bikehoco

After having a small pebble from a car tire hit and crack my expensive sunglasses (fortunately I had no eye injury) I exclusively wear polarized safety glasses.

jaxgtr

I have Oakley Flak Jackets and really like them. I also have poor vision that requires a different script for each eye, so they are not cheap. I have 2 sets of prescription lenses, photo-chromatic for when I am going to start off before the sun is up or will be overcast all day, and Prism when I will start after the sun is up, I can swap them as needed. The best part is I can see the computer when I am using the routing.

Boraxo

I’ve been a big fan of raybans for over 3 decades and use the predator wrap lenses when I’m biking. They adjust nicely. More recently I purchased a pair of Maui Jim wraps from a vendor (drum roll) at the pool in Maui. The MJ lenses are sensational for reducing glare on the beach and ski slopes, but I noticed this week that they are too dark for riding late afternoon/dusk and not great in the shadows. So I won’t be using them being until we are back to DST.

Danhedonia

Everyone will have different value perceptions - I guess I'm terribly rough on sunglasses, and while I can appreciate a nice pair, they don't seem to last more than a couple of seasons.

I also need reading glasses.

Enter the bifocal safety sunglasses. DeWalt makes a pair of polarized wraparound bifocals for around $14 on Amazon. They are much better than expected.

I used to have Vuarnets and RayBans, a couple of pairs of Oakleys. After a pair of Oakleys were accidentally sat on and cracked after a long day of skiing, I had a moment where I said "You know, why am I spending hundreds of dollars on suglasses?" I'd rather spend the cash otherwise, but everyone has their own priorities.

However, I live in NM and do need to make sure I block UV. Don't be scared of $15 sunglasses. They work. The just won't impress anyone.

Bnystrom

I'll throw in another vote for Tifosi. I have Podiums, Seeks and Vogels, all with photochromic lenses. I use the smoke Fototec on sunny days and the high speed red Fototec when it's overcast.
Tifosi glasses sell for what Oakley and others should sell for. What you're paying for with the big name brands is all the millions of dollars they pay professional athletes to wear and endorse them, plus the many millions they spend on other forms of marketing and advertising. Good sunglasses cost all of $10-$15 to make and the markups at both wholesale and retail are huge, with dealer profit margins in the 70% range or even higher. The prices charged by the big names border on being a scam.

BTW, you don't want polarized lenses for cycling. When looking at pavement, they create a shimmering effect that makes it difficult to tell if it's wet or dry. They can also make some computers hard to read. This was covered in a recent VeloNews podcast.

BCAC

I have the same Rudy Project sunglasses as well. I highly recommend them, with one small caveat. Here in Fl it can be humid, and when it is, when stopped for a light, they can fog up a bit. Dispels as soon as I’m underway.

GlennR

try pulling them slightly away from your face.

BCAC

As I say, not a big deal. Yep, I usually pull them forward and peer over them, when stopped, hot and humid.

Hiro11

I see cycling sunglasses as essentially disposable items. Even though I have many fancy bikes, helmets, pairs of shoes, kits etc I can't bring myself to spend more than $50 on sunglasses. I like to have lots of pairs in many different styles, I like to buy several new pairs whenever I want. I have stacks of glasses as a result. I also have a problem spending $200 on a piece of lightweight plastic that I plan to sweat all over.

I also don't really use photochromatic glasses as I find true clear glasses or true sunglasses just work better for me and I rarely ride in condition that require a change in glasses mid-ride. I do like polarized lenses as they cut the glare which is an important safety issue to me.

My most commonly used options:

1. Good'r Mach GS. These are great if you're sick of the "I'm a sci-fi insect" look, they're aviator-style polarized sunglasses that work well on a bike. I find myself using these frequently as they're lightweight, flexible, don't slip, work well with helmets and I like how they look. I have many pairs.
2. Kapvoe TR90. These are inexpensive, large and modern-looking cycling glasses that I see more and more people discovering. They "borrow" many design features from larger brands. They have a photochromatic version if you want them. They're high quality, work well with my helmets, fit my face well and don't slip. They're $32 from American Amazon Prime or can be found on Aliexpress for about $15 shipped with four lenses. I have stacks of these in various colors.
3. Various other... "options that we don't speak of". I'll leave it at that. I have lots of these as well.

Koyote

I'd rather have one or two really great pairs than a big pile of cheap & nasty.

Hiro11

I would not describe any of the options I mentioned as "cheap and nasty". I own three pairs of real Oakley Jawbreakers I purchased in years past, they're not some sort of magical creation and they're not better made than any of the options I posted.

Koyote

In my experience, shades priced <$50 are pretty cheap and nasty. But if you've never had experience with nice ones, you may not agree.

Sy Reene

So you didn't have an issue spending over $50 on pairs of sunglasses.
I like the Goodr stuff.
As for the other lower cost options -- if there's any concern I'd have, is whether or not there's any rated impact protection going on with the lenses in those?

Hiro11

Five years ago, no. Then I actually tried the cheap glasses. Never going back.

In over 30 years of cycling I've never experienced or even heard of glasses shattering from an impact while riding. Is this something you actually worry about? Regardless, $5 safety glasses likely have superior impact protection to Oakleys, cost is no evidence of increased safety.

Hiro11

Have you tried the options I listed?

Sy Reene

No, it's nothing I worry about, because the lenses in my sunglasses are impact resistant polycarbonate. Here's a listing I found of a Kapvoe model that looks like the right design for cyling.. First description bullet is "Glass Lens" -- no not something I want in a pair of cycling shades, this would indeed be worse than what's found in a pair of Home Depot safety glasses. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RXS2PPC

Koyote

No, but I have tried plenty of others in that price range - Tifosi, etc. I always found some element(s) lacking - and they all had lenses that were prone to flare in sunny conditions, which drives me nuts. Though I acknowledge that I may be sensitive to that sort of thing.

Again, I'd rather have one good pair (Oakley for me) with a couple pair of lenses. Current pair like that has lasted me about over five years, and are still in good shape.

Hiro11

First, I listed the model:
https://www.amazon.com/KAPVOE-Cyclin.../dp/B08F9WCVTM

Secondly, they're not glass lenses. The listing is obviously wrong.

Hiro11

I didn't recommend Tifosi. I find Tifosi to be up there with Primal Wear in the Fred-tastic sweepstakes, but I wear $15 sunglasses so what do I know.

Also, I understand what you speak of. I also bought several pairs of cheap glasses several years ago, they were all crap and forced me back to Jawbreakers (also, they reminded me of my old Eyeshades, but that's a different story). I've found that this just isn't true these days, the cheap ones are now pretty damned good quality and better looking. Maybe give it another shot.

Signing off from this thread, I believe this particular dead horse has been beaten.

Troul 

i'm kinda at the mercy of my memory for staying with lesser cost eyewear. I'll have a few pairs just to minimize the times of getting to a destination, about ready to roll the wheels, & them do the head check. RATS! forgot those SOBs back at the AO. Nearby ole Wally world or gas station visit it is...

50PlusCycling

Oakley Juliets (think X-Men, or Black Hawk Down). They are expensive, but they are virtually indestructible. I have been wearing the same pair for around 25 years. The titanium frames are durable, and there are a huge supply of lens options from the aftermarket. The only weakness in the Juliets are the rubber bushings which fit around the nose piece. The nose piece is riveted on, with the bushing inside. I bought a hand press and a supply of bushings and rivets from an aftermarket supplier, so I should be able to wear these glasses for another 25 years (God willing).