General Cycling Discussion - Sunglasses - safety or style?

In the almost two years that I've been riding my bike on a daily basis, I have never worn sunglasses, either cycling specific or otherwise. I've been pretty skeptical of their benefits, but with the amount of riding I've been doing this summer (over 400 miles since the end of May), I'm beginning to wonder if I should take more steps to protect my eyes from UV rays and grit. I've had pebbles or sand fly up into my eyes more than once on my way to class or work. So I have two questions that I invite you to weigh in on, if you're a roadie or a commuter or a tourist, MTB'r or any other cyclist, "serious" or otherwise:

1: Are sunglasses mostly a fashion statement with some safety benefits, or are they mostly a health and safety piece of equipment that may or may not be fashionable?

2: If I am convinced that I probably should be protecting my eyes, what are some inexpensive, effective, fairly fashion-neutral (i.e., they wouldn't look too weird off the bike) sunglasses? And by inexpensive, I mean "as far under $40 as is reasonable."

Thanks!

You can get glasses that meet your needs for $10. Impact resistance, UV protection, the whole shot. The rest is just fluff. How much fluff you need is up to you. Glasses are a good idea, though.

I purchase some "cycling" specific glasses for around 10 bucks as well through Nashbar. They're very comfortable and get the job done. I rode with a guy who used to wear 150.00 Oakleys. But mine seem to work just as fine.

On my ride to school there will always be at least 1 day per week that they are mowing grass and I have to ride through the results of that. On days when I forget my glasses this sucks.

The other main reason I wear them would be bugs. I got a gnat in my eye the other night when I went out for a quick ride that made my eye hurt for the next two days.

They are definately for function, not fashion, especially when I'm riding at night with the clear lenses on.

For me glasses are more of a health and safety piece than a fashion statement, heck my regular sunglasses are a $9 pair of safety glasses from Home Depot. However, I find the lenses of cycling glasses to have better clarity than safety glasses for cycling. It may not be a big deal to some, but I wear prescription glasses and the cycling glasses have decent enough clarity that I can go without prescription glasses.

I have the "Dorado" glasses from Performance bike. They look nice on and off the bike, they come with 3 lenses, and are almost always on sale for $30. The only complaint I have about them is that they tend to slide down my nose alot so I may replace them with a better fitting pair of wrap around style glasses.

Definitely safety. Both UV and road dirt protection. Helps a lot with the wind too. The difference in price is usually reflecting in the quality of the optics. My eyesight is pretty poor so I need every advantage. If you have decent eyesight or aren't real picky then go for the cheaper glasses.

I need UV protection, too. I picked up a pair of AOSafety X-Factor glasses at Home Depot for under $10.

Definate health and safety. I have always had pretty sensitive eyes. Running around 120 deserts in contacts that have not been changed in 2 weeks made it worse. Even in early morning, overcast days etc I use a low tint, or clear lenses while riding.

If you buy a pair of sun glasses for $10.00, you'll look like a guy wearing ten dollar shades. My guess is you could go to a swap meet or garage sale and find a pair for one or two dollars, if that's what your into.

sunglass tan lines are very bad

I wear smith and wesson safety glasses to keep the bugs and rocks out of my eyes. I think it is ridiculous to spend 150 on sunglasses. They are not bad looking and cost under ten bucks.

http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/smithwesson2.html

I got something in my eye on a solo ride, when I was 45 miles away from my car. A few miles later, I wasn't able to see out of it, but had to continue to ride. I was practically blind by the time I got to my car. Luckily, there was a hospital just a 1/4 mile from where my car was. I had scratched my cornea, and it was horribly painful. In the ER, they had me try to read the eye chart across the room. Of course, I know that the very first HUGE letter at the top is an 'E', but I honestly couldn't make it out at all.

Wear glasses. Eyes only come two per customer.

Oakley's sport spceific:D http://oakley.com/esearch.php?Ne=1&Ntk=All&Nr=Country+Code%3aUS&Ntx=mode%2bmatchall&fromleftnav=true&domain_id=10&N=10000+467&catname=Sports-Specific&Nu=P_StyleNumber

Well... color me convinced. I think I might try something like the cheap Nashbar glasses and see how they go. I'm not looking for anything fancy, and if I can get what I need for $15, so much the better. If I look goofy, well... I'm already on a bike! ;)

It only takes one beetle smacking into your contact lens to make you go out and think nothing more of spending a c-note on Smith Sliders.

I now ride Specialized's optics. Very, very nice.

I bought a pair of fishing sun glasses from Walmart for $18. I love them... they're not wrap around, but they sit right up close, so I've never had anything go around them, they're light weight, no frame to block my vision when I'm in the drops, and fit securely, they've never fallen off.

