We round up 2024’s best cycling glasses for attacking the asphalt or ripping up MTB trails. Is there a clear winner or will one pair just shade it?
If you’re thinking your beach sunglasses are going to cut it when you take on that summer sportive or hit the trail center, then think again. The best cycling glasses will prevent everything from sweat or dirt getting in your eyes to missing essential details in your environment, be that an oncoming truck or off-camber roots.
And if you’re looking for a competitive advantage when racing, it pays to maintain your poker face and remember what Fausto Coppi said: “Only my eyes can show the suffering.” So, read on to discover the best cycling glasses, tried and tested by us.
Why you can trust Men’s Fitness
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Our team of bike reviewers included experienced product testers, cycling journalists and fitness writers – as well as the core MF team – who know exactly what sets the best products apart from the rest. Expert kit tester Matt Ray and MF online writer Laurence McJannet reviewed these cycling glasses to see which one put the rest in the shade. Find out more about how we test.
These are the best cycling glasses
Although they’re run close by the Rapha Pro Team and Oakley Kato glasses, the Oakley Plazma shades win by a nose. Clarity and comfort are second to none and it’s refreshing to see the old-school dual-lens design is still going strong.
Other cycling glasses recommendations
| Best glasses for style | As with most of its products, the Rapha Pro Team Frameless oozes effortless style. Great optical clarity, impressive ventilation and a panoramic field of vision round out this quality package. |
| Best glasses for customisation | You don’t have to be Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas to wear a custom pair of SunGod Velans; these classy shades can be had in 12 frame and 12 lens colour options, with 9 further bottom frame, logo and ear sock choices available. |
| Best glasses for bright sunshine | If you’re lucky enough to be riding under a scorching sun this summer, you’ll be wanting a pair of Panda Fixed Sport glasses. Panda is better know for its ski goggles but these specs leave most cycling glasses in the shade. |
1. Oakley Plazma (w/ Sapphire Polarized Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
If you liked Oakley’s Race Jackets, you’ll love the Plazmas. They may look old-school, but the clarity and comfort are positively futuristic.- Highly versatile
- Clever, close-fitting design
- Excellent small-lens alternative
- Polarized price
- Not ideal for aero
| Light transmission | 12% |
| Features | Suitable for prescription lenses, durable O-Matter frame |
| Lens colors | 7 colors available |
| Frame colors | 7 colors available |
If you’re after the best cycling glasses, look no further. When every cycle optics manufacturer under the sun is making massive single-lens shades, Oakley has gone old-school and produced these dual-lens beauties that give a nod to its popular Race Jackets from yesteryear.
That’s not just a style choice though, as these Plazmas rake at the perfect angle to grip your head snugly, making them an ideal choice for aggressive MTB blasts. While testing, I found that the super-sharp lenses hug your face too, to achieve the same kind of coverage and field of view as their more sizable rivals.
These are also the only polarized lenses I tested, and yes they really do stand out for ultimate lens clarity. I’d feel happy taking these comfy shades on longer road rides, aggressive MTB blasts and most things in between.
Read our full Oakley Plazma review
2. Rapha Pro Team Frameless Glasses (w/ Purple/Green Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
It’s by no means style over substance with these striking frameless glasses from perennial peloton favourite, Rapha. They combine excellent optical clarity with easy off-bike versatility.- Effortless style
- Perfect peripheral vision
- Comfortably grippy arms
- Vulnerable frameless design
- Heavy tint in the shade
| Light transmission | From 21% (pink-blue lens) to 10% (black mirror lens) |
| Features | Megol arm grippers / hydrophobic anti-fogging lens |
| Lens colors | Rose, pink blue, bronze, purple green, black mirror |
| Frame colors | Silver, sand rust brown, black, white, dark navy, blue |
For cycling shades with a true racing pedigree, look no further than Rapha’s Pro Team Frameless Glasses (buy now). Oozing effortless style, I found that these classy glasses offer an uninterrupted field of vision, stunning optical clarity and excellent ventilation.
I wore these UV400-rated sunglasses on an exploratory road and gravel ride, and their purple-tinted optical clarity was good enough to keep my head on a swivel while taking in unfamiliar landscapes, checking for traffic, and coping with rapidly changing road surfaces.
The five available lens colours give you a range of light transmission from 10% to 21% with the rose or pink-blue being the best choices for mixed conditions. If you’re looking to win races with style, you can’t go wrong with the best cycling glasses from Rapha.
Read our full Rapha Pro Team Frameless review
3. Oakley Kato Cavendish Edition
Men’s Fitness verdict
Oakley’s stunning superhero-like shades are stellar performers and a great choice for changing light conditions.- Stupendous lens clarity
- Superhero lens color
- Zero glare
- Futuristic price
- Fiddly arms
| Light transmission | 11% |
| Features | Adjustable rake, swappable nose pads |
| Lens color | Bronze |
| Frame color | White |
Costing no more than the standard Kato (which is just as well), this Mark Cavendish signature edition is the perfect choice for fans of the Manx Missile. Released in honor of his attempt to become the Tour de France record holder for stage wins this summer, these mask-like shades could become a collectors’ item if (or when) he succeeds. I felt like a cycling superhero from the 25th century while wearing them.
