General Cycling Discussion - Rx Cycling Glasses?

Can anyone recommend a good pair of cycling glasses that accept prescription lenses (or, on the flip side, a good pair of Rx sport glasses that work well for road cycling)?

I use Rudy Projects. They have a clip-in prescription insert that works really well.

Can anyone recommend a good pair of cycling glasses that accept prescription lenses (or, on the flip side, a good pair of Rx sport glasses that work well for road cycling)?

It all depends on your prescription. Rudy and most other brands offer in frame support for "typical" prescriptions and inserts for astigmatisms although most manufacturers only support up to 6 diopters. Oakley will support up to 9 diopters but max out (I believe on the sphere axis) at 3 diopters. If you have a bad astigmatism the only manufacturer I know of is Rec Specs. A lot of their line are those horrible racquet ball looking protective frames but their biker frame isn't too bad http://www.libertyoptical.com/products_biker.asp

I use Rudy Projects. They have a clip-in prescription insert that works really well.
I have looked at those in catalogues and they seem awkward to me. It looks like the lenses get held behind the "exterior" lenses. Don't you get relections and refraction problems from that kind of arrangement? Also, is there a weight penalty for that? I'd love to have a pair of perscription cycling glasses but every time I look at them in the catalogues I get scared off :(

I've tried a few pair (not the Rudy's tho) and found Bolles parole with insert to work flawless. With most I've found the insert flexes when inserted thus giving distortion. I personally have never had any problems with reflections with any of the pairs I've used.

I think all Oakley's accept Rx lenses.

But....I just found (at leat to me) the "perfect" pair of glasses and they may cover both purposes like you ask. Oh...and yes, they take Rx lenses too (not to mention interchangeable lenses).

Wiley-X SG-1 (http://www.wileyx.com/sg1.php)

They are the glasses/goggles used by Army Rangers, DEA/FBI Agents, etc....

You can get them dirt cheap off of Ebay.

As I generally wear contacts I was looking for glasses with inserts this spring. I got the RP Ketyum and am pretty happy with them. The inserts do sit behind the regular lenses and that takes a little getting used to. It's odd up close and at the edges but looking down the road through the center is just fine. The RP optics are the best I've ever seen. I bought from http://www.heavyglare.com/. Fabulous folks to deal with.

A few of the Rudy Project frames actually support Rx lenses as well, not just the inserts. Just FYI

I have looked at those in catalogues and they seem awkward to me. It looks like the lenses get held behind the "exterior" lenses. Don't you get relections and refraction problems from that kind of arrangement? Also, is there a weight penalty for that? I'd love to have a pair of perscription cycling glasses but every time I look at them in the catalogues I get scared off :(


The only problem I get is if I sweat between the two lenses. I can't wear contacts so that isn't an option. Also I don't seem to have any problems with the optics or any reflections from the two lenses. Here in SoCal I wear my sunglasses all the time and it's important to me to have specs that work for not only cycling, but other stuff as well.

RP also has a generous frame warranty. I broke the frames after almost a year of hard use and they replaced them quickly with no questions asked.

I have been looking at this sight. These guys at least not the limitations of the different designs. Much needed when your lenses are 2"x1 1/4" and are still just a little over 1/4" thick.

A few of the Rudy Project frames actually support Rx lenses as well, not just the inserts. Just FYI

While it's relatively easy to produce prescription lens for non-wrap sunglasses, those that have a lot of wrap-around that's recommended for activities such as cycling are more difficult to create in prescription format... especially if the wraps use a rimless design. Many brands of high-end sunglasses allow for prescription via clip-on/in inserts. These are typically subframes that can accept a prescription ground lens.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/sportsoptical/sportsopin.jpg
http://www.rudyproject.com/images/prodotti/F_EV-KALYOS.jpg

There are several issues however with inserts.


You're now staring through two lenses which can cause a bit of distortion due to having light refracted through four optical surfaces.
Sweat, water and bugs can get trapped between the insert and the main lens.
It's hard to get the proper airflow and temperature balance to keep fogging from occurring between the insert and the main lens
Heavier
Makes you look even more goofy


In general, I only use my inserts for when I'm MTBing and wear my contacts when I'm RBing. I do carry the inserts with me just in case my contacts foul up and I have to ditch them.

Oakley has the ability to embed a prescription lens right into the main wrap lens itself. It's pricey though. For certain models of Rudy Project, Adidas and Smith, there's an outfit called Sports Optical (http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=2963) that will handle custom-grounding of lens that will fit into certain wrap frames but they're very expensive (prices start at $250 I believe). And if like me, you need to have interchangable lenses to match different lighting conditions then you have to get all your different lenses ground with prescription. This can get pretty costly but is the ultimate solution aside from contacts or surgery.

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/tech/sportsoptical/sportsopback.jpg