A vast majority of cyclists do not bother to wear a pair of cycling glasses when they go out on the roads. This can be a big mistake, as cycle glasses should be considered a necessary part of your safety equipment. These days, people are increasingly wearing bike helmets to protect their heads if they end up having an accident. Often the law demands it. But eye protection is generally not used. If you are riding on busy roads, it is very easy for overtaking vehicles to throw debris up from the road surface, and if it hits you in the eyes, it can be enough to make you lose concentration or even swerve into the path of oncoming traffic. It’s also worth wearing sunglasses to ensure your eyes do not get affected by ultraviolet rays in sunny weather.
So is there a best brand of road cycling glasses to buy, which will maximize your protection? Well, not really. There are tons of companies which make excellent, high quality cycling eye wear. You need to know which features are important when making your selection, and then as long as the pair you are interested in buying has these features, it doesn’t matter too much who the maker is.
The first thing to investigate is the ultraviolet filters. The majority of cycling sunglasses are designed to filter out UVA and UVB rays. This is a good start, and you will be provided with the same general sun protection that you would get from any decent pair of shades. However, if you intend to go touring, riding for hours on end and clocking up the miles in sunnier countries, you might be tempted to opt for a pair of the really popular Giro Havik 2 glasses, which will filter out UVC radiation as well as UVA and UVB, to get that added protection.
The next thing to look out for is good reviews on websites like Amazon. People are usually very quick to point out faults with products, and cycle glasses are no exception. Once you have found a pair you like, see if anything bad is said about them in reviews, especially if other buyers have found then to be rather flimsy. You should be looking for a strong frame and lenses which can easily take the shock of a collision with a bug or small piece of debris from the road, even at high speed.
As long as you can get these features – good UV protection and very robust design – then get yourself a shortlist and try to find them in local stores so you can see them with your own eyes, rather than relying on photos. A good shortlist to start you off would be: Giro Havik 2, Bollé Vigilante, Bollé Parole, Oakley Radar, Rudy Project Rydon and Smith Optics Interlock.
There are tons of other brands, and as long as they provide the correct safety features, go ahead and try them out. And hopefully you will feel even safer riding on the roads knowing your eyes are no longer in danger!
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