Your investment will also buy you superb coverage, class-leading optical clarity and confidence-inspiring performance in changing light conditions. When I was riding on a bright day, with the sun high in the sky, it really showed off the qualities of the lens, which transformed every scene into ’golden hour’.
Read our full Oakley Kato Cavendish Edition review
4. Panda Fixed Sport (w/ Hot Ice Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
If you’re lucky enough to be riding out under blue skies and a scorching sun, you might want to pop on a pair of Panda Fixed Sport glasses.- Huge field of view
- Performance lens
- Excellent value
- Heavy 13.5% tint
- Limited color options
| Light transmission | 9.9%, 13.5% |
| Features | Impact-resistant PC lens, adjustable nose grip |
| Lens colors | Mirrored red and orange, gold |
| Frame colors | Hot ice, iridescent |
Panda brings all its ski goggle know-how to bear in these bargain-price cycling specs. Some of the best cycling glasses out there, you get the same kind of coverage as you’d expect on the slopes and lenses that are made to cope with bright blue skies and sparkling snow.
That transfers well to scorching summer rides on road, gravel or chalky trails, keeping eye fatigue to a minimum. In fact, even after a long day staring at a sun-blasted white chalk trail, I had zero eye fatigue when wearing the Panda Fixed Sport, which definitely wouldn’t have been the case wearing most other shades. While I wouldn’t recommend them for mixed days of sunshine and cloud, they excel in bright sun. And you’ll appreciate the neat touches like ventilated arms when the heat is really on.
Read our full Panda Fixed Sport review
5. Koo Demos Glasses (w/ Orange Mirror Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
Koo’s fabled lens clarity and rugged construction makes these Demos glasses an ideal choice for mountain bikers.- Excellent lens clarity
- Optimal ventilation
- Many color and lens options
- Tight arm grips
| Light transmission | 12.5% – 69% |
| Features | Megol temple inserts, 4 lens ventilation ports |
| Lens colors | 9 colours available |
| Frame colors | 10 colours available |
With a crystal-clear Zeiss lens to rival any of the Oakley optics, Koo’s Demos eyewear manages to come in $100 / £100 cheaper than any of them. Some of the best cycling glasses on the market, you’ll also be spoilt for choice with regards to frame and lens colors – the latter giving you a huge range in light transmission from 12.5% to 69%.
I appreciated the four ventilation ports, which minimize the chance of the lens fogging, along with the Megol grips which ensure your eyewear stays put, however dynamic your riding. Their full-frame design makes them well suited to the rigors of mountain biking too. Also, I often have to take my shades off when riding in the forest, but the mirrored-finish Demos could cope equally well in bright sunshine and in the trees.
Read our full Koo Demos Glasses review
6. Van Rysel RoadR 900 Perf Sunglasses
Men’s Fitness verdict
The cheapest glasses on test, Van Rysel shades are by no means overshadowed by budget performance. If you want long-lasting cycling specs but don’t want to pay through the nose, choose the RoadR.- Excellent value
- Two-year warranty
- Scratch-resistant lens
- Ventilation could be better
- Not ideal for overcast conditions
| Light transmission | 12% |
| Features | Polyamide frame and lens, UV protection, scratch-proof treatment |
| Lens colors | Grey, green, red |
| Frame colors | Ultra white, fluo chlorophyll green, smoked black |
Van Rysel is French outdoor firm Decathlon’s advanced/elite level cycling brand, and bike sponsor of Pro Tour team Decathlon AG2R, one of the standout teams at this year’s Giro D’Italia and Tour de France. So it makes sense that it understands the needs of elite-level riders, as well as the rest of us. It’s wraparound RoadR 900 Perf glasses feature everything you’d want from top-of-the-range specs, but without the eye-watering price.
As well as a two-year guarantee, you get a durable one-piece polyamide lens with a scratch-proof treatment, 100% UV protection and an unshakable fit. If you already own a Van Rysel helmet, the arms of the glasses are designed to slot and click into place, so you know they’re safe when you taken them off mid-ride. With a slight kink in the arms, I’ve found they work well on numerous other brands of helmet too. I also found I forgot I was wearing them, so all-encompassing is their coverage. A lightweight frame, soft nose piece and grippy arm socks up the comfort levels too.
