8 Best Cycling Sunglasses in 2021 to Protect Your Eyes

Cycling is an exciting exercise that’s best enjoyed with the right set of gears and equipment. One of such gears is a pair of quality cycling sunglasses. You need to understand that while riding along different terrains and trails, there are a couple of things that threaten to harm your eyes.

First is the bright light from the sun; then the others are rocks, flying bugs etc. The purpose of wearing biking sunglasses is to effectively keep all those dangers away from your eyes.

However, quality sunglasses should be used while riding your bike. This will ensure that they are able to effectively withstand any impact from flying objects. We have put together a review of the best cycling sunglasses. Keep reading to know more.

Best Sunglasses for Cycling

As you search for a good pair of sunglasses, you’ll be presented with a lot of tempting brands and options.

However, you must be able to select or make a choice that will serve the purpose of protecting your eyes at all times while cycling.

Take a look at our selection:

1. Oakley Men’s Oo9211 Pitch Shield Sunglasses

First on our list is the Oakley Men’s Oo9211 Sunglasses. The Oakley brand has a significant level of popularity, and this pair of cycling sunglasses from them is a worthy mention.

The design incorporates a pair of polycarbonate lenses that perform well against external damaging factors. The design also leaves room for airflow through the lenses in order to prevent blinding moisture build-up – this way, the cyclist can always see clearly.

The lens size is also customizable – meaning that different available lens sizes can be exchanged for the ones currently in the glasses’ frame. There’s a nice use of rubber material in the design of this product. Rubber is used to make the nose clamp, which is customizable to perfectly match different nose types. This product’s frame was fabricated from a light-weight O-Matter plastic material that has a little level of flexibility.

The Oakley Oo9211 sunglasses are a bit pricey. However, the quality offered makes it worth the cost. Summarily, this pair of sunglasses is made to satisfy high standards, and it deserves a place on your list of biking gear and equipment.

2. Tifosi Podium Xc Shield Sunglasses

This article would be incomplete without mentioning the Tifosi Podium Xc Shield Sunglasses. If you’re a cyclist with a small face, and you’ve been struggling to get a pair of sunglasses that fit, this pair is just for you.

This product’s frame has a certain level of pliability and it spans across a significantly wide area of the face. There are different lenses that can be interchanged into the frame of the product.

One downside with this product is its lack of proper ventilation; meaning that there’s a possibility of fog building up on the lenses and reducing visibility. The nose clamp can be easily modified to fit different noses, while the rubber arms improve grip.

3. Bolle 5th Element Pro Sunglasses

This is another reliable pair of biking sunglasses that has a water-resistant and oil-resistant coating. Thanks to these features, cyclists can be sure of high levels of visibility while riding in any weather condition.

There’s also a B-Flow frame venting feature that allows air to adequately flow through the lenses and prevent the build-up of blinding fog/moisture.

This product is also versatile, as it comes with different choices of lens. Depending on the situation and individual preference you can easily switch between the available lenses whenever you like. There are photochromic lenses also that automatically change shade based on natural lighting.

Other quality features that make this product a top choice include Thermo-grip temple tips, B-shape temples, nose pads, customizable nose piece, and flexible wire core temples.

4. ROKA SL-1x APEX Sunglasses

The next item in this review of the best cycling sunglasses under 50 is the ROKA AL-1x APEX Advanced Sports Performance.

This is a product that has been manufactured to satisfy high standards. Also, this product is inexpensive and is sold at an affordable price. The ROKA brand has been in operation for over 8 years now, and the establishment has produced different quality sports products ever since.

This pair of quality sunglasses is equipped with GEKO fit technology. This means that, while wearing the product, cyclists can get a firm grip on the head to prevent the glasses from slipping out of place. The sunglasses also includes a wide lens that spans from one side of the cyclist’s head to the other, over the eyes, and allows easy visibility from all angles.

This product has a great level of durability – thanks to scratch-resistant properties – and it doesn’t get clouded up with moisture. This product, which is available in 4 unique hues, isn’t heavy at all – only 0.882 ounces.

