What's the advantage of cycling-specific sunglasses?
 

I'm an avid motorcyclist; and I've found over the years that nothing works better than 3M tinted safety sunglasses on the motorcycle. They are a single-piece, shatterproof pair of safety glasses that fare really well against the rare-but-dangerous pebble or other debris (Lenses in sunglasses can be popped loose); and they fit comfortably even when squeezed in between the pads of a full-faced helmet (any sort of contouring, shape, texturing, etc., of 'regular' sunglasses would be very painful). Some folks just use tinted visors but on a hot day, riding with the visor up and a pair of safety glasses is a great solution.

So, naturally, I've been wearing the same on my bicycle. But I have read a few times about why cycling specific sunglasses are just so important; though none of these sources have ever said why. So I'm curious. What's the hub-ub about and what on earth would a $100 pair of cycling sunglasses do for me that my $3 pair of safety sunglasses won't do for me?

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/07...52_500X500.jpg
(Reference image of what I'm referring to. I have tinted like that for during the day, and clear safety glasses for at night)

Just curious.

You will look like a cyclist.

I certainly hope people reply. I've been wearing $5 pair of walmart general sports glasses for cycling for the last 7 years...I would hate to hear that I wasted those 7 years by doing it wrong...! ;-)


Seriously, the one advantage I've seen on the higher-end cycling glasses is the ability to switch out lenses, from very dark, to medium, to just clear, depending on whether it is sunny, cloudy, or dark.

^ that's it. The ability to switch out lenses for the same frames. Of course, you could also just own/carry two or three pairs of inexpensive safety glasses and accomplish the same thing.

If you're going to *look pro*, then you'd better ride pro as well.

I usually wear $12 wraparounds from a local dept store, or sometimes wraparound safety glasses from the big-box hardware stores. Protection from sun and wind are my main concerns, but I need the temples to be able to hold my eyeglasses mirrors. Your one-piecers would work great for the first two list items, but would fail the third.

Besides looking cool............ there are real differences.

First there is nothing "wrong" with safety glasses. But for me... I sweat and heat-up too much and the non-vented safety and regular sunglasses tend to fog up on me. My cycling glasses with dark lens have vents that keep them fog free. I've attached my mirror to my cycling glasses with a little bit of shrink tube. They are always handy right there with my cycling gear.... never left out in the truck or anything.

I also have photo-chromatic cycling glasses that are nearly clear [when conditions aren't sunny]... yet change to dark if the sun comes out. Perfect for when the days are so hot I need to get an early start... or if I am riding close to sunset after a day out.

Most cycling glasses have rubber or textured areas that help grip around the nose and ears. That is really a benefit when sweating.

My cycling sunglasses (way under $100, btw) are wraparound, have ventilation to prevent fogging, have swappable lenses, are shatterproof, and are polarized. So long as your safety glasses aren't fogging up and the optics are relatively distortion-free (my own safety glasses have pretty bad distortion peripherally), I don't see why they wouldn't be good enough for the task.

Mainly vanity.

I see nothing in these replies to justify $100 for these sunglasses.

Dang, I spent 17.00 on these wrap around, vented, glare blocking Foster Grants. But, I still look like a cyclist probably because I wear them when I ride.

Sometimes you can get them in prescription. Which I would need because I already wear glasses.

I spent a whopping $29 on cycling specific glasses from Performance Bike, and they came with the interchangeable lenses, a wipe towel and a case. They really look no different than normal athletic style glasses. They offer some ventilation, have the rubber grips on the ends to help with staying put, and honestly, they work just fine. When I ride at night, I have some clear safety style glasses that I picked up from the LBS that are more cycling oriented for $9.99.

That's my issue also, plus using the stick-on mirrors that I like (on the inside of the lens) won't work with wrap-around. Wrong angle and too close to your eyeball. But the more blocky safety glasses work with
the regular clip-on mirrors.

