Why Cycling Glasses vs. Cheap Sunglasses

Examining the difference between cheap sunglasses and cycling-specific sunglasses.

This video is not sponsored and am only using the sunglasses I have personal experience with. There are many other sun glass brands on the market. I just wanted to share my experiences with cycling-specific sunglasses. I'm not into "bling" and wearing $80 sunglasses just to look cool. I use them because they work much better than the cheap sunglasses I used to use.

I've been a die hard "cheap sunglasses" fan for decades of bike riding. For road riding in full sunlight, pretty much any old pair of sunglasses that fit you will work. But take that bike off pavement and venture into the mountains and those cheap sunglasses may not be "good enough" anymore. Go bombing down a technical single track in full sun then around a turn into deep shade and you can't see anything.

I first found I needed a photo gray lens that could darken in full sun then lighten up in full shade. It took me a few tries to dial in the exact light/dark shade numbers that would work for my riding. This is where sticking with one brand is helpful, because shade numbers can vary between brands. I found the cycling glasses fit better and the quality of the lenses including color rendition and contrast was much better than my cheap sunglasses.

Since cycling glasses need to fit tight around your face to protect your eyes from bugs and debris, they can trap heat. That's why I opted for a slightly more expensive Crit sunglasses with with venting around the lenses.

In a previous video, I repaired my old Podium sunglasses and changed them to a fixed shade lens. These work great for walking and working outside in the sun as well as for driving. You can visit the Tifosi web site through this affiliate link:
https://www.tifosioptics.com/?ref=4Crawler

So are they for everyone? Probably not. If your bike riding consists of 30-60 minutes on the local bike path or bike lane, anything that fits you well will do the job. But if you ride for many hours at a time and/or in challenging terrain/conditions, then you might consider investing in some cycling-specific sunglasses.

Sunglass information on the REI web site:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/sunglasses.html

Image credits:
Sports Tourer: https://waterfordbikes.com/SchwinnCat/flschwinn_1971_1980/1971_09.html
Cheap Sunglasses: pinterest.com - Donna Germer-Hiestand saved to Song Lyrics I Love

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