Picking the best cycling sunglasses isn’t about choosing the most expensive ones—it’s about choosing the ones that meet your needs. Going for a short ride? Training for a cycling race or triathlon? Going camping or on holidays and planning to take your bike? 

There are various factors to consider when buying the best cycling sunglasses. That’s why we’ve reviewed nine of the best cycling glasses based on the most important categories, including the best overall ones, beginner sunglasses, the best budget shades, low light ones, and the best lightweight sunnies.

Best Cycling Sunglasses Reviewed

Best Overall

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The Oakley Sutro Lite Sweep Sunglasses are the best overall choice. These semi-rimless glasses offer a greater field of view and enhanced versatility. Inspired by the daily life of urban cyclists, the high-wrap shield creates a bold look that protects from the elements and enhances vision with Prizm Lens Technology. This adds exceptional clarity and detail by enhancing natural colours and contrast.

Made from durable O Matter frame material, the Sutro Lites offer all-day comfort to keep up with any cycling adventure. The addition of ridged textured Unobtainium on the inside of the temple ensures a secure fit, while Oakley’s Unobtainium nose pads increase grip with sweat.

What People Love About Them

Super lightweight, great field of view, and enhanced colour and contrast that offers up an exceptional viewing experience.

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Best Budget Option

Garneau sunglasses are developed to perform in style, and the Lazer Shield Sunglasses are no exception. Featuring a stiff frame made from Grilamid TR-90 nylon, these cycling glasses are known for their exceptional durability.

What’s more, the Lazer Shield Sunglasses are equipped with ballistic lenses tested and certified by the U.S. military. In terms of fit, they boast adjustable polymer nose pads. Meanwhile, vents on the stems and lenses help with fogging.

Thanks to the solid yet lightweight construction, you get the biggest bang for your buck with the Lazer Shield Sunglasses—especially during hot-weather rides.

What People Love About Them

Excellent value, especially considering the ballistic lenses, certified by the U.S. military, provide exceptional durability and protection.

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Most Stylish Pair

Though not designed as cycling glasses, the Julbo Explorer 2.0 Spectron 4 Sunglasses are still an exceptional—and exceptionally stylish—choice for bikers. These high-alpine mountaineering sunglasses shine bright across many categories, from their panoramic lenses to their 360 degree adjustable temples.

Simply put, the Explorer 2.0 Spectron 4 is built for rugged environments and extreme conditions. Whether you’re cycling in the blistering heat, through a sudden downpour, or during the colder months, these classic sunglasses have literally got you covered. Plus, they’re timelessly fashionable.

What People Love About Them

The robust construction and timeless style makes these sunnies suitable for a wide range of adventures.

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Pros

  • Stylish
  • Rugged
  • Anti-reflection
  • Panoramic vision

Cons

  • Intended for high-mountain sports
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Best Lightweight

The Smith Optics Ruckus Sunglasses are built for those long rides where lightweight comfort and performance are paramount. Featuring a feather-light, flexible, and durable TR90 frame, these sunglasses are perfect for the trail, road, or CX course. The thin, no-slip temples are designed to work seamlessly with your helmet, ensuring all-day comfort without causing sore spots behind your ears.

The Ruckus Sunglasses are packed with features, including carbonic lenses for impact resistance and clear optics, and 100% UV protection. The medium-large fit with large coverage ensures they stay in place with the help of Megol temple and nose pads.

What People Love About Them

The lightweight design ensures comfort during hot-weather rides, making them perfect for long days on the road or trail.

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Best for Low light

Are your current sunglasses way too dark when cycling in low light? Check out the Julbo Aerolite Performance Sunglasses.

The Aerolite's photochromic lenses make them the glasses of choice in low light conditions. The NTS (non-temperature sensitive) technology optimises the photochromic lens in both hot and cold weather, so they can be used for both cycling and skiing, and even just for kicking around town.

With adjustable nose pads, Air Link Temple technology, a lightweight elastomeric cushioning insert, and hair-resistant Grip Tech material, the Aerolite Performance will give you a comfortable, secure fit. Plus, the well-ventilated construction prevents fogging.

What People Love About Them

The photochromic lenses adapt to varying light conditions, providing clear visibility and comfort in low-light situations.

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Best for Smaller Faces

For those who are the proud owners of a small face, it's hard to find sunglasses that fit just right. The Oakley Radar EV Path Sunglasses feature a revolutionary design with a bigger lens that widens the superior visual field.