7. Endura Shumba II
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Endura Shumba II is an affordable and comfortable wraparound option that lets you see the bigger picture. Three included lenses makes it an even better value buy.- Great value
- Three interchangeable lenses
- Wide field of view
- Contact points could be grippier
- Lens clarity lacking
- Lenses collect grime
| Features | Adjustable rubber nosepiece, 100% UV protection, extra clear and bronze lenses |
| Lens colors | Mirrored red, blue, yellow |
| Frame colors | Grey, yellow, white |
Total coverage and maximum field of vision don’t have to cost the earth, as this budget option from Endura shows. I found that its exaggerated wraparound design provided total protection from debris and the elements. They don’t have quite the same clarity as Oakley or Zeiss lenses in my opinion, and I found the rubber on the arms to be less grippy and the ventilation to be slightly poorer, but they punch above their weight in terms of all-day comfort.
Three sets of lenses (clear and bronze as well as the mirrored main lens) give you the option to swap out as conditions change, with the mirrored lens coping admirably with batting back glare. An EVA hard case makes this a great value package.
Read our Endura Shumba II review
8. Oakley Kato (w/ Prizm Trail Torch Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
The Oakley Kato Trail Torch is equipped with lenses fine-tuned to deal with the fast-changing light of off-road riding, and they excel in low-light conditions.- Incredible clarity
- Low light performance
- Next-level coverage
- Prohibitively pricey
- Not for the brightest days
| Light transmission | 35% |
| Features | Adjustable rake, swappable nose pads |
| Lens colors | 7 colors available |
| Frame colors | 6 colors available |
If you’re looking for some of the best cycling glasses to deal with the ever-changing light conditions of off-road trail riding, then the Oakley Kato with the Prizm Trail Torch lens is well worth a look (through). High contrast conditions and sudden changes from light to dark or dappled sunlight are no problem a lens with a substantial 35% light transmission.
I tested the Oakley Kato Trail Torch on a fast gravel ride through Epping Forest, where the ground was baked hard, and the sun was high, sending shafts abs of light down through the branches overhead. The lens dealt admirably with the sudden shifts of light in these high contrast conditions.
Of course, you have to pay handsomely for these bad boys but what you get is a robust and highly adjustable frame, complete coverage and pin-sharp vision in all conditions except the brightest of sunshine. There are six other lens options to choose from too.
Read our full Oakley Kato Trail Torch review
9. SunGod Velans (w/ 8KO Iris HV Blue Photochromatic Lens)
Men’s Fitness verdict
Once you put on the highly customisable SunGod Velans, it’s easy to see why they’re the glasses of choice of the INEOS Grenadiers pro cycling team.- Reacts to light levels
- Adaptable frame
- Custom colors galore
- Pointed nose rubber
- Straight arms
| Light transmission | 34% – 79% |
| Features | Color customization, swappable half-jacket or full-frame kit |
| Lens colors | 12 colors available |
| Frame colors | 12 colors available |
If you’re looking for high-performance eyewear you can put your own stamp on, look no further than the Velans. UK firm SunGod offers its cycling shades in an almost infinite variety of colors. Not only can you choose from 12 lens and frame colors, you can also select from nine colors for the bottom frame, the logo and the ear socks.
Add that to the options for half-jacket, full-frame and a novel ‘top and full’ best-of-both model and you really will be spoiled for choice. But the Velans aren’t just about pimping your shades; both its 8KO Iris and Smoke Iris lenses offer remarkable clarity. I found that the former, in particular, is an ideal choice for overcast or changeable conditions.
The clarity of the lens was great but couldn’t quite compete with some of the high-contrast competition during testing. The light-reactive tech is the clear focus with this lens. Having to faff about with gear really kills my flow, so I appreciated how the lens did the adjustment for me, in changing conditions.
Read our full SunGod Velans review
How we test cycling glasses
Our cycling product testers Matt Ray and Laurence McJannet put each pair through their paces, wearing them on extended rides on a variety of terrain and different lighting conditions to see which were best for overcast, bright and changing light and whether they shone particularly on road or off-road cycling sessions. They looked at comfort and fit, lens quality and ventilation, as well as price, availability, product options and durability before awarding an overall score.
What to look for when buying cycling glasses
Dedicated cycling shades will have other performance benefits too. Huge single lenses and frameless or wraparound designs ensure you have maximum field of view. Adjustable arm rake, Megol grippers or swappable nosepieces will guarantee your shades won’t budge even on the gnarliest of off-road descents.
Lenses can have a wide variety of ambient light transmission, meaning you can select the best specs for the light conditions. It’s worth considering glasses with interchangeable or photo-chromatic lenses, both of which will help your eyes adapt to changing light conditions.
Should I wear polarised lenses for cycling?
Polarised lenses are another premium feature worth considering. These have a special chemical coating that stops some of the light passing through the lens. Filtering the light like a window blind, these lenses help reduce glare and improve colour contrast in bright light. This brings benefits like enhancing visual clarity and reducing eye strain, both of which you’ll appreciate, particularly on longer rides.
Impact- and scratch-resistant lenses are worth considering too, as these will protect your glasses from general wear and tear or in the event of a tumble. Lenses that won’t scuff up easily will ensure you keep see clearly, ride after ride.
