Ranger AI sports glasses: kinda cool, kinda not

Patrick Bardelli

13.4.2026

Translation: Katherine Martin

Pictures: Patrick Bardelli

The Ranger sports glasses pack an action cam, open-ear headphones, a walkie-talkie and – as you might’ve guessed – sunglasses, into one product. When Chinese brand BleeqUp showcased them at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last year, it caused quite a stir. I’ve since tried out these all-singing, all-dancing glasses – but I’m still on the fence about them.

I can barely write the phrase «4-in-1 sports camera glasses» without making multiple typos. But hey, that’s a side issue. There was a lot of excitement when Chinese brand BleeqUp unveiled what it claimed was a world-first at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona last March. After all, the Ranger sunglasses combine an action cam, open-ear headphones and a walkie-talkie in one. And, first and foremost, they’re obviously sports glasses too.

Back when the product was launched, the company described itself as a pioneer in integrating an AI-powered, high-quality camera into professional cycling glasses. Reportedly, the glasses allow you to record videos or take photos on your ride, automatically edit them and maintain communication with your buddies on the road. I first wrote about the Ranger a year ago:

Since then, other manufacturers have released AI glasses too, most notably Oakley with its Meta models.

Frames and glass

The Ranger glasses, lenses included, weigh exactly 49 grammes (according to my kitchen scale). The frame’s made of TR90, a high-quality thermoplastic primarily used for lightweight, flexible, durable glasses frames. For the lenses, BleeqUp has partnered with Zeiss to offer a variety of styles and colors sporting UV400 protection. This supposedly blocks 100 per cent of harmful UVA and UVB rays.

It’s a plus that the glasses come with a clip for prescription lenses.

Photos and videos

The camera built into the Ranger captures both photos and videos. You can manage the camera settings in the BleeqUp app. For instance, since you tilt your head further forwards when road biking than in other sports like jogging or mountain biking, the app features a special road biking perspective. The first time I went out wearing the glasses, I hadn’t yet activated that feature. This was the result:

Here’s how it looks with the right setup:

Thanks to electronic image stabilisation, my footage stays smooth and wobble-free, even on bumpy gravel paths. The videos can be edited or cut in the app straight away. AI comes into play there too, automatically selecting various key moments from your ride and creating a condensed version. For example, it identifies buildings or forks in the road, then places markers at those locations. You can also set these markers manually during your cycle, then edit the clips yourself.

According to the manufacturer, the glasses’ 32 GB of storage capacity is enough for 4.5 to 5.5 hours of video footage. If you ask me, the still images taken by the camera are decent too:

The specs

• Pixels: 16 MP
• Aspect ratio/resolution: [4:3] 4,656 × 3,496
• Video aspect ratio/resolution: supports landscape [16:9] 1,920×1,080 and portrait [9:16] 1,080×1,920
• Video stabilisation: AI stabilisation
• Field of view: 120°

Audio

Last autumn, Belgian brand Lazer launched an open-ear audio and communication system for cyclists that I use all the time. The Ranger’s sound quality, however, is much better. I’m especially keen on the rich bass. BleeqUp has built two full-range speakers and two high-frequency speakers into the Ranger.

However, the music keeps on cutting out while I’m on a ride. In fact, it happened so often on my first try of the glasses that I was about to write them off completely. On that ride, my music cut out ten times over the course of about 50 minutes. These days, it maybe happens once or twice an hour. As annoying as that is, if you tap the glasses or the separately available remote control, you’ll get the sound back. I still can’t figure out why this is happening, but I’m obviously deducting a star from my rating because of it.

The remote control, by the way, is definitely worth the extra money. It fits on my aero handlebars, allowing me to adjust the glasses without constantly fumbling around near my face.

Phone calls

Making and receiving phone calls via the AI glasses is seamless too. The sound quality’s faultless on both ends. In fact, thanks to the glasses’ built-in microphone and speakers, it’s actually better than on a standard smartphone. The Ranger also has a walkie-talkie feature that allows cyclists to communicate with fellow riders during group bike trips. However, I didn’t manage to test it.

Additional features

• Processor: Qualcomm
• Connectivity: Bluetooth/WLAN 5G AP WIFI
• Battery: built-in lithium-ion
• Capacity: 260 mAh (glasses) / 1,600 mAh (Power Plus)

Battery life

Another component you can buy separately is an external battery module. This significantly extends the Ranger’s battery life. You can attach the module to the back of your helmet, connecting it to the glasses using a small charging cable. It also serves as an extra tail light.

These battery life specs, provided by the manufacturer, tell you how long the battery lasts during a single session of continuous video recording or audio playback:

• Video recording (continuous): one hour + four extra hours with an additional battery module
• Audio listening (continuous): eight hours + 40 extra hours with an additional battery module

The specs referring to use of the glasses without the module chime with my experience. In my view, the battery life figures for use with the additional module also seem realistic. However, I haven’t been out on a ride lasting 40 hours or more with the Ranger.

Data quality

Of course, you can also record your rides in the BleeqUp app. This works without a hitch. However, on some rides, the data differs significantly from the data recorded by my Garmin GPS bike computer. The elevation gain difference of nearly 100 meters is particularly stark. There are also significant variations when it comes to the distance covered. I’d much prefer to rely on Garmin’s product for these measurements.

Post-publication note

The manufacturer has since responded to my criticisms by issuing the following statements:

Automatic shutdown: This is a known firmware bug that’s currently being fixed. Once the update’s released on 17 April, customers will no longer be affected by the issue.

Wearing detection: Users who encounter this issue can simply disable wearing detection in the app settings. This doesn’t affect the glasses during typical use.

Accuracy of training data: This is influenced by environmental factors and GPS data, and represents an industry-wide challenge. Discrepancies of up to 50 per cent have even been observed among different Garmin devices. We’re continuously working to improve this by using sensor fusion algorithms.

In a nutshell

I’m uneasy about BleeqUp’s Ranger glasses

I’m giving BleeqUp’s AI glasses three out of five stars. I’ve knocked off one point because of the music annoyingly cutting off by itself. In addition, I’ve deducted a point for the inaccuracies I noticed in the ride data recorded compared to my GPS bike computer.

So that’s the minus points out of the way. However, the glasses also have numerous pluses.

First off, the audio quality’s really good. Regardless of whether I’m listening to music or talking on the phone, it does the job. I’m also impressed by the video and photo quality. It’s wild how much tech can be housed within 49 grammes of plastic. Combining the glasses with the extra battery module and handlebar-mounted remote control (both of which are available from the manufacturer as part of a bundle including replacement lenses too) makes them even better.

I like the app, too. It’s clearly laid out and really intuitive to use.

But despite all of these plus points, the Ranger glasses have left me with mixed feelings. Not so much because of the glasses themselves, but because of a general sense of unease. Do I really want to be monitored – ahem – accompanied by AI while I’m out enjoying the great outdoors on my bike? On, and while we’re on the subject, why did the glasses turn on by themselves during the night and connect to my smartphone?

Pro

• Creates videos and photos
• Audio quality is good for listening to music
• Phone calls
• Offers long battery life when paired with an additional battery module

Contra

• Music keeps randomly turning off on its own
• Data accuracy

Sports glasses

BleeqUp Ranger AI Sports Glasses

Orange-Red

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Patrick Bardelli

Senior Editor

Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.ch

From radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.

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