The best cycling glasses are the ones you barely notice on the bike: they stay put under your helmet, don’t fog up and have the right lens colour for the light. This guide explains how to choose cycling glasses, from lens colour and interchangeable lenses to ventilation, fit and options for spectacle wearers, and shows which models are available now.
Key points at a glance
- Look for UV400 and the CE mark. Lens colour tells you nothing about UV protection: clear lenses can be UV400 too.
- Filter category 2 or 3 suits sunshine, light contrast lenses suit dull days, and only clear lenses work in the dark. Category 4 is not suitable for road use.
- A wraparound shape keeps out wind, insects and dust. A little space between lens and face plus open edges stop the glasses from fogging up.
- Try your glasses on with your helmet. If you wear glasses, you can choose prescription sports glasses, a prescription insert or contact lenses.
Why wear sports glasses instead of normal sunglasses?
For a quick ride to the shops, any sunglasses with UV protection will do. On longer or faster rides, proper cycling sunglasses have clear advantages:
- Coverage: the strongly curved lens keeps out wind, insects, dust and grit.
- Durable lenses: sports lenses are usually made from polycarbonate, which is light and far more shatter-resistant than glass. Many also have a scratch-resistant coating.
- Secure fit: rubberised nose pads and temple tips keep the glasses in place, even when you sweat or ride on rough roads.
- Clear view: half-rim and shield glasses have little or no frame in your field of vision.
The same features make them some of the best sunglasses for running and cycling alike.
How to choose cycling glasses: what to look out for
Which cycling glasses suit you depends on where and when you ride. These are the points worth comparing.
Lens colour and filter category
The filter category shows how much visible light gets through the lens. You will usually find it on the inside of the arm or in the product description.
| Category | Light transmission | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 80–100% | darkness, rain, dusk (clear lenses) |
| 1 | 43–80% | overcast days, woodland trails |
| 2 | 18–43% | changeable sunshine, a typical UK summer |
| 3 | 8–18% | bright conditions, southern Europe, mountains |
| 4 | 3–8% | glaciers and high mountains, not suitable for driving or road use |
The lens colour affects how you see colours and contrast:
- Grey: reduces brightness evenly and keeps colours natural. Good for sunny roads.
- Brown and bronze: a little more contrast, pleasant in changeable sunshine on tarmac and gravel.
- Green: natural colours and good contrast, an all-rounder.
- Yellow and orange: brighten the view and boost contrast in fog and dull weather.
- Rose and red: more contrast between light and shade, popular in the woods and on trails.
- Clear: for darkness, rain and grey winter days.
- Strong blue or violet: can distort the colours of traffic lights and signals. Neutral tints are the safer choice on the road.
Oakley has developed its own Prizm Road and Prizm Trail lens tints for road and off-road riding, which the brand says make details on the surface easier to see.
Interchangeable lenses or photochromic lenses?
If you ride in changeable conditions, one tint is not enough. There are two solutions:
- Interchangeable lenses: many half-rim and shield models let you swap the lens, for example a dark one for sun and a clear or yellow one for rain. The product description tells you whether a second lens is included. You do need to carry it and change it on the road, though.
- Photochromic lenses: these self-tinting lenses darken in UV light and lighten again in the shade. This takes from a few seconds to a few minutes, so on a short stretch through the woods the lens stays darker for a while.
Polarised lenses
Polarised lenses reduce glare from reflections, for example on wet roads or water. One drawback on the bike: the screens of bike computers and smartphones can look dark or patchy at certain angles, so try this before you buy. You can read how polarisation works in our article on polarised lenses.
Ventilation: no more fogging
Glasses fog up most easily when you climb slowly or wait at traffic lights. A little space between lens and face, an open lower edge as on half-rim glasses and vents in the lens or frame all help. Some lenses also have an anti-fog coating.
Wind protection: shape and coverage
The more curved the lens and the further it reaches down and to the sides, the less wind gets to your eyes. Shield glasses with one large lens offer the most coverage. If they sit too close to your face, though, air can’t circulate and they fog up faster. The best cycling glasses for wind protection strike a balance between coverage and airflow.
Fit with a helmet
Always try your glasses on with your helmet:
- The arms don’t hit the adjustment dial at the back of the helmet or press under the straps.
- The top of the frame doesn’t touch the helmet.
- In your riding position, with your head tilted forward, the frame stays out of your field of vision. That is why tall lenses are popular on road bikes.
- The glasses don’t slip when you shake your head and don’t pinch behind your ears after an hour. The lighter they are, the less you notice them.
