buy oakley eyeshades
fit prescription lenses to the inside (pro tip: superglue tends to fog up plastics)
???
profit
Seeing is srs bizzness and emerged circa 2005 on the hills of San Fran
I considered purchasing them, but the postage cost is massive and I’d still have to get lenses, which is why I’m looking at getting the non-collabo versions from an Australian site with free postage and the ability to have prescription lenses made at the same time.
I actually liked those spy collabo ones. but I collabo with uncoolness so good thing you didn’t get them.
I work at an optometrist as a dispenser, and out of everything I’ve considered, I still just wear my normal glasses while riding. I have an older pair that I don’t mind getting wet and grotty for when the weather is a bit crap.
Contact lenses are okay but depending on the length of the ride, they’ll dry out quicker and your wear time will decrease. Some people have miraculous powers of lens abuse though and it doesn’t affect them too much. I can’t wear mine when it’s too windy, I find it outrageously uncomfortable. To each their own though. I would definitely consider using them in combo with some quality wrap non-prescription specs to keep the wind out though.
I’d also be wary of online stores purely because if your script is even halfway moderate (ie, you need them to drive legally), having them cut with the wrong optical centres will induce prism and they’ll strain your eyes and be shit to wear. Some places give you the option of putting it in, but yeah. Have it done right if your eyes suck. Worth noting that the more curved the frames are, the more lens thickness you’ll have too.
I have looked at OPSM’s range and while I think Oakley are overpriced for what they’re offering, they’re probably the closest to what I’d wear specifically for cycling.
I know what your saying about online places and prescriptions. I might struggle there. Last time I looked at getting some glasses made online my script was too strong and they wouldn’t do it.
i got some very cheap cycling sunnies in a kit including an optical insert. As mdann said if the distance between centres is right then the optical insert work very well. My optomistrist was happy to fit lenses into the insets.
This isn’t the first pair i’ve had, and i have needed to get a couple of pairs redone because they didn’t focus well, this was due to the optical centre. That said i also use disposable contacts, but if i am out for the whole day prefer the sunnies.
Yeah, that’s how they avoid errors like that. The thing is though that a few millimeters out for anything over a + or - 1.00 will be uncomfortable to wear. I only know this because we do occasionally see people bringing glasses back in if the lenses aren’t quite where they need to be, due to fitting or dispensing error. But, for the price online, even if they don’t work out that well and your script is mild, you’re not wasting much time and money on them. Particularly for glasses which are likely to get beat up in the weather.
Aren’t the inserts problematic due to peripheral vision being out of focus?
I’ve bought trendy frames from the online places without lenses and had lenses put in by the excellent independent optomotrist in Darwin. Frames cost $60, lenses cost $200. They’re great.
Yes inserts can be an issue if the optical distance is incorrect, as for peripheral, I imagine the lenses are no smaller than many you’d currently use, so you would have the same range of vision.
Like I said I did have issues with a pair of incorrectly prescribed lenses in some inserts, felt like tunnel vision. but have since worked out the issues with my optomotrist, and have an alternative when I don’t want to wear contacts.
Rudy Project Rydon with the old fashioned metal RX insert. I hadnt used em in years til my wife got me some photochromatic lenses for them this xmas and now wear them all the time again. theyre good, but sweat will roll off your brow (if its as proud as mine) and onto the inside of the “outer” lens, which means taking the RX clip out to clear the lens, then putting the RX clip back in means almost certainly, in thelong term, scratching the outer lens, which is why I stopped wearing them in the first place. I reckon one set of photochrom lenses a year isn’t too bad though, $80 or so from the Aus site.
Theyre real good for riding at just about any speed, but fog a little on humid days running slow and hard.
Oh, and no issues with lack of periph vision for me.
Hi folks,
I’ve worn glasses for a fair while now but have always just done without my prescription lenses up until now. These days I can’t see shit at night and I’m having trouble judging depth, and I keep running through potholes I haven’t seen.
So! I need to get some prescription cycling sunnies. Looking in particular at Oakely but have no brand loyalty really. I don’t want the dorky frames that Cav wears off the bike, I’d like some proper, wrap around style. I know they are expensive to make the lenses prescription but from what I understand a few brands do it.
Any experiences/suggestions welcome!
I just wear my normal glasses all the time.
Same. Just get some Ray Bans and look hella fresh when you are in your flanno and bike packing gear.
Hi James! You’ll struggle to get wrap around prescription lenses - it distorts things too much. I’ve got those dorky Oakleys that Cav wears (Crosslinks), they’re reasonably curved and they are very different to wear versus normal prescription glasses. It took me quite a while to get used to them on the bike - the road kinda curved up at me. Had some very nervous races at Hawthorn when I first got them. I got 'em with transition lenses which work pretty well if you’re down with the Grandad look.
Alternatively, I’ve also got some prescription Ray Bans. Great for every day wear, not as good for sweaty bike riding (unless you’re Jez or Fonz).
Frog skins?
I’m in the same boat, but last year I called it and dropped the $$. I did heaps of research and price comparisons and very surprisingly ended up going through OPSM! I got a set of jawbreakers with clear prescriptions in them. Yeah you can see the prescription lense is glued in but you obviously don’t notice while wearing them. I spoke to the guys there about when a deal may be coming up and they totally cool with looking after me. With a discount and health insurance they came in u der $500. I love em so much I just ordered the tinted lense for the frames.
They had a crazy prescription sunnies deal pre Christmas and I got a set of Oakley Holbrook prescriptions, polarised for $150! That’s good lubna.
If your local OPSM won’t play ball call Leon at OPSM in Fairfield Gardens shopping centre, tell him Cameron told you all about them and he’ll sort you out… he and his wife ride too which seem to help 
All my research and Oakley direct tell me you can’t get prescription transition lenses for jawbreakers and most other “cycle type” glasses unfortunately
I have sweet prescription ray bans. I am very sweaty and they slip down.
Thanks Dave, had your glasses in mind. I didn’t mean to call them dorky. They’re clearly mad, just not for me.
Thanks for the info Lokione - ideally I’d like transition lenses hit I’ve heard conflicting info on what models can be done what way. Ideally I’d like some radars or similar prescription, not necessarily transition.