correct spectacles for cycling

[Dogtrousers]

I have some Optilabs photochromic varifocals. Quite happy with them but actually I hardly ever use them.

I just cycle in my ordinary specs. To begin with I'd forget to put the special cycling ones on before going out riding, and just got out of the habit.

 

[Fredo76]

Where I live photochromic is essential, for me at least. Coatings crack, and "progressive" bifocals have sucked, IME. I don't like the swimming effect, and mine were ground with a reading focal area too narrow to be useful - I had to turn my head to read a page. I'm sure that when I get a new prescription and tell them I want lined bi-focals, they'll look at me just like they would if I said "toe-straps"...

 

[Profpointy]

If you had toothache, would you ask about it on a cycling website....same goes for glasses. Ask your local optician. Tell them what you need, and let them solve the problem. They have waaaaay more experience than us lot on here....

Well, not really. The OP isn't asking for cycle chat wisdom on the right prescription but on the config suitable for cycling. I wanted glasses for motorcycling, and specifically for the leaning forward riding position where I'd only be looking through the very tops of the lenses whilst riding and not end up looking over the tops. I was rather on my own for that aspect as the option could only suggest glasses of the shape I'd myself assumed would work ie big lenses

 

[Ridgeway]

If you had toothache, would you ask about it on a cycling website....same goes for glasses. Ask your local optician. Tell them what you need, and let them solve the problem. They have waaaaay more experience than us lot on here....

If i had toothache i'd ask someone riding a Pinarello gotta be a dentist...

PS the optician maybe personally incentivised to give you an answer that involves custom made Oakley's

 

[rualexander]

If you had toothache, would you ask about it on a cycling website....same goes for glasses. Ask your local optician. Tell them what you need, and let them solve the problem. They have waaaaay more experience than us lot on here....

But the chances are they don't ride a bike, so asking on a cycling forum for opinions seems reasonable.

 

[byegad]

I had inserts 9 years ago and just found they were rubbish with steaming up.

Yes, I use varifocals and bought an insert system from Vision Express. They were brilliant, until I stopped. At which point they steamed up so badly I had to remove them, and so couldn't see clearly, but that was better than seeing beggar all.

I use my ordinary varifocals, the previous prescription to the ones I wear for the rest of the day, when out on the bike.

 

[Ridgeway]

Here's some more info in this thread regarding the Bloc's

 

[numbnuts]

My ordinary varifocals with reactolight thingy , why make life complicated

 

[wonderloaf]

I bought a pair of these from Selectspecs a few years ago with basic varifocal lenses and graduated grey tint, cost me about £85 all in and been very happy with them, the varifocals work well for cycling.
https://www.selectspecs.com/glasses/infinity/gm-231-aluminium/ss260.83.html

 

[T4tomo]

I just use my ordinary varifocals, need the reading bit to see the garmin / phone / cafe menu etc. I have both sunglasses & plain pairs. No issues with steaming up or too much wind around the eyes. I'm not sure inserts in to "specialist" cycling glasses are worth the expense. I also use the same setup for skiing, albeit with a visor helmet.

 

[Beebo]

I use Optilabs glasses with transitions lenses in single vision. My gps on my bike is far enough from my eyes that I don’t need the bifocal option for my reading prescription. Just had them do new lenses for my 9 year old polycarbonate frames. Very fast turn around within a week.

I did the opposite.
I broke the frame so they managed to reuse the lenses. They had to be cut down to fit the new frames as the old frame was discontinued. It cost about £50, which was very good value IMO.

 

[a.twiddler]

Non glasses wearers probably see this as a non problem, with their most difficult choice being "what colour lenses will I clip in to my wrap around specs today?".

Rain on glasses (wear headgear with a deep peak), misting up (solutions range from half a potato wiped on your lenses, a smear of washing up liquid, various sprays such as Rain Off or even Mr Sheen).

Even with a strong prescription for short sightedness, for years I was able to see from just in front of my face to infinity. It felt like adding insult to injury when around fifty years old I started needing reading glasses as well. Varifocals were tried but I just didn't get on with them.

I reverted to single vision lenses, and using reading glasses, plus a pair 1 dioptre less than the full prescription for general use. These were well up to legal requirements for driving, less sharp focus for extreme distance but made close objects easier to deal with without needing reading glasses except for intensive reading. This compromise served me well for about ten years.

In recent years I've been persuaded to try varifocals again and the technology has advanced considerably. I find them much more user friendly now, and fine for cycling. I tend to use a set of fairly large lensed varifocal sunglasses for cycling, which keeps the wind off, and the sun out. A similar clear pair is used in poor light. As glasses seem to be seen as disposables nowadays, with plastic lenses that develop micro scratches despite taking care of them even with coatings (most noticeable in night driving/riding) this means that you replace them every year or so even if your prescription has not changed. Probably reasonable when you consider that your usual pair is on your face 18 hours a day, every day.

I'm old enough to remember glass lenses. If you didn't break them they would often outlast the frames, and they were excellent at night. Nowadays the profit is in flogging you a new frame every time. I'm not up to spending £300 quid on cycling specific specs every year when the last pair cost me £45 from Asda opticians and work fine for me. I haven't spent that much on most of my bikes! I've got a pair of single vision specs for night riding/driving as varifocals aren't the solution to everything.

I suppose for me, it's "ride what you brung" (on your face).

 

[vickster]

Non glasses wearers probably see this as a non problem, with their most difficult choice being "what colour lenses will I clip in to my wrap around specs today?".

Rain on glasses (wear headgear with a deep peak), misting up (solutions range from half a potato wiped on your lenses, a smear of washing up liquid, various sprays such as Nowadays the profit is in flogging you a new frame every time. I'm not up to spending £300 quid on cycling specific specs every year when the last pair cost me £45 from Asda opticians and work fine for me. I haven't spent that much on most of my bikes! I've got a pair of single vision specs for night riding/driving as varifocals aren't the solution to everything.

I suppose for me, it's "ride what you brung" (on your face).

Do you really need to replace cycling glasses every year?! My last pair of Oakleys lasted at least 5 years (only replaced as I managed to damage a lens and superglue wasn't working anymore!) Yes they weren't the latest prescription but more than adequate for seeing to cycle!

 

[Ridgeway]

The current plastic lens glasses sitting on my nose are used 18hrs a day and are 5yrs old. Never pay for any coatings and the current ones are scratch free. 5yrs is pretty usual for me, the children is another story and having just taken them on Saturday to the glasses shop i'm glad i was siting down when i got the bill...

 

[Dogtrousers]

Like @byegad I wear my previous pair of ordinary specs for cycling.

Sometimes I forget, and it's strange how your brain can work. Just before lockdown started I crashed quite badly. Weirdly the only thing I can remember thinking as the saddle hit me on the back of the head and my face slammed into the tarmac was "oh no ... I've got my new glasses on. I hope they don't get broken".