With the Valor PH, the Dutch company wants to shed its image as a supplier of cheap parts and accessories and deliver high-quality sports glasses with a wide range of uses. Visually, the Valor PH is somewhere between race and retro and has a slightly golden mirror finish. The BBB also has a lot to offer in other respects. Its frame is made of Rilsan, a bio-based plastic. The photochromic lens covers categories 1 to 3 and is equipped with both an anti-fog coating on the inside and an oleophobic, i.e. water and oil-repellent, coating on the outside.
The Valor PH is supplied in a spacious hard case, which also has space for an interchangeable lens. A goggle bag is also included in the set. BBB has limited the adjustment options to the nose bridge; the long temples are only slightly rubberised and ribbed to provide a better grip.
Good wind protection, wide field of vision
We particularly liked the large half-frame windscreen, which not only provides a fairly large field of vision, but also reaches far down to the cheekbones due to its shape and thus offers little surface for the wind to attack. Two small ventilation slits also ensure good rear ventilation. We had no problems with fogging with the BBB.
However, we have to mention that although the nosepieces are adjustable, they are quite wide overall and are not an ideal choice for slim noses. Thanks to their strongly inward curved temples and good clamping force, the BBB still sits securely on many faces, even in rough terrain.
The protection against fogging is also okay. It takes quite a long time for the anti-fog coating to give up and the windscreen to tarnish. If you ride out of the sun into a shady passage at full speed, it gets dark at first. The BBB takes a long time to clear up from the dark final tint. Conversely, the process is much faster.
Info & price of the BBB Valor PH
- Price: 169 Euro
- Made inTaiwan
- Weight: 30,8 gram
- Width / temple length: 141 mm / 135 mm
- Nose bridge width / lens height: 20 mm / 62 mm
- AdjustabilityNose clip
- Filter / filter colour / filter class: PH MLC Gold Photochromic / blue-grey / 1 to 3
- Light transmission measured: 52 - 5 %
- Fit: narrow to medium-wide faces; tight temples; rather wide nose bridge
- Equipment / special featuresHardcase; microfibre bag
Evaluation & conclusion
- Self-tinting (40 %): Grade: 3.1
- Visibility & protection (25 %): Grade: 2.2
- Fit & comfort (25 %): Grade: 2.0
- Equipment (10 %): Grade: 2.0
- Overall grade: 2.5
The BBB lags behind in terms of tinting speed. However, visibility, protection and fit are quite good.
With their large panoramic lens, the BBB goggles provide a clear view and thanks to good anti-fog protection, the glasses remain mostly clear. Thanks to the tight frame, the Valor also sits securely on narrower faces, but the temples are a little angular and the nose bridge is quite wide despite being adjustable. In terms of tinting speed, the BBB is only average.