5. Torege Polarized Sports Sunglasses

With Torege Polarized Sports Sunglasses, cyclists can choose from 5 different lenses based on the situation and individual preference.

The 5 different lenses are capable of fully shielding the eyes from ultraviolet light beams. All lenses also provide a high level of visibility in different outdoor conditions. 

The primary lens has brilliant hues, the yellow lens works for dark conditions, and the black lens eliminates glare while you’re behind the wheels of a vehicle. Thanks to this product’s light weight, you’ll barely feel it on your face while cycling. It’s also a long-lasting and attractive product.

The entire design and features of this product make it versatile and applicable for different exercises aside from cycling. The product is constructed with an attractive contemporary design.

Also, the design incorporates polycarbonate frames and lens that are able to withstand strikes from flying rocks and pebbles. The entire package includes an unlimited breakage warranty for the framework.

6. Smith Optics ChromaPop Sunglasses

The Smith Optics ChromaPop Sunglasses is a choice product for cyclists that need effective protection against sunlight.

The company behind this product is well-known for the fabrication and delivery of high-standard equipment. The Smith Optics sunglasses have a nice contemporary structure and they are comfortable to wear. There are also different available lenses to pick from, and use in the product’s frame.

The ChromaPop lenses on the sunglasses completely shield the cyclist’s eyes from dangerous Ultraviolet light beams. The lenses are also fabricated with Smith’s carbonic design – an implementation that allows the lenses to withstand great impacts.

Also, regardless of the situation, the lenses have water and oil-resistant coatings, which ensure that high visibility is maintained all through the ride. The lenses boost image contrast and provide unaltered visibility. This product is versatile and can be used conveniently on different facial profiles.

7. Under Armour Igniter 2.0 Sunglasses

The name “Under Armour” is quite popular in the world of sports. This brand has manufactured a lot of high-quality sports gear for many years.

One of their many standard products is the Under Armour Igniter 2.0 Sunglasses. This product is excellent for prolonged cycling activities across any trail or terrain.

This product is capable of effectively shielding the eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet beams. Thanks to its high level of quality, the product is long-lasting and convenient to wear. The cyclist’s eyes are also shielded from dangerous flying objects like rocks, pebbles, and insects. With this product, you won’t have to frequently buy a new pair of sunglasses.

Thanks to the integration of the unique Armoursight lens system, cyclists get to enjoy high visibility across all edges and the product is also able to last long.

8. Oakley Men’s Oo9206 Radarlock Path

This is another excellent cycling product from Oakley. Just like the previously reviewed Oakley product, this one is also manufactured to satisfy high standards. The brand’s Radar sunglasses have a reputable history.

This product is the most recent fabrication of sunglasses from the company. The Oakley Men’s Oo9206 Radarlock Path is a remarkable product that features a nice contemporary structure.

Just like any excellent piece of cycling glasses should be, this product isn’t heavy, it has a good level of pliability and is long-lasting.

Thanks to an integration of the O-Matter polycarbonate lenses, this product can withstand great impacts from flying objects like rocks or pebbles.

How to Pick the Best Cycling Sunglasses

When searching for the best cycling sunglasses, you’ll be presented with a lot of tempting options.

However, you must be able to identify the features that make a pair of biking sunglasses reliable and effective. Your final choice will also be influenced by personal preference, cycling needs, and available budget.

Here are the things to consider:

Lenses

The quality of lenses on a pair of cycling sunglasses will determine how effective and reliable the product will be. Different lenses are tinted for various specific purposes and situations. Never overlook the type of tint on the product’s lenses.

There are also products that offer cyclists with different lenses that can be switched between based on present need. Most times, riders are presented with these lenses: shaded lenses for complete shielding against Ultraviolet beams, yellow-tinged lenses that improve lighting in a shaded environment, and clear lenses for night time.

There’s a disadvantage associated with lenses that are dedicated to a single visibility condition. For instance, using a clear lens would work for night time riding, but won’t shield the eyes effectively from UV rays. However, there are more versatile lenses that can perform multiple functions simultaneously.

