

Bollé is better known for its winter sports eyewear, but the C-Shifter cycling glasses prove that the French brand is easily a match for any of its more established US counterparts. The high-contrast Volt lens, developed for snow, supplies excellent optics on the road; the half-frame is sensibly sized, comfortable, tough and understated. The C-Shifters are cannily priced just below much of their high-end competition, so if you're looking for a pair of top-quality cycling glasses without paying a premium for the name, they are ideal. For me, the only thing they're missing is lens replaceability. Great though the Volt lens is, it would be nice to swap in a clear one for winter.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    High-quality lens

  • +

    Comfortable fit

  • +

    Good compatibility with helmets

  • +

    Simple, stylish looks

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    Priced lower than glasses from premium brands

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Lens not replaceable

You can trust Cycling Weekly. Our team of experts put in hard miles testing cycling tech and will always share honest, unbiased advice to help you choose. Find out more about how we test.

I included the Bolle C-Shifter glasses in my Gear of the Year 2022 list, and even though we’re now over halfway through 2023 I’m still wearing them on every ride.

The French brand says the C-Shifters allow you to “stay on top of trends and performance” and I’d agree with that: for me they’ve spent many weeks at number one.

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