I don’t know how many shotgun wielding cyclist-haters you’ll see while out riding but that’s cool as heck. It says something for the durability.

Can they be ridden in?

The thing you probably want to know more than anything though is if they’re any good for riding. In a word, yes.

BTB 910 Sunglasses Lens Clarity

Like I said above, I’ve ridden in these sunglasses about 15 times now and have experienced zero problems with them. The frames are well made (out of a material called Grilamid TR90 – the link goes to a tech document for all the geeks out there) and have a good form fit. The temple pieces are attached to the frame using screws – not some cheap plastic connection. The lenses are vented so you don’t get any fogging while riding which is always nice.

BTB 910 Sunglasses Nosepiece

I didn’t have any problems with the BTB 910s staying in place either. The hypo-allergenic temple inserts and nose piece seemed to help a lot in this department. Not having to continually adjust my sunglasses while riding is a huge plus for me. The pic above gives you a good closeup of the nose piece. The little ‘fingers’ are flexible which help with the form fit even more.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, the BTB 910s are great sunglasses for cycling. They perform their function very well and you can’t beat the price at $34.95. Similar sunglasses from some of the big brands could end up costing you two to three times more. As always, here are some pros and cons:

Pros

• Great fit. The BTB 910s fit me really well and I’m a hard fit with anything.
• Durability. You can’t argue with how well these sunglasses are constructed.
• Vented. The lenses are vented to prevent fogging up while riding.

Cons

• Limited colors. Call me a cycling fashonista but I like my cycling sunglasses to be white. The 910s are only available in black.
• Only one lens. As a cyclist you’ll want different lenses for differing conditions (polarized, clear, amber) and the 910 only comes with the polarized option. Still, the single lens option is still a great deal for the price.

If you’re in the hunt for a good pair of cycling sunglasses at a fair price you should check out BTB Sunglasses.

About BTB Sunglasses

BTB Sunglasses started in the basement of Steve and Jo Brown a few years ago. Every night Steve and his wife Jo would sit downstairs tagging and bagging sunglasses in preparation for shipment. Their sales steadily grew and they now offer sunglasses for several sports including cycling, golf, hiking, fishing and motor sports. BTB Sunglasses have become known for their incredible lens quality, durability, comfortable fit and low price.

BTB Sunglasses is a part of a bigger whole and is one of the divisions of Be the Ball, Inc. located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Be the Ball, Inc. support numerous causes and athletic events. A portion of every sale from our website goes to the Be the Ball Foundation.

After browsing through the selection on their website, I picked out their BTB 910 which is a 3/4 frame design with vented lenses.

BTB 910 Features

I selected the BTB 910 to review because I like a 3/4 frame design and wanted the vented lenses. The BTB 910 comes with a crystal black frame and smoked lenses. Here are some of the features listed on the BTB Sunglasses site:

I can list specs all day long but nothing tells a story like a video. Check out this promotional video. The 22 rifle and shotgun tests are amazing.

When my BTB 910 sunglasses arrived I was surprised to find an extra lens in the box. The extra lens appears to have been shot at and it’s still intact. Including that lens in the box was a nice touch and proof of the durability claims.

I’ll get a few rides in these sunglasses before I post a full review. In the meantime you should check out BTB Sunglasses.

BTB 910 Sunglasses Unboxing

BTB 910 Sunglasses Shot Up Lens

BTB 910 Sunglasses Lens Clarity

BTB 910 Sunglasses Nosepiece

Rogue the Cat Checking Out BTB 910 Sunglasses

What Cateye Has to Say About the HL-EL450

From Cateye.com:

See your way home. The HL-EL450 is perfect for occasional night rides and regular commutes. Its improved OptiCube™ lens focuses the beam to help find your way through dark streets. A lockable switch eliminates accidental switch-on/off, while letting you easily toggle between high, low and flashing modes. The adjustable bracket quickly mounts to almost any handlebar, stem or helmet, and a simple clip lets you attach and detach the light in seconds — without tools. Whether you mount the HL-EL450 on your bike or keep it in your pack, it will always light the way.

• High, low and flashing modes
• 720 candlepower
• 30-hours of run time on high beam on three AAA batteries
• Waterproof to 50 meters/165 feet
• Lockable switch

Cateye HL-EL450 Bicycle Headlight Final Review

HL-EL450 Mounting

Mounting the HL-EL450 to my handlebars was very easy and the bracket accommodated my oversize bars with no problem. It’s attached with a simple ratcheting mechanism that’s tightened down with a small lever on the back of the light. You can see in the picture above how much extra mounting strap was left over after the light was tightened down. I guess you could trim off the extra if you wanted to. The mount lets you rotate the light 90 degrees to the left or right.

HL-EL450 Modes of Operation

As stated above, there are three modes of operation for the HL-EL450. They are High Beam, Low Beam, and Flashing. The light is turned on by depressing the red button on the switch and sliding it to the right once. This puts the headlight into the last mode it was used in. A second and third push of the switch to the right puts it in one of the other two modes. Pushing the switch to the right and holding it there for a few seconds turns the light off. You can lock the switch by depressing the red button and pushing the switch to the left.

