General Cycling Discussion - importance of cycling sunglasses?

Strange question but one that has been bugging me. I typically ride with out sunglasses but almost everyone i see has them.

Is it important to have eye protection from debris while on a road bike? i can see a bug getting lodged in your eye if you didnt have them.....

and a second question...if the answer is yes you should have them....do you need cycling specific glasses due to some magic they possses or safety feature (aka shatter proof lenses in the event of a crash)?

I have normal sunglasses but dont want to ride with them if i wreck and they shatter right into my eyeball.

A person i typically ride with just picked up a set of very expensive Oakleys.....whichh are not cycling specifc but im sure are shatter proof.

I guess maybe its a dumb question now that i read my post again :)

if you go fishing i have the Seen under the water Sunglasses By Berkly They Work very well at night and in the Day they Prevent The Sun From Shining in my eye

it doesnt really matter if you where any sunglasses or not

Cycling sunglasses offer protection from bugs, rocks, wind, rain and protect eyes from damaging sun rays and glare from the road (you wear sunscreen for the body, sunglasses for the eyes). Cycling specific glasses usually have better visibility to the left/right so you can see behind you (that's why they're not fully enclosed in the frame), and you can switch out the lenses for the time of day and weather conditions, and things that might be passing you. The expensive ones (~$130) usually just do a better job at these things and have fewer impurities in the lens that you're staring through.

Ten-buck safety glasses will protect your eyes nicely. Tinted or clear, your choice. Spend your money on what is important to you.

I really dont see the need to purchase Top of the line glasses if their just gonna protect your eyes Just buy a cheap pair and Work with them

My glasses are 25.00 thats my last buy on glasses that expensive

I have a pair I got from Performance that has different colored lenses you can change out. I wear the clear lenses for my morning commute and the sunglasses in the afternoon. I think they were about $35.

If you've ever been hit in the face by a flying beetle while riding 35 mph downhill, you'll know why eye protection is a good thing.

I wear them to keep the sun out and for protection from debris. The brand probably doesn't matter but I've worn Oakleys for a while, well before I started cycling, so that's what I wear

My eye doc recommends wearing sunglasses with uv protection outside. I think he said they can help prevent or delay cataracts.

well i had to ask while eye wear was on onsale at Performance this week just in case :) I think ill keep my $8 yellow/orange tint pair. They are great in the day time and dusk....

i figure since they were on sale this week it might be time to upgrade if there was a real huge benifit that i wasnt seeing. Thanks for the replies. Helped me a great deal and saved me a few $$.

i have to wear glasses, so i have prescription sun glasses i wear sometimes. in addition to letting me see if i am riding into the sunlight, i like them as they keep the wind out of my eyes so my eyes don't tear up and i can't see. if you don't have to wear glasses, you can get away with any pair that you like. there is nothing special about cycling glasses (that i know of).

I've had too many gnats in my eyes not to wear sunglasses. Those little bugs sting like crazy! Also a decent downhill section (40mph+) really hurts unprotected eyeballs after a little bit.

Anarchy sunglasses are great. I got these (http://cgi.ebay.com/Anarchy-Sunglasses-Riot-Olive-Olive-Yellow-new-/130265307069?cmd=ViewItem&pt=US_Sunglasses&hash=item1e546ad7bd) from ebay for like 25 bucks clearance sale. They have an amazing tint and my eyes feel really relaxed when I wear them. Great visibility, no frame on the way.They look nice as well.

I would avoid cheapo stuff you get at a convenience store. They might cause vision problems later on.

I've twice had wasps land on my face and sting me before I can brush them away. I've also seen wasps making a beeline (oops) for my sunglasses and bounce right off.

I'd hate to have one land right by my eye and sting me there.

I spent $20 on my eye protection; $5.00 for safety glasses at Wal-Mart and $15.00 for a pair of "sport" sunglasses from a kiosk at the mall.

I prefer to have glasses, even at night (twice getting a gnat in my eye is the reason).

I wear safety glasses at the drop of a dime! It began long ago when I used to play racquetball and I realized that I had a competitive advantage by wearing eye protection *all the time* rather than only wearing them *if required* to compete. I came to realize that I had removed the "distraction" by making them the norm. I also realized that I was more willing to push the envelope because I was less vulnerable.

