How To Choose The Best Cycling Glasses And Our Top Picks

by | Nov 6, 2023 | Buyer's Guide, Bike, Featured, Sports

Understand the nuances of sports eyewear lens technology and how to find the best pair of cycling glasses for you.

There are hundreds of sports eyewear manufacturers out there all claiming their own unique lens technology and groundbreaking designs. Given that, we’re going to dig into the details of lens technology and different frame designs as well as share some of our top cycling glasses recommendations to get you going down the right track.

Lens technology

Materials

Lenses are typically made from either polycarbonate, plastic, or glass. Polycarbonate lenses are the most durable and impact-resistant, making them popular for cycling glasses. They still retain great optical clarity relative to glass but won’t shatter in your face in the event of a crash.

If you’re needing to use optical correction inserts in your glasses, brands like Salice are ready to make that happen for you.

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.
Optical inserts can be a game-changer for those who need them! (c) Salice Eyewear

Polarising

Polarising blocks horizontal light waves with the effect of reducing glares and reflections. Given that, they aren’t a must-have for mountain biking, though they could be useful on the road with more reflective objects around. Polarising can make a difference when driving so if you’re like me and often drive in your cycling glasses, it could be a worthwhile feature to look out for.

Photochromic / Photochromatic

Both of these terms mean the same thing. Photochromic lenses darken in response to UV light. Molecules in the lens react to UV light to filter out more visible light, making them darker in bright situations and more transparent in low-light situations. This means that you do not need to carry two pairs of glasses or lenses for different conditions.

Good photochromic lenses can move between around 18 and 85 % VLT to operate effectively in a wide range of light conditions. They take a few seconds to transition as light changes to you may be in the dark for a moment as you enter a forest from a sunny field, for example.

These lenses have a lifespan of roughly 3 years or so before they become less effective/responsive. They also won’t adjust to light as much behind a car windshield due to UV rays typically being blocked by most windshields.

VLT %

VLT % is a measure of how much visible light passes through the lenses. Lenses with a higher VLT % will allow more light to pass through, making them better suited for low-light conditions. Lenses with a lower VLT % will block more light, making them better suited for bright sunlight. Simple as that!

A 10-22 VLT % is great for bright conditions (these are usually dark/grey lenses ) and 23-30% better for mixed conditions (ambers, reds, oranges ).

For low light, you’ll want to look at the 80% + bracket. You’ll be able to find a guide to most manufacturers’ lens VLT %’s on their websites to make sure you’re getting the right lens for your typical conditions.

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.
Grey and smokey shades are typically better suited to bright conditions. (c) Melon Optics

Contrast enhancement

Most of the high-performance models from each brand will offer some sort of contrast enhancement to make seeing details on the road or trail better through their lenses. We have listed some of the names used by the top brands below so that you know what they are talking about.

Contrast enhancement technology names of some top brands:

100% – HiPER

Oakley – Prizm

Smith – Chromapop

POC – Clarity

Julbo – Spectron 3

This technology is not imperative for riding but it does make a difference out on the road or trail. It comes at a premium but is worth the money if you can afford it. Take note of whether the particular lens that you are looking at optimises for road or trail conditions as they each enhance different colours for better vision.

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.
High-contrast lenses can help define road and trail features better in your vision. (c) Melon Optics

Lens shapes

Cylindrical, Spherical, and Toric are the 3 main lens shapes you may see out there in the world of cycling glasses.

Cylindrical lenses are curved on the horizontal plane and flat on the vertical plane. This shape provides a wide field of view, but it can also distort peripheral vision a little. It is also the most popular shape.

Spherical lenses are curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes. This shape provides a more natural field of view and less distortion than cylindrical lenses.

Toric lenses are a hybrid of cylindrical and spherical lenses. They are curved in both planes, but the curvature is more on the horizontal plane for a more natural shape. This shape provides a great field of view and should have slightly less distortion than even spherical lenses but most people probably won’t notice the difference.

Frames and arms

The frames should fit snugly but comfortably on your face. Some brands make models specific for smaller faces and heads so check those out if you know that your noggin runs a little smaller than most, like me!

Beyond the sizing it is mostly about style and what you prefer! Frameless cycling glasses are increasingly popular and can offer a better field of view (as well as being a little lighter) but that mostly boils down to the size of the lens.

Arms can be adjustable or flexible but what you don’t want is play in the hinges. Straighter arms will store easier in helmets that are designed for cycling glasses storage which is a great feature! The length and shape of the arms will vary from model to model so try on a few while wearing your helmet to see what suits best. An awkwardly placed arm can be a real pain so make sure to try before you buy.

