Cycling Prescription glasses

[ravenbait]

I have a pair (single vision) using inserts and have had no trouble with them in rain, but I spent a fortune fog-proofing them. I have niche requirements, however. Just wanted to add that they can still be an answer and aren't the end of the world.

Sam

[Sergeant Pluck]

I finally got around to visiting Optilabs and have now received and tried out the resulting photochromic varifocals - very pleased with them. Tony is excellent to deal with. I asked if the lenses could be made to fit my current Rudy Project frame. That wasn’t possible as they cannot cut the lenses to the shape required, but I am happy with the frames they supplied as they seem well made and fit well. I am also pleased that they seem to be less prone to fogging than the RPs - I chose the vented style which perhaps helps.

[chrisbainbridge]

I have a pair (single vision) using inserts and have had no trouble with them in rain, but I spent a fortune fog-proofing them. I have niche requirements, however. Just wanted to add that they can still be an answer and aren't the end of the world.

Sam

Sam, a year on how are you finding the inserts?
I have some nice Oakley prescription cycling glasses but the frame is visible and obtrusive at the top when cycling unless my neck is so stretched as to be uncomfortable.  So I am looking fora pair of the "modern" shape which appear to go halfway up the forehead.  Unfortunately these cannot be made prescription as they can only grind individual lenses.

Do your inserts appear obtrusive when riding and get in the way of your peripheral vision?

how did you fog proof them?
Would you buy them again?

Thanks

[jsabine]

I've used cycling glasses with interchangeable semi-wraparound lenses, and single vision prescription inserts, for years.

They've always been fine - occasionally noticeable in peripheral vision but never intrusive, and brushed by eyelashes occasionally but not problematic. They're a bit of a pain in rain or with condensation simply because they've got four surfaces not two, but a cap with a visor helps a lot with rain, and foggng up has tended to be no worse than annoying.

They were chosen largely on price so I suspect I've been lucky with the fit, and no doubt a simple prescription has helped (I don't have Sam's niche requirements either), but given I could do with a new pair I was disappointed to find the model I've got is long discontinued

[ravenbait]

Sam, a year on how are you finding the inserts?
I have some nice Oakley prescription cycling glasses but the frame is visible and obtrusive at the top when cycling unless my neck is so stretched as to be uncomfortable.  So I am looking fora pair of the "modern" shape which appear to go halfway up the forehead.  Unfortunately these cannot be made prescription as they can only grind individual lenses.

Do your inserts appear obtrusive when riding and get in the way of your peripheral vision?

how did you fog proof them?
Would you buy them again?

Thanks

I bought antifog inserts, so they came with an antifog coating. They have generally been pretty good, with one caveat. Over winter last year, I stopped to adjust something on a cold night's ride home. It was frosty/black ice cold. As soon as I stopped, my breath caught in my glasses and fogged them up on the inside of the lenses (not the inserts). Forgetting myself, I rubbed at the insert with a gloved thumb, ruining the antifog. So now my eye has dodgy antifog coating and my missing eye has perfectly good antifog coating. Le sigh.

Fogging between the inserts and the lenses has been the biggest problem I've had with them. There's not much you can do about it on the road, although I find myself considering using some of my expensive antifog spray from custom swimming goggle company Magic5 on the inside of the lenses, now that we're approaching fog season again.

I got Rudy Project Cutline, which one might argue are too big for my relatively small head, but I have no problem with obstrusiveness or lack of coverage, and I always go for glasses that are all but snow goggles anyway, so my remaining eye is protected from bees, wasps, stones, flying dirt etc. I also prefer the RP racing or laser red as a tint. Other lens colours can occasionally trigger cluster headaches/vertigo/nausea in bright light, for reasons nobody can explain, but which might be synaesthesia related.

Are they perfect? No. I prefer contacts and non-prescription glasses if I know I'm on a short ride at night in freezing conditions, where I'm going to be going from a warm shop to cold air. Would I get them again? Given the price of glasses like these, I would absolutely go for inserts again. My prescription isn't stable, and I'd rather replace the inserts for £60-80 than pay the several hundred for the entire shebang when the glasses themselves are still perfect.

Sam

[chrisbainbridge]

Sam, thank you.  I was looking at the Rudy Cutline as well. 

I used to be able to see my Garmin well enough over the summer with a non-prescription pair of Rudy copies but found at the weekend in lower light levels I could just not read the Garmin mapping!

[ElyDave]

Specsavers, I have three replaceable outers - mirrored, yellow and photochromatic plain to smoke, vision dealt with by an insert in which I have one plain lens and one with no prescription.  I'm short sighted, so if I have distance lenses in both I end up with a blurred view of my Garmin.  This way my brain adjusts between the eyes.

[ravenbait]

Sam, thank you.  I was looking at the Rudy Cutline as well. 

I used to be able to see my Garmin well enough over the summer with a non-prescription pair of Rudy copies but found at the weekend in lower light levels I could just not read the Garmin mapping!

There seems to be something of a shortage of the relevant inserts. You might need to buy them from RP direct, you have them in stock, and get them glazed by your FLO (friendly Local Optician).

I got my set up from RX Sports, who also do a "try before you buy" option.

Sam