Plus, they're polarized, so when I'm riding along the river, I can see the bottom, instead of the reflection of the sky!

The only expensive glasses I've seen that I wanted are the Razr wires from Oakley... (Oakley's with an attached bluetooth headset) I'd love to have those for my cell, but no way I can justify $300 for them!

$18.00 and they're polarized? Not bad at all.

1: Are sunglasses mostly a fashion statement with some safety benefits, or are they mostly a health and safety piece of equipment that may or may not be fashionable?

2: If I am convinced that I probably should be protecting my eyes, what are some inexpensive, effective, fairly fashion-neutral (i.e., they wouldn't look too weird off the bike) sunglasses? And by inexpensive, I mean "as far under $40 as is reasonable."
You have to weigh the negatives of wearing glasses against the negative of not wearing them in a worst case scenario.
Worst thing about wearing them: another piece of equipment and you might risk loosing fashion points from a stranger as you ride by.
Worst thing about not wearing them: you might get something in your eyes and loose your eyesight.
This doesn't seem like a tough decision. I use $12 saftey glasses at night and $90 sunglasses during the day. I believe my eyes to be worth that much.

I tend to wear cheap wrap around sunglasses. A couple of years ago, I got a gift certificate to a sporting goods store, and used it to get a pair of Body Glove sunglasses, and I really like the solid feel, and they are polarized.

I am actually considering buying a pair with interchangeable lenses or a pair with a lighter lense for overcast days.

I always wear something, sometimes my prescription glasses, with clip ons if it is sunny, but I feel too much at risk without something protecting my eyes.

I generally get at least one bug impact on each eyeball in the first mile of any ride without sunglasses. I consider them almost as important as a helmet.

I greabbed a pair of polarized safety glasses from a tool supply store for $9.99 a few years ago. They are very lightly tinted for viewing and semi mirrored so the chicks can't tell I'm checking them out. They are very nice :)

I wear contacts so I always wear sunglasses (clear glasses at night). The wind really seems to dry my eyes out a lot, so I don't leave home without sunglasses....plus, I've had a pebble or two fly up and hit my glasses while I was riding. While it's relatively rare that something actually hits you in the eye, and I mainly started wearing them for the wind dryng out my contacts, the protection from debris is just an added bonus.
Oh, and I wear a pair of cheapo's (under $20.00) from Target that, in my opinion, look just as good as the $150.00 Oakleys and protect from UV just as well. But to each his own budget....and vanity regarding name brand stuff.

1: Are sunglasses mostly a fashion statement with some safety benefits, or are they mostly a health and safety piece of equipment that may or may not be fashionable?

2: If I am convinced that I probably should be protecting my eyes, what are some inexpensive, effective, fairly fashion-neutral (i.e., they wouldn't look too weird off the bike) sunglasses? And by inexpensive, I mean "as far under $40 as is reasonable."

Thanks!

These sun glasses are both medical & industrial rated. I wear a pair when I ride ,drive or am working
in my shop(clear) finding them to be exceptional for polarization, protection, and full vision comfort with
or without my glasses on.

These were given to me when I my cataracts removed and I quickly came to prefer them to any other
type, or brand, of sun glasses. I recommend them without reservation for the task you asked about
provided that you remember that protection , and not fashion, is the prime motive here.

http://www.eyesave.com/brands/b281-d1-pg1/Solar+Shield+Fit-Overs-Sunglasses/index.aspx

Sunglasses are definetly a good idea. If you can find a pair you like that are UV rated at Target for $20 then that's great. I spent a little more, $60, for a pair of Tifosi becuase I wanted to be able to change lens as needed from strong when it is very sunny, weaker when it is very cloudy to clear when I am riding early morning or late evenings. Also you will find the optical clarity and scratch resistance improves as you pay more.

I purchased a set of safety glasses at work that comes with interchangeable lenses. It included clear, amber and blue lenses with a soft case with a belt loop on it that holds all three lenses and the frames and can be attached to your hydration pack, belt, whatever. They provide 99.9 % UV Protection and don't look bad either. The amber lens is great for foggy conditions or when riding in the dark or semidark. They actually reduce haze and improve night vision, not to mention reduce glare from headlights. They're called 'CUDAS and are from American Allsafe Company. You can probably google 'cudas and find them. I won't ride without them.

Andy
www.myvemma.com/unbent

Whenever I"m in higher elevations, I need sun glasses no matter what I do or my eyes will be really tired at the end of the day, plus the increase UV will probably cause me to go blind sooner then later.

