Cycling glasses

Byffoer gepolariseerde sportbril (set van 2)

Byffoer supplies two polarised cycling glasses in one set. The title calls them sports sunglasses.

What you get

2 pairs of cycling glasses
Polarised lenses
Byffoer brand

Why cycling glasses?

On a bike your eyes get irritated quickly by wind, dust and insects. Cycling glasses wrap closer than ordinary sunglasses, stay put and protect you in a fall or from a flying stone. The lens is often polycarbonate, which is impact resistant.

Lenses are graded in categories 0 to 4. Category 0 lets through roughly 80 to 100 per cent of light and is clear, for example for the evening. Categories 1 and 2 are lightly to moderately tinted for cloudy to sunny weather. Category 3 is dark, for bright sun. Category 4 passes only 3 to 8 per cent and is unsuitable for traffic.

Photochromic lenses darken in UV light and lighten again in the shade. That is handy when you ride between woods and open country, but the change takes seconds to minutes and is slower in the cold. Polarised lenses cut dazzling reflections off water and wet asphalt. The drawback: they can make your bike computer screen harder to read, and some riders find slippery patches harder to spot.

A good fit matters as much as the lens. The glasses should sit without pinching, should not fog up and need to work with your helmet. Vents and a well-placed nose bridge help.

The lens categories

The category tells you how much light the lens lets through. The higher, the darker.

Lens	Light transmission	When	Watch for
Category 0 (clear)	About 80 to 100%	Evening, night, rain, tunnel	No help against bright sun
Category 1 (light tint)	About 43 to 80%	Overcast or changeable	Too light in bright sun
Category 2 (medium)	About 18 to 43%	Sunny, normal day	Versatile pick for most rides
Category 3 (dark)	About 8 to 18%	Bright sun, summer, mountains	Too dark under trees and in tunnels
Photochromic	Varies, often category 1 to 3	Changing light, all day	Slower in the cold

The percentages are rough values from the sunglass standard’s classification and vary slightly per model.

Choose it if

You want one pair for yourself and a spare or one for a riding partner
You want polarised lenses for bright rides
You ride regularly and want to protect your eyes from wind, dust, insects and sun.
You ride in changing light and want a lens that adapts or a set of swappable lenses.

Choose something else if

You need interchangeable lenses or a prescription pair
You only ride briefly and in daylight. Ordinary glasses are sometimes enough.
You look at screens a lot during the ride. A polarised lens can make them dark or streaky.

How to choose and use cycling glasses

Choose the lens category
Pick category 2 for most rides, 0 or 1 for cloudy or darker weather and 3 for bright sun. If in doubt, a photochromic lens is a safe choice.
Check the fit
Put the glasses on together with your helmet. They should sit without pinching or slipping and leave your view clear in every direction.
Adjust nose and arms
Many glasses have an adjustable nose bridge and arms. Set them so the lens does not rest on your cheeks.
Prevent fogging
Keep air flowing by wearing the glasses at the right height. A small gap above the nose helps clear moisture.
Clean the lens gently
Rinse off dust with water first, then wipe with a microfibre cloth. Rubbing dry causes scratches.

Good to know

The title is cut off, so read the description for details
Check how they sit under your helmet
Make sure the lens suits the light. A lens that is too dark in a tunnel or at dusk is dangerous.
Category 4 is meant for extreme brightness such as glaciers and is unsuitable for traffic.
Check that the glasses carry a CE mark and offer UV protection. A lens only protects if it filters UV.
Keep the glasses in a case. Scratches reduce vision and can be annoying against the light.

What you get

Why cycling glasses?

The lens categories

Choose it if

Choose something else if

How to choose and use cycling glasses

Choose the lens category

Check the fit

Adjust nose and arms

Prevent fogging

Clean the lens gently

Good to know

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