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I'm finally at the stage where I'm about to install a front mounted WeeRide child carrier on one of my bikes, but one of the things I'm concerned about is eye protection for my child. I'm mainly concerned about UV protection in addition to dirt/stones hitting that area of his face. I won't be going off road at all so no bushes etc to be worried about and all journeys will be around the suburbs.

How have other people approached this? Have you opted for child glasses (sunglasses or clear lens?) or goggles or something completely different?

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    It's not clear that eye protection is necessary in most cases. The biggest danger would be if you went charging through the brush. If you really feel something's necessary either get a helmet with visor or (with an un-visored helmet) use sunglasses with a relatively mild degree of sun blockage. – Daniel R Hicks May 22 '16 at 2:29
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    @DanielRHicks having been kids helmet shopping recently I haven't seen one with a visor. For the smallest kids there's very little choice, even less if you ignore the utter junk that wouldn't fit anyone securely. Some nice off-road rides can get very dusty, sunglasses might be a good idea on those. – Chris H May 22 '16 at 11:03
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What is the eye protection protecting against?

  • Stones up off your back wheel - then install a full mudguard/fender.
  • UV light? Then kid sunglasses should do the trick
  • Bees bugs and insects? Again sunglasses
  • Nasty sights on the roadway? Really dark sunglassess.
  • Aero advantage? a fully aero helmet and skinsuit will be required.
  • Or try nothing and see how it goes - kids don't need to be cotton-wooled all the time, just gotta pick the times.

Note, that second-last one is humour.

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    You missed cool factor :-) – andy256 May 22 '16 at 7:15
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    The biggest reason for (clear) glasses IME is dust flicked up by overtaking vehicles, especially heavy vehicles. There are a few places round here where it's quite an issue. Behind you that wouldn't be a problem, but low at the front it might be. – Chris H May 22 '16 at 7:43
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    My daughter prefers riding in sunnies on her weeride. She can't cope with dust on the wind as well as an adult. – alex May 22 '16 at 15:35
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    I once had a rock (or some other small object) that was kicked up by a truck in the other lane going the opposite direction hit me in the cheek hard enough to cause bleeding. As a result, I never ride without eye production - sport sunglasses (with wraparound polycarbonate lenses that give good side protection) during the day and swapped out with clear lenses at night. – Johnny May 23 '16 at 1:35
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    Thanks for responses people. I've edited the OP to provide a little more detail. – ynnekkram May 23 '16 at 10:25
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Your options will depend on whether you mean a weeride front or back seat. They make both. I've seen windscreens on front seats, though I don't know what brand. On rear seats they're protected behind you. Sunglasses are always a possibility in either position but it depends whether they're in the mood to wear them.

If you're mainly worried about UV, proper sunglasses are the way to go. Although you can get UV blocking with little to no loss of light transmssion, the highest UV levels occur when it's bright (not necessarily full sun, bright clouds can be as bad), so their comfort will be well served by dark sunglasses. Also there's more choice than in pale sunglasses so you're more likely to find something acceptable (or simply that fits).

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    In my family mood had nothing to do with it. No helmet, no glasses, no ride. While I was joking with the cool factor comment on Criggies post, it does help if the kid has chosen the glasses themselves. – andy256 May 22 '16 at 7:18
  • @Andy256 helmet yes, but I wouldn't try to make anyone wear glasses as there's no way I'm wearing them myself in the rain. Even if rain is threatening I tend to set out without glasses because you can lose visibility so suddenly when the rain starts. I do live in an area prone to heavy showers much of the year. – Chris H May 22 '16 at 7:36
  • Where I am in Victoria, Australia, it's pretty wet (maybe not quite as wet where you are). I wear glasses all the time, and have clear inserts in my prescription cycling glasses that I wear at night (the inserts, I mean). I always wear a cycling cap under my helmet, and don't have issues with wet glasses. I think the secret is to not try to wipe them. – andy256 May 22 '16 at 9:30
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    @Andy256 the cap might make a big difference. The brim on my helmet sides nothing to keep the rain off while getting in my line of site if I'm head down. Fine droplets from sprayed up surface water form an almost perfect diffuser at times. – Chris H May 22 '16 at 10:58
  • Thanks for responses people. I've edited the OP to provide a little more detail. – ynnekkram May 23 '16 at 10:25

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