Long distance I wear sunglasses, but short trips I usually don't.

In the almost two years that I've been riding my bike on a daily basis, I have never worn sunglasses, either cycling specific or otherwise. I've been pretty skeptical of their benefits, but with the amount of riding I've been doing this summer (over 400 miles since the end of May), I'm beginning to wonder if I should take more steps to protect my eyes from UV rays and grit. I've had pebbles or sand fly up into my eyes more than once on my way to class or work. So I have two questions that I invite you to weigh in on, if you're a roadie or a commuter or a tourist, MTB'r or any other cyclist, "serious" or otherwise:

1: Are sunglasses mostly a fashion statement with some safety benefits, or are they mostly a health and safety piece of equipment that may or may not be fashionable?

2: If I am convinced that I probably should be protecting my eyes, what are some inexpensive, effective, fairly fashion-neutral (i.e., they wouldn't look too weird off the bike) sunglasses? And by inexpensive, I mean "as far under $40 as is reasonable."

Thanks!

It's only a fashion statement as are a good pair of cycling shoes and/or a comfortable pair of cycling shorts and jersey, don't bother, I mean, how bad can debris in your eyes be? How uncomfortable can the direct sun in your eyes be? :]

It's only a fashion statement as are a good pair of cycling shoes and/or a comfortable pair of cycling shorts and jersey, don't bother, I mean, how bad can debris in your eyes be? How uncomfortable can the direct sun in your eyes be? :]

Hmmmmmm........I can see a blindman's white cane in your future,mate. Don't
you value your sight at all??? 'tis a pity. :( :(

Safety. They keep bugs and road/trail debris out of your eyes and give you UV protection. I have a pair of Tifosi as my main commuting and mountainbiking shades. My secondary shades are a pair of Optic Nerve.

UV protection can be good. When I sailed up to San Fransisco from Honolulu, I went the first 5 days without shades. On day 5 I got an intense, almost unbearable splitting headache that lasted for over 12 hours. Wore shades the next day on and the headache never reappeared.

I forgot mine today.... besides the fact that my morning commute is east bound, into the sun, I also had a bug nail me in the eye. OUCH

*sighs*

I hate when I take off without my shades.

PS: Oh, and yeah... the mirrored thing. VERY important. ;)

Oakley Polarized Half Jackets...they take care of the safety issue and the optics can't be beat...rather stylish also.
They're pricey but when it comes to your eyes it's worth every penny. Some things you just don't scrimp on.

Oakley Polarized Half Jackets...they take care of the safety issue and the optics can't be beat...rather stylish also.
They're pricey but when it comes to your eyes it's worth every penny. Some things you just don't scrimp on.


1+

I wear a pair of North safety sunglasses. Great coverage (semi-wrap), decent looking and the price is right. They're a tad big to be fashionable, but that's ok too.

I need clear ones at night to keep the wind out or my eyes dry up somethin' fierce, even on a 4 block trip to the store.

Ive been wearing my Oakleys for years. Love them, never go outside without them be it on foot, on the bike or in the car.

The day they make glasses that have perfectly radially correct glass, without any colour tint at all, that day I will wear glasses when I ride. Until then, no way!

I've tried different glasses, and they invariably distort my field of vision substantially (enough to make me feel dizzy), because they're always imperfect. A good pair of glasses should have an equal distance to the eye in every direction, and equally thick "glass" in every direction as well. Only then will they give an undisturbed view of the world. As for colour, I really hate having a brown, blue or green tint to everything, and not even a neutral grey is any good, since that diminishes the total light reaching my eyes, lowering the contrast, which is an important component in low-light vision. Because if you wear glasses, you really want to wear them all the time, not just during the day.

It's not like it'd be difficult or expensive to make proper glasses like that, but for some reason it doesn't happen. Maybe people too readily accept junk...

The day they make glasses that have perfectly radially correct glass, without any colour tint at all, that day I will wear glasses when I ride. Until then, no way!

It's not like it'd be difficult or expensive to make proper glasses like that, but for some reason it doesn't happen. Maybe people too readily accept junk...

I can see a blindman's white cane in your future too, mate. It's a known fact that the depletion of
the earth's ozone layer will give everybody catarats in time if they don't protect the eyes from the sun.

That said, my advice to you is to start shopping for that Blindman's cane while you can still see.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Fact is that I live at 58°N where the UV levels are drastically lower than where I assume you live. Fact is that glasses with poor UV protection but good light attenuation will cause your eyes to take in much more UV radiation since the lower light level makes your irises open up, increasing UV exposure. Fact is that riding a bike is no different in terms of UV levels than is walking about, and few people wear sunglasses then, right? Fact is that I'd rather take the extra UV than risk riding into an obstacle because the glasses distorted my vision! Fact is that a good set of glasses made to "my" specifications above could very well have an excellent anti-UV coating, without affecting any of the other properties.

