Cycling: What’s in the news?

Focus on sun lenses for the mountain bike or for road sunglasses

Did you know that beyond its color or category, the shape of the sun lens also contributes to your vision comfort while you are riding? Essilor Sun Solution teams are constantly designing new shapes to improve field of view and eye protection for the athletes, with the aim of contributing to their comfort. Here are some answers to riders’ main concerns while biking. 

Why do cyclists wear sunglasses?

First, for eye protection: Protection from sunlight, dust, or wind, but also from impact with insects or while gravel riding. The choice of raw materials for sun lenses is therefore critical. Essilor Sun Solution offers two raw materials: polycarbonate or NXT® - both well known for their high impact resistance. However, did you know that other factors have an impact on the strength of the sun lenses? For instance, the hard coating, the mirror coating, and the thickness of the lens can affect the performance of your sun lenses. That is why each time a new lens shape is developed, all these parameters are taken into account by the Essilor Sun Solution design teams. Finally, to guarantee this level of quality, impact resistance tests are performed throughout the manufacturing process, according to the ISO 12 312-1 standard.

What are the best sunglasses for cycling?

Lightweight sunglasses, which cover your eyes and are held in place securely when you are riding; but not just that. Color contrast, vision without optical distortion, wide field of vision, ease of cleaning and fog free properties are essential features for mountain biking or road cycling. Essilor Sun Solution provides its latest technologies for all shapes recommended for cycling sunglasses. Color enhancement, functional and aesthetic mirror coatings, and photochromic technology are available on spherical shields, cylindrical shields, and also on lenses from plano to prescription.

How to choose sunglasses for cycling?

Regarding lens shapes, here are some tips:

If you are an occasional rider, polycarbonate decentered sun lenses with color contrast technology combined with curved frames will bring you comfort and safety while cycling. Decentered sun lenses, included in these wrapped sunglasses, compensate for the prismatic effect created by the curvature of the frame, allowing for peripherical vision without distortion. E-SUN™ KOLOR UP™ color contrast technology, available in different colors and categories, will increase color contrast, thereby improving the perception of depth and terrain relief, for quick decision making.

Whether you are amateur or a top-level cyclist, NXT® shield shapes with color contrast technology in rimless frames will help to reduce the weight of your equipment and widen your field of vision.

Two types of shield shapes are available in the Essilor Sun Solution range:

• The spherical shield shape provides a useful air space between your face and your cycling sunglasses allowing for natural aeration of the lenses while riding. This natural aeration slows down the formation of condensation or fogging on sun lenses, for fog-free vision in all conditions.

• The cylindrical shield shape, being close to the face curve, increases the peripheral/lateral field of view. It allows enlarging of the part of the shield above the nose and therefore protects the cyclist's eyes in any position, even when speeding in aero position!

Are cycling sunglasses compatible with prescription lenses?

Yes, for sure. For curved frames, our range of E-SUN™ Rx prescription sun lenses offers contrast enhancement technology, oleophobic coatings, as well as a wide range of mirror coatings, all in accordance with your prescription. And what about frames with shield shapes? For the time being, certain brands allow you to adapt prescription inserts to enjoy your ride all day long.

Rest assured, Essilor Sun Solution, in partnership with surfacing laboratories and brands, is constantly working to improve your visual comfort, offering you a wide range of lenses just simply suited to your needs.