I'm thinking Photochromatic sunglasses?

[Gyre]

From what I read UV protection is important. My eye's lower lids do burn after a long ride and I know even though these $30 glasses say UV protected, I've found they probably are not. Plus I'm sure their lenses distort my view. I get this same burning of my us when I'm out on my boat as the sun reflects off the water even though I'm wearing $150 Maui Jims.

If you suspect your sunglasses UV protection is fake or not working, stop using them right away until you can find a way to test them. It's not worth risking damage to your cornea or retina.

Polarization from what I read is not nescessary for cycling/MTBing. Maybe good for boating/fishing etc.

I'm sure people could argue about glare and color and so on, but IMHO the most noticeable difference on a bike is when your cyclecomputer or phone LCD display is polarized at a different angle than your glasses.

 

[steve_sordy]

Do any of these work with some kind of prescription lenses? Since I actually need glasses to see clearly lol...

Oakley definitely do prescription lenses. I've got some. I don't like the idea of contacts. I bought genuine Oakley specs and lenses but not from Oakley. Let Mr Google be your friend.

I was to going give you the internet sites that I have used, but most have disappeared. This one still works.

Sunglasses Shop : Designer Sunglasses : Including Oakley and Ray-Ban Sunglasses

 

[steve_sordy]

A simple question.
I have photoreactive lenses in my Oakleys. I thought photochromatic were just multi-coloured lenses. But the sense I'm getting from this thread is that photochromatic lenses are not only multi-coloured, but also darken with the sunlight. Is that the case?

 

[RustyIron]

I went directly to Oakley.com and actually found a $250 pair selling for 1/2 price or $125.

That's exactly what happened to me. I knew what I wanted, but the prices and measly discounts just made me angry. I ended up ordering a new lens for my old Jawbreaker frame and saving a ton of cash. A few minutes later found the glasses I wanted on Oakley's web page. Like yours, they were just over a hundred bucks. The only difference was that they had some blue accent pieces that were a little more flamboyant than I would normally wear. But if I could get them at half price, I could somehow get used to looking like Elton John. So now I have two pair of good riding glasses.

But I still don't wear the Rocketman glasses while riding. Since they're like new, I reserve their use for driving and doing things around town. So far, nobody has pointed and laughed. Maybe they think I'm that guy from U2.

 

[steve_sordy]

Thanks @shockwave that seems to confirm my view that "photochromic" and "photoreactive" are (or have become) interchangeable terms. The "photoreactive" lens that he fitted to his Oakley Jawbreakers were clear and went darker with the increased light. They did not change colour. Equally the multi-coloured lens he was holding at the start of the video were not promoted as changing under brighter light.

When I bought my Oakley Straightjackets they were sold as "photoreactive". I could choose a grey shade or clear material. They both went dark, but the grey ones went darker. I had a few problems with the grey lens when entering thick forest from a previously cleared section that was in bright sunlight. When I bought my second pair several years later, I went for the clear lens and the "problem" had gone. Whether that was due to improved response times of the lens material in the years that had passed between purchases, or because the lens started clearer, I don't know.

But Oakley are clearly marking their lenses as "photochromic" now and not "photoreactive". Times change.

 

[steve_sordy]

I have been riding for 14 years and I have only ever bought two pairs of Oakleys. I have had prescription lenses fitted to both. I bought the second set so that I wasn't without proper riding specs while a new prescription lens was being made up. I have re-fitted the first pair with new socks (the bit that goes over the ends of the legs) and new nose pieces. Apart from that they are both still good to go. They have never once fallen off despite the many, many unplanned dismounts that I've had. I even trod on the first pair! I felt the crunch and when I looked down the specs were in bits. But they all just clipped back together again and were as good as new. I would not hesitate to recommend Oakleys, just don't pay full price!

 

[Dax]

They have never once fallen off despite the many, many unplanned dismounts that I've had.

