“To widen industry’s borders through innovation and design is part and parcel of Carrera’s DNA.”

I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Canadian Rockies and learnt to ski before I could walk, so my earliest memories of Carrera were ski goggles and all things snow related. Carrera has taken their success in winter sports and created a range of cycling helmets and sunglasses that are as stylish and innovative as they are technically advanced.

Created in 1956 by Wilheim Anger, the Carrera inspiration came from one of the most famous South American car races of the fifties – The Carrera PanAmericana. It’s the story of an extraordinary adventure of innovation and design and a relationship with sport that has survived for over 50 years.

First up is a quick look at their sunglasses. The Carrera sunglasses collection embodies style and technology to ensure safety and performance are at the forefront of their designs. From 1989 to the present day, they have made appearances in every grand tour and classic race as well as on high streets and fashion houses throughout the world. It’s rare that a brand can achieve both sporting and fashion excellence, but Carrera manage to do this in style!

For those of you that are old enough to remember the 80’s (not saying that I am), you will likely have a memory of the Carrera Porsche collection. Bright colours and large lenses that looked great on the catwalk, but most of us struggled to carry these off!  Funnily enough though, everyone seemed to own a pair. Thank goodness then that Carrera decided to ditch the Porsche design in favour of their cycling collection. *I apologise to anyone who still wears the Porsche glasses, I’m certain you are one of the few who was and is still able to pull them off!

If you’re not quite ready to part with a large wad of cash (or your still in trouble for your last massive purchase), the R&B X-Lite Sunglasses are made with Carrera’s passion for design and modern technologies. Using Grilamid (a fancy name for premium nylon plastic), the base of the sunglasses are tough enough to endure torturous training rides or your young children’s stretch and bend routines. There are few times in your life you stand as helpless as when you watch your 3 year old take a shine to you sunnies and really tests the manufacturers claims that they are flexible and shatter-proof!

 

All the glasses in the range have a customisable nose and temple piece coated in water repellent Megol. This means that they stay in place even in the most hectic sprints and with a superior anti-fog impact and scratch resistant coating on the lenses; you should always have a clear field of vision. If you are looking for superior ventilation, then the C-TF02 Sunglasses with its additional lenses mean you can use them in all conditions without ever misting up. However, one of the greatest things about Carrera cycling glasses is that they are as stylish as they are technical, so you’ll always manage to look the part, even when you’ve booked yourself into the hurt locker!

If you’re anything like me, you like to match your wardrobe to your bike. We all like clothes, shoes, helmets and glasses that blend together in a not so obvious but stylish manor, so it’s a good thing Carrera make helmets to match their glasses range.

Bearing in mind that helmets 20 years ago looked and felt like wearing a mushroom on your head, looking and feeling like a complete novice on the bike was a given. In those days tough guys wore cycling caps with the front visor flipped up and it always seemed that tough guys just got up from any crashes . However, with safety on the forefront of many peoples minds time had to move on and manufactures have dedicated years to developing helmets that will keep even the fussiest of riders happy. For those of us who don’t want to fully lose the retro look, there is always room to  accommodated your cap underneath.

 

Using In-moulding technology, consisting of a polystyrene shell with a polycarbonate outer shell, Carrera helmets guarantee extreme lightness for the weight weenies and the capacity to absorb any impact should you be unfortunate enough to hit the deck. With their total fitting system and ventilation channels, it’s harder than ever to keep finding excuses not to wear a helmet.

As worn by the Katusha Pro Cycling Team , the Radius has the Aluminium Tech Frame that runs through the moulding to increase stability and yet maximise aerodynamics. The helmets are light enough that you barely feel them on and they are very comfortable, so you can wear them for hours even on the hottest of days.

Carrera doesn’t only cater to the racing elite either, they also use their skills to develop helmets suitable for the every day rider, the commuter or those who find their winter training rides always end up in the dark. The Pistard gets the PBK thumbs up for its function and price because we feel it’s important to be visible at night, especially from behind. With a built in rear light, training and commuting rides hopefully become that much safer. For those of you lucky enough to get a summer, one of the most annoying occurrences out on a ride is flies and bees that can fly into and get trapped in your helmet vents. Anyone who has tried to encourage a fly to get out from underneath their helmet will know it’s a thankless task! Fortunately the Pistard’s built in insect net allows for a buzz free ride, meaning this helmet is a perfect all season purchase.

From Pro’s to the weekend warriors, commuters to the family ride, Carrera has developed their helmets and glasses to do their job without restricting performance. With various price ranges and styles available, it means that they are suited to a range of tastes and budgets and will quickly become a favourite brand for all of us who are dedicated to becoming a better cyclist.

 



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