Following Oakley's unveiling of what appears to be the new Kato sunglasses on the faces of Chris Froome and Sam Bennett at this year's Vuelta, it appears that Oakley of America has adopted a similar strategy for its new Sutro Lite.

Oakley sunglasses are in front of the eyes of riders at the highest levels of road, gravel, CX, and MTB racing, and it is not simply the result of sponsorship deals.

Former XC World Champ Kate Courtney recently wore a new version of these Blade Sunnies on Instagram, and Cyclingnews has confirmed that these half-framed satros are more than just an improvement on the very popular previous model.

Reactions to the recently unveiled Kato look have been mixed, but the new Sutro Lite has a retro flair, reminiscent of the Razor Blade first introduced in 1989; like the Sutro, Oakley is targeting this new version at "urban cyclists."

The new version is said to be aimed at "urban cyclists," but given the recent trend of more serious riders preferring stylish sunnies, we can expect to see a similar upsurge.

In addition to ditching the bottom edge of the frame, the lower end is rounded compared to the classic Sutro. According to Oakley, this combination improves coverage and field of vision. The lack of a frame along the bottom edge is also expected to improve airflow behind the lenses and prevent the large shield from fogging up.

The remaining frame is made of branded O-Matter plastic, and above the nosepiece, the ode to the original eyeshade seems to carry over to this new model.

Speaking of the nosepiece, it is also made of Unobtainium rubber, and so is the earstock, which becomes stickier as it sweats. Oakley added a raised texture to the arm grippers to help grip the head and prevent the sunglasses from coming down under the nose while riding.

Oakley's website currently lists only Prizm road or Prizm Black lenses on matte black frames, but Cyclingnews reports that the Sutro Lite is Prizm Road Jade, Prizm Trail Torch, Prizm Sapire lenses, and will also be available in matte white and matte navy frames. US retailer Evo also indicates that Prizm Black lenses and Matte Celeste White and Prizm Road lenses and Matte Navy Retro Brown are available for pre-order - we also expect more combinations to be released over time We also expect more combinations to be released over time.

For Oakley enthusiasts, this new and upcoming Kato release at this time will likely lead to discounts on many of Oakley's legacy models like the original Sutro, Radar, and Jawbreakers. As Black Friday approaches, we'll keep you posted on Oakley's Black Friday deals.