Best cycling glasses 2022: From budget to prescription and customisable lenses

Don’t wait until you’ve had an insect or chunk of gravel strike you squarely in the eye before you buy a pair of cycling glasses – your peepers are too precious.

And it’s not just bugs and debris they’ll keep at bay – they’ll also let you ride through rain, hail and strong winds in safety and comfort.

Darker lenses stop you squinting on summer days, while some are designed to boost contrast, making it much easier to see the road ahead. As with ordinary specs, you can get photochromic lenses that adapt to changing light levels, while many have a hydrophobic coating, which helps water and oils to run off.

Modern polycarbonate lenses are designed not to shatter on impact, while decent frames flex in a crash rather than snapping into sharp bits that could injure you.

Many sports glasses come with removable lenses you can swap out depending on the weather. And while some are wraparound models aimed at giving you the maximum protection and best view of the road, others are more traditional styles you can wear off the bike, too.

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When choosing your cycling glasses, make sure you only buy from a legitimate retailer to avoid picking up a pair of dodgy fakes, and ensure that your chosen pair has the CE mark that guarantees protection from dangerous UV rays.

How we tested

We rode hundreds of miles, both on and off road, trying out our selection of the best designs around right now – from budget offerings through to cool, customisable models costing hundreds of pounds. We wore them in a range of weather conditions and light levels, and also tried them while wearing a selection of helmets to see how they worked together.

The best cycling glasses for 2022 are: