Cycling sunglasses

What are cycling sunglasses?

Cycling sunglasses aren’t just stylish—they’re specifically designed for cyclists’ needs. They improve your safety and enhance your ride, whether on the road or trails.

Greater Eye Coverage

Cycling sunglasses’ curvature and greater width shield your eyes from wind, dust, insects, and debris. Mountain bikers also need protection from branches and flying mud. At the speeds reached on a bike, even small particles can cause serious irritation or injury without proper eyewear.

Shatterproof Lenses
Unlike regular sunglasses, cycling sunglasses are made with lightweight, impact-resistant materials, such as polyamide or polycarbonate. Since these lenses won’t shatter, they’re safer to wear when riding.

Durable Frames

All those kilometres out on the roads or trails can be tough on your gear. That’s why cycling sunglasses use rugged, flexible materials, such as TR90 or polyamide, that resist cracking, bending, and daily wear.

Other Features to Consider

UV protection

High-quality lenses block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. This helps reduce eye strain and prevent headaches. Even more important, they safeguard your eyes from long-term sun damage. Unlike cheaper sunglasses, high-quality models use materials and coatings that filter harmful rays effectively, even on overcast days when UV exposure can still be high.

Ventilation

Humidity in the environment and sweat can cause lenses to fog up. Curved lenses sit farther from the face and allow for more airflow. In mountain biking, slower uphill riding means that cyclists need extra ventilation from slots in the lenses or frame.

Vision Enhancement

Contrast-enhancing lenses, such as Prizm™ from Oakley or ChromaPop™ from Smith, are designed to make details stand out more clearly. Boosting definition and separating subtle tones, they help mountain bikers spot rocks, roots, and ruts. They also make it easier for road bikers to see potholes, cracks, and gravel patches. With better clarity, cyclists can choose their lines more precisely and ride more safely.

Photochromic Lenses

Here in Eastern Canada, light conditions are always changing. Photochromic lenses (aka transition lenses) darken to eliminate glare in bright light and lighten when the clouds roll in. This gives you the best visibility throughout your ride.

Interchangeable Lenses

Swapping lenses is another way to deal with varying light levels. Mountain bikers riding in dark deciduous forests or road bikers on a cloudy day need clear lenses. Dark tints are best for anyone heading out on the roads on a sunny day or out west for some desert or high-mountain riding. For every light condition in between those two extremes, many other tints and colours are available to enhance and protect your vision.

Frame Flexibility

Mountain bikers need frames with extra flexibility to handle the rigours of the sport. A more pliable frame is less likely to break and allows for a snug, secure fit that stays put through rough terrain and constant vibrations.

Frameless Lenses

These lenses are lightweight and aerodynamic, which make them perfect for competitive road bikers seeking an edge or people who just prefer their sleek look. Keep in mind that they provide less protection from impacts and tend to be less durable.

Adjustable Nose Pads

This feature allows you to adjust for a more comfortable fit with your face and helmet. Plus, being able to create more space between your face and sunglasses also improves airflow and reduces condensation.

When to wear goggles?

Goggles are best for enduro or downhill riders. The extra coverage offers more protection on high-speed, technical descents. Ventilation is more limited than with sunglasses, but when you’re moving fast, airflow usually isn’t an issue.

Want to learn more about cycling sunglasses? Read our blog post “How to Choose Your Bike Sunglasses?”