Fast forward to my time in the Army. The very macho culture of my early career shunned "safety" and valued unobstructed vision (scanning for and engaging targets...). But data showed that eye injuries were the worst culprit for removing troops from duty than anything else (during peace-time training). Eventually the culture has evolved to embrace macho eyewear! Now, troops declare how badassed they are by what they put on their face.

The older I get (mid-40s now) the more careful I become. I wear eye protection, helmet, gloves, and either neon/flourescent colors or at leat something bright and contrasting. I never stick anything in my ears while riding (but always wear earmuffs--AND eye protection--to mow the lawn or use a power drill). Call me a sissy if you want. But I'm not going down over some stupid little shard or fragment (or sound wave!) that found the one-in-a-thousand shot at my peepers. Not if I can make the odds one-in-a-million by simply donning some fashion.

I'm with davlafont on this one. The older I get (50s) the more careful I am. Recently I was down in Alabama riding through a small town that must have had a rock quarry. Lots of dump trucks carrying gravel passed me. One truck threw a rock and it glanced off of my tinted safety glasses. It put a huge scratch in them that I got to look through for the next 300 miles.

I buy my safety glasses locally for about $5. ANSI Z87.1 compliant. I'll admit, they probably LOOK like safety glasses! I'm getting too old to care. :D

Jerry H

You need to protect your eyes against UV, insects, dust etc. Riding in bright sunlight without sunglasses takes energy that would be put to better use in your legs.

I wear Maui Jim Kanaha sun glasses for the shatter proof lenses, UV filtering, and anti-glare polarization. Keeping your eyes safe is important, they don't grow back, why risk them?

Ten-buck safety glasses will protect your eyes nicely. Tinted or clear, your choice. Spend your money on what is important to you.

Last year I got a piece of toxic metal in my eye. Now I always wear my safety specs.

IMHO- eye protection is the most important safety element you can add to riding. They can actually prevent some harm, more important than a helmet. Don't ride anywhere without mine on. Cheap hardware store safety glasses are ok, just like other cheap cycling gear- they will function ok.
However better quality glasses will be more comfortable and effective. I have a pair of Specalized mtn bike glasses with vents at the edges of the lens, they almost never fog up - no matter how warm, humid, cold, wet etc. They have been well worth the extra cost.

You need to protect your eyes against UV, insects, dust etc. Riding in bright sunlight without sunglasses takes energy that would be put to better use in your legs.

This is just silly. I have never ridden with sunglasses because other than the "coolness factor" I don't really see a need for them. When I started cycling, I got the shorts becuase my butt would kill me, I got a jersey becuase my cotton t-shirts would get sweat drenched.... but I never had such a need for glasses.

Sure, things have gotten in my eye, but I normally just can rub it out, and it happens so infrequently, I don't see the need to always be wearing glasses.

The only real way I see glasses being useful is if you live in an area where there are few hills and the landscape is flat, so if you're riding in the morning or night when you're facing the sun, you're not looking straight into the light. that... and the coolness factor.

If I do get glasses one day myself, It will probably just be for the coolness factor. Also, I don't like looking at the world with a tint.

I never ride without some eye protection, not anymore.

Too much stuff out there blowing in my face -- bugs, dust, crud from the road.

I use prescription sunglasses but have also used glasses I got cheap from Lowe's. They worked pretty well.

I can't believe the prices I see on the cycling-specific ones. I just don't get it.

Ten-buck safety glasses will protect your eyes nicely. Tinted or clear, your choice. Spend your money on what is important to you.

$10 safety glasses will do a good job of protecting your eyes from impacts. Protecting your eyes from UV radiation? Not so much.

$10 safety glasses are absolutely useless to those of us who wear glasses to actually, like, see.

This is just silly. I have never ridden with sunglasses because other than the "coolness factor" I don't really see a need for them. When I started cycling, I got the shorts becuase my butt would kill me, I got a jersey becuase my cotton t-shirts would get sweat drenched.... but I never had such a need for glasses.

Sure, things have gotten in my eye, but I normally just can rub it out, and it happens so infrequently, I don't see the need to always be wearing glasses.

The only real way I see glasses being useful is if you live in an area where there are few hills and the landscape is flat, so if you're riding in the morning or night when you're facing the sun, you're not looking straight into the light. that... and the coolness factor.

If I do get glasses one day myself, It will probably just be for the coolness factor. Also, I don't like looking at the world with a tint.

