Review of the new Koo Alibi glasses, with photochromic lenses

The Italian high-end eyewear brand Koo is launching its new model, the Alibi, which we have already tested with photochromic lenses. A wide field of vision and excellent hold on the face are on the program.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: @3bikes.fr

In the same category as the Spectro or the Demos, in terms of size and field of vision, the new Alibi stand out for their half-frame which offers even greater visual comfort on the lower part of the glasses. And for rather wide glasses that optimize eye protection while riding, we also appreciate their excellent hold, even for a small face. This version with Zeiss photochromic lenses further increases comfort of use, particularly in this very sunny early autumn, with a low sun that can sometimes cause adaptation problems when passing through undergrowth or along hedges.

The Koo Alibi are available in eight versions, with a Mirror lens (at €180) or a photochromic lens (at €220), which makes them a very high-end, and rather expensive, model. Fortunately, the manufacturing quality seems to be there. It should also be noted that the Alibi are compatible with the Koo Optical Clip, for mounting corrective lenses.

Very effective hold

With the Alibi, Koo has particularly worked on the pressure points, with a nose pad and temples curved inwards, as well as grooved temple tips. The Grimalid (a lightweight and resistant material) temple hinges are also very rigid and difficult to manipulate, which ultimately ensures very good consistent hold for the entire frame. It’s just not always very easy to fold the temples while riding, if you want to slip them into your jersey pocket for example. On the other hand, the glasses hold very well when slipped into the ventilation holes of a helmet, for long climbs in hot weather, to prevent sweat from dripping onto the lenses for example.

The hold on the face is very effective, which is surprising for a pair of glasses that weighs only 25 g. That’s barely heavier than the Supernova.

On the upper part of the lenses, there are two small openings that facilitate ventilation, to prevent fogging in humid weather.

Eight models and four types of lenses

The Alibi are offered with eight different frame colors, all with a matte finish: black, grey, blue, orange, green, beige, white, and dark blue for our test model. As for the lenses, the black, grey, and beige Alibi are sold with a category 3 mirror lens (for very sunny weather), the blue, orange, and green with a category 2 lens (for sunny and cloudy weather), the white with a category 1 to 3 photochromic lens, and finally the dark blue ones tested here with a category 0 to 3 photochromic lens, ideal for a very wide range of light conditions, for riding at night or in full sun.

It only takes a few seconds for the lens to adapt and become darker or lighter, which provides unparalleled comfort while riding, even in good weather, when passing through frequent shaded areas. Finally, the “red mirror” reflection on the outside of the lens is notably aesthetic, which obviously doesn’t hurt. The mirror effect is designed to protect the eye, to offer consistent vision quality. These Zeiss lenses also benefit from a hydrophobic treatment, to facilitate water runoff in case of rain.

Comfort in every respect

It only takes a few rides to fully appreciate the comfort provided by the Koo Alibi, whether in terms of fit, field of vision, or the adaptability of the photochromic lenses. This type of lens is truly ideal for riding all year round in a region like mine, north of the Loire. I might appreciate darker lenses more in extreme conditions like high mountains or at sea on a boat, but I find that the Zeiss lens here is very well suited to changing conditions and numerous shaded passages. This transition from categories 0 to 3 in a few seconds is incredibly comfortable to use, but above all, there’s no question to ask about the choice of glasses. In the middle of a June afternoon or during night training returns, including winter gravel sessions, the Alibi will always be appreciated.

The absence of a frame on the bottom of the lenses is also very pleasant, unlike other models that offer a more limited field of vision. This is something I had already appreciated on the Koo Supernova, but which, from my point of view, did not offer optimal support due to their flexibility and lightness. With the Alibi, I even tried running, and absolutely nothing moves. The Koo Alibi are therefore perfectly successful glasses with no flaws, apart from a very high selling price. But it is obviously necessary to take into account the fact that with this lens model, you will not have to change them depending on the conditions, even if they remain interchangeable.

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