Road Cycling - I hate sunglass haze! How do you keep sunglasses clean?

I can't be the only one with this problem--I'm sure someone has found a good solution and maybe they'll share.

I have Tifosi Pave polarized sunglasses for riding. Any ride over 40 miles and I get a faint fuzzy haze over them, inside and out, but mostly in. It's probably from a combination of my sweat, dust, etc. I ride by the beach a lot so maybe the humidity is a factor also. I have to stop and clean them for about 5 minutes with a silk cloth during my ride. I clean them thoroughly at home afterwards (glasses cleaner).

They are not fogging up, just getting a buildup of dust that obstructs my vision enough to be annoying (and potentially dangerous).

Is there some kind of special coating that you put on them to keep the gunk from building up? I tried something I had lying around the house (303 Aerospace protectant) and that made a small difference. I'm thinking of using some high quality car wax (Zaino, for those who are OCD about cars too).
Is there anything that you guys recommend to resist the gunk/haze that builds up?

Don't Oakley Radars already have a special coating on them? Going to be my next set.

I wouldn't wear wax/car detailing products that close to my eyes.

Those products usually contain an odd hotchpotch of ingredients.

I've got a pair from BBB, and they fog up under some weather conditions, but usually they just blur with perspiration and the residue from evaporated perspiration.. I wouldn't mind an easy fix either! :-)

How does polarized work for you? I can never read my computer with 'em.
I tried Rain-X once and it worked well. Depends on the lenses however so, no promises.

I just rub a little HTFU on them, works great.

Wipe on jersey.

Scuba diver trick: clean w/ solution of baby shampoo and water.

Don't Oakley Radars already have a special coating on them? Going to be my next set.

Yeah, they do. I want to put a similar coating my current Tifosis. I just got my Tifosis, though--it'd be hard to justify spending $250+ on new Oakleys.

How does polarized work for you? I can never read my computer with 'em.
I tried Rain-X once and it worked well. Depends on the lenses however so, no promises.

Interesting...I think I have some lying around somewhere. If it doesn't work, I can always wipe it off with an alcohol mix.

I actually though about RainX, but I know it doesn't seem to last very long on cars (only a few weeks max). Oh well, if I gotta put some on my glasses every few weeks, then I guess I'd do it if it works. Thanks.

My polarized lenses work great with my computer and HRM (separate units for me). Unfortunately, there is no convention when it comes to polarization (up-down vs left-right). It seems that most sunglass manufacturers have an unspoken convention and orient their polarization the same way. And I think many LCD manufacturers orient their displays in the same way. (Note that LCDs use small polarized cells.) Not all LCD manufacturers do this, however. In fact, I have a few different LCD displays in my car (06 BMW) and one of them is oriented "wrong" or 90 degrees from the rest. As a result, I can't see that display (but I can see the rest) with my polarized glasses. You can fix this by getting a (clear) polarized sheet and putting it over the display, oriented at the 45 degree angle that helps you see the display well. That's what I did in my car. However, the overall display brightness does go down. If you really want more details, I can explain about the polarized sheets mounted on crystals in each LCD (or you can Google), but I doubt you are as nerdy as I am.:lol:

Combination that works: Tifosi Pave polarized with CatEye Strada Cadance comp and Sports Instruments HRM.

Scuba diver trick: clean w/ solution of baby shampoo and water.

Really? Is that for anti-fog, or anti-haze?

I just rub a little HTFU on them, works great.

I am a perfectionist when it comes to things like this. I can't even stand a spec of dirt in my field of view. Maybe I'm a bit OCD. Seems like everyone around here has their OCD obsession. At least mine doesn't have me chasing down $300 carbon bars or peeling/adding stickers to my rims! :D


Wipe on jersey.

Don't know about you , but I tend to sweat in my jersey. Wiping them on my jersey makes it so much worse.

Don't know about you , but I tend to sweat in my jersey. Wiping them on my jersey makes it so much worse.

Agreed. I sometimes carry a tissue in the jersey pocket just to wipe the shades.

Maybe a little haze can be bareable, but with mine they tend to fog up completely... which is not a good thing.

What causes this anyway and how to avoid?

I've tried a number of different things. Rain-X anti-fog works pretty well, especially on those steamy, dank Pennsylvania mornings in the summer. On the spring and fall days when the gnats are out in full force, I carry a couple of first-aid alcohol prep wipes with me - they do a fantastic job of removing crap from my glasses.

