Cycling sunglasses can be eye-wateringly expensive, with the price of top-end only ever increasing. The good news is that entry-level sunnies have seen massive improvements in recent years, now able to offer most of the performance that more expensive models deliver but, crucially, at a much more palatable price.
Which is good news for everyone who rides regularly, as cycling sunglasses do much more than simple shading your eyes. They also act as a shield against road debris, rain and errant insects.
As such, cyclists often wear sunglasses all year round – especially as the low sun in winter often meaning that sunlight directly into the eyes can be bigger a problem than the more general brightness of the summer.
And, of course the very best cycling sunglasses will not only keep your vision clear, your eyes free from debris – but will make you look cool to boot.
The best budget sunglasses
(Image credit: Decathlon)
(Image credit: Tom Epton)
Recently, I’ve been impressed with Decathlon’s cycling offerings, so my expectations for these glasses were set quite high. Out of the box they felt light but solid and looked sporty yet had a flattering shape to them. The glasses have a wrap-around, protective feel to them and, once you put them on, they feel as if you’re not wearing anything on your face at all.
The lens has a red-ish tint to them and resisted fogging well. The design looks good with a range of different helmet options, as well as feeling reassuringly robust. On descents, some wind did manage to find its way over the top of the lenses in a few cases. This lead to a little tearing up, and the subsequent reduction in vision. It wasn’t a major problem, merely an imperfection in an otherwise excellent product.
(Image credit: dhb)
(Image credit: Tom Epton)
These sunnies…