I suppose when you have 5000 feet more of air between you and the sun, UV isn't as much of an issue to you. But I live where I can have up to 14,000+ feet less air between me and the sun. UV radiation becomes something that you think about way up here where the air isn't quite so thick.

As for coolness, this
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/09/28/eye_patch.jpg
just looks so much cooler than glasses:rolleyes:

$10 safety glasses .... Protecting your eyes from UV radiation? Not so much.

FWIW, most plastic lenses do protect from UV radiation with nothing special added, it's the nature of most plastics - even saran wrap blocks a good amount of UV.

This is just silly. I have never ridden with sunglasses because other than the "coolness factor" I don't really see a need for them. When I started cycling, I got the shorts becuase my butt would kill me, I got a jersey becuase my cotton t-shirts would get sweat drenched.... but I never had such a need for glasses.

Sure, things have gotten in my eye, but I normally just can rub it out, and it happens so infrequently, I don't see the need to always be wearing glasses.

The only real way I see glasses being useful is if you live in an area where there are few hills and the landscape is flat, so if you're riding in the morning or night when you're facing the sun, you're not looking straight into the light. that... and the coolness factor.

If I do get glasses one day myself, It will probably just be for the coolness factor. Also, I don't like looking at the world with a tint.

:rolleyes:

I've been using safety glasses the past few years, good to know I'm not the only one who can't "rub it out" when I get a bug or other foreign object in my eye. Lately I've been using a couple pairs of Crews "Blackjack" model. A grey-tinted pair for sun, and I carry a clear pair if I'll be out after dark. I like the Blackjacks for their wrap-around shape & side shields (ever get something in the corner of your eye that zipped past the lens edge when you looked to the side?). They also claim 99.9% UV protection in their specs. The metal temples work perfectly with my Take-A-Look eyeglass mirror. Definitely a low "coolness factor" tho :lol:

http://www.mcrsafety.com/glasses/blackjack.html

FWIW, most plastic lenses do protect from UV radiation with nothing special added, it's the nature of most plastics - even saran wrap blocks a good amount of UV.

Depends on the type of plastic, whether coating is applied to it and the wavelength of the radiation. 300 to 400 nm wavelengths go through plastic easily. UVB is from 280 to 320 nm so part of it could pass through many plastics. Altitude also has an effect also since the UV flux increases about 10% every 3000 feet.

I usually wear clear cycling glasses ($10 or $15 from Nashbar or Performance--don't recall where I got them) on "normal" days, to protect my eyes from bugs and junk. I like clear because I like cars to be able to see my eyes at intersections. These glasses are suppose to protect a bit against UV, though that's not why I wear them.

On really bright days, I sometimes wear sunglasses, so my eyes don't don't get strained from squinting.

As I understand it, UV protection is vital for sunglasses, because sunglasses without proper UV protection leave your eyes vulnerable to sun damage. Your pupils are wide open because they're behind dark lenses, which lets damaging UV rays into your eyes unless the glasses protect aginst them. But for clear lenses, your pupil will tend to adjust itself more appropriately for the actual sunlight (and UV). An eye expert may want to put a finer point on this, but that;s the general idea.

I don't wear protective glasses (clear or shaded) religiously. I forget them, or I just don't feel like wearing them. And they're a bit less necessary since I out full fenders on my bike, which protects my face from most flying crud (aside from bugs).

This is just silly. I have never ridden with sunglasses because other than the "coolness factor" I don't really see a need for them. When I started cycling, I got the shorts becuase my butt would kill me, I got a jersey becuase my cotton t-shirts would get sweat drenched.... but I never had such a need for glasses.

Sure, things have gotten in my eye, but I normally just can rub it out, and it happens so infrequently, I don't see the need to always be wearing glasses.

The only real way I see glasses being useful is if you live in an area where there are few hills and the landscape is flat, so if you're riding in the morning or night when you're facing the sun, you're not looking straight into the light. that... and the coolness factor.

If I do get glasses one day myself, It will probably just be for the coolness factor. Also, I don't like looking at the world with a tint.

When you rub those bugs out of your eye, just make sure you get them out completely (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kenneth-watson-blinded-live-maggot-eats-eye/story?id=11306311). (Link is kind of gross).

When you rub those bugs out of your eye, just make sure you get them out completely (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kenneth-watson-blinded-live-maggot-eats-eye/story?id=11306311). (Link is kind of gross).

As my kids would say, "EEEEEWWWWWW".

Ten-buck safety glasses will protect your eyes nicely. Tinted or clear, your choice. Spend your money on what is important to you.