Nose bridges also vary a lot. Not all are adjustable and that may be important for you, especially with larger frames. 

If you want to use your cycling glasses for running as well, check that the lens or frame doesn’t obscure the bottom of your vision. Running vs cycling glasses can optimise for different fields of view so it is worth finding a model that does both well if you’re a multisport guy or girl.

Our top picks for performance cycling glasses

Oakley – Sutro Lite

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Half Frame

Coverage: Large

Lens: Oakley (with Prizm contrast enhancement)

Price Range: R 2250 – R2750

Oakley is likely the name that came to mind when you thought of performance cycling glasses and this is because they have knocked it out the park with a range of great lenses and frames for just about any outdoor sport. The Sutro and Sutro Lite are two of their more popular models that are big on coverage and light on the face.

There are several lens options and the straight arms dock well in most helmets. These are straight-down-the-line, get-the-job-done glasses. If you prefer the Full Frame look, the classic Sutros are the business and if you’re looking for a smaller lens shape then the Radar might be up your alley.

Tifosi – Rail

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Frameless

Coverage: Large

Lens: Tifosi (with contrast enhancement)

Price Range: R1500 – R2000

Tifosi plays in the mid-budget range. They aren’t cheapies but (along with Salice) are easier on the wallet than some of the big-name cycling glasses out there. Tifosi is based in Georgia, USA, but the name is Italian, meaning “Super Fan”. They are all about sports optics, whether it is cycling, running, or golf.

The Tifosi Rail and Sledge cycling glasses include 3 lenses with your purchase so that you’ve got a lens for every condition, or you can go photochromic. The Rail is a larger shape so may not be ideal for smaller heads but the adjustable nose piece and arms will go a long way to making them fit just how you need them to. For the price, these are some of the best value glasses you can get.

Melon – Kingpin

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Full Frame

Coverage: Large

Lens: Zeiss (with contrast enhancement)

Price Range: R2000 – R2500

Get yourself some highly customisable Italian-made performance eyewear! Choose from 7 frame colours, 7 lens options (including a photochromic), and a bunch of colours for the nosepiece and Melon icon to personalise your shades.

These stylish glasses have a ‘Ripel’ coating to help keep the lenses clean, and rubberised nose and arms pieces to keep them secure on your face. They are on the larger side when it comes to coverage so if that is your style then check them or their sibling, the Alleycats, out!

POC – Aspire

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Full Frame

Coverage: Medium

Lens: Carl Zeiss Vision (with Clarity contrast enhancement)

Price Range: R2750 – R3250

POC is a Swedish protective wear designer with an undeniable knack for style and class. The Aspire is cool as ice when it comes to looks and that design language carries across their range. Their whole range is worth a good browse.

These cycling glasses are certainly on the premium side but you get what you pay for and the looks can certainly kill. That goes for looking at them and through them, the Clarity optics used by POC are top-tier. The large arms on this particular model may not gel well with all helmet designs so be sure to investigate that before purchasing. 

Darcs – Edge W

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Frameless

Coverage: Medium

Lens: D’arcs 

Price Range: R500 – R1000

If you’re looking for the best budget buy, South African brand D’Arcs is the place to go. Their Edge-W glasses are sleek and lightweight and will fit with most helmets as a result. They are a good option for smaller faces too.

Their optics don’t quite keep up with the best in the business but they do a good job. I’ve been running their Tundra glasses for a few months now and haven’t had much to complain about, especially for the price!

Salice – 004 RW

Understand The Nuances Of Sports Eyewear Lens Technology And How To Find The Right Pair Of Cycling Glasses For You.

Lens Shape: Cylindrical

Design: Half Frame

Coverage: Small

Lens: Salice High Contrast (good for optical inserts)

Price Range: R1000 – R1500

Salice is another great mid-budget option that delivers close to top-tier performance. Their 004 RW has a classic look with a half-frame design and smaller lenses than the goggle-like windshields you’ll see on the local roads and trails these days. The Salice designs aren’t quite as refined as others but the optics are good and the price tag is certainly favourable.

The brand is Italian and with that, you can expect a good level of quality. Salice are known for their optical inserts as well so if you need vision correction inserts they are a brand worth paying attention to.

Check out their 023 RW (creative names right? I know..) for a bigger lens with more coverage and the option to have an optical insert.

Where to next

Take the time to test out a few options in-store or riding with your friend’s glasses to see what shapes and sizes suit your face and helmet best. It is worth the process, trust us!
You can find more buyer’s guides here to get you kitted up in all the right gear for summer. The roads and trails are calling!

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