Weekend bike rides have long been my treasured retreats. Each pedal stroke helps relieve the week’s stress, and I’ve gathered a few tools to enhance these experiences. Yet, I’ve realized that overloading on gear can detract from the joy of riding, as I often end up managing various notifications and battery levels instead of simply enjoying the bike ride.
This is where Ray-Ban Meta comes in: smart glasses that have streamlined and added fun to my weekend cycling.
Rather than juggling sunglasses, headphones, and my phone to snap photos, I now have a single device that covers all my needs.
The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have impressively gained popularity; Meta reports millions sold, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg noting a 300% increase in sales this past year. Various Reddit threads and YouTube videos indicate that many cyclists are opting for Ray-Ban Meta glasses, prompting Meta to develop a next-generation AI product specifically for athletes in collaboration with Oakley.
Initially, I didn’t expect to utilize my Ray-Ban Metas while biking. However, after several months of use, they’ve become my go-to glasses on rides. The design features enough appealing aspects to persuade me that they are indeed worthwhile, and I believe they could become even better with a few enhancements.
A standout feature of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses is their solid construction, resembling classic Ray-Bans—mine are the Wayfarer model with transition lenses. They effectively shield my eyes from sunlight, dust, and pollen, comfortably fitting beneath a bike helmet, although not flawlessly.
The key feature, however, is the camera positioned above each eye, enabling me to capture photos and videos simply by pressing a button on the frames, thus eliminating the hassle of reaching for my phone. This feature proves invaluable while cycling, as it allows for safe documentation of my surroundings.
Recently, while cycling in Golden Gate Park, I used the Ray-Ban Meta glasses to capture images of stunning Blue Heron Lake, sandy dunes by the ocean, and the tree-lined entrance of the park. While the camera has its limitations, it’s good enough to document moments I might otherwise miss, providing an additional avenue for capturing experiences without replacing my phone’s camera entirely.