For instance, the Oakley’s Prizm lens has an automatic adjustability function – meaning that the lens switches between functions to effectively protect your eyes and maintain high visibility in different situations.

Lens Shape

The lens shape is also a factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. The shape of the lens has a lot to do with the protection and effective shielding of the eyes.

While cycling, there are a couple of things that threaten to harmfully strike the eyes – pebbles, flying bugs, debris etc. However, with a great pair of lenses, your eyes will be duly protected.

The best lens should be shaped in a way that it covers all corners of the eyes; the lenses should span across the eyes and also curve to the corner side of the eyes. The shape of the glasses should also allow cyclists to see clearly from all angles and corners of the eye.

Finish

The finishing on your sunglasses shouldn’t be overlooked. These finishes make the sunglasses more efficient in certain situations.

Certain sunglasses have oil-resistant and water-resistant coatings. This prevents grease, mud, and wetness from blocking your visibility through the glasses’ lens when riding a bike.

There are also lenses that leave room for ventilation – this is to prevent the build-up of fog and moisture on the face of the lenses.

Frames

The quality and design of the frames also mean a lot.

A good pair of sunglasses for cycling would have a frame that’s designed to firmly grip the sides of the head – this way the glasses won’t come off when riding on bumpy terrains or making fast head movements.

There are products that have rubberized arms to improve grip and prevent slipping. There are also those with arms that can be adjusted to fit different facial profiles.

Prescription Lenses

There are also prescription lenses that can be used by cyclists with certain eye defects. This way, the cyclist gets to address the eye defect while also enjoying the shielding properties of the lenses.

If your budget won’t allow you to get prescription lenses, you can wear contacts to address the eye defects and still wear your protective sunglasses at the same time.

One more alternative is to place a prescription insert behind the lenses of the protective sunglasses.

Air Vents

When it comes to sunglasses for biking, ventilation is an important feature. There are certain outdoor riding conditions that facilitate the build-up of moisture on the face of lenses.

Because of this moisture build-up, thick fog can be formed on the lenses, and this will inhibit good visibility while riding.

Shockproof

It’s also important for your cycling glasses to be shockproof. This means that they would be able to withstand forceful impact without getting smashed to bits.

Weak glasses would need to be constantly replaced if you put them on your saddle bag and that would mean additional cost.

There’s also a possibility of getting injured by broken lenses. Hence, it’s important that lenses, and frames, should be sturdy enough to withstand breakage.

Polarized vs. Non-Polarized Cycling Sunglasses

There are polarized and non-polarized lenses. Lenses that are polarized have a certain filtering ability. They are capable of blocking off reflected beams of light that are horizontally inclined.

These horizontally reflected beams are responsible for things like the mirage. Polarized lenses eliminate the glistening effect of mirages when cycling along paths in hot weather.

Considering this function of polarized lenses, it makes sense that people who are mostly into road biking should wear polarized lenses. Others who are engaged in mountain biking may not make use of polarized lenses – as they have no need for the glare eliminating effect.

Polarized lenses also shield the eyes from UVA and UVB rays. Other lenses also perform this function – as it’s a common function of almost all lenses these days.  

Conclusion

Now that we went through some of the best biking sunglasses, making the perfect purchase shouldn’t be a problem.

However, among all the items we reviewed, the Oakley Men’s Oo9211 Radar Ev Pitch Shield Sunglasses are the best.

They feature polycarbonate lenses that will protect your eyes against external factors and come with air vents for extra airflow. This way, there won’t be any moisture build-up and you’ll be able to see clearly.

James Mattis

James is a passionate bicyclist who has done about every kind of biking there is. He loves the wind in his hair, the sun over his shoulder and maybe even the bugs in his teeth. No, just kidding about that last item. He isn’t crazy about road burns, either, but acknowledges that to have the good there is the occasional tumble. James feels that his bike is the place where he can unwind, leave troubles alongside the road, meet new people, go new places, and live the life of adventure that he loves. He is ready to share the ride with you.

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