Winter Cycling - Glasses for night riding?

Hi all

My first winter is approaching (for riding that is), im an early riser for my commute to work (5.00 AM) the combination of the chill, wind is making look like i've been crying like a baby when i get to work. So do any of you guys were clear lens glasses at night or night enhancing glasses (am i in the realms of Star Trek land here?).

Thanks in advance

I have prescription lenses, so just ride in my normal specs.
At night, you get a lot of point sources of light, headlamps, streetlamps etc. With multicoated lenses, the amount of reflection between the 2 lens surfaces is much reduced and you can see things more clearly.
I would recomend a clear multicoated plastic. Im not sure that a yellow lens offeres much advantage, esp with yellow sodium street lighting.
Have a look what an high street optician can supply, as well as specialist biking/sports glasses.
I use Flexon titanium frames which are really bendy and indestructable.

Not exactly the best fashion statement, but have you considered clear lens ski goggles...


http://ski-n-see.com/eyeware.jpg ;)

Or swimmers goggles...



http://directwest.mysask.com/lifestyle/gfx/photos/large/goggles.jpg

And of course they come W/optional lighting & waterproof at that! :D




http://www.thepettys.org/images/LargePhotos/016_13.jpg


On second thought maybe not...

I wear tinted in the summer, and then change to yellow then clear as the weather worsens/sky darkens.

Works fine for me...

tt

I've been wearing clear safety glasses for riding. They're Inexpensive and some are very aero looking. For winter biking, ventilation is something to look for. They'll fog up on you when you stop moving (waiting for lights, etc)

Visorgogs.

Go to

www.labsafety.com

Search for visorgogs.

Around $5 plus shipping.

Nice suggestions chaps, may try the zanier ones as I seem the only one to be out on the roads at 5am where I live, no chance of ridicule then!

:beer:

To add to an earlier post, I took suggestions I heard here and went to my local hardware store. I found wrap around safety glasses for $8 !!!

I bought one pair of clear, and one pair that was tinted yellow. The yellow ones still blow my mind - I guess they have that 'Blue Blocker' effect where they sharpen everything by blocking out the blue lightwaves. It makes everything sorta high contrast, and freaks me out at twilight because it makes it look a LOT lighter out than it is. I get back from a twilight ride, take those off and marvel at how dark it really is.

Anyway, the safety glasses have the added benefit of having some impact resistance built in, and they wrap around really well. To clear the fog, you can slide them down your nose a bit to get some air moving through.

Anyway - for the price, it may be worth it to try.

CIPHER, you're killing me man, still laughing! Nice progression...

Mike

i bought rudy tayos, not only for the venting.. they fit my head(too small), are adjustable and the lenses are interchangeable.
i have blue, amber and clear... use depends on time of day and weather/shadows etc.

Another vote for the El Cheapo safety glasses idea. I went to my local farm & home store and they had two kinds. One was 5 bucks, the other ten. I really liked the shape of the cheaper ones so I got them to try(only out $5 if they suck right?). I LOVE THEM! They fit great, don't move around(too much) and they have a slight mirror tint to them so they block 100% UV rays. They are totally clear but I wear them during the day also.

for an excellent value, check out remington sport glasses. i picked up a pair of interchangeable glasses yesterday for $20! comes with clear, yellow, smoke, and color-mirrored (?) lenses, plus carrying case, cloth, and sport strap. found them at wal-mart in the hunting department. they won't win any contests for style, but they're not hideous. and they're comfortable. in addition, my third-eye mirror fits on it (most safety glasses have super-thick arms that don't allow this).

While wandering around prior to the opening of a plant Engineers & maintenance show, I stumbled on a booth that among other thing they rep. were safety glasses. I asked the guy what they sold for, and after talking with him for a while, he said to stop back the afternoon of the last day of the show, and he would just give me what I wanted. (The guy was a fellow biker who wore contacts as well). The show ended, and true to his word, the guy said to take what you wanted!!! Walked away with three pair. (Amber, Yellow and clear). Now maybe I can keep the wife from 'borrowing' my Oakley's. ;)

Gotta give that company a plug!!!!

Oakley Knock Offs (http://www.magidglove.com/)

By the way, They are the Gemstone Series 'Zircon'

I picked up a really cool p[urchase for night riding, and rain. A pair of Salsa clear lens red frames. They are so cool. I feel naked without some sort of eyewear. I swap the clear lens for a set of Smiths. I haven't gotten the clear lens for them yet, but have a dark a medium and the yellow enhanced, for those gray days. I tried a couple winters ago to ride with goggles, it just didn't work well enough for me, actually they were prone to fogging on me, and that presented a problem. The Salsas fog, but once under way the fog disappates.

Originally posted by Cipher

Gotta give that company a plug!!!!

Oakley Knock Offs (http://www.magidglove.com/)

By the way, They are the Gemstone Series 'Zircon'

Gee they look great and cheap. Do you find them comfortable (around ears and nose more specifcally). How well do they block the wind?

Originally posted by Spire


Gee they look great and cheap. Do you find them comfortable (around ears and nose more specifically). How well do they block the wind?

The Ear pieces have a slight curve, not exactly anatomically correct, but the fit is not bad. Fit around the nose is fine. There ability to block the wind is as good as cycle/sport eye wear in my opinion.

If you wanted to 'tweak' the Ear pieces I would bet you could dip them in a pot of hot/boiling water and re-shape them slightly...

I use clear in winter, in the dark, yellow elsewhere.

Be warned, however, that if you are in a contra flow bike lane (against the flow of traffic) any scratches mean that it's difficult to see. I take mine off whengoing down the one stretch of dark lane onto traffic.

i use clear lenses almost all year round. i used to have the really light yellow lenses, but i lost them after a year or so and found the clear for way cheaper (no-name, anti-fog, "unbreakable" cycling glasses with good airflow that also look cool for $30) and i am just as happy with the clear as the yellow.

in winter when it's really cold and/or snowing i also often wear my ski/snowboard goggles with light-yellow tinted lenses. the main advantage here is warmth!