Radar's key feature is the O Matter frame, which is 25% lighter yet two times stronger than comparable models. The material is more heat and cold-resistant, making the frame hard to break. The strong grip is perfect for a small face. This prevents the sunglasses from sliding down your face. Unlike traditional lenses, the shape of the lens doesn't touch the cheeks.

Radar's advantage is the Prizm feature that adjusts vision for different environments. The Unobtainium pads and tips increase in grip with wetness, so you'll be fine when it rains or when you sweat

What People Love About Them

Their lightweight design and strong grip make them ideal for small faces, ensuring a secure fit and all-day comfort.

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Best for Maximum Coverage

The POC Aim Sunglasses are engineered for cyclists who demand exceptional eye coverage and a wide field of view. Ideal for both road cycling and trail riding, these glasses boast an oversized spherical shield lens that maximizes peripheral vision—crucial for pushing limits on the bike.

Designed with hydrophilic rubber on the temples and an adjustable nose piece, the Aim sunglasses provide a secure fit, even during intense rides. They come equipped with Clarity lens technology from Carl Zeiss Vision Sunlens, which enhances contrast and colour definition across various light conditions.

What People Love About Them

The oversize shield lens offers extensive coverage and the Clarity lens technology enhances visibility in diverse environments.

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Other Favourites

The Oakley Encoder Sunglasses are purpose-built for athletes across multiple sports, delivering exceptional performance with a focus on hat and helmet compatibility. Featuring a progressive wrap design, these sunglasses offer superior coverage and an enhanced field of view, making them ideal for dynamic activities like cycling.

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The Julbo Rush Reactiv 0-3 Sunglasses are crafted to meet the rigorous demands of cycling and other high-speed sports. They boast an impressive balance of performance and adaptability, designed with a perfectly vented lens for maximum peripheral vision in all positions. Simply put, the Rush Reactiv 0-3s are ideal companions for athletes who demand the best from their gear.

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BUYING GUIDE: WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING CYCLING SUNGLASSES

First, you need to identify the type of cycling you’ll be doing. It can be track, BMX, mountain biking or road cycling. Once determined, you can then boil it down to the size of the sunglasses, helmet compatibility, and the lens type.

Size

It’s best to look for sunglasses in a range of different sizes to discover what fits your face shape best

  • SMALL

Oakley’s Radar EV Path Sunglasses feature a strong grip, perfect for a small face. For especially small heads or for children, the Radar EV Path also comes in a youth model.

  • ONE SIZE

There’s only one size (OS) for the Smith Optics Attack MTB Sunglasses and these cycling sunglasses tend to be on the larger size. Additionally, the Garneau Lazer Shield shades and Oakley Sutro Lite Sunglasses are also strictly available in OS.

  • LARGE

For those with a larger head, opt for cycling sunglasses that offer a size large, or whose standard OS model is somewhat larger than the competition’s, such as the POC Aim Sunglasses.

Helmet Compatibility

Helmet compatibility is often a personal choice, usually based on the size of your head. Often, the helmet pushes the sunglasses too far down the nose. Therefore, when trying on new helmets, take your sunglasses with you. Fun fact, the Garneau Lazer Shield sunglasses are compatible with the P-09 helmet.

Lenses

Lens quality is one of the most important features of cycling sunglasses. The advantages of polarized cycling sunglasses are that they avoid flashes of light and blinding reflections. They also relieve eye fatigue and are good for seeing natural colours. But some cycling purists believe polarized lenses should only be purchased if you have problems with glare and excessive light.

Cyclists are exposed to a lot of sunlight and light reflected from a different range of surfaces, so it’s best to use a darker lens. Also, if you’re most likely to cycle during summer, pick a dark lens for its luminosity.

If you’ll be cycling in winter most of the time or overcast days, go for a yellow or clear lens, ideal in low light conditions.

FAQ

Do I need to think about impact resistance sunglasses?

The very best cycling sunglasses have thicker lenses (~2mm). They offer better impact resistance than regular plastic lenses, meaning that despite the elevated price tag they’ll last you a lot longer in the field.

What is the benefit of wrap-around sunglasses?

Simply put, cycling sunglasses that wrap around your face cover a greater surface area. This prevents sunlight from seeping through, as well as wind and debris from entering your eyes.

Final Thoughts

There you have itthe best cycling sunglasses of 2024. Focus on choosing a pair of sunglasses that meets your budget, size, lens, technology, and your preferred cycling style.

For us at Altitude Sports, our top pick goes to the Oakley Sutro Lite Sweep Sunglasses. They performed exceptionally well in every category that we tested. Now it’s time for you to order your next pair of cycling shades.

See you on the bike trails!