He said they weren't fogging...

Sweat that gets on the inside...I use a scientific technique I figured out over the years:

I sit up on the bike.

I grab my water bottle (I use water, not drink solution as I carry gels and using both is redundant).

I take my glasses off

I drizzle a bit of water on the lenses

I flick the water off by shaking them

I put them back on. Clean glasses.

;)

Scuba diver trick: clean w/ solution of baby shampoo and water.

A quickie SCUBA diver trick: Spit on them.

I have been putting a paper towel in my saddle bag lately. With the heat and humidity what its been there isn't a dry speck on my body to wipe the lenses on.

A quickie SCUBA diver trick: Spit on them.

+1 It's an old swimmers trick too for the inside o their goggles.

This is another example of a time where it is useful to be able to ride hands free. Sit up, take off glasses, rub with jersey. Even if you sweat a lot, there should be somewhere on your jersey that is dry enough. I usually use the inside at the bottom near the zipper. Otherwise just carry a cloth in your pocket and use it.

try spit..It is an old triathlete trick spit into googles to keep them clear during:notamused: the swim.

Ivory or baby shampoo. I would not wipe them off with anything other than soft cotton, dirty glasses drive me so nuts I have started buying very cheap sunglasses, cleaning with soap and water mentioned and pitch them when I cant get them perfectly clean anymore. I carry a spare pair hooked thru the laynard on my backup headlight. I hate sweat on my glasses.

I can't be the only one with this problem--I'm sure someone has found a good solution and maybe they'll share.

I have Tifosi Pave polarized sunglasses for riding. Any ride over 40 miles and I get a faint fuzzy haze over them, inside and out, but mostly in. It's probably from a combination of my sweat, dust, etc. I ride by the beach a lot so maybe the humidity is a factor also. I have to stop and clean them for about 5 minutes with a silk cloth during my ride. I clean them thoroughly at home afterwards (glasses cleaner).

They are not fogging up, just getting a buildup of dust that obstructs my vision enough to be annoying (and potentially dangerous).

Is there some kind of special coating that you put on them to keep the gunk from building up? I tried something I had lying around the house (303 Aerospace protectant) and that made a small difference. I'm thinking of using some high quality car wax (Zaino, for those who are OCD about cars too).
Is there anything that you guys recommend to resist the gunk/haze that builds up?

Therein lies the answer to your inquiry.
(Salt water) beach air environment = Wind + microscopic droplets of water + salt + other minerals, maybe even fine sand particles.
Even if you weren't riding and simply wearing your sunglasses while say, lying on the sand, it would still happen.

Can't really escape it and don't know of any magical coating that would repel / prevent or significantly resist the so-called "gunk" build up.

Dry-wiping expensive sunglass lenses with paper towels probably not the best idea, since they may cause fine scratches.
Plan "A": Rinsing with water and soap is likely best (but most inconvenient option), followed by drying with a non-abrasive, absorbent cloth.
Plan "B": Maybe carry a couple of disposable professional lens cleaning mini-pads such as these and use once or twice during your ride: http://www.tuffrhino.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=PYLCT100&Click=569

Like ezee wrote, that haze is simply the nature of being near the ocean. I use microfiber cloths to clean everything optical. Sunglasses to very expensive camera optics.

first, the Oakley Radar's can be had on eBay for well under $200. next, i get the wet haze or sweat film on the inside of my Tifosi glasses as well. it seems to be taking place more often this summer then ever. i carry one of those microfiber cloths with me. however, i hate stopping to deal with this. my solution, i just ordered some Specialized Helix glasses. later.

rubbing with a polyester jersey is a big mistake. you risk scratching the lenses and just end up spreading the sweat around as your jersey material won't absorb any of that sweat. this leaves you with a nice haze- which is good if you want to soften the focus of everything in your view.

i carry a bit of a cotton t-shirt with me, but what works best is to eliminate the sweat that gets on the lenses. since i have short hair, i sweat a lot on my head, and it gets on the lenses. for this, i use a headband- like the halo headband, or headsweats. since i've started using this, i've mostly eliminated the problem.

