What makes cycling glasses

The design of cycling glasses plays a crucial role in making them safe, comfortable, and not a hindrence on the performance of the rider. Some common design features of cycling glasses include:. Frames are usually made of plastic, acetate, or acetate with plastic. Rubber ear pads may also be included on the temple tips along with a stamped or painted logo on the temples.

Acetate is a common material used to make glasses. Acetate is durable and most likely not going to irritate the skin or cause allergic reactions hypoallergenic. Acetate plastic if formed from plant material that is made using a special technique. This means that acetate is a renewable material and is eco-friendly. Acetate is also easy to colorize so manufacturers can offer a wide array of glass frame colors to users. You should choose cycling glasses that are very strong and that will protect your eyes from any debris or wind that might hit your eyes while you are riding.

Your vision is vitally important both on and off the road to see obstacles and avert them. Good cycling glasses will keep your face and vision safe while also not interfering with your ability to ride at your chosen pace. Nick Klamecki is a certified Fire and Workplace Safety expert with 15 years experience in product research and testing.

He has a degree in Economics from U. Davis, is an active outdoorsman and spent years ensuring the safety of special needs children. Nick researches and tests workplace, industrial and safety products and provides advice on their safe use. What are cycling glasses made of that makes them safe? Scratch-Proof Cycling Glasses There is no such thing as an entirely scratch-proof pair of glasses. Photochromatic Cycling Glasses Photochromic lens sunglasses offer different shading according to the intensity of the UV lights.

The lens will shatter, and you also risk damage to your eyes. All in all, glass lenses are great, but save them for your everyday wear. We recommend polycarbonate or Trivex lenses instead, as those materials are lighter than glass and shatterproof. Now comes the decision of dark vs. For cycling, it is always better to go with a light lens. We say this because of the safety issues that can come with having a pair of cycling sunglasses that are too dark.

When riding we are usually surrounded with grey, in particular the ground, shadows, pot holes, and debris. Dark grey lenses may cause you to miss those obstacles, hindering your reaction time. Lighter lenses such as rose and copper provide enhanced contrast, allowing you to spot uneven road surfaces up ahead. Transitions lenses automatically adjust with the changing light throughout your bike ride, and typically come in grey or brown. The SportRx Sunset Lens provides a brown-based photochromic lens, which changes from a medium rose copper to a dark rose copper, creating a lens that can work in any daytime condition.

Sunglass Rob also notes that a grey Transitions lens is better than a dark grey lens because it can change tint. As a potential alternative to Transitions, interchangeable lenses are a great feature to have. Get one frame and multiple sets of lenses to cover all your bases. Simply put, polarized lenses cut out glare.

This feature makes for a good lens when you are in bright conditions where the reflected glare can strain your eyes. Polarized lenses are recommended for water activities and driving, but are not ideal for road cycling because there are situations in which seeing glare can actually be a benefit.

For example, picking up on an oil slick or pot hole would be harder with a polarized lens. A polarized lens can throw off your depth perception. Sunglass Rob also notes that bike computers these days tend to work well with polarized lenses.

In the end, getting a polarized lens is up to your personal preference. We also have more information on the differences between polarized and non-polarized cycling glasses. A progressive lens is recommended if you struggle with focusing on close things and need to read maps, digital readouts, or fix a flat tire on your bike. Otherwise, a single vision lens is desirable because you have one type of vision correction across the entire lens rather than having the lens split between near, intermediate, and far distance.

This list of cycling sunglasses is provided to demonstrate how all the different features work together. It is only a sliver of the recommendations we have for you to get some ideas going.

Eye safety If you're on a bike and not wearing a bike helmet your an idiot. UV protection Most sunglasses will block UV light. Wraparound sunglasses are not just to look good Wraparound cycling sunglasses have been around for a long time and it is not just a marketing gimmick. Fit Bike design allows you to adjust your bike for your specific body measurements.

Lens grade or darkness Sports sunglasses lens grades or darkness this is a complex area, and is about the lens's ability to screen out visible light. Lens Quality As a cyclist you may know that there is a huge difference in carbon fibre for bike frames but it's hard to spot the difference. Optional extras or upgrading The last bike I bought had a standard set up but I upgradedthe gearing and the wheels. What athletes say The photochromic lenses are especially good and I have no problem switching lenses in and out.

They are a great fit and very comfortable. Been wearing mine in the blistering heat in Melbourne on bikes and runs and they have been awesome. No sliding off the nose, no steamy lenses! Those transition lens were clear when going thru dim wooded areas, and gave needed protection when it was sunny.

Hands down the best pair of shades I've ever owned. The quality of AMO sunglasses surpassed my expectations. I love the adjustable temple arms that ensure that the sunglasses stay in place the whole time during the race or training" - Olya Korzh - ultra runner and personal trainer "No other brand fits on my face like AMO sunglasses.

The adjustable nose-piece means and temple arms means that they are suit to the typical flat Asian face. I also love the lack of bottom edge to the lenses which means sweat is not trapped at the rim and it improves my vision on the trails. I can recommend AMO sunglasses to trail runners. Glasses look at feel great, very clear visual and comfortable to wear.

I have to say that my AMO sunglasses did their job perfectly, transitioning nicely from the cloudy early morning to provide the protection I needed as the sun gradually shone through.

I would recommend AMO sunglasses for mountain bikers and they are truly exceptional. I used to prefer running without sunglasses before as I couldn't find the right ones to run in. But my AMO sunglasses are perfect as they are super light, fit really well and have great lenses from the photochromic lenses which allow me me to see shapes and contours clearly on trail races to the polarised ones I wore in Antarctica.

Plus you get great personalised service from the owners! I am a big fan. Perfect function: eye protection, multiple lenses that are photochromic to adapt to different light levels. Perfect form: light, durable, close fitting. Stylish too! They helped when my eyes were getting tired across the direct sun and shady areas of the course. They were very comfortable, stuck to my face and were easily adjusted to fit my face and head. The tint is at just the right level to reduce glare when the sun is out and let's me still see well in cloudy conditions.

The most impressive aspect though is the clarity of view, it's crystal clear and better than my naked eye. I'm not sure how they manage that. The clarity of the lenses are extraordinary and the frames can be adjusted so they fit and stay in place.

I have always had trouble with my sunglasses sitting too low so I would get glare above the frame. These fit so well that this does not happen. They offered sufficient protection against the bright sunlight, without impairing my vision in any way. AMO sunglasses did all that on a very sunny OTW race day: providing untroubled protection and comfort so I could focus on the race. Several other brands disappointed me due to fogging up and making the vision blurred.

AMO's Twister sunglasses answered all my requests and also exceeded my expectations. Thank you Tim for introducing me to your brand. I will wear with pride and honour. Regarding to lens changing when I received my glasses I actually had a look at the videos they provide in order to change the lenses and it works fine.

I have three different glasses and change them frequently sometime even when I am on the trails. In the meantime my wife also choose AMO and she is very found of them already. As a bonus, they look awesome too!! AMO's grabby nose and ear pieces eliminated slip and bounce, even in hot weather, with no need to re-adjust. It's like seeing the trail in hi-def. The AMO sunglasses had great optical clarity, were comfortable and fitted perfectly.