I knocked my oakleys off in a crash for the first time ever last month, I was really surprised to see them sat on the floor next to me. Almost a decade of crashing with them and they’ve stayed firmly attached!

 

[Expidia]

Do any of these work with some kind of prescription lenses? Since I actually need glasses to see clearly lol...

Yes, many photochromic lenses can be ordered in prescription. Look up " transition" lenses. Also if the glass are large enough some can fit over your regular glasses.

 

[Expidia]

That's exactly what happened to me. I knew what I wanted, but the prices and measly discounts just made me angry. I ended up ordering a new lens for my old Jawbreaker frame and saving a ton of cash. A few minutes later found the glasses I wanted on Oakley's web page. Like yours, they were just over a hundred bucks. The only difference was that they had some blue accent pieces that were a little more flamboyant than I would normally wear. But if I could get them at half price, I could somehow get used to looking like Elton John. So now I have two pair of good riding glasses.

But I still don't wear the Rocketman glasses while riding. Since they're like new, I reserve their use for driving and doing things around town. So far, nobody has pointed and laughed. Maybe they think I'm that guy from U2.

I think they just think you are a "woke" dude now

Do your glasses look anythink like these? If they do, you might become very popular on the trails hahaha

 

[irie]

... I would not hesitate to recommend Oakleys, just don't pay full price!

Agreed. My wife and I have Oakley Jawbreaker Trail Torch, bought near enough half price. Result.

 

[Clean]

I wear Flak 2.0 XLs with Photochromic Lenses and they are brilliant. The usual optical clarity of Oakley Lenses coupled with rapidly responding colour changing makes for the perfect riding glasses, IMHO.

Blast into dark woods on a bright sunny day and there is no perceptible change in visibility. Ditto when you come out on the other side.

Oakleys at their finest.

 

[Eliadn]

Oakley definitely do prescription lenses. I've got some. I don't like the idea of contacts. I bought genuine Oakley specs and lenses but not from Oakley. Let Mr Google be your friend.

I was to going give you the internet sites that I have used, but most have disappeared. This one still works.

Sunglasses Shop : Designer Sunglasses : Including Oakley and Ray-Ban Sunglasses

Thanks! Will check

 

[Expidia]

Yea

Exactly. And I'm trying out the photochromics so I don't have to keep swapping out glasses or lenses. Hopefully, these new ones coming will be adequate for most varying lighting conditions.

 

[Expidia]

Update: Just came. Oakley’s Baby! Dat's what I'm talking about . Free shipping in like 2-3 days. Chromatic transitional lenses. As mentioned above, got them for 1/2 price off Oakley’s website. Were $251 and this model was on sale 50% off $125. My $30 bike ones with 4 lenses were actually great, but changing lenses is a pain. Gets dark earlier, so clear is nice later in the day, but changing leaves finger prints that have to be cleaned off every time. And the inexpensive frames will eventually snap from changing. Transition lenses worried me in years past as they were always too slow to change (like 3-4 minutes) these new ones change in 45 secs. As others have noted, Oakley’s lenses are pretty much distortion free. Cheap lenses are bad for your eyes long term. First pic is out of the box out of the darkness, 2nd pic is outside within a minute later. Build is great. Fit so far, is comfortable as hell. Comes with an extra nose piece too.
Once again thanks for everyone's input on my original question.

 

[Jurassic]

Glad that you got sorted with the Oakleys Expidia, I'm sure they'll prove to be an excellent choice.

 

[Dax]

Let us know how you get on with them on the bike

 

[Expidia]

Let us know how you get on with them on the bike

Let us know how you get on with them on the bike

I will. Today I only buzzed around the city for around 12 miles. Stopped for a quick lunch at an outdor restaurant before they start hibernatiing for the cooler fall temps. Glasses still very comfortabe. Forgot I had them on. For me to try them on trails in and out of the woods I have to hook up the hitch rack and travel a bit.