UV400 and the CE mark
UV400 means the lens filters UV radiation up to 400 nanometres. The CE mark shows that the glasses meet European requirements for sunglasses. Neither has anything to do with the tint: clear cycling glasses can be UV400 too.
Cycling glasses for men and women: size matters
Most sports glasses are unisex. Whether a pair fits you depends mainly on size: the lens should reach your eyebrows and sit close to your face at the sides, and the glasses shouldn’t slide down your nose. Some models come in more than one size, such as the Sutro Lite S as a smaller version of the Sutro Lite. Tip: compare the measurements on the inside of the arm of a pair that fits you well with the details in the shop.
Best cycling glasses: recommended models available now
There is no single pair of best cycling sunglasses for everyone, but there are good matches for the way you ride. We haven’t tested the models below ourselves; they are a selection from our current range. You can see which colours and lenses are available now on each model page.
Oakley Radar EV Path: for road cycling and long rides
The Radar EV Path is one of the best-known cycling glasses. The half-rim lens is taller at the top (EV stands for “Extended View”), so you can see clearly even in a low riding position. According to Oakley, the nose pads and temple tips made from its Unobtainium material grip better when you sweat.
Oakley Sutro, Sutro Lite and Sutro Lite Sweep: lots of lens, lots of coverage
The Sutro models have one large shield lens that keeps out plenty of wind, on road and gravel bikes alike. The Sutro Lite is lighter and open at the bottom, and the Sutro Lite Sweep is rimless.
Oakley Flak 2.0 XL: the all-rounder for cycling and running
These light half-rim glasses have a large, curved lens that is taller in the XL version than on the Flak 2.0. The open lower edge lets air reach the lens.
Oakley Holbrook, HSTN and Frogskins: for town
For the commute or a coffee stop, lifestyle models with UV400 are fine. They are flatter and offer less coverage at the sides. For fast rides, sports glasses are the better choice.
Oakley EYEJACKET REDUX (OO9438 943805)£117.88 P
Oakley RADAR EV PATH (OO9208 920847)£115.42
Oakley HOLBROOK (OO9102 9102D6)£125.09 P
Oakley EYEJACKET REDUX (OO9438 943801)£92.02
Oakley TERRAFORMA (OO9530 953001)£75.77
Oakley HSTN (OO9242 924207)£105.38
Oakley TERRAFORMA (OO9530 953006)£127.67 P
Oakley RADAR EV PATH (OO9208 920846)£113.72Cycling glasses for spectacle wearers
If you wear glasses, there are several options for prescription glasses for biking:
- Sports glasses with prescription lenses: the lenses are fitted straight into the sports frame. This gives you the widest field of vision. With strongly curved frames, however, the possible prescription range is limited. Original Oakley prescription lenses are available for many Oakley models.
- Prescription insert (clip-in): a small frame with your lenses sits behind the sports lens. This is flexible, because you can swap the outer lens. On the other hand, the field of vision is smaller and the space between the lenses can fog up more easily.
- Contact lenses for cycling: with these you can wear any non-prescription cycling glasses. A close-fitting shape keeps out wind and dust.
- Photochromic prescription lenses: one pair for sun and shade, handy for commuters.
You can find out more in our guide to prescription lenses for sunglasses. Your optician or eye doctor can tell you which solution suits your prescription.
Which glasses are best for mountain biking?
Any well-fitting cycling glasses will work on a mountain bike. Off road, though, other things matter than on the road:
- Light contrast lenses: in the woods, light and shade change all the time. Rose, orange or photochromic lenses show roots and rocks better than very dark lenses.
- Ventilation: you climb slowly and sweat more. Open, well-ventilated glasses fog up less.
- Coverage: a large lens keeps out mud and spray.
- Grip: a sports strap keeps your glasses secure on rough descents. If you ride downhill with a full-face helmet, goggles are usually the better choice.
Frequently asked questions about cycling glasses
Which cycling glasses come top in tests?
There is no universal test winner. Tests usually compare a handful of models at a certain point in time against their own criteria, and many tested models are discontinued later. If you read a test, check the year, the source and the criteria. What matters more is that the glasses have UV400 and the CE mark, the filter category suits your rides and they fit well with your helmet.
Which tinted glasses are unsafe for driving or riding at night?
Category 4 lenses are not suitable for driving or road use at any time. At dusk and at night, any tint takes away light, so only clear category 0 lenses should be worn. Many cyclists carry a clear spare lens for this.
