The ultimate cycling glasses guide:
which cycling glasses do I need?

You don't just wear cycling glasses against the sun, you also wear them to keep wind and rain out of your eyes. Or how about flies, dust or mud. Better visibility ensures a safe ride. But what should you pay attention to when buying glasses? What are the differences in the color lenses and do you need different glasses for mountain biking? Which cycling glasses you wear does not only have to do with style. The fit, that's what matters. In addition, you can look at the type of glasses, the types of lenses and which branch of cycling you practice. We answer the most frequently asked questions so that you can find the perfect pair of glasses. Finally, we also give you tips to clean and maintain your glasses. So handy.  

• Why do you wear cycling glasses?
• What types of cycling glasses are there?
• What size glasses do I need?
• Men's or women's cycling glasses?
• Which lenses do I choose?
• Which lenses in which weather type?
• Which cycling glasses for glasses wearers?
• Which MTB glasses?
• Which cycling glasses?
• How do I prevent my cycling glasses from fogging up?
• How do I maintain my cycling glasses?
• How do I clean my cycling glasses?

Why do you wear cycling glasses?

Before we dive into the matter, it's good to start at the beginning. Because why should you wear glasses at all if you don't do that on a 'normal' bicycle. We give four reasons to wear cycling glasses:

Sun

Sports glasses above all offer protection against the sun. Therefore, before you buy glasses, check whether the model has UV protection

Speed

High speeds cause tearing eyes without glasses. With watery eyes, your vision is reduced and that can cause danger at high speeds.

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Protection

Dust, branches and dirt can get into your eye and cause eye damage. Prevention is better than cure. 

Weather

Rain and snow can limit your field of vision and cause eye irritation. You don't have to worry about that with glasses.

What types of cycling glasses are there?

When you look for cycling glasses, you will soon discover that they are available in the most diverse types and sizes. To find the glasses that best suit your needs, we first divide the glasses into four types of frames.

Cycling glasses without frame

Large cycling glasses have become a trend in recent years. Many of these glasses have no frame. This means that the lens is attached directly to the temples. The advantages of frameless glasses are the light weight and the wide field of view. Your view will never be limited if you hang in the brackets or look back. The only drawback is that the glasses without a frame feel a little less sturdy.

What size glasses do I need?

Glasses that are not comfortable are a nuisance while cycling. Even though most glasses have a fixed size, every head is different. You only know if glasses fit when you actually wear them. So try out several models when you are in the store and move your head in all directions while trying on. Do the glasses stay on? Then you have a match. Finally, take your bicycle helmet into account. The legs can be a bit wider because they go over the straps of your helmet.

If you buy sports glasses online, take more into account the type of glasses. Especially for people with a smaller head it is sometimes a bit of a search. Keep in mind that full frame glasses tend to be a bit larger in size. These fit less well on a narrow head.

Which lenses do I choose?

Once you've found the right frame, you can move on to the lenses. Some glasses come with multiple lenses, others contain lenses that color with the circumstances: 'photochromatic'. We explain the differences below.

Photochromatic Lenses

We already dropped the name: 'photochromatic lenses'. These lenses automatically adjust to the brightness of the light. If you cycle through a dark, wooded area, the lenses become lighter. If you cycle in sunny conditions, the lenses will turn darker. This is ideal for mountain bikers or gravel bikers because they often cycle in varying conditions. The advantage of photochromatic cycling glasses is that you only need one pair of glasses for every type of weather.  
 

Interchangeable lenses



Photochromatic cycling glasses are everyone's friend, yet many connoisseurs opt for interchangeable lenses. A photochromatic lens does not color along with the entire spectrum. That is why it is nice to be able to change lenses. A better view is in the details. The idea behind changing lenses is identical to that of photochromatic cycling glasses: in bright sunlight you wear dark glasses, in dark conditions you choose transparent or light glasses. Pay particular attention to the light transmittance or category when choosing suitable lenses. We will discuss this in detail in the next section.

Which lenses in which weather type?

As indicated above, the environment and weather conditions determine the type of lens. In particular, the light transmittance plays a role in this. How much light eventually gets through in a day determines which lens you need. A day of mountain biking in the woods requires a different lens than a sunny day on the road. Here too, everything revolves around safety. The safety of your eyes and yourself. Sharper vision makes you feel safer.

Which cycling glasses for glasses wearers?

As a spectacle wearer, you are of course used to wearing a frame every day. When looking for suitable cycling glasses for spectacle wearers, you have roughly two options:

Cycling glasses with insert; here you click a small pair of glasses behind the glasses. This turns your sports glasses into prescription glasses. Nice to have as an option when you don't always have to drive with prescription glasses.

Prescription cycling glasses; the most chosen option is prescription cycling glasses. With or without multifocal lenses. Adjusting the glasses may be more expensive, but with this you always have a sharp view. There are standard glasses available with positive prescription. For negative strength you can go to the optician.

Which mtb glasses

A mountain biker needs different sports glasses than a cyclist. Not surprising because you cruise through dark, wooded environments where branches and flies come into your face with some regularity. Because it is often dark, MTB glasses generally have lighter lenses. Many mountain bikers opt for photochromatic glasses. This gives you a better view of the path and protects your eyes from the sun. In addition, MTB glasses must remain firmly on your head because of the many wooded obstacles. Downhill mountain bikers even opt for a helmet and goggles, because sports glasses with elastic will definitely stay on your head.

How do I prevent my cycling glasses from fogging up?

Ventilation holes and special coating on the lenses ensure that cycling glasses almost never fog up. Fortunately, because nothing is more dangerous than cycling with fogged up glasses. However, it can sometimes happen that your glasses fog up. Especially during winter temperature changes. Your warm head and the cold air then cause condensation and that causes fogged up glasses. Usually when you slow down. So you can't completely prevent it. What can you do? kicking. Just like with fogged car windows, ventilation ensures that the glasses do not fog up. Before purchasing, check carefully whether the glasses have ventilation holes and whether a special anti-fog coating has been applied.

How do I maintain my cycling glasses?

After a long search you have finally found the perfect glasses, then you want to enjoy them for as long as possible. Keep your glasses in top condition for longer with these practical maintenance tips:

1. Always hold your glasses by the temples when putting them on or taking them off. This prevents the glasses from becoming greasy and your glasses from bending.

2. Put your glasses in the vents of your helmet if you do
drop off while cycling. Just upright or upside down, just what fits better.

3. Be frugal and never put glasses on top of the glasses. Store your glasses in the case or the glasses case. With photochromatic lenses, leaving them in the sun can even damage the lenses.

How do I clean my cycling glasses?

Especially when you cycle through the woods, a lot of mud can get on your sports glasses. Glasses are very sensitive to scratches, so make sure you clean your glasses properly.


1. First clean your hands well.

2. Then rinse the glasses under lukewarm water (± 30 ºC) and shake off all excess water from the glasses.

3. Then clean the glasses with a cleaning cloth or microfibre cloth. This is best done by removing the glazer first. A paper handkerchief or shirt can contain dust particles or even dirt that can cause scratches.

4. Then you can clean the frame with a cleaning cloth.

5. You can put your glasses away to dry, but you can also use a hair dryer (in cold setting!).