Engo began life in 2021 as a branch of MICROOLED, the largest manufacturer of near-eye micro displays outside of Asia. The brand specialise in making sports sunglasses with real-time heads-up displays (HUDs), which is exactly what these are.
Using the ActiveLook app to connect your Garmin, Suunto, Samsung phone or iPhone to the cycling specific sunglasses, they allow you to display your data while keeping your eyes on the road.
ENGO 2 cycling sunglasses construction
The Engo 2 glasses are pretty lightweight at 40g (claimed 41g) for their large pair, not much heavier than many regular pairs of sports glasses thanks to the Engo HUD weighing just 6g. There is also a smaller lens version at 36g claimed and comes in White, Black or Stealth. The lenses are high-definition Polycarbonate Category 3 lenses with impact resistance.
Connectivity to Garmin and Suunto devices as well as Samsung and Apple phones comes via Bluetooth Smart 4.2. Battery life is a claimed 12 hours while charge time is 3 hours using the USB to magnetic pogo-pin cable charger.
The HUD unit itself consists of the battery to the left of the nose-clip, while the projector for the HUD is located to the right hand side. There is a gesture control unit which responds to the user swiping across the centre of the lenses to change the display screen.
ENGO 2 cycling sunglasses in use
The Engo 2 glasses were very easy to charge and set up. The ActiveLook app works very well with them and I was able to connect my phone and smartwatch to use the glasses. However it did disconnect a few times and required a full re-pairing more than once.
Once in the app, you are able to adjust the data screens to have multiple different options with different metrics displayed. I did have some trouble connecting the glasses to Strava, in order to use the Strava live segments, but I think this would have been more effective if paired with a Garmin head unit or smart watch. You can also use the app to adjust the position of the HUD in your field of view, although there is no option to change the HUD colour from the slightly greenish yellow.
Out on the road, the first thing I noticed when wearing the glasses was that the battery unit on the left of the glasses would constantly rub my eyelashes whenever I blinked, this was distraction enough that I had to move the glasses slightly down my nose. This then had the effect of impairing the HUD view, so I pushed them back and accepted the discomfort.
The actual HUD itself is bright and nicely clear, however in certain light conditions it can be very difficult to see the metrics. The option to change HUD colour would be very useful to counter this. Also, because the HUD is slightly off to the left, you do have to look away from the road ahead to see the data. You still have the road and any potential hazards more in your field of view than looking at a bike computer, but I think it’s important to note that it’s still not right in front of you.
Metrics are presented in a greenish/yellow colour
(Image credit: Engo Eyewear)
The actual data was useful for intervals and efforts, where you are working at a set workload and for a certain amount of time. It was particularly good for short repeated intervals such as 40/20s and getting to the right intensity for the right amount of time. There is also the capacity to switch display screens by swiping your hand/finger across the front of the glasses. However, I feel this is a work in progress, as there were a few times when I did this unintentionally and it would sometimes not respond to my gestures.
In terms of battery life the glasses hold true to the 12 hours of performance on a 3 hour charge. However, when turned off, the charge dropped to zero after a week of not using them, so be sure to charge before longer rides just in case.
The glasses themselves are pretty lightweight, weighing just 40g for the larger model. However a good amount of that weight is located in the HUD unit, which does weight the glasses slightly further forwards. Given I had to position them slightly down my nose for comfort, the front loaded weight did mean that they did not feel quite as secure as my usual glasses. This is also in part due to the straight arms which – although have a rubber coating – are not the grippiest.
The lens itself is genuinely faultless, with small ventilation holes working nicely, and the lenses offering great coverage while being superb in brighter conditions with brilliant clarity.
ENGO 2 cycling sunglasses value
At the moment, these seem to be the only cycling glasses with a HUD, which makes comparison difficult. They are cheaper and lighter than previous models such as the Everysight Raptor glasses and the previous generation Engo 1 glasses. Currently they have no serious competitors.
At £264 / $320.29, the glasses are expensive, but not that much more so than some Oakley models which feature no HUD. Value is in the eye of the beholder – it really depends what you want from your sunglasses. If you want a HUD, these are the best option.
Conclusion
The Engo 2 are the lightest, best value, and most refined cycling glasses with a HUD yet.
However, they are not faultless and the unit is still a little bulky which can be uncomfortable and rub your eyelashes. The HUD itself is great with good brightness, lots of options for displayable metrics, and different screens available. The ability to change display colour would be good to work in different light conditions though. The lenses themselves are also great, and the price is decent for a quality pair of sports sunglasses with this many additional features.
Specification
- £265 / $320.29
- 40g (Large shield) 41g claimed
- Claimed 12 hour battery life
- 3 hour charge time
- USB to magnetic pogo-pin cable charger
- High-definition Polycarbonate Category 3 lens
- Lightweight and impact resistant, comparable to other high-performance lenses