YMMV

how about cat crap?

http://www.campmor.com/images/sunglasses/83081.jpg

I have not tried this product, so I won't claim it works. You can buy a kit from Oakley to treat any pair of sunglasses with the hydrophobic coating that Radar's come with. The kit costs $30 and can treat up to 4 pair of glasses.

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/road-bikes/product-apparel/2008-oakley-hydrophobic-lens-kit-4267_389_TRUE.html

If anyone has tried it please post your review here. I am interested in trying it.

Dont use car wax, it is very abrasive.

Rain X, wiped off with a microfiber towel works really well for me.... and I dump between 6-10 bottles over my head on any given ride during the summer months.

If the Tifosis are pretty new, maybe you can exchange them for the Tifosi Slips, which have a ventilated lense. This causes less fogging, which may reduce your gunk build-up problem. Of course if the problem is caused by fogging, you can always push the Paves down your nose during fog-up moments.

I have the Slips, and though they don't completely prevent fogging, it's much less. Instead of the lense getting completely fogged over at stops in cool weather, they fog up maybe one third of the lense before I get a chance to slide them down my nose a bit.

I would be very careful with rainx around the eyes. Even dry that stuff has a very strong odor. The moisture from sweat could activate it again.

If the Tifosis are pretty new, maybe you can exchange them for the Tifosi Slips, which have a ventilated lense. This causes less fogging, which may reduce your gunk build-up problem. Of course if the problem is caused by fogging, you can always push the Paves down your nose during fog-up moments.

I have the Slips, and though they don't completely prevent fogging, it's much less. Instead of the lense getting completely fogged over at stops in cool weather, they fog up maybe one third of the lense before I get a chance to slide them down my nose a bit.

I have the slips also ,I agree they fog up too, just not as bad. I carry the the little cleaning bag in my jersey now to clean them, which is several times per ride. Probably should wash that bag from time to time though.

Do any of you use rain-x on plastic lenses? I was going to try this but it says on the bottle not to use on plastic. Just wondering if anyone had tried it and what the results were.

rubbing with a polyester jersey is a big mistake. you risk scratching the lenses and just end up spreading the sweat around as your jersey material won't absorb any of that sweat. this leaves you with a nice haze- which is good if you want to soften the focus of everything in your view.

It works ok for me, but I tend to lose my glasses before I have a chance to scratch them :p

I have been putting a paper towel in my saddle bag lately. With the heat and humidity what its been there isn't a dry speck on my body to wipe the lenses on.

I would never use paper towel on any glasses, it is abrasive even if you don't see scratches.

I purchased some great glasses online from Global Vision Eyewear, they are called Daydream. The have this coating called Hydrophobic which repels moisture, oil and dust build up. They've worked great for me and as additional bonus they are High Definition too.

The only problem is Global Vision is a wholesaler, but they do have links to online retailers. Here is a link http://www.globalvision.us/navpages/retaillinks.php

They cater to mostly motorcycle riders but what works for them can work us.

A quickie SCUBA diver trick: Spit on them.

yes

http://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-Pre-Moistened-Cleaning-Tissues/dp/B00006RVSM/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1302533381&sr=1-3

100 for $10. Easy to carry, stash a handful in my bike bag. GL

http://www.amazon.com/Bausch-Lomb-Pr...2533381&sr=1-3 (http://go.bikeforums.net/?id=42X129555&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBausch-Lomb-Pre-Moistened-Cleaning-Tissues%2Fdp%2FB00006RVSM%2Fref%3Dsr_1_3%3Fs%3Dhpc%26ie%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1302533381%26sr%3D1-3&sref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikeforums.net%2Fshowthread.php%2F448454-I-hate-sunglass-haze%21-How-do-you-keep-sunglasses-clean%2Fpage2)

100 for $10. Easy to carry, stash a handful in my bike bag. GL

+1

I always have a couple in my back pocket. If you are such an animal that you don't stop in 40 miles, my hat's off to you. Otherwise, it takes 45 seconds to clean your glasses when you refill H2O and then you're on your way.

PS, I live many hundreds of miles from the ocean. My sweaty face is plenty salty enough to create the 'haze'.

I have no idea how the pros go so hard and not fog out their shades. I can completely fog a pair of pricey Oakleys within 10 minutes of hard climbing (to my horror).

I've ended up keeping them in the soft nylon case in a back pocket on climbs and putting them back on the downhills.

I Rain-X the inside of my glasses. Seems to work.