How To Stop Cycling Glasses From Fogging Up

Rainy conditions, cold mornings, and hot, humid days can all cause your cycling glasses to fog — especially if they fit too closely to your face. While close-fitting frames may enhance aerodynamics, they don’t allow the heat coming off your face to escape efficiently enough to balance the cold and/or damp air rushing at you on a ride. Fortunately, there is a proven strategy to prevent fogging. Read on to learn some practical steps you can take, ranked in order of effectiveness.

5 Ways To Keep Your Cycling Eyewear Fog-Free

  1. First and foremost, the best way to stop glasses from fogging up during your ride is to wear cycling sunglasses designed to maximize airflow and ventilation through and around the lenses. Rudy Project frames and lenses feature strategic cut-outs and designs to maximize airflow into and out of the frames while still offering superior coverage and protection.

  2. Make sure your cycling sunglasses fit correctly. If they’re too tight, hot air won’t escape as easily as it could with better-fitting frames. How do you know if they fit properly? If you can feel the frames brush your eyebrows, the frames are too tight. Look for adjustable nose pads and ear stems that hold the glasses securely in place but still just off your face. In a pinch, you want to be able to slide your frames down your nose to push them farther away from your skin without risking them sliding off your face.

  3. Keep your glasses clean. Get in the habit of cleaning your lenses before each ride, as clean lenses are less likely to fog. Run warm water over the lenses, using enough to rinse off any dust or dirt. Then use a clean and dry microfiber towel or glasses pouch to dry off the moisture. A lens cleaner such as Rudy Project’s Spray Lens Cleaner also works nicely when there’s no clean water available.

  4. Store your glasses in a case or pouch — or both — when you’re not wearing them. This is an easy step to forget when you’re in a hurry, but taking a few extra seconds to store your glasses properly prevents the lenses from picking up dust and dirt and getting scratched.

  5. Try an anti-fog spray. These sprays contain a hydrophilic ingredient that prevents moisture from bonding to the lens. When applying, remember to wipe the lens completely dry with a microfiber cloth before wearing your glasses.

Cleaning Your Cycling Sunglasses: A Word of Caution

There’s a bit of debate among cyclists over whether you should use dish soap, hand soap, or even toothpaste or shaving cream to clean and anti-fog your sunglasses. Considering many of these hacks are intended for regular glasses and not for the specialized coatings of most high-performance sunglasses, it’s better to play it safe and not experiment when it comes to fog-proofing your lenses. Stick to cool or room temperature water and a clean cloth.