As a part of Shimano’s 2025 sunglasses collection releases, Shimano has introduced the new Pulsar sunglasses. The Pulsar CE-PLSR3 are lightweight and durable off road sunglasses with one-piece RIDESCAPE lenses for optimal clarity. Retail price ranges from $90 with a standard lens to $110 for the photochromic lens option. All the sunglasses have oversized and interchangeable one piece lenses with Shimano’s RIDESCAPE lens options that are optimized for different conditions. One of the unique features of the sunglasses is the detachable lower rim which lets you use the Pulsar as a semi-frameless sunglass or as a full frame version. The frames are also constructed from Rilsan polyamide and have auto locking hinges.
The Shimano Pulsar CE-PLSR3 are lightweight cycling sunglasses with Shimano’s RIDESCAPE lenses and a detachable lower rim.
| Retail Price | $90-$110 |
| Rating | 9.4 / 10 |
| Measured weight (in g) | 29 |
| Likes | + Budget friendly retail price + Detachable lower rim let you switch up style + Clear and distortion free RIDESCAPE lens |
| Dislikes | – No zippered case |
| Where to Buy (US) | Shimano |
UNBOXING
The Shimano Pulsar CE-PLSR3 comes in a simple cardboard box with blue Shimano logos printed on it. It’s a two piece box design with an outer sleeve that slides off, and an opening box inside it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Pulsar sunglasses
- Branded fabric carrying bag
- Quick guide for lens / nose pad instructions for Shimano’s full sunglass lineup
- Lens info pamphlet
Shimano does not include a zippered carrying case with the sunglasses which are usually included with other brands.
FIT & FINISH
The Shimano Pulsar sunglasses are an offroad specific design that have been optimized for lightweight and durability. Shimano offers the sunglasses in eight variations with only RIDESCAPE Gravel and Off-Road lens options. There are also two options with photochromic lenses that are only $20 more that can adjust to the environment. All the variations have Rilsan polyamide frames with different matte color options from black to more interesting colors like ivory and teal. For this review, we have one of the most unique color names we’ve seen, teaberry with RIDESCAPE OR lens. We would describe the color as a dark salmon which has a nice neutral appearance with the matte finish. The frame has dark gray accents along the rubber temple tips and on the detachable lower rim.
You can remove the lower rim pieces by pivoting them off the nose pad and sliding them off the lens for a semi-frameless look or leave them on for a full frame look. It’s a nice option that lets you change the look of the sunglasses and a less common feature. Unfortunately, Shimano does not sell the lower rim pieces separately which would have let people really customize the look of the sunglasses. One of the main selling points for the Shimano sunglasses are their proprietary RIDESCAPE lens technology. It’s Shimano’s lens design that uses specially tuned lenses to optimize them for either road cycling, gravel cycling or off-road.
Each lens is tuned to specific colors such as the gray of asphalt for road cycling or the dirt and rock for gravel and mountain biking. All the lenses have a polyamide construction and different coatings to maximize clarity. The Pulsar is only available with the RIDESCAPE OR and the RIDESCAPE GR variations as these are meant for off-road use. We have the RIDESCAPE OR lens which has a 35% VLT which is a category 2 lens that is meant to reduce glare while riding in and out of shadows. It’s not as dark as other lenses on the market though which can be as low as 15% VLT but it has a subtle mirrored finish. These are a one-piece lens with an interchangeable design and an included clear lens. The lens is surprisingly thick as well which gives the sunglasses a rigid feel and should help with durability. For venting there are rectangular cutouts on each side of the lens next to the frame edge.
There are additional cutouts along the top of the frame to help with ventilation which is a nice feature. Shimano has designed the Pulsar lenses with a smooth design and straight arms. Each hinge has an AutoLock feature with a spring that lets you open and close them with one hand. The arms themselves are flexible with rubber coating along the times and a thin flexible design for comfort. As far as the nose pad, it’s a bolt-on design with a wire core that lets you move and manipulate the position. You would need to use a small screwdriver to remove the nose pad if you needed to replace it.
ON THE ROAD
Compared to the new Shimano S-PHYRE SL and Equinox sunglasses, the Pulsar are the most affordable and are specifically optimized for off-road or gravel use. The simple style and the RIDESCAPE OR lens of our Pulsar worked well on trails where the lens highlights debris and rocks. With the oversized design of the lens, you also have a wide field of view that makes you forget you are wearing them. The non-slip temples arms and the adjustable nose pad are also comfortable and have no pressure points even for longer rides. Details like the spring loaded temple arms also improve usability as you can easily take the sunglasses on and off with a single hand.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Shimano Pulsar sunglasses to be well priced and comfortable sunglasses. Shimano has combined an affordable price point and their RIDESCAPE lenses to optimize the sunglasses for gravel and mountain biking. The sunglasses also have a detachable lower rim which lets you mix up the style between full frame or semi-frameless. Eitherway, the sunglasses have a wide field of view with venting on the lens and frame. We were impressed with the clear optics and the unique color options of the sunglasses. The only negative for the Pulsar is that there is no zippered bag included, only a fabric bag. That said, the Shimano Pulsar are budget friendly sunglasses with great optics.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Shimano. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.