Do you like sunglasses? Not the fashionista-going-out-at-night kind that Hollywood wears to cover bloodshot eyes and crow’s feet. I’m talking about cycling-ready stuff. Ever since Oakley introduced the Factory Pilot in the mid-80s, I’ve coveted the brand. Oakleys always seemed beyond reach — like a Colnago or Pinarello or Campy Super Record. For a short time in college I donned Vuarnets (rose lens, thank you) with wrap-around temples. But the French company stayed close to skiing and never caught on in cycling. Oakley is to cycling sunglasses as BMW is to automobiles. Competitors try to keep up, but it’s really no contest in the overall landscape of product offerings, colors, styles and function. Wearing the M Frame for the first time was an epiphany for me in 2003. The company innovates. This year Oakley has unveiled the “Jawbone” — a replacement in so many words for the “Racing Jacket” (at least from the looks of inventory on the Oakley website and the eyewear choices of Tour riders, this is the case). Up close, the Jawbone is impressive. Open the “jaw” to change your lens. Two-tone color to stand out. Vented lenses to keep your eyes from glazing over with sweat on the climbs. OK. Cool. But from afar, yawn. They are boring. Racing Jackets, on the other hand, are memorable in every sense of the word. Close-up. At distance. George Hincapie wore these to perfection. Can you change the lens? No. Can you open the jaw? No. Will they ever go out of style? No. Somehow I can see Race Jackets fetching top dollar on the second-hand market if Oakley ever decides to abandon them forever. I’ll take a Racing Jacket over a Jawbone any day.
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