Here is a toast to those that helped me choose a new pair of riding glasses!

 

[ilostmypassword]

From experience I like running see through / off yellow lenses all year round. The promise of rapid transition of the photocromatic glasses never really happens. What is with the goofy designs of glasses these days? They look ridiculous

 

[Expidia]

From experience I like running see through / off yellow lenses all year round. The promise of rapid transition of the photocromatic glasses never really happens. What is with the goofy designs of glasses these days? They look ridiculous

I doubt if I can go fast enough to beat the transition hahaha

 

[RustyIron]

Update: Just came. Oakley’s Baby! Dat's what I'm talking about

Dude! Five minutes in your new Oakleys, and you already look ten times cooler.
Chicks gonna be all over you, bro.

 

[Expidia]

Dude! Five minutes in your new Oakleys, and you already look ten times cooler.
Chicks gonna be all over you, bro.

Thanks Rusty, now you have me thinking ….slow cruising around the lawns of some of the local rest homes on my Trek might be very fruitful

 

[Basher]

I am using Tifosi photochromatic glasses. really good and paid around £60 for them.

 

[Expidia]

I am using Tifosi photochromatic glasses. really good and paid around £60 for them.

Ya they are really nice looking. Around $79 here. Now that I searched on Amazon Tifosi is hammering me with their ads every place I scroll too hahaha

Here is their ad on FB a few min ago. Very cool looking . . . But walking around town or boating I think might look a little zombieish

 

[timcking]

I now have worn these for 10 yrs or more and now have four pair of Tifosi Seek photochromatic sunglasses. They don't wear out. They are all I wear for eye protection. They're on sale now for under $50 at the link below.

Product Not Found - BikeTiresDirect.com

We are sorry. This product is no longer available.

www.biketiresdirect.com

 

[Expidia]

Well, they passed the boat test today. Lenses were a light tint in the car while driving to the Mighty Hudson River (315 miles long). We did not do all of it today . In the car, the windows are black tinted, but the Oakley’s kept the brightness down. On the water in bright sunshine, the lenses turned nice and dark and changed quickly.

 

[Dax]

That’s probably my only complaint about the photochromic oakleys: they don’t change in the car so you need another pair for driving in

 

[Expidia]

That’s probably my only complaint about the photochromic oakleys: they don’t change in the car so you need another pair for driving in

Ya, my side and rear SUV windows are almost black, but the drivers side, passenger and windshield are tinted, but not as dark as the others. And I've had one eye cataract removed a few years ago. So that eye is very sensitive to bright light. So much so that I tend to drive with my visor down to soften the bright sky. Yet, today I was able to wear the Oakley's while driving and they darkened enough inside the car that I didn't need to pull the visor down. So far I'm more than happy with them. Will be interesting to see how fast the adjust going on trails in and out of the woods.
Also, I boated in the bright sun for 3 or 4 hours today and my bottom eye lids are not burning as they usually do after boating and long e-bike rides. The UV coating is definitely working and my other two pair of pricey regular sunglasses I'm sure don't have any UV coating as they are like 10 years old at least.

 

[Yoak]

I found that photo chromatic lenses never adjust fast enough for my riding style/area. It’s a lot of trails going in an out of dense forests. They go dark quite quickly, but never lighten up fast enough. Tried both Oakley and Cebe. So now in the autumn I always bring an extra pair of clear glasses for when the light drops in the evening.

 

[Dax]

I found that photo chromatic lenses never adjust fast enough for my riding style/area. It’s a lot of trails going in an out of dense forests. They go dark quite quickly, but never lighten up fast enough. Tried both Oakley and Cebe. So now in the autumn I always bring an extra pair of clear glasses for when the light drops in the evening.

Try a Prizm trail or trail torch lens.

 

[Yoak]

Try a Prizm trail or trail torch lens.

Good advice
I’m using the Trail or the low light lens on the other pair and I’m very happy with those