For smooth bike rides, it’s best to be prepared. That’s why it’s so important for cycling beginners to have the right equipment. Getting the right bike for your needs, size, and preferences can go a long way toward improving the quality of your riding experience. However, you also need to consider your safety.
Cycle traffic in the UK is up by 50% since 2004, and the simple fact that more people are biking means you’re more likely to get injured. That’s why serious injuries similarly rose by 21% in that same period, with more than 15,000 cyclists running into accidents in 2022 alone. That underlines just how crucial it is to wear key safety equipment like helmets. Yet, while these can minimise injuries, you’ll also want to wear items that can prevent accidents altogether.
That’s where cycling sunglasses come in. Clear eyesight is vital for spotting and avoiding injuries, but riding in certain conditions can prevent you from maintaining optimal vision. Here’s how cycling sunglasses can help and what you should look for when buying a pair.
Why you need cycling sunglasses
Cycling during the day, no matter the weather, exposes you to the sun’s UV rays. These can damage your eyes over time, raising your risk of developing blindness through conditions like cataracts and affecting your ability to ride for longer. You’ll also be going at fast speeds, meaning dirt and debris are more likely to enter your eyes. Aside from blocking UV rays, cycling sunglasses can serve as physical barriers that can stop them from scratching the surface of your corneas and potentially causing infections.
Other key dangers you may face on the road have to do with factors that can affect visual clarity. Aside from refractive errors like myopia (short-sightedness), be wary of the sun’s glare. It can reflect off water, windows, cars, and even concrete, overwhelm and burn your eyes, cause pain and discomfort, and potentially lead to temporary vision loss. These issues can make it difficult to detect and avoid potential accidents as well as navigate tricky routes, including those that pass by the likes of the ‘optical illusion’ cycling lane that’s caused many accidents in Keynsham High Street. The right pair of cycling sunglasses can correct your vision and block glare to give you the best eyesight possible to prevent injuries.
Key features to look for
You’ll primarily want to look for a “UV400” label, which will ensure your eyewear blocks 100% UV rays. For your cycling needs, however, you’ll also want to ensure you get a pair with the following:
Wraparound frames
Wraparound frames closely follow the natural curves of your face and can accommodate lenses that reach all the way to your temples. That means they offer wider, tighter, and more secure coverage than your average sunglasses, better shielding your eyes from dirt, debris, UV rays, and glare. They’ll also provide improved peripheral vision while cycling. One-piece lens models like the Tifosi Rail offer the best protection. Its lens won’t fog even in cold and misty conditions, and its secure nosepiece also means it won’t slip off as you ride.
Polarised coatings
Lenses with polarised coatings have vertical filters that can block horizontal sunlight, making this the most important feature to look for when blocking glare. Plenty of brands offer polarised cycling sunglasses along with additional features that can further enhance visual clarity for cycling in bright conditions. For instance, the polarised lenses on the SunGod Velans FF are also photochromic. That means they darken in the sun and lighten in cloudier weather, ensuring a clear view of the road or trail you’re on no matter the light conditions.
Prescription lenses
Though you can simply wear glasses if you need to correct your vision as you ride, these won’t provide ample protection against UV rays, glare, and debris. So, you might want to get your eyewear from one of the multiple companies that offer prescription sunglasses, many of which are specifically designed for cycling. That includes models from the designer sports brand Oakley. Pairs like its Half Jacket can easily accommodate your prescription. They also come with O-Matter frames and polycarbonate lenses that are durable enough to withstand impact, so they can provide continuous vision correction while cycling.
Lens colours and tints
Lens colour can enhance the benefits cycling sunglasses have to offer, so choose yours wisely. Generally, grey hues are the most versatile: they can boost the glare-blocking properties of polarised lenses without changing the colours you see as you bike. Meanwhile, yellow lenses improve contrast in darker conditions, which can be useful for cycling when it’s cloudy or at night. You’ll also want to pay close attention to lens tint. Tinted sunglasses are dark enough to obscure one’s view of the road, which can increase your risk of getting into an accident. That’s why drivers can be fined up to £5,000 if they wear them. To stay safe as you bike, consider following that rule yourself and avoiding cycling sunglasses with dark lenses. For this, you can look at models like the Scicon Aeroscope XXL. Its lenses aren’t dark enough to block how well you can see your path, and an interchangeable lens system means you can switch between different colours depending on the light conditions you’re cycling in.