Yes, and add that safety type glasses or "fit overs" do a much better job than the stinking overpriced fashion cycling glasses.

http://www.eyesave.com/brands/b52-d1-pg1/Fitovers+Eyewear-Sunglasses/index.aspx

Yes, and add that safety type glasses or "fit overs" do a much better job than the stinking overpriced fashion cycling glasses.

http://www.eyesave.com/brands/b52-d1-pg1/Fitovers+Eyewear-Sunglasses/index.aspx

I just can't have a frame at the bottom of my vision area. I've missed cars due to the bottom of the lens frame when I looked back quickly. For me the glasses I got did two things I needed besides the obvious, they allow me to actually see when I look behind me and the wrap is tight enough that air doesn't get behind the lens and make my eyes tear. For some odd reason I must have sensitive eyes with regard to wind whipping past them at close proximity, or perhaps some glasses just accelerate it somehow.

I advocate wearing some form of eye protection at all times while biking. But don't necessarily go nuts spending $100+ on them.
I personally just wear a $25 pair i got from MEC. I just look for the basic UVA/UVA protection.

Of course make sure you can see past the frame of the glasses. Nothing worse than looking up at the road and having the top of the frame get in the way. I love the frameless sunglasses, when i can find them.

Strange question but one that has been bugging me. I typically ride with out sunglasses but almost everyone i see has them.

Is it important to have eye protection from debris while on a road bike? i can see a bug getting lodged in your eye if you didnt have them.....

and a second question...if the answer is yes you should have them....do you need cycling specific glasses due to some magic they possses or safety feature (aka shatter proof lenses in the event of a crash)?

I have normal sunglasses but dont want to ride with them if i wreck and they shatter right into my eyeball.

A person i typically ride with just picked up a set of very expensive Oakleys.....whichh are not cycling specifc but im sure are shatter proof.

I guess maybe its a dumb question now that i read my post again :)

Wind(dry eye) and UV protection, btw you can't see the bug that gets lodged in your eye because you'll be tearing up and down one-eye on the descent!

Depends on the type of plastic, whether coating is applied to it and the wavelength of the radiation. 300 to 400 nm wavelengths go through plastic easily. UVB is from 280 to 320 nm so part of it could pass through many plastics. Altitude also has an effect also since the UV flux increases about 10% every 3000 feet.

Polycarbonate, which is what safety goggles are usually made of, is essentially opaque to anything shorter than 380 nm. Other plastics used have similar cutoffs, with the except of CR39 and other ADC plastics, which are have cutoffs at about 350 nm, without a coating, but even that blocks 90% of UVA. (CR39 is the most common plastic used in eyeglasses, having pretty much the same optical distortions as glass, but lighter (and cheaper, and easier to work with, and tougher, and resistant to lots of solvents, and to heat.) It also takes tints very well, so is used in sunglasses, but I don't know how widely).

Optical glasses are another matter, and need coatings to be UV opaque.

I wear Maui Jim Kanaha sun glasses for the shatter proof lenses, UV filtering, and anti-glare polarization. Keeping your eyes safe is important, they don't grow back, why risk them?

a BIG plus one on these glasses (made in Peoria, Illinois)

Well my sunglass situation went something like this. When I first started riding I didn’t wear sun-glasses. Then one day while going down a hill a bug flew into my eye and I almost crashed. So I started wearing home-depot safety glasses. Then the safety glasses would start to fog up during the summer and it became tedious to have to wipe them off so often . They also got scratched very easily and offered no glare protection. Then I tried regular sun glasses and they would fog up just like the home depot glasses and they were too dark. Now I wear Oakleys with transition lenses which don’t fog up have sun and debris protection and are not too dark like many cheaper sun glasses I had. They actually darken when it very bright outside and lighten when it gets dark. I’m very happy with them. Though sun-glasses can be costly, its my experience you get what you pay for.

Well, I only have two eyes, so I always wear glasses when cycling for eye protection.....all are polycarbonate, some tinted, some polarized, some clear.....but I have had rocks and bugs bounce off of them and I know that ALL of the bouncing rocks or bugs would have hurt if I hadn't been wearing the glasses.

I have worn sunglasses when cycling for so long it feels strange not to have them on. When riding at night I wear clear glasses, I have a helmet light and handlebar lights, the helmet light attracts bugs right to the face. The reason for the two lights is that the handlebar light is aimed where I am going and the helmet light is aimed at where I am looking.