HL-EL450 On the Road

My normal weekday rides are performed about 30-45 minutes before sunrise so I needed a headlight that let’s drivers know I’m there. Especially those looking to pull out into the main lanes of traffic or cross in front of me. I rode with each of the modes several times before deciding that I liked the flashing mode best. With the constant flashing it was very good at projecting a visible target several hundred feet in front of me. As I rode it was very easy for me to pick up the flashing reflecting off street signs. It gave me a good indicator just how far out in front the light could be seen. It also gave me the feeling I was letting drivers know I was there. Below is a short 10-second video of the flashing mode in operation from a distance of about 100 feet.

As you can see in the video above, the HL-EL450 has a prominent flash and is readily visible even though there’s still plenty of light outside. I think you can see why I liked the flashing mode so much.

Cateye HL-EL450 On Off Mode Switch

Final Thoughts on the Cateye HL-EL450

Because I ride so close to sunrise, and the routes I ride have plenty of street lighting, I didn’t need a light that illuminates a path. And that’s really not the purpose HL-EL450. It sits right in the middle of the Cateye lineup of Multipurpose/Commute lights so it’s not their most powerful light. If you ride in very dark areas or need more road/trail illumination you may want to go with a light with more power and coverage. Another item that I wasn’t totally sold on was the 360 degree ring that allowed the light to project to the sides. The ring is pretty small so there isn’t much light getting out. Also, if your riding with your hands on the hoods, you’ll be covering up the light ring with your arms.

What You’ll Like About the Cateye HL-EL450:

• Simple to mount.
• Flashing mode is very visible.
• Long battery life.
• Easy to aim.

What You May Not Like About the Cateye HL-EL450:

• Hi and low beams don’t provide good road/trail illumination.
• The small switch can make changing modes while riding challenging.
• Easy to knock the light off-center.

Get the Cateye HL-EL450 at Amazon.com

Cateye HL-EL450 Headlight Specifications

• 400+ Candlepower
• Three modes: Hi/Low/Flashing
• Water resistant to 50 meters
• 360 degree ring to allow side visibility
• Rotatable up to 90 degrees left or right
• Available in Silver or Black
• Includes 3 AAA batteries

Though the HL-EL450 is water resistant up to 50 meters, Cateye makes a point to say the headlight isn’t intended for diving. While I didn’t plan on taking it on my next Jacques Cousteau undersea adventure it is nice to know it should survive these Florida rainstorms if I get caught out in the rain.

Below you can see some additional pictures. In picture one note the red switch lock that has to be depressed to turn the light on or off and in picture three you can get a good view of the 360 degree ring for side visibility.

Cateye HL-EL450 Front View

Get the Cateye HL-EL450 at Amazon.com

Click here to see the final review.

Upon opening the package the first thing you notice is the weight of the system. This thing is light! Weighing in at only 62.7 grams it’s light as a feather. The Mini is constructed very well. I mentioned the carbon fiber body and it’s beautiful. The ends are made of high-strength, glass-reinforced nylon, and the valve internals are made of brass.

One of the things that sets this pump apart though is the ingenuity of design. When using the CO2 system, you screw the CO2 cartridge into the brass fitting until it’s tight. The cartridge is punctured and activated at this point. To inflate your tire you attach the pump to your presta valve and loosen the cartridge a quarter-turn. To stop simply tighten the cartridge again. This makes the Second Wind Road Mini a controllable CO2 inflation system. The system comes with a 16g cartridge but you can use either 16g or 12g cartridges.

Now, what if you’ve exhausted your last CO2 cartridge and a buddy needs some help or you have another flat and no more CO2 cartridges? This is where the pump side of the Mini comes into play. In this role the pump is even easier to use. You simply attach the pump to your presta valve and start pumping. Now, one of the problems with most frame pumps is that they are hard to use because of their size. This usually prevents you from being able to achieve high pressures. Again, Genuine Innovations brilliant design comes to the rescue. To make the pump more stable, and give you more leverage while pumping, you just screw a new or expended CO2 cartridge into the pump handle and you dramatically increase your ability to control the pump. The maximum pressure of the hand pump is 130 psi.

So, what’s wrong with the Second Wind Road Mini? Not much that I could find. As with all frame pumps you have to be careful when pumping so you don’t damage your presta valve. The mini is no different. I used the mini several times while testing and the o-ring that seals the pump to your presta valve seems to be showing a lot of wear. This may be normal as the new o-ring is broken in. I’m not sure if there are plans in the future but it looks like this o-ring may be replaceable.

So, what’s my verdict? I love it. It’s small, fully-functional, and performs as specified. If you’re a rider that likes the ease of CO2 but would like a pump backup then the Second Wind Road Mini is perfect.

Thanks to Genuine Innovations for providing the Second Wind Road Mini
. Now, what do I do with it? Do I keep it for myself or do I give it away to a lucky reader? I kept it for myself!