The best cycling sunglasses will not only protect your eyes from wind, foreign objects, and sun damage, but also adapt to changing light conditions, prevent fogging and moisture buildup, resist scratches, and do so with a comfortable, secure fit.
For many, the practical functions of cycling sunglasses are an afterthought, with style or price being the deciding factors. Thankfully, there is a seemingly endless choice of shapes, sizes, and colours available across a wide price range.
In this article, we will discuss how cycling sunglasses differ from standard sunglasses, why they’re important, the different types and features, and how to choose the right pair.
What Are Cycling Glasses and Why Are They Important for Riders?
Cycling sunglasses are specialised sports equipment designed to solve the challenges posed to vision while riding outdoors.
In reality, any sunglasses can be used for cycling if the goal is to reduce the effect of bright sunlight while riding, and most of us will have used our regular sunglasses at one point or another.
However, it quickly becomes clear that regular fashion sunglasses are not designed for moving at high speeds through varied environments, as wind, moisture, and debris can still get into your eyes and affect your vision.
Likewise, these glasses probably don’t stay in place well while exercising.
Function
In practical terms, the two most important functions of cycling sunglasses are:
Protection - shielding your eyes from debris, wind, and sun damage. If you’re descending at 40mph and a bug gets into your eye, the sudden pain and reduction in vision could easily result in an accident.
Providing clear vision in variable conditions - reducing the amount of light that reaches your eyes, retaining clarity in variable conditions through ventilation and anti-fogging, and resisting scratches.
To fulfil these functions, the best cycling sunglasses must stay securely in place as you move through positions on the bike and as you traverse rough terrain. In order to achieve this, manufacturers offer different materials and sizes, interchangeable or moldable nose pieces, and flexible frames with grippy arms.
Style
Leaving utilitarian considerations aside, cycling sunglasses are hugely important to riders for their role in style. Thoughtfully choosing your cycling sunglasses to match your preferred look and the shape of your face is a clear fashion statement, which may supersede the functional characteristics of the glasses for many riders, for example, by choosing a set that isn’t the most comfortable or versatile, but looks great.
How to Choose the Best Cycling Glasses
Before choosing the best glasses for cycling, it’s helpful to understand your specific needs by answering a few questions. With this information at hand, you can narrow down a list of models that you like the look of and have the characteristics you need.
1) What’s your budget?
Cycling sunglasses, like regular sunglasses, span a wide price range. In general, the more expensive pairs, like those from Oakley or POC, have higher-quality materials and more features, but there are plenty of alternatives that offer most of their functionality at significantly lower prices.
2) What conditions do you typically ride in?
Riding in varied light conditions will require lenses that adapt to available light, such as photochromic lenses. Alternatively, some frames allow the lenses to be swapped, and even come with two sets: one for low light and one for bright light. Glasses for winter cycling have clear lenses for riding at night or on dull, rainy days. Most brands offer interchangeable clear lenses for winter riding.
3) What size and shape do you need?
The size of your head and nose, and the shape of your face, are important factors in your buying decision. Choosing the right size or a set of glasses that adapts to different heads will help ensure a good fit and comfort. Ill-fitting cycling sunglasses will slide down your face or bounce around and need constant adjustment, which is both frustrating and unsafe. Look out for adjustable or replaceable nose pieces, flexible frames, and soft materials on the frame arms. Some brands provide more detailed fit guidance than others.
Frame Type and Quality
Cycling sunglasses can be put into three categories: full-frame, partial-frame, or frameless. In a well-designed, high-quality pair of sunglasses, this distinction is mostly aesthetic, but, in theory, the frame can obstruct the field of view if the lens isn’t large enough.
The biggest advantage of a full frame is increased durability (if comparing two pairs of equal quality). The hard plastic frame provides additional protection if you drop the glasses or they fall from your helmet while riding.
A useful feature to look out for is the ability to swap lenses. Most cycling sunglasses have interchangeable lenses, allowing you to swap them based on the lighting conditions. However, the additional lenses usually need to be purchased separately. Finally, buyers should consider the helmet-sunglasses compatibility. Not all sunglasses will fit securely in your helmet, and storing your glasses in a pocket due to poor compatibility isn’t ideal, as they will likely be wet when you take them out to put them on.
What Lens Types Are Best for Cycling?
Sunglass lenses can be confusing to navigate, with terminology such as visible light transmission (VLT), contrast, photochromic, and polarized, as well as proprietary technologies like Oakley’s Prizm, Rudy Project’s RP Optics, and 100%’s HiPER.
In general, the best type of lens for cycling is the one that most closely matches your typical ride conditions, or that can adapt to varied conditions. However, as mentioned above, many cycling sunglasses allow you to swap the lenses to match different lighting conditions.