I wear sunglasses made to protect firearms enthusiasts. I also wear clear shooting glasses on night rides. One close call is all it took for me to wear them religiously.

I dig having eyesight.

I ate a bug on last Sunday's ride. Guess, I'd rather eat it than take it in the eye.. I swallowed it so quickly, I barely tasted it.. that is what I get for riding with a sometime, talkative group..

I got very careful about eye protection after having a piece of road grit scratch my cornea. No real damage, but really uncomfortable. I also find that on hot days, my eyes dry out fast.

I have used both regular safety glasses and cycling-specific glasses. The only advantage I have found to the cycling-specific glasses is that I didn't have as much interference between the glasses frames and my helmet with the cycling-specific frames.

I will tell you why you need to wear sunglasses. I hav umpired HS and college baseball for going on 38 years now. For over 25-nearly 30 years, we were told as umpires NOT TO WEAR SUNGLASSES. Imagine being out in the sun for 4-5 hours without UV protection---day after day after day. Guess what? At 55 years of age, I now have moderate cataracts that will necessitate---at least down the road---removal and replacement of a my lenses in both eyes. My opthamologist said that while my eyes are 55, my lenses ave the cataracts of a mush older person.

I do not wear expensive glasses--my "Ironman" glass that I purchased at Walgreens work just fine for cycling, and they fit behind my umpire's mask, too.

This is just silly. I have never ridden with sunglasses because other than the "coolness factor" I don't really see a need for them. When I started cycling, I got the shorts becuase my butt would kill me, I got a jersey becuase my cotton t-shirts would get sweat drenched.... but I never had such a need for glasses.

If I do get glasses one day myself, It will probably just be for the coolness factor. Also, I don't like looking at the world with a tint.

Wow, never thought someone could get on a high-horse about sunglasses, but there you go... ;)
I always ride with them, besides bugs and UV protection, they help a little with keeping the sweat out of my eyes (if you get the right kinds) and I just hate having to squint while riding.
As for a coolness factor, I actually feel nerdy when am wearing them... go figure

I am a klutz when it comes to sunglasses. I have lost count of how many that I have either sat on, dropped or misplaced. Therefore I would never spend $$$ on some Oakley shades. To me sunglasses are disposables. The ones I have are UV protected and one of them even is polarised. Spent $50 for them. I don't feel the pain if something ill were to happen to them either.
Why just the other day, while trying to lock my bike, my sunglass that was hanging off my t-shirt fell off. the glass and frame came apart. Meh, some super glue will make it all nice again. :D

I've given up on wearing glasses while cycling in the heat of summer. I sweat so much that I'm not able to see well enough to make wearing glasses in the heat practical. If I'm going to ride in the summer, I'd rather definitely see where I'm going while possibly getting a bug in the eye over definitely not getting a bug in the eye at the cost of definitely not seeing where I'm going.

I always wear glasses - either clear for early morning or tinted for late morning. I have noticed that even though the pro cyclists have glasses, they don't wear them. If you see photos of the Tour, you see the riders have the glasses stuck in their helmet. Not sure what good they do there but it's just an observation.
Gary

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/12/17/lance_armstrong.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1140/photos/1/1292031/6143489/rechtAndySchleckAmstel20088512-vi.jpg

As for a coolness factor, I actually feel nerdy when am wearing them... go figure

That is my fear too, I am thinking about flies in my eyes - not the sun. But I dont want to wear lycra either, perhaps some Ron Hill running leggings?

I wear sunglasses made to protect firearms enthusiasts. I also wear clear shooting glasses on night rides. One close call is all it took for me to wear them religiously.

I dig having eyesight.

+1. I've found that shooting glasses offer the best bang for the buck. That's all I use now. They're typically shatterproof, lightweight, comfortable, stylish, and have UV protection. I can usually find what I like for less than $20. I'm partial to these (http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/smwemaansmle.html) when I can find them.

I always wear glasses - either clear for early morning or tinted for late morning. I have noticed that even though the pro cyclists have glasses, they don't wear them. If you see photos of the Tour, you see the riders have the glasses stuck in their helmet. Not sure what good they do there but it's just an observation.
Gary

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/12/17/lance_armstrong.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1140/photos/1/1292031/6143489/rechtAndySchleckAmstel20088512-vi.jpg

The second photo looks like pre or post race interview.