A funny coincidence, just yesterday I wanted to mount a mirror on my darker $10 department-store sunglasses, same problem. I affixed a 10 cent craft-store mirror outside of the lens, against it in the same place as an inside one would be, and then drilled out the sunglasses in front of it so I could actually see something. I was just thinking that with a $100+ pair of cycling sunglasses I wouldn't have that option.

you can buy low cost yard work wrap around safety glasses and get most of the function keeping stuff out of your eyes..

one thing Those sold for bikes may offer is 3 shades of lenses , interchangable in the 1 frame.

Thanks guys! I was just curious. The ventilation, rubber, and interchangeable lenses things make sense. I've been just carrying my spare 'clear' safety glasses in a jersey pocket. And I don't get the fogging / slipping issue; BUT, when summer comes around and I'm sweating a lot more, I might! Something to think about.

What about the height of the glasses and where they sit on your face relative to your eyes? I have basic Walgreen sunglasses, and before that a pair from Target. They are OK but when I am in the drops I end up looking over the glasses to see where I'm going. No biggie most of the time but last week coming down a hill at speed something came over the top of my glasses and hit me at the inside corner of my eye. Fortunately just below the eye itself. Pretty sharp pain for a few seconds and not the sort of thing I want to happen again at 40 mph. Do cycling specific glasses help with this? Or maybe it's the same for everyone? Or maybe it's just me?

i think this is what is often referred to as a high rise. they are common in shooting sports. like trap and skeet shooting for reasons that are obvious. i'm surprised it is not often brought up in cycling eyewear discussions. of course, the problem becomes progressively worse as one's back gets flatter.

in order to get the rise i want, i've resorted to putting a bit of thick 3M sticky wallhanger stuff on the insides of the bridge of the tinted and clear 3M safety glasses that i use for cycling.

I've been wearing DUAL SL2 PRO bifocal sunglasses for quite a while now. Without them I can't read my cycle meter or my Garmin HRM. The glasses are great! They have a variety of models, tints and styles to meet most peoples needs. Their also reasonably priced.

I wear the same sunglasses riding that I do when I go fishing, no problem

Me neither. I think I spent about $30 for my "cycling" sunglasses and two sets of lenses. I've never paid anywhere near $100 for any sunglasses.

I wear wrap around sunglasses over my prescription glasses. My flat Asian face means the combination slips off sometimes.

I wish someone will develop tinted flip-down visors for the bicycle helmet so that I don't have to wear an second pair of glasses.

Fashion is what fashion is with little thought to actual use practicality involved.

Or......

A fool and his money are soon parted.

The things I've noticed: line of vision when looking back or fogging up. Fogging up is obvious, and I think vents help. By line of vision, I mean when I look back over my shoulder, different glasses block more or less.

I've got a pair that you can swap out lenses. Never intentionally swapped them out, but somethings they like to fall apart...

I do think it is mostly looks once you get beyond polarized. Sun can be blazing here and polarized makes a huge difference.

Cycling specific glasses is all about fashion and bling...A $10 dollar tinted safety glasses are just as good and functional as a $100 dollar cycling glasses.

I can tell the difference in the clarity.

Same here. I don't really object to $100 for cycling glasses. I just haven't found that they need be that pricey. Plenty of cycling specific glasses that are budget priced.

If you're gonna spend bigger money than me on sunglasses, Oakleys are thicker and offer better protection than the quick-stop cheapies.

I like my (non-cycling) Oakleys. But I only spent about $50-something on those, on clearance.

Big-dollar price tags aren't just for cycling sunglasses. Any boutique brand fashionable/trendy current-model sunglasses tend to be expensive, just for the cachet of the name. Wait 'til they're a little less trendy and the prices are much more reasonable.

I've got $10 nashbars and cheapo's, one day I'll get some nice ones just for the style.

Good point, GP. I use really cheap, lightly tinted safety glasses. They're ideal except for being just slightly blurry. Still, they are about $95.00 less. So far as tinting goes, I use a cycling cap with the very short, angled down bill which protects from sun better than lenses in an area where you go from full sun to dense shade. I just can't see the potholes with dark lenses and full shade.