Cycling Goggles

Do you want to know more about cycling goggles?

Cycling goggles are designed for downhill mountain bikers, with the aim of protecting their face and eyes from dust, moisture and other adversities. The goggles are valued for their levels of flexibility, resistance, restraint, lightness and adaptation to outdoor conditions.

Most of the goggles that are currently manufactured incorporate the triple-layer face foam, for greater versatility, a secure fit and to wick away sweat. On the other hand, it is also important to take into account the goggles' field of vision, their sharpness and if the lenses have any antifog treatment.

Plutonite lenses

One of the most optically pure materials used today in goggle lenses is plutonite. This maximizes clarity and resistance to impacts while filtering out 100% of UVA, UVB and UVC rays and harmful blue light up to 400nm, meaning it blocks 100% of ultraviolet radiation. In some cases it is also recommended to choose lenses with an iridium coating to minimize reflections and balance light transmission. As an alternative to plutonite, which is found in Oakley goggles, there are polycarbonate lenses, which are shatterproof, resistant and filter the most damaging UV rays.

The colour of lenses

Lenses can be of different colours and shades, which influence the perception of the terrain and the sensations on the bicycle. Although the choice of colour depends on personal preferences, there are basic indications to choose the tone that best suits each situation.

Dark, black or grey glasses, are recommended for bright and sunny days. Although they obscure vision, grey does not alter natural colours, so everything remains it's normal tone. Dark lenses are ideal for riding on the road, while they are not as recommendable for the practice of downhill or MTB, since the grey could hinder the perception and the contrast of vision.

Amber, yellow, pink or red glasses block blue light, increasing the contrast of vision. It is for this reason that they are highly recommended for the practice of downhill on stony, dusty paths and on cloudy or dull days. In addition, yellows are also recommended for foggy days, because the yellowish tones increase clarity, so that cyclists can see where they are going even in dense fog.

Another option is to choose a brighter lens tint with a mirrored coating, which blocks out some tones of light.

Clear lenses , on the other hand, do not alter the natural vision, so they are ideal for dark conditions to protect the eyes from dust and ultraviolet rays.

VLT is a measure that determines the percentage of light that passes through the glass and reaches the eyes. There are five VLT categories for classifying lenses:

0 - From 80 to 100%: transparent or very clear

1 - From 43 to 80%: clear

2 - From 18 to 43%: average

3 - From 8 to 18%: dark

4 - From 3 to 8%: very dark