Video: Melon Announces Alleycat Riding Shades

Feb 15, 2020
by melonoptics  


PRESS RELEASE: The Melon Alleycats

For the past 6 years we've been scrapping away to bring our custom eyewear vision to life, it's not been easy but every step has been epic fun and a massive learning experience. It's beyond our wildest dreams to see our goggles loved by riders across the globe and we love hearing all the feedback you girls and guys have - both good and bad.

Something Different in Mind


The next step in our dream has now become a reality - a rad pair of performance riding glasses. We've had these in the back of our mind for a while now and at the end of 2019, we were finally able to bring the dream to life.

There are some solid riding sunnies out there for sure, but we just didn't feel inspired by them. We wanted sunnies that could be fun and creative whilst also being up there with best in terms of quality.

So step up what we think are the raddest most badass pair of riding sunnies on the market - The Melon Alleycats!

Melon Alleycat in turquoise with neon yellow icon and silver Zeiss lens
Melon Alleycats - what s in the box - Alleycat riding sunnies with chrome lens lowlight lens micro fibre bag and premium hard case.


The Best Lenses Out There


We designed the Alleycats around a radical-looking and performing lens! Having a strong relationship with the world's best lens manufacturer - Zeiss - whose Italian designed lenses we use across our snow goggles range, we knew we needed their incredible tech in the picture for our riding shades.

We’d been drooling over Zeiss’s high impact Trail Lens range since visiting their factory a few years ago and now knew it was time to get our hands on them!

These super tech lenses feature anti-scratch, water repellent, and anti-reflective coatings, so not only do they look badass, but they are also built to withstand the rough stuff as well as give you an insanely clear, crisp view.

Zeiss Trail Lens features

Zeiss Colour Technology

A Low Light with Every Pair!

Growing up riding in the UK, we know too well the reality of riding in overcast dank conditions rather than bright sunshine and blue skies! The Alleycats were made ready for ALL conditions with a lowlight lens included with EVERY pair, you pick the tinted lens you want and we throw a lowlight in the box for you.

This lowlight is a category zero Zeiss lens, that’s super rad for those dark days, forest trails, and nighttime riding. They’re designed with a slightly yellow tint to brighten the scene and cut down on artificial light reflections.

For your main lens choice, we offer five lens tints from category 1 to 3 giving you the option to pick a lens to suit your needs.


An Italian Family Affair - Bellissimo!

Italy - the land of great pizza, serious cycling heritage, and arguably the world's highest quality eyewear manufacturers.

We spent a week in Italy, three of us crammed into the front of the Melon van, as we hit the road in search of a manufacturer who could understand our concept and help us bring our vision to life.

After many meetings over excessively large pasta-based lunches, we found Dino! Effortlessly cool with a big friendly smile, we had that feeling from the moment we met that he was someone special. After visiting his modest family-run factory and seeing how his team craft such beautiful eyewear, there was no doubt that he was our guy.

Dino and his team produce every pair to the highest standard from super tough lightweight TR90, they add a rubberised nose piece and arms for ultimate comfort, and hand finish and pack every pair.

Melon Alleycat in neon yellow with lowlight lens on rider
Melon Alleycat in neon yellow with smoke lens on rider

Perfectly Packaged

Speaking of packing, we deliver every pair of Alleycats in a premium hard case that also holds your spare lens, and every pair comes in a microfibre bag so you can polish the lenses up to shine!

Melon Alleycats in premium hard case with micro fibre bag and box

Get Personal - Ready to Customise

Our favourite part of the new Alleycat is of course the customisation opportunities! We founded Melon on the principle of freedom to express your personality. All the custom products we produce are designed for you to inject your own creative flair, so here’s where you get to go wild!

Melon Alleycat customisable on the Melon website

Combos for Days

When the first batch arrived we wasted an entire day sat gathered around a pile of components on the floor, excitedly building combos and being unable to decide what our favourites were - safe to say no real work got done that day!

Luckily we couldn't find a bad looking set, and at the end of the day it's all about you customising them to your own style - so you can go as wild (or not) as you want!

Melon Alleycat white with violet lens pink icon and pink nose piece

Epic Stoke Levels!

Every time we see a pair of Alleycats out on the trails, tagged on socials, or get a message from someone amped on their pair, our stoke levels go through the roof! We’re looking forward to hearing what more of you think, and continuing to work and play hard on creating rad custom products for all of us to enjoy.

Thanks for supporting our independent brand, and keep an eagle eye out for our up and coming creations!!

Ride Wild!


