If you’re a cyclist, you know that having the right gear is paramount for being safe and competitive. But not everyone can or wants to spend $$$ on the latest state-of-the-art cycling sunglasses.
While you may not get the pristine crispness and contrast that a pair of Oakleys will provide, you can still get a very decent pair of cycling glasses that protects and wears well without breaking the bank.
These are our top picks of the best cheap cycling sunglasses on the market today.
Many of these glasses will provide great value for your money, especially when compared with premium brands.
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The Best Cheap Cycling Sunglasses You Can Buy
Tifosi Jet
The Tifosi Jet is a sporty, wraparound streamlined frame that’s quite decent for the money.
You get 100% UVA/UVB protection in the shatterproof polycarbonate lenses, which are optically decentered for little to no distortion. The lightweight frame weighs in at only 26g (or less than the weight of a standard lightbulb) as it’s made from durable, bendable Grilamid TR-90.
The fit is best on medium to narrower faces.
XTIGER Polarized Cycling Glasses
If you’re into shield-style cycling shades but can’t afford an Oakley Sutro, your best bet is the amazingly economical XTIGER Polarized Cycling Sunglasses.
The extra-large single lens provides excellent protection from bugs, wind, and sun, and even comes with your choice of interchangeable lenses in varying tints. Plus, they’re polarized to cut out glare.
The TR-90 frame manages to stack up with the premium brands in terms of quality, though the optical clarity isn’t quite on par with the best. However, for the price, you really can’t beat this pair of cycling sunnies.
Torege TR Cycling Sunglasses
The Torege Cycling Sunglasses come with three interchangeable lenses, all of which block 100% of UVA and UVB rays. The gray lens is also polarized to cut out glare in bright conditions.
As any good cycling frame should be, it’s made of lightweight Grilamid TR90, and soft, rubber nose pads keep the frame securely on your face even if you’re sweating buckets.
It’s easy to change out the lenses, and it’s quite a stylin’ pair without looking too over-the-top.
Best Prescription Cycling Sunglasses
Tifosi Swick
For a pair of multi-purpose sunglasses that double as your regular shades, the Tifosi Swick is both technical enough for your cycling needs without looking out of place when you’re strolling around town.
The full-frame TR-90 Wayfarer-style frame provide excellent sun and elements protection with large polycarbonate lenses, though there isn’t as much side coverage.
It does the job for basic performance though, and you can also get it with photochromic lenses (light-adjusting), polarized lenses, and even prescription lenses.
Bolle Silium Plus Safety Glasses
For the truly frugal, a pair of safety glasses functions just as well as cycling glasses. The Bolle Silium Plus Safety Glasses has anti-fog lenses that truly stay fog-free, and is perfect in lower light conditions such as mountain biking in the woods.
The entire frame is made from polycarbonate with flexible arms and a rubber adjustable nose piece that secures it on your face.
It provides 99.9% UV-protection, and is cheap enough that you can buy more than one pair at a time.
How to Choose Cheap Cycling Sunglasses
There are plenty of things to consider when buying a pair of cycling sunglasses, whether you’ve got a large or small budget.
You’ll want to consider things like adjustability (i.e., adjustable nosepads and/or arms), weight, frame type (full frame, half, wraparound), size and fit, lens type (polarized, interchangeable), as well as lens color.
For example, if you like night cycling, yellow or clear lenses are what you need, whereas you may want polarized gray lenses for bright sunny conditions. Alternatively, amber or rose tinted glasses are great for increasing contrast and visual acuity.
Or maybe you do a lot of biking in colder conditions, in which case an anti-fog lens is super important.
Once you’ve determined which characteristics are priority for you, look for those specific characteristics when choosing your next pair of sport performance sunglasses. Just know that it’s better to choose function over style if you’re trying to save some cash.
What Are The Tradeoffs With Cheap Cycling Glasses?
The main tradeoff you’re going to have by getting a pair of cheap cycling sunglasses is the crisp optical clarity and contrast you’ll get with the high-end stuff. The vivid detail and contrast you get with Oakley Prizm or Rudy Project lenses just isn’t going to happen with a budget pair of cycling glasses.
However, unless you’re training for the next Tour de France, that additional visual edge probably isn’t going to make that much difference for most of us. You’ll still get decent visuals assuming you select the appropriate lens tint/treatment for your specific needs.
For the most part frame-wise, it’s hard to tell the difference between a 3-figure TR-90 frame versus the 2-figure ones listed above, to be honest. You’ll find the same flexible, lightweight, durable builds in even the most economical pairs.