Brightest summer sunshine presents a unique challenge for long-distance cyclists. UV exposure can cause serious eye diseases, accelerate cataracts and play tricks on your vision (I still can’t believe I didn’t see that rock). We’ve been on a mission to find the best options in protective sunglasses for female cyclists with lens options that are uniquely geared for certain types of light conditions. Everything we carry has full UV/UVA protection, in addition to some proprietary technologies that are suited to the needs of cyclists. Here are the top recommendations, along with an explanation of what all those different colored lenses do or do not.
Brown Lens: The darker tint of a brown lens gives you contrast enhancement (great for seeing potholes…or rocks) and is ideal for use in strongest sunlight. An additional benefit of this tint is its ability to provide a higher level of comfort to the eyes.
Smoke/Gray Lens: Neutral in color perception (true-to-life color so no distortion), gray or smoke lenses are excellent for sports and driving. They’re dark enough to provide overall protection but also great for variable weather.
AC Red & Crimson Lenses: A lens with a red tint increases contrast in both sunny and cloudy conditions by blocking blue light. In addition to better visibility, it can also help with providing better depth perception. AC red and rose lenses are also recommended for those who have acute levels of light sensitivity.
Clarion Blue: Blue tint enhances contours and can help reduce glare, particularly on/around water or snow. They also have a calming effect on your eyes.
Clear Lens: Low light protection from rain, debris and UV rays.
Interchangeable Sunglasses
We like the concept of interchangeable lens sunglasses – more bang for your buck. Each interchangeable pair of sunglasses comes with one set of lenses installed and two additional ones that you can easily change out. The lenses are individually designed for different lighting conditions and can be carried in a pack or jersey pocket.
Styles we carry with Interchangeable Lenses are:
Rail XC in Crystal Smoke
Wisp in Crystal Brown
Stash in Race Pink
Fototec Variability
Fototec lenses adapt to your lighting conditions, starting as a light tint and darkening in sunlight as photochromic particles activate. The newest Clarion Blue Fototec photochromic lenses from Tifosi transition from a pleasing light grey tint to a dark grey with blue mirror. They have a moisture-repelling coat and the Tifosi-signature shatterproof polycarbonate material.
Styles we carry with Clarion Blue Fototec lenses are:
Rail XC in Crystal Clear Fototech
Rivet in Satin Vapor
To Mirror or Not to Mirror
Clarion Mirror Lenses feature a hydrophobic coating that repels water and sweat to help prevent moisture from gathering on the lens, increasing visibility and preventing distortion — all with a bright consistent color.
Styles we carry with Clarion Mirror Interchangeable Lenses are:
Rivet in Matte White
Stash in Matte Smoke
Hyper Technology
Humans see three primary colors – red, green and blue. Vision begins to distort where these three colors overlap. 100% HiPER® lenses proprietarily filter out these crossovers, resulting in greater contrast and even more vibrant colors.
Styles we carry with HiPER Lenses are:
Hypercraft XS in Matte Stone Gray
Readers
Built-in reader lenses are a lifesaver for everybody in that pre-prescription zone. They allow you to quickly check maps, sports apps, or scorecards without needing to switch glasses. With built-in readers, enjoy the convenience of reading small text or making detailed adjustments to your gear on the go.
Styles we carry with Reader Lenses are:
Veloce in Matte Black 1.5, 2, 2.5
Leave a Reply