Eyewear for Cyclists

[Cyclezee]

When it comes to protective equipment I think cycling spectacles or eyewear is just as essential as a good helmet.

They protect the eyes from the strong sunlight, wind, rain flying insects, small stones or dust that can be thrown in a cyclists direction by passing vehicles.

For a couple of years I have a had pair of Oakley specs with a set of interchangeable lenses that were a bit of bargain from eBay at £16, less than the cost of a replacement lens, normally well known brands cost considerably more than that.

They have served me well although due to rough handling one of the removable arms has had to be permanently secured by our old friend epoxy resin adhesive.

In the past I have tried the cheap ones from Aldi or it may have been Lidl which turned out be useless due to the lenses not be secure and falling out.

What do other members use, how practical are they and what is the best value for money?

 

[anotherkiwi]

Prescription sun glasses with polarising lenses. They are of course treated anti-scratch and shatter-proof. The coating is at the maximum allowed level for use while driving.

I have another pair which is not road legal for really sunny days. There I go breaking the law again

 

[Cyclezee]

Prescription sun glasses with polarising lenses. They are of course treated anti-scratch and shatter-proof. The coating is at the maximum allowed level for use while driving.

I have another pair which is not road legal for really sunny days. There I go breaking the law again

Kiwi, you are one seriously bad boy

 

[SRS]

When it comes to protective equipment I think cycling spectacles or eyewear is just as essential as a good helmet.

They protect the eyes from the strong sunlight, wind, rain flying insects, small stones or dust that can be thrown in a cyclists direction by passing vehicles.

For a couple of years I have a had pair of Oakley specs with a set of interchangeable lenses that were a bit of bargain from eBay at £16, less than the cost of a replacement lens, normally well known brands cost considerably more than that.

They have served me well although due to rough handling one of the removable arms has had to be permanently secured by our old friend epoxy resin adhesive.

In the past I have tried the cheap ones from Aldi or it may have been Lidl which turned out be useless due to the lenses not be secure and falling out.

What do other members use, how practical are they and what is the best value for money?

I use De Walt or similar safety glasses. Usually have a few pairs in my van.
At less than £5.00 they can be replaced as needed.

 

[eHomer]

I always wear glasses when riding now because of all the low flying bugs along my country lane rides, bad enough with the tiny midges, but there's often a damn great bee bouncing off my face.
I tried many different glasses but have found my two favourites a year or two ago and now use those exclusively.
I have a pair of 720P camera glasses and a pair of "motorcycle wraparound glasses" from Amazon.
The wraparound glasses are really good, costing a tenner, (and still available for that, via http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009LKZTJM.
They are robust, light, comfortable, and protect my eyes with a minimum of wind draughts.
The 720p camera glasses work really well too, and are the ultimate in convenience for recording journeys, the only caveat being the maximum recording time of just over an hour, (internal battery life, no external power possible).
I've tried other camera glasses, but they were all totally useless, as most people also find, because their narrower field of view gives a very jerky and very poor quality video.
These particular ones though, have a very wide 140 degree field of view, giving a much more stable video. If only they also worked via an external battery source, they'd be perfect.

 

[Emo Rider]

I wouldn't leave home without them. One of my customers recently came in sporting a really cool pair of 30's style motorcycle googles she spotted on ebay.

 

[Benjahmin]

I use something like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-10-base-curve-amber-lens-safety-specs/3818f
I have two pairs with different levels of tint. Shape throws off bugs etc. And they're cheap and tax deductable.....whoops.

When do we get to the soup?

 

[Sherman]

I use cheap stuff as I get them scratched or lost in no time :-D

Currently in my riding bag are Alpina Tri-Lines with three different lenses and for bad weather Bolle Safety Trackers

 

[flecc]

I suffer from eye watering with wind, especially in cold weather, so even the side open specs style is no use since the wind eddies around the edges makes matters worse than no eye wear.

The only ones that work really well for me are the tiny eyeball enclosing goggles that the roadies wear, but they look ridiculous on an upright sitting utility cyclist.

So my compromise has been a pair of cheap goggles that wrapped around close enough at the sides to do a reasonable job. However for my very local riding now such as shops etc, I just keep the speed down to avoid the need of eye protection.
.

 

[Yamdude]

There is no reason not to wear protective eye goggles, and literally thousands of reasons to.

(Insert made up story to prove my point)

So if you don't wear any, its just selfish and stubborn.

 

[flecc]

.


Note ungoggled eyes of smiley, narrowed against the wind.

No helmet either!
.

 

[Yamdude]

.


Note ungoggled eyes of smiley, narrowed against the wind.

No helmet either!
.

Thats a rather gung ho, maverick attitude you have there Flecc...... you be telling me next you don't wear Hi-Viz and full body armour either.

 

[anotherkiwi]

The guy who rode to the ferry to get (bad) coffee was wearing glasses. No helmet though... His wife didn't seem to mind...

 

[flecc]

...... you be telling me next you don't wear Hi-Viz

The best Hi-Viz is to go naked, then everyone sees you.

Cheaper too!
.

 

[Cyclezee]

The best Hi-Viz is to go naked, then everyone sees you.

Cheaper too!
.

Been there done that

 

[Croxden]

The best Hi-Viz is to go naked, then everyone sees you.

Cheaper too!
.

But not everything this weather.

 

[soundwave]

http://uk.oakley.com/en/mens/sunglasses/prizm-sunglasses/prizm-trade-road/racing-jacket-prizm-road/product/W0OO9171PZRD

mine silver tho with gold n black lenses, tho 1 of the bolts fell out and it cost 30 quid for 2 tiny plastic bolts.

 

[tillson]

I've always managed to make the Aldi glasses last. My current set must be 3 or 4 years old and a bit scratched, but that doesn't seem to make given any less usable.

 

[EddiePJ]

I use De Walt or similar safety glasses. Usually have a few pairs in my van.
At less than £5.00 they can be replaced as needed.

Same as that. I just buy safety glasses. At roughly a fiver a time, why spend more.

I usually wear yellow in bad light, clear on normal days, and the sunglass version on the rare days that we actually get to see the sun.

Proof to me that they work. This was the pair that I wore in the spill that split the front edge of my helmet.

 

[Cyclezee]

I've always managed to make the Aldi glasses last. My current set must be 3 or 4 years old and a bit scratched, but that doesn't seem to make given any less usable.

They must have been better than ones that I bought although in fairness I can't remember if they came from Aldi or Lidl