Commuting - Goggles or Not (cold weather commuting)

Now that it is getting colder on my commute (around 30 and 40), I was wondering if I should try to find a clear type of goggle. My glasses fog at the stops and I still get that tear on the down hills. Would the snow goggle type work for a cyclist that commutes. I do not wish to have it fog up after the first mile or so. I read that some goggles do not fit with a helmet very well.
I do travel around 15 mph for 13 miles each way.
I was even thinking of making a clear shield that I can attach to the helmet. to lazy now
Any ideas?
and any tips on care?

I find that ski goggles are the only way to go at -10 to -30 F. Above that, ordinary sunglasses do fine for me. Since I only see those low temperatures when visiting Canada, I stick to my Ray Bans for normal winter commuting. If you have a fogging problem even at these warmer temperatures, ski goggles might be the answer. They work fine with helmets, hoods, hats, whatever.

Paul

I too have used regular, inexpensive, clear lense glasses with much effectiveness at the temperatures you state. The ones I have contain no frame on the bottom of the lense and do not rest against the skin, thus fogging is a non-issue. They protect the eyes enough from blasts of cold speed-induced rain.

Perhaps try seeing if your local bike shop has such a pair? I would give you a brand name but there is none printed on the glasses.

Now that it is getting colder on my commute (around 30 and 40), I was wondering if I should try to find a clear type of goggle. My glasses fog at the stops and I still get that tear on the down hills. Would the snow goggle type work for a cyclist that commutes. I do not wish to have it fog up after the first mile or so. I read that some goggles do not fit with a helmet very well.
I do travel around 15 mph for 13 miles each way.
I was even thinking of making a clear shield that I can attach to the helmet. to lazy now
Any ideas?
and any tips on care?

I started using Fogtech (http://www.fogtech.com/index2.html) last month and it's helps a lot. I use wraparound glasses interchangable lenses and prescription inserts. Mine are Adidas but there are others out there that cost less. With Fogtech I can stop at a light without totally fogging up. The glasses also let me keep my eyes wide open on descents. :eek:

At 36 years of age last spring i found a cool thing called contact lenses. My cycling life has been bliss ever since. I am soooooooooo looking forward to a winter of not having to mess with fogging glasses.

I already had a pair of ski goggles when I found myself continuing to ride through the winter last year, and I find it hard to imagine riding in the cold and snow without them. The biggest benefit to me is keeping snow and wind out of my eyes while riding. The combination of those two factors can make it almost impossible to see, which I find unpleasant. Other benefits include the red tint of the goggles, which cuts glare from the snow and ensures that I never suffer from snowblindness when I enter a building, and that the goggles keep my face considerably warmer and more comfortable when the temperature gets low. A clear lens for riding at night might be nice, but I wouldn't take it in trade for all the other benefits of wearing goggles. The tinting doesn't reduce night vision enough to be a real problem, so I usually just deal with it on the way home.

My glasses fog at the stops

Pull them down your nose a little. Push them back in place after a few pedal strokes.

Erick's got the trick right.
If you can find a pair of rudy project full frame lenses like the ekynox, they have adjustable nose pieces so for the summer, you can have em away from your face by a few mm to vent then adjust them so the frame sits real close and cups your eye sockets in the winter to keep out cold and wind, just pull em down your nose at stops, once the air gets going, the fog naturally dissipates.

At 36 years of age last spring i found a cool thing called contact lenses. My cycling life has been bliss ever since. I am soooooooooo looking forward to a winter of not having to mess with fogging glasses.

How would that help? My contacts don't keep salt and slush from getting wedged under my eyelids when cars throw it up at me. I wear glasses when commuting even though I have contacts. My glasses stop so many bugs, dirt and other bits of flying crap, I'd probably be way better off riding without a helmet than without glasses.

Answering the original question, I've been using VisorGogs from Lab Safety Supply. I got the direct vent ones. They still can fog up a bit when I stop, but I just try not to stop. I don't think there's any hope for that. You can use RainX, it helps, but nothing's perfect.

At least, I can always see better than anyone in a car. I was driving around on Saturday, and it occurred to me how pathetic my field of vision was in a car versus a bike.

I wear contacts and glasses down to about -20C (just pull them down your nose abit when stopped and leave them down until they clear from pedalling). There is some antifog stuff you can buy; I heard fogX works but haven't tried it. I wear snow googles when it is really cold; I just don't like the slight restriction on periferal vision.

Goggles would be overkill at 30-40 F. Better to use regular glasses. To reduce fogging, you can use the Rain-X antifog solution. This is different from the regular Rain-X product and is designed to decrease the surface tension and prevent water beading. Put it on the inside of your lenses only and gie it a try.

I've had nosepieces freeze to my nose. :) I'll switch to ski goggles if it's that cold.

I need to get a new pair of perscription glasses. Currently my metal framed ones fog up completely when I am stopped at intersections on the bike.

When I get my new pair what would be best to reduce fogging? Plastic frame, lens material, etc?

I've found any rain-x type applications on my current glasses realy blur them. The only way to have them clear with no streaking is to clean them with a microfibre cloth.

Al

Goggles would be overkill at 30-40 F.

For you, perhaps, but not others.

On Saturday, when it was ~ 55 F in the morning when I was riding, I was tearing up like crazy on the downhills (wearing prescription glasses). I could definitely use goggles at 30-40 F.

Motorcycle googles are designed for normal temperatures ... try them

No ones gonna have the same answer here. Some people just fog their goggles no matter what they do, some have no such problems. I wear snowboarding goggles below freezing, and other than the loss of peripheral the trade off is worth it. Other people seem to be able to ride without anything over their eyes and not mind even when it’s real cold.

If your goggles fog chronically and you want to throw more money at the problem, Smith makes a goggle with a fan in the frame and a tiny rechargeable battery on the band. Supposedly about as hard-to-fog as they get.

Frankly, you would feel very weird wearing them at those temps. I only wear goggles when it gets down to -25 F. But with glasses, I guess it's a different story eh?

Now that it is getting colder on my commute (around 30 and 40), I was wondering if I should try to find a clear type of goggle. My glasses fog at the stops and I still get that tear on the down hills. Would the snow goggle type work for a cyclist that commutes. I do not wish to have it fog up after the first mile or so. I read that some goggles do not fit with a helmet very well.
I do travel around 15 mph for 13 miles each way.
I was even thinking of making a clear shield that I can attach to the helmet. to lazy now
Any ideas?
and any tips on care?

Goggles will limit your choice and placement of mirrors, especially if you have a visor. I like to wear ventilated clear lenses (but I can't even remember the brand). Except when riding through thick fog which covers everything with tiny water droplets, there are no visibility issues.

Sure, you get a coating of gray road grime on the lenses if you ride highways, but being able to place my mirror exactly where I want while having good protection from the wind and debris is worth it.

If you google goggles you'll get gaggles of goggles and a big giggle. :D gurgle

I was thinking about trying a windscreen (http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=91&subcategory=1046&brand=&sku=6132&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=) like one of these. Anyone had any experience with something similar?