Hmmmmmm........I can see a blindman's white cane in your future,mate. Don't
you value your sight at all??? 'tis a pity. :( :(

I was being sarcastic, I was trying to imply how essential these items are, trendy or not, obviously the message didn't go through. I would never ride without: shades, padded shorts, cycling shoes, jersey & gloves if I were riding for more than 20mi.

I use Rudy Project Rydons because they have a prescription insert option. Since I wear contacts on occasion, it is nice being able to use the inserts when want and not when I don't.

And they look cool.

People that dont wear sunnies...what do you do when its really bright out? Or you're riding into the sun?

CdCf, i really haven't done any studies, but i find the optics on my oakleys to be excellent. I cannot tell a difference in any way with them on or off in terms of clarity and distortion etc. When the light gets low, i just take them off.

It's never that bright out. When I'm riding into the sun, I squint and/or look down a bit more.

Maybe you're used to wearing glasses from a young age. I never wear glasses. All models I've looked at and tested have severe distortion in my opinion.

About 12 years ago, I wore sunglasses briefly during the summer. I nearly got myself killed twice because the optical distortion made me miss the steps in a staircase, and I also nearly smashed my right knee to pieces when I walked straight into a granite pillar that was blocked by the "edge" of the glasses.

I really would like a good pair of glasses to keep bugs and dust out of my eyes, but as long as they're so poor in terms of optics, I am forced to do without.

People that dont wear sunnies...what do you do when its really bright out? Or you're riding into the sun?



I only wear about half the time. For some reason my eyes can withstand a good amount of sun without bother.

I really would like a good pair of glasses to keep bugs and dust out of my eyes, but as long as they're so poor in terms of optics, I am forced to do without.

Im pretty picky about things and dont wear crap, thats why i love my straight jackets. I really dont think Oakleys are anyhing close to poor in terms of optics, i think they are excellent. Perhaps you need to try some higher end glasses? I have the same clarity with my oakleys as i do naked eye....without having to squint or change my veiw like you do. I didnt wear sunnines till i was an adult and could afford them....so a life of wearing them isnt the answer either.

Many pros, if not all fo them wear glasses....you think the guys in the tour would wear something with "terrible optics" that made thier vison poorer? Honestly mate, i think you've based your opinion on cheap glasses which i agree are crap.

It's never that bright out. When I'm riding into the sun, I squint and/or look down a bit more.

Maybe you're used to wearing glasses from a young age. I never wear glasses. All models I've looked at and tested have severe distortion in my opinion.

About 12 years ago, I wore sunglasses briefly during the summer. I nearly got myself killed twice because the optical distortion made me miss the steps in a staircase, and I also nearly smashed my right knee to pieces when I walked straight into a granite pillar that was blocked by the "edge" of the glasses.

I really would like a good pair of glasses to keep bugs and dust out of my eyes, but as long as they're so poor in terms of optics, I am forced to do without.


That is some serious distorion. I am such the opposite, I cannto function outside with sunglasses, even going out and mowing the lawn. I used to climb a lot, that led to some mountaineering, which without glasses will blind you pretty quick, the best lense for not distorting (dont want to fall in that crevice) and not messing with colors (no orange snow for me) is a brand called Julbo. try those out, maybe you will like them.

My wife inevitably ends up with a gnat or other such creature in her eye when she thinks she won't need glasses.

I wear glasses, so that used to be a minimum to wear, but I've had enough crap enter through the sides that prescription wrap arounds are now part of every ride. I opted for the more expensive Rudy Projects so I could swap lenses as needed, and since I don't wear contacts, I can have multiple lens colors for life, but just update one set of lenses in the prescription insert as needed.

I actually think a helmet-mounted visor would be the best for me. A bit like the ones you see on TT helmets, only with a hinge so you could flip them up, or some kind of sliding mechanism.

I actually had my glasses save my right eye from some possible damage when I crashed coming down Brasstown Bald in Georgia. I think they were like the first or second model year of the Oakley M frames. They turned up not long ago with that same lens that I scratched to hell and back on that crash. I was too poor at the time to get a replacement lens, so I kept riding on it.

I need to look into some new glasses. (Mmmmm...more gear!)

I don't know about other states but in Illinios "motor"cyclist are
REQUIRED by law to have "cover" over the eyes be it glasses
or face shield to avoid debris or bugs in the eyes.

Can a "bi"cyclist be in any less danger??