Melon Alleycats are available on our website for international delivery

Melon Alleycat with neon yellow nose piece
white and neon yellow Melon Alleycats

Melon Alleycats in paint splat with red Zeiss lens


Author Info:
melonoptics avatar

Member since Jun 29, 2017
23 articles

65 Comments
  • 67 0
 I'm no dentist, I don't make a melon dollars
  • 49 0
 Who doesn't like a nice pair of melons?
  • 3 0
 On yer face!
  • 31 2
 Those lens edges near my cheeks and nose, no thanks
  • 10 3
 Exactly the wrong spot for exposed frames. #slicers
  • 2 0
 Seems like exactly the right spot for me. Got some X-Tigers from amazon and that’s the one design I’d change. The frame on the bottom edge is distracting when descending.
  • 18 0
 I'm gonna sunglasses like its 1989
  • 6 0
 That's rad dude.
  • 1 0
 I dig my Oakley Razor Blades. All of them.
  • 1 0
 @jeremiahwas: Sooo mad I lost my Razor Blades along the moves in 35 years. These look great for skiing/boarding. Maybe it's my small forehead but big glasses, plus helmet, plus aggro style riding doesn't add up. Would def try these skiing but have too many expensive sunglasses already. Started buying smaller but similar shooting glasses for riding $ 18
  • 1 0
 @jorgeposada: I have the reissue heritage ones. There are some on eBay.
  • 14 0
 Whoa, those lenses look amazeballs... the moss covered branches and all the vegetation covering the trail was invisible without them!
  • 4 0
 It’s almost like the entire perspective changed once those bad boys go on!!
  • 14 0
 Macho man Randy Savage approved!
  • 9 1
 Ooooh Yeaahhh!!!
  • 13 0
 The picture of the lady with mud on her face, but in a studio. Authentic!
  • 12 0
 Cheeks slicer
  • 6 0
 I love the look, but again without the open bottoms... we crash guys, close the bottoms so our eyewear doesn’t slice our checks off!
  • 4 1
 Panama Jack had much cooler glasses in 1984 & they were less than $20.00 back then- and the lenses were not coated like the crap out there now; so there was nothing to wear off. This overpriced junk will definitely appeal to some in this market of grossly overpriced bikes, parts & accessories. It's the same as every other market where people think 'if it costs a lot it must be good' or just want to brag to their peers how much they spent...
  • 4 0
 There's no substitute for blublockers.
  • 2 0
 Everything is clear They block out the sun I love these Blueblockers mmmm... I gotta get me some
  • 3 0
 Bought a pair recently. Comfiest glasses iv ever worn and haven't fogged up once. Definitely worth the money.
  • 3 1
 I'm surprised people are concerned about these lenses slicing their face. Looks like they're plenty thick enough to not be sharp... shrug>
  • 1 0
 200 bucks for these is worth a try if there as good as the company claims Oakley and 100% are priced way higher and I've never been super impressed with there stuff either but alot of people but them for the status
  • 1 1
 Big fan of Melons....
I’ve been using their goggles for a year or so and have had the new Alleycats since early December thanks to an early order offer.
Really comfortable, great coverage and lots of customisation options.
  • 3 0
 But the cream will rise to the top! Oh yeah! Macho madness!!!
  • 2 0
 I'll just dig out my old Oakley Razorblades (the early 2000 rereleases, not the originals)
  • 3 1
 Same price as Oakley. I would need to be hard pressed to buy this ones instead
  • 1 0
 Agreed. What are some of the good budget brands that do performance glasses? Been a while since I looked.
  • 1 0
 yup, need to be in the $75 range to be a disrupter
  • 1 0
 TLD already used the graphics on the bag/box about 10 years ago.

The rest is a mashup of Oakley/100%/etc.

But Zeiss to justify the Price... and more cash for Luxottica!
  • 2 0
 The glasses lean sideways on both models’ faces. Great attention to detail from the marketing department.
  • 3 0
 There's cheaper ways to look like a bell end.
  • 1 0
 I just want to but I can't when I don't even spend close to that for ski goggles or regular sunglasses.
  • 1 0
 I'll stick with Oakley. Prizm lenses are amazing, pure science wrapped in art.
  • 2 0
 Pretty funny... you can get these on DH gate for $18.00...
  • 2 0
 What's the deal with MTB and the 80s douchecanoe Biff Tannen aesthetic?
  • 1 0
 kinda look exactly like 100%
if i saw these on ebay i would think they were counterfeit 100% speedcrafts
  • 2 0
 Do these come in Double Deez?
  • 2 0
 For anyone who can't be bothered to click through, they're about £115.
  • 1 0
 they are super cool but $200 Frown come oooon!
  • 1 0
 Is that a young Rob Warner or his love child in the video?
  • 1 0
 If oakleys and pit vipers had a child.
  • 1 0
 Man those lenses look so much like the 100 % for road/CX racing
  • 1 1
 Hell yeah melon! James and ash and Neil- rad dudes who are down to earth and make great product. BRING EM TO THE USA!!!
  • 1 0
 International includes USA my patriot
  • 1 0
 Looked great until I checked the price
  • 2 5
 How you think i feel to see another mc
Gettin' paid usin' my rap style
And i'm playn' the background meanwhile
I ain't with that
You can forget that
You took my style
I'm takin' it back
I'm come back like "return of the jedi"
Sucker mc's in the place that said i
Could only rock rhymes
Only rock crowds
But never rock records...

How ya like me now?
  • 1 0
 150 dollars and from what I can tell not polarized?
  • 1 0
 polarized lenses have a tendency to hinder the depth perception
  • 4 4
 Are we as mountain bikers trying to look more gay or less gay? Hard to tell sometimes.
  • 1 0
 If Riff Raff rode mtn bikes.........tip toe wing in his Jawwdinz!
  • 1 0
 Gets a dirty face but not dirty lenses. How come?
  • 1 0
 I wish my mud rides were that clean!
  • 1 0
 Are they polarized?
  • 1 0
 Look good...
  • 1 0
 Dino from Visard?
  • 2 2
 Dial it back to 11 Melon....you’re trying too hard.
  • 1 0
 I'd buy them.
  • 1 0
 MA BELL(4FORTY)I CAZZOOO
  • 1 0
 115 euros. Holy melon!!!
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