Sun shades are important for highway biking and could be an funding –

Sun shades are important for highway biking. They maintain the solar off your eyes and face, they shield you from bugs crashing into your eyes, and so they assist cease the wind drying your eyes out. There are numerous, many choices – fashions with interchangeable lenses, photochromatic, prescription, completely different sizes, shapes and extra.

After I began using almost 14 years in the past I purchased an inexpensive pair from a tenting retailer that have been wrap-around type sports activities glasses and so they received me began however quickly broke. So I realised pretty rapidly that I wanted to improve and spend a bit more cash. That’s once I found photochromatic glasses which have been a game-changer for me.

It’s tempting to start out together with your common sun shades, significantly if you happen to put on prescription sun shades. However I’ve heard a couple of nasty tales about riders having accidents whereas carrying common sun shades and ending up with facial gashes from the glasses.

Right here’s a fast round-up of the classes that I’ve tried:

Interchangeable lenses

There are numerous manufacturers of biking glasses so I gained’t even try and checklist them right here. The manufacturers I’ve used through the years embody Rudy Challenge, Siroko, BZ Optics, and extra. Interchangeable lens glasses usually embody clear lenses, darkish lenses and yellow lenses. The clear ones are nice for using in the dead of night or low gentle, the yellow ones are good for cloudy climate and the darkish ones are for vibrant sunshine.

I’m not a fan as a result of it's essential to change the lenses, relying on the situations that are fiddly and means it's important to carry spare lenses round. The yellow lenses are pretty ineffective in Australia the place the daylight is vibrant even when it’s cloudy. On the upside, they're often cheaper.

Photochromatic lenses

I’m an enormous fan of photochromatic glasses. You set them on while you go away dwelling within the early morning and with out you even noticing they regularly go darker because the solar comes up. And I can truthfully say I’ve by no means thought they weren’t darkish sufficient even using within the vibrant sunshine in the course of a summer time’s day.

For a few years I’ve worn Rudy Challenge Rydon Slim which match me effectively. I discover that lots of the so-called Unisex glasses are big on ladies’s small heads. Though, I’ve not too long ago began carrying Siroko K3 glasses that are Unisex. They provide extra protection which I’m eager to attempt to they're much cheaper than a number of the huge manufacturers.

Prescription lenses

I put on prescription glasses (largely for close-up stuff) off the bike however on the bike, I’ve not felt the necessity to put on prescription glasses. I've a couple of associates who put on prescription glasses whereas they're using as a result of they will’t see effectively sufficient with out glasses, and so they’ve been pleased to spend money on good high quality eyewear. One buddy has invested in Rudy Challenge glasses with prescription lenses from her optometrist. She says they have been costly however nice. If you would like a extra budget-oriented possibility BBB makes glasses that embody an insert that goes on the within of the glasses.

I not too long ago tried one other nice possibility from BZ Optics with bifocal lenses. They embody a small magnified piece on the backside of the lens which makes it doable for individuals like me who put on studying glasses to see essential stuff like my bike pc. I have to admit I used to be a bit sceptical and thought they could impede my imaginative and prescient or make me really feel a bit woozy,  however as soon as I used to be on the bike I didn’t discover the bifocal a part of the lens.

Earlier than I found the BZ Optics possibility I carried a small pair of folding studying glasses in my pocket which I take advantage of once I change a flat tyre or to learn a menu on the post-ride café.

The ultimate phrase on sun shades is that you need to put on the arms of the glasses on the surface of the helmet straps. This ensures that the glasses come off in case you have a severe accident quite than get caught as much as trigger a facial harm.

Sun shades are important for highway biking and I’d love to listen to about your experiences. Share through feedback or the Girls